Talking about your country and culture

Emily: So, I'm embarrassed to say this, but I don't actually know much about Uzbekistan. What's it like?

You: Ha, don't worry, most people don't! It's in Central Asia, between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan, roughly. It used to be part of the Soviet Union.

Emily: Oh, okay. And what's Tashkent like?

You: It's a big city, about three million people. It's quite green, lots of parks and wide streets. And the metro stations are beautiful, each one's designed differently.

Tom: Isn't that where Samarkand is? I've seen photos of it.

You: Yeah, Samarkand's a few hours away, and there's a fast train that makes it really easy. It was a major city on the Silk Road, so there's amazing architecture there.

Emily: What about the food? What should I try?

You: Oh, definitely plov. It's rice cooked with meat, carrots and onions in a huge pot. It's basically our national dish, every family thinks theirs is the best.

Tom: Sounds a bit like paella?

You: Sort of, yeah! But heavier. And people are very hospitable. If you visit someone's house, you'll never leave hungry, trust me.

Emily: That's lovely. Is it very different from life here?

You: In some ways, yeah. Family's a much bigger part of daily life, people often live with their parents until they get married. What about you, is that unusual here?

Emily: Yeah, most people move out at eighteen for uni, and then just never really go back!