TOURYALAI

I met Touryalai one day while I was riding my Chinese bicycle, searching for a bakery to buy cookies. I had just moved into my apartment on the university side of town. As I was riding my bicycle, Touryalai was passing by on his, and he abruptly stopped and asked in very good English, "Can I help you?" With a hesitant and cautious tone I said, "Yes. I'm looking for a bakery." Without any hesitation he said, "I'll show you." I followed him, and moments later we arrived at the bakery. After I thanked him, he asked if I was an American. I told him that I was an American Peace Corps volunteer teaching English at the university. He was very happy about this and told me that he was very interested in learning more English. He said that he would be glad to help me anytime I needed help. He added in his (always charming and sincere) way that his mother had always told him to help all Americans.

During my entire tour, Touryalai certainly helped me. He showed me where to buy things. Anything I needed or anywhere I needed to go, Touryalai was always there to help me.

Touryalai was 20 years old. He worked as an architect at an Afghan Ministry. His pay was about $45.00 per month. I once visited where he worked, and I could tell that he loved his job and that he was good at it. Later on I met three of his other brothers. One was a musician. Another had studied mathematics and physics at graduate school in New York, and he wanted to return to resume studies. He enjoyed American beer and he was quite happy when I brought him as a guest to the American Staff House. The third brother was good at fixing appliances. I had met a very intelligent family. Plus, as I later found out, because I asked Touryalai about this, he said that his father was a millionaire by American standards. I do not know what happened to the prosperity of his family when Russia invaded, but most likely it was taken.