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Miracles In Progress 12 Step Recovery Forums -> Alcoholics Anonymous -> Alcoholics Anonymous -> Back from Uzbekistan......
Post Info TOPIC: Back from Uzbekistan......
davep12and12


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Back from Uzbekistan......
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Hi all, I found this board several weeks ago when I was planning a three-week trip to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and I was looking for some AA resources to help me  find meetings there. So I just got home (to California) from the trip. It was amazing, and I'm so grateful that staying sober has given me the opportunities to do things like traveling. I never did find any AA meetings there, which was a disappointment, especially since I have always been able to find AA in all sorts of unlikely places all over the world. But I had a Big Book with me and I  always have the tools that the program has given me so I maintained my 'daily reprieve' during the trip with no difficulties.

There were a couple of times during the trip when I ran into our disease face to face, in the form of local people clearly in the middle of hitting bottom with their alcoholism, and it felt really helpless to not know the language and not be able to offer any kind of 12th step help... If anything, it was like a glimpse into our past, seeing what it may have been like before 1935 when practically nobody recovered from alcoholism and there was no fellowship and no 12 step method of recovery to save us. We are so, so fortunate.

I'll have a ton of great memories and stories from this trip, but I'm glad to be home again and back in my regular meetings, and back here again with you guys.



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Stepchild


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I'm glad you are still safe, sane and sober...Welcome back!

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Pythonpappy


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Welcome back DaveP ... ... ... Sorry about the lack of meetings over there ... at least you did the right thing by having a BB with you ... Good job ...

Hey man ???, ... Where's the 'pics' ... you know you gotta show us what you saw there !!!



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davep12and12


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Hi Pythonpappy! I'll be sure to put a few of the better pictures on my Flickr page and post a comment here with a link so you all can check them out. There should be some pretty spectacular shots in there. But it may take a few days to get them all onto my computer and sort through them - I realized near the end of the trip that I had taken nearly 600 pictures.....



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betterthanyesterday52


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Hi DaveP... I am glad you got to go and I am sure you will have lots to share and look forward to hearing more about your trip. I am sorry that you were unable to share about AA to other alcoholics there and that there were no AA meetings. I too thought AA was everywhere. I just did a search on those places along with AA and your posting on this board just popped up....who knows? Maybe your posting this will get something AA related started there.

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Pythonpappy


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Wow, ... I was thinking a couple dozen, LOL ... not 600 ... ... ... I'm patient, I can wait ... no rush !!!



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davep12and12


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Yeah, the scenery there is just jaw dropping, but the people I met were really memorable. Everywhere I went I met the most genuinely friendly people. Far more so than on most of these crazy trips that I take. That's what really made this trip special.

 

BTW, I discovered that nearly ever city in Uzbekistan has a big, creaky old Ferris Wheel. I don't know why. But I made a point of riding them and I think I have adopted a new motto for living: When faced with the choice to ride the Ferris Wheel or not - always ride the Ferris Wheel.



-- Edited by davep12and12 on Thursday 31st of October 2013 08:08:39 PM

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davep12and12


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Hey pythonpappy - here's a link to my Flickr account, where I have created a set of about 20 of the better pictures from the trip.  Enjoy!

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/18095676@N02/sets/72157637167879013/

 

 



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Pythonpappy


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Thanks a million Dave, ... these are incredibly beautiful ... amazing architecture ... and the pic of the old man was awesome ... down to earth person ... I bet he has a story to tell, would love to know it ... I'm trying to not be envious ... LOL



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Pythonpappy


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Don't know that I could live with your new motto, LOL ... you triggered some kind of hidden fear when you said 'creaky old' Ferris Wheel ... since I currently survived another day without alcohol, I kinda want it to last, ... know what I mean ??? ... LOL ... I stared at death face-to-face looking at the bottom of a bottle, don't care to do that from the top of an old Ferris Wheel ... BUT, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself and survived to tell the story, good for you ... seriously, I love hearing of the excitement other sober brothers and sisters can have now ... thank you so much ...


Take Care and God Bless,
Pappy



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