On November 3rd, 2008 we held online web chat about Halloween. All students of our ILCs took an active part in it and during chat they were so interested in that holiday where they asked many questions to each other. Here you can see the web chat that we had.
Gulnoz Toshbekova: Good day Leaders! How all of you are getting on? I’m very glad to see all of you online in our online web chat. I guess that you have celebrated Halloween with good enthusiasm.
Tanzila Aslonova: Yes you are right. At this day we had a lot of fun because we students from ILC Kayrakkum were celebrated this event in American Corner of Khujand city. We have been invited by leader of Khujand ILC Malika Odilova.
Gulnoz Toshbekova: That’s good. I’ve written an article which you’ve posted in our web site but it would be excellent if you upload pictures in http://connect.state.gov because students all over the world can see how you were celebrated this event.
Kimat Giyoeva: I want to say that for us we didn’t do special celebration for that holiday. But we knew a lot of things about this holiday from our teachers, from Internet and books, our teacher told us.
Nigina Mirzoeva: For the students of course it was interesting and fun to celebrate Halloween, they have learnt a lot about the history and traditions of Halloween and played games.
Zarina Bobokhonova: We invited small schoolchildren and explained them about this holiday. We also sang song with them in our ILC it was really very interesting and fun.
Gulnoz Toshbekova: Did all of you cut the pumpkin or prepare pumpkin pies?
Zarina Bobokhonova: In our ILC we cut out some pumpkins and put it several candles.
Tanzila Aslonova: As we were in American Corner in Khujand we also have cut pumpkins with David Holzmeyer.
Kimat Giyoeva: I want to say that the students from schoo#10 celebrated it excellent with representative of RISOL Gulnoz Toshbekova, Rukhshona Mirzoartikova and alumni students Farzona and Sino who were showed performance about Halloween. It was unforgettable day for them. They were interested in this holiday and promised to celebrate Halloween at school themselves next year.
Ganjina Aminova: The celebration in our ILC was very interesting most of all I liked when we cutint out the pumpkin head.
Rukhshona Mirzoartikova: Was anyone of you wearing any Halloween costumes?
Kimat Giyoeva: Our students didn’t wear costumes.
Tanzila Aslonova: Yes, for example I was wearing a costume of a cook and gave my speech.
Rukhshona Mirzoartikova: Where you a kind or mad cook? Was it first time for you to cut out the pumpkin?
Tanzila Aslonova: For me this is the third time
Nigina Mirzoeva: Tanzila did you cook anything for celebration or were you just wearing the costume of the cook?
Tanzila Aslonova: I cooked a cake and our teacher has used it for competition “who’ll eat the first”.
Rukhshona Mirzoartikova: So who was the winner? What kind of cake did you cook?
Tanzila Aslonova: The winners were a group of two boys and one girl whose name is Zarina who put the tail of donkey.
Gulnoz Toshbekova: Do you know what the symbol of Halloween is?
Tanzila Aslonova: I think that the pumpkin with candles in it and unusual costumes.
Halima Bobokhonova: jack o-lantern right?
Gulmira Azizkhudjaeva: As we know that in Halloween we had to cook many tasty meals and pumpkin pie.
Gulnoz Toshbekova: Yes Tanzila, you are right, pumpkins and funny costumes, but I want to add that the color of this holiday is “Black and Orange”.
Rukhshona Mirzoartikova: Gulnoz did you dress up?
Gulnoz Toshbekova: At that day unfortunately no because I didn’t have costume in order to dress up. Hope that next time I will buy some costumes or make it myself and wear it.
Nigina Mirzoeva: Rukhshona did you celebrate Halloween in US? If yes can you tell us how did you celebrate it there?
Rukhshona Mirzoartikova: Yes, we did. Well, I was a snow-white. My host mum had taken me for trick or treat. I went with her niece. We drove to all different neighborhoods. And I had a full bucket of goodies.
Nigina Mirzoeva: Thank you Rukhshona, and was there any party at your school? And how the students usually celebrate Halloween at school?
Rukhshona Mirzoartikova: Halloween is a holiday when people get ready three weeks ahead. It is very important holiday for them. We did have a party at school. The kids had different costumes on. No one could recognize each other.
Izzat Shomadov: I would like to say that we celebrated Halloween two times in orphanage of Kanibadam. It was very fun. We played the most interesting games was “Monuments”. It was interesting for kids in orphanage because they did not know about this holiday.
Gulmira Azizkhudjaeva: Izzat, did you bring any presents for kids?
Izzat Shomadov: Yeah of course we had played some games with them and for winners we gave books and color pencils.
Zarina Bobokhonova: For kids in the United States, Halloween means trick-or-treating and wearing scary costumes and having a lot of fun.
Izzat Shomadov: Who can say what is trick or treat mean?
Gulnoz Toshbekova: Do we have any differences between trick- or- treat in US and trick or treat in Tajikistan?
Ganjina Aminova: Yes, trick or treat in US and Idgardak in our country is almost the same I think.
Gulnoz Toshbekova: All of you familiar that during this party people are coming to their friend’s house and knocking at the door and someone are giving them candies. And in Tajikistan we also have tradition in Idi Ramadan.
Zarina Bobokhonova: The phrase “Trick or treat” means of course “Give me a treat or I’ll play a trick on you”. Even today some kids play tricks, but usually they are happy to take a treat and not trick anyone. In recent years, many children have gone trick- or -treating to UNICEF. This agency of the United Nations raises money to help children all over the world, especially if there is great need.
Gulnoz Toshbekova: Ok guys. Can you describe this chat into 3 adjectives? I think that this chat was very interesting and funny in spite of those students who were silent. Hope that now you are ready to share your experience about this chat with members of your family.
Ibrahim Rustamov: innovative, informative and scary
Zarina Bobokhonova: interesting, funny, useful
Rukhshona Mirzoartikova: orange, pumpkins, funny. Thanks to everybody for participating at this chat. Good bye.
