Cyclist rides through Afghanistan, debunking common myths

For some, this country is directly associated with weapons and terrorism, while others believe any Christian who sets foot on Taliban soil will immediately lose their head. Tomsk traveler Yegor Kovalchuk cycled over a thousand kilometers through Afghanistan. During this time, he managed to study the country«s culture and way of life, and shared his observations with NGS70.RU.

If you«re a Christian, they»ll cut your head off

There is a common opinion that Afghans are belligerent towards so-called «infidels»—people who profess a religion other than Islam, such as Buddhism or Christianity. For such dissent, they say you will be condemned, beaten, or even beheaded.

Yegor explained that no one is cutting the heads off Christians in Afghanistan. However, cowardice regarding one«s own faith is frowned upon:

— One of the most frequent questions you get in Afghanistan is, «What is your religion?» Only «Where are you from?» is asked more often. So the answer to this question must be affirmative. No philosophy, reflection, or dialogue is needed. There«s no need to hide or lie. If you are ashamed of your faith and make excuses, it will not show you in the best light. Besides, Afghans are good at reading people through physiognomy due to the peculiarities of their ethnic code, so they will immediately understand that you are ashamed of your faith. Christian travelers are not threatened in this country.

All Afghans walk around with weapons

It is believed that due to the large number of military conflicts the Afghan people have been involved in, every Afghan has a box of weapons at home, and kids run through the local alleys with Kalashnikovs at the ready. According to Yegor«s observations, this is not true.

According to him, in Afghanistan, only military personnel, police, and checkpoint guards carry weapons. With rare exceptions—shepherds in the mountains. Officials with weapons may be in civilian clothes or in uniform. You also won«t find children with »Kalashnikovs« there, and, according to Yegor, you can»t buy an assault rifle there either:

— During a lecture, I was asked: «Where is the black market and where can you buy weapons?» You can«t buy it anywhere. And in general, you can have problems for any kind of weapon.

— When I was traveling in Afghanistan, I posted a photo online showing a large American rifle on the rack of my bicycle. One of the readers thought I had gone to fight in Afghanistan. In fact, it was just a Taliban member who stopped to ask where I was from, and we took a photo; he put his rifle down to adjust his clothing. In contrast to weapons, I would say the people of Afghanistan are very friendly and hospitable. I say this as a traveler who has visited more than 60 countries.

It«s a dangerous country where no one is welcome

Due to the large number of terrorists among those originating from Afghanistan, the country has gained a reputation for having a bloodthirsty people. Here«s what Yegor says about it:

— If you come to these people as a guest and with good intentions, then you will be treated as a guest, and a guest for these people is a messenger of God; accordingly, you will be treated very, very well. Many, unfortunately, don«t know this and think that you show up and you»ll be killed. Come with a weapon—you«ll get a corresponding attitude. Come here to build your own world—you»ll also be categorically treated. Come and try to impose your ways—you won«t be met with kindness. In general, while studying sources, I first learned in theory that Afghans are very hospitable, and then I encountered this during my travels.

— It«s important to understand that you shouldn»t go to another monastery with your own rules. This rule applies to Afghanistan first and foremost. To become a welcome guest here, you must respect the culture, customs, and traditions of a foreign country. Those who come with good will meet good here. That«s the main thing to understand,» the traveler added.

All Afghans are terrorists

According to Yegor«s observations, the Taliban who are ruling Afghanistan now are very different from those who ruled the country from 1996 to 2001:

— Those were radical guys who did not communicate with the outside world and were building their own society.

Now, according to the traveler from Tomsk, the Taliban are different. For example, they have opened 34 provinces for tourists to explore, and the local ministry is trying to create safe conditions for them:

— Yes, there are a lot of military personnel here, many checkpoints, but you need to look at it as everyone knowing about you, that you are in this country. That is, information is passed through internal chats that you are traveling and you are feeling fine. Nothing will happen to you, no one will kidnap or harm you, because if that happens, the person responsible will be in serious trouble.

According to the traveler, getting caught in a shootout in Afghanistan is almost impossible because all the opposition is deep in the mountains, and a tourist is unlikely to get there (and why would they want to?).

A woman cannot go out on the street alone

It is commonly believed that women in Afghanistan are prohibited from leaving the house without being accompanied by a husband or a mahram (a close male relative. — Ed.), and she must be covered (in a hijab, niqab, burqa, etc.) at that time.

Yegor explained that initially, women began to cover themselves even in the pre-Islamic period, and the tradition itself came from the East. Historically, this demonstrates a renunciation of the world in favor of the family. A woman was showing not her oppression, as is commonly thought now, but her dignity. Later, this tradition took root. From the standpoint of Islamic norms, a covered woman is protected from other men and protects them from herself, as even her gaze can confuse a man.

— For example, in the Wakhan region of Badakhshan province, women do not wear burqas and go with their faces uncovered. Here you can even talk to a woman, and she may speak to you first. Everything very much depends on the religiosity of the family in Afghanistan,« the traveler from Tomsk shared his observations.

The foundation of all troubles

In Yegor«s opinion, the hostile impression of the country for many is created because the people of Afghanistan have lived for many years in a state of war with people who came to this land and tried to impose their ideology on the locals. At the same time, the Afghans have it written in their code of honor and ethnic code that they must do everything to protect their home, family, land, and honor from invaders who come with weapons: