What Expats Do in Dushanbe

My two colleagues who accompanied me to Dushanbe have been connected with UCA and the entire Aga Khan Development Network (which is the larger umbrella group under which UCA falls) for a much longer period of time than I have.  So they have connections and contacts with people in the Development Network throughout the region, including Dushanbe.  Our first night in Dushanbe, we connected with several of their Canadian and British expat friends who work for AKDN in the city. Three of the friends were hosting a Trivia Night in the major sports bar of Dushanbe called Istiqlol.  Unfortunately, two of the five rounds of the competition were on Tajik history and logos of Tajik companies.  Needless to say, we didn't win, but our poor Kyrgyz/Canadian team (also including one very Tajik-illiterate U.S. member) managed to place 4th out of nine teams.  That's what expats do every Wednesday night in Dushanbe.  Notice the giant wall of alcohol, under the seductive red lights on the right side of the picture: something one does not expect to observe in very conservative Islamic Tajikistan.