Overland Journal – August 01, 2019

OVERLAND JOURNAL FALL 2019

115

I

t wasanotherspectacularwarmandsunnydayin the

mountainsof Tajikistan,as warmas it getsat 14,000

feet.Theintenseblueskyalmosthurtoureyes.Thisplaceis

oftencalledthe“roofoftheworld,”accordingtoNational

Geographic,“oneofthelasttrulyisolatedplacesonearth.”

TurningofftheWakhanCorridoralongtheAfghanbor-

der,oncetroddenbyMarcoPoloashefollowedtheSilk

Road,weclimbedoverthe15,272-footKoy-Tezek Pass

andheadedslowlydownintoa longvalleyfollowingthe

turbulentToguz-BulakRiver.ThedustyPamirHighway

wasasroughinplacesastheWakhanCorridorhadbeen.

Spottinga smallcreekonthesideof theroad,a tributary

tothelargerswift-rushingriver,I backedthetruckintoit

towashoffsomeofthesilt-likepowderthathadhitched

a ride.Nosoonerhadweunpackedourbucketandwash

brushthanthreeyounggirlswhohadjustcarriedsomeold

windowframesacrosstheroadcameback.Astheywalked

overa smallfootbridge,thelastgirlstopped,wadedout

intothewater,tookthebrushfrommyhandsandstartedto

helpme.MonikaandI bothlookedat herandeachotherin

surprise.Inthesecountries,girlsofanyagedon’tapproach

strangemen.ShespokenoEnglishandlittleRussian,only

Tajikandthelocaldialect.Butwordswerenotnecessary.

Therewasa magicof wonderin hereyes,alongwitha smile

thatsaid,“I don’tknowwhoyouareorwhereyouarefrom;

nevermind,I’mgoingtohelpyou.”

We were captivated by this young girl who we nick-

Magic Girl

of the Pamiris

Doing goodas you go can

take many differentforms, even

sponsoring a young girl’s education.

GIVING BACK GARY AND MONIKA WESCOTT

Hersmilesaidwhatwords

couldnot: I am so happy

you can see who I am.