Hi folks, inspired by a lovely couple of tips by u/lamppb13, I'd be really keen to hear your recommendations for Ashgabat - not just what you think tourists want to see (though I'd love to hear that too!), but also what you yourself think are the best places in the city. Anything from dining and coffeeshops recommendations to unusual experiences or anything that would help a short-term visitor get more experience of and insight into life in Turkmenistan. I'll already be doing the sort of obvious stuff like Tolkuchka, Russian Bazsaar, the big mosque, etc with a tour guide but I also scheduled in some independent days in Ashgabat to explore on my own and I'd love to make those as interesting as possible.

Also, any thoughts on the best-value-for-money hotels? (Not necessarily cheapest, but best for what you pay.)

The song Leyla captures the heartfelt story of a young Turkmen man who falls in love with a Kurdish girl named Leyla. Their paths cross in the village of Bagyr, Turkmenistan, where the man is struck by her beauty, grace, and the gentle way she carries herself.

And thus Leyla becomes more than a love song; it’s a tribute to cross-cultural bonds, capturing a unique, unforgettable moment between two individuals from distinct heritages meeting in the heart of Turkmenistan.

The song has become popular among listeners for its romantic nostalgia and its reminder of how love transcends boundaries and brings people together across cultures.

https://youtu.be/WsmwJhbLg4M?si=kXLF1XJ1upA4Agg5

im filipino and recently i've been interested in turkmenistan and i wanted to know if it'd be possible for someone like me to learn turkmen. it already looks a bit intimidating from how fast those news anchors on watan habarlary speak but i hope it isnt that bad.

if it's possible, could anyone hand me some reaources to learn turkmen? sagboluň!

While watching a video on Berdimuhamedow, it was mentioned that he probably is Niyazov's illegitimate son. I had not previously heard of this theory but after that video, I remember that atleast one other source also mentioned it. Considering how similar they look, and their common tribal affiliation, could this theory actually be true?

Hi, everyone!

I’m curious about cultural and business differences across regions. If someone from Central Asia visited South Asia, what differences might stand out to them?

Also, if you know of any notable differences within Central Asia or with places like the USA or UK, feel free to share your thoughts!

Thanks so much for any stories or insights!

Hi are there any free applications or websites (no subscription needed) can provide text to speech for Turkmen language?

Many thanks

He is already in Turkmenistan, right after he turned 27 he went back to Turkmenistan from Turkey, do you think he is serving in the army? He told me that he doesn't have to after he turns 27.

How about enterprenurers launching free tv channels for students across the country where the interactive lessons may broadcast grade and topicwise. Making interesting programs like young students providing free education to poor, programs about making relevant projects in home and/or institutes, program on testing foreign grain/fruits/plants/projects on different types across country, program on implementing one-house-one-farm project in rural areas, exploring and creating local businesses and works, program on interecting expatriates to implement foreign succeccful projects in home, program on making local commnities self-sufficient, programs about competition on different things among schools, colleges, universities and uniting different communities etc. What do you think?

I'm half Turkmen and I was wondering if I should write a bit about it in my college essay and also mention the fact that i can speak 7 languages.

Do you guys think that it would make me stand out a little?

Hey Turkmen gamers! So, I look at gaming cultures around the world and I am racing game fan. I have asked all of these questions on multiple different subreddits and I am also curious about Turkmenistan. My questions are:

What system is popular in Turkmenistan? PC or console?

What game do racing game fans in Turkmenistan like?-(I know racing games may not be the most popular genre, but for Turkmens who like them, what do they play?)

Is it NFS or Forza Horizon?

In general, what video games are common there?

  Thanks for your answers!!!

I'm looking for books I can read either in Russian or Turkmen language to get more familiar with my roots. Maybe folklore, novels, narratives, fiction and etc. Russian language would be best. Do you know where I can get those? Historical books would work as well.

Thank you!

Strange question but I’m visiting as a tourist next week for 3 days, can I bring 2 disposable vapes with me? Or will it be a problem at the airport?

Thanks

For Land and Culture offers the first comprehensive account of a long forgotten and neglected grassroots movement. In the wake of Iran's 1979 revolution, Turkmen peasants collectively occupied their ancestral lands, which had been seized through colonial modernization, land registry and land reform under the Pahlavi monarchy.

The book chronicles this movement using theoretical and historical engagement with the modern councils and offers a detailed account of the "land question" in Iran's colonial modernization. The book describes the systematic dispossession of Turkmen communities from some of the most fertile areas in Iran. Vahabzadeh shows how Turkmen land occupation in 1979 led to a sophisticated council system that offered a practical politics of semi-autonomous, democratic self-governance in the face of hostile militias and other forces of the nascent authoritarian Islamic Republic.

With social justice as one of its unshakable pillars, the Turkmen council movement took back land as commons and abolished capitalist private ownership of land, providing an alternative to top-down politics until it was defeated by the state through a combination of military terror and assimilation. Although short lived, the radically democratic movement connected with global struggles of Indigenous Peoples and autonomous movements who had broken away from patriarchal state forms and capitalist domination.

I am Georgian and I have heard that Turkmenistan is like North Korea just friendly to the west. How accurate is this? I have heard that the Internet and TV is heavily censored. What type of TV is there? Are you at least able to watch like Turkish dramas or something?

I was just watching a vlog of someone attending a Turkmen wedding in Turkmen Sahara, and the English subtitles mentioned something that left me really confused. According to the subtitles, in that particular village, the bride is kicked in the leg to see if she raises her voice or not. In the video, they even had to take her to the hospital because of it.

I'm wondering if the translation is accurate, or if anyone from the community could explain what might be going on here? Is this a real tradition, or could it be a misunderstanding in the translation?

Here’s the video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiP59DDXaHo&t=2380s

3:55 - 8:02 https://youtu.be/7Des1HtbzJE?si=VJ-TTAUocCwSVlA3

In my school today we had a speaker from Turkmenistan who told us a bit about the history and culture. She bought a few dishes like fried bread and pilaf and there was this creamy salad that I cannot for the life of me remember the name of. It was pink and had chickpeas, beats, and I think tomatoes? It tastes like it might be cream cheese or mayonnaise based (or something similar). Google isn't really helping so if anyone has a clue what it might've been I'd love to know 🙏

Hi, I'm looking for a native speaker of turkmen (preferably a Yomut/Teke speaker) who would be willing to answer a few questions to help me understand the phonology of turkmen literary language. Thanks in advance :)

As the title suggest, traversing from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan before entering Turkmenistan.

Prior to Uzbekistan the drone will be fully disassembled in Tajikistan and the propellers thrown away given Uzbekistan also does not allow drone in their country either.

Assuming I get pass Uzbekistan with the drone disassembled would it be an issue entering Turkmenistan with it? I should be entering via Turkmenabat from Bukhara.

I'm bringing the necessary tools to tear it down before also discarding it.

I'm only using it in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan where it is allowed.

Hello! In a few days I will travel to Turkmenistan and I will bring USD. Do you have any problems exchanging/accepting old series dollars? In that case, from what series do they change them? In Iraq they made it difficult for me to accept my dollars, saying that it was an old series and they no longer accepted it. Thank you!!

Good morning guys, I am hoping that someone can help me understand if it will be an issue if I bring a steam deck into the country, I don’t plan on using it online, I am more scared of it being seized at the border. Thank you all for any help