Let’s Make a Difference with Mozilla
by ibrahimjon on Sep.16, 2009, under E-tools, Learning News, Open Source, Technology, e-Learning
Mozilla has announced Mozilla Service Week September 14-21, 2009
Let’s join Mozilla and other people around the world who want to share, give, engage, create, and collaborate by offering their time and talent to local organizations and people who need their help, and its not too late to get involved.
- Teach senior citizens how to use the Web.
- Show a non-profit how to use social networking to grow its base of supporters.
- Help install a wireless network at a school.
- Create Web how-to materials for a library’s computer cluster.
- Refurbish hardware for a local computer center.
- Update a non-profit organization’s website.
- Teach the values of the open Web to other public benefit organizations.
Ду Дарси Аввалин – Китоб ва Нармафзор
by ibrahimjon on Sep.15, 2009, under Adventure, E-tools, Open Source, Technology, Тоҷикӣ
Рӯзи гузашта бегоҳӣ ду дарс доштам:Истифодаи Компютер дар Таълим (The Computer as an Instructional Tool) ва Пажӯҳиш ва Омор дар Маориф (Статистика) Ин бори аввал аст, ки ман ба ин ду дарс меоям. Аз сабаби иди Меҳнат рӯзи 7 сентябр Душанбе ин ду дарс нашуд ва ман мунтазири рӯзи 14 будам.
Устодон аз соати 7 бегоҳ то соати 10:00 дарс мегӯянд. Барои дарси аввал ягон китобе лозим нест, ҳамаи адабиёти тариқи Интернет ва почтаи электрони ба донишҷӯён дастрас аст. Ҳама дар дарси аввал худро шинос намуд. Дар ин дарс, ман яке аз ду хориҷиён будем. Ба ғайр аз ман, як духтари чиноӣ дар ин риштаи Фанновариҳо дар Таълим таҳсил мекунад. Дигарон бошанд, ҳама амрикоиҳо мебошанд. Омӯзгорони мактаб низ дар ин дарс иштирок мекунанд. Рӯзона дар мактабҳои оммавӣ дарс мегӯянд. Ба ман маълум шуд, ки на ҳамаи донишҷӯён аз компютер бисёр истифода мебаранд, аммо асоси компютер ва Интернетро (навиштани почтаи электронӣ, чидани ҳуруф ва чоп матнҳо ва ғайра)медонанд ва мехоҳанд, ки аз нармафзорҳои гуногуни таълимӣ истифода баранд. Баъзе донишҷӯён хоҳиши навиштани кори илмӣ оиди истифода бурдани фанновариҳои таълимиро доранд.
Дарси дуввум бошад, дар бораи ҳисобу китоби оморӣ дар таълим, умуман дар маориф аст. Чун ҳафтае як дарси Омор дорам, омӯзгор супориши хонагӣ ва қадам ба қадам истифодаи нармафзорро барои донишҷӯён тайёр кардааст. Барои ман калимот ва вожаҳои оморӣ каме душвор буд ва устод саъю кӯшиш кард, ки соддатар барои ман ин дарсро бифаҳмонад. Барои ин, ман як китоби дарсиро ҳамроҳи як нармафзоре харидорӣ намудам. Ин китоб Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data мебошад. Китоб бо як нармафзораш(барнома дар CD) 130 доллар аст.
Дар Точикистон ба ин нарх барномаҳои шикастаро ғайриқонуни харидан мумкин аст. Дар Амрико харидори ва ё ба фуруш гузоштани нармафзорҳои шикаста ғайриқонунист ва ҳар як барномаҳое инҷо дар мағозаҳои компютери мефуршанд, ки нархашон аз ҳазор доллари амрикои баланд аст. Барои мисол ҳамон барномаи машҳури Фотошоп барои донишҷӯён на кам аз шаш сад доллар аст. Дар Точикистон бошад, ин барномаро ғ ғайриқонуни метавон дар мағозаҳо ба 15-20 сомони дастрас кард.
Байни амрикоиҳо ҳастанд донишҷӯёне, ки қудрати харидории ин барномаҳои компютерии хеле гаронро надорад ва дар синфхонаҳои донишгоҳ аз онҳо истифода мебаранд. Донишгоҳ бархе аз нармафзорҳоро бо маблаги хеле калон ба китобхона ва синфхонахои худ харидорӣ менамояд. Барои компютери ман аз тарафи донишгоҳ як нармафзори антивирусро ройгон доданд, ки компютреи дастиам аз ҳар гуна вирусҳо тоза бошад. Дар ин Донишгоҳ барномаи анти-вирус барои ҳамаи донишҷӯён ройгон аст. Ин намуд барнома берун аз донишгоҳ шояд на кам аз 100 доллари амрикоӣ бошад.
Дар бораи нармафзорҳо ва таҳсил ба қадри имкон бештар хоҳам навишт. Шумо метавонед саволу пешниҳодоти худро дар зер ва ё тариқи саҳифаи тамос нависед.
18-умин солгарди Рӯзи Истиқлолият Муборак!
by ibrahimjon on Sep.09, 2009, under Uncategorized
Celebrating the 18th anniversary of Tajikistan’s independence gained after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
18-умин солгарди Рӯзи Истиқлолият Муборак! Осмони соф ва сарбаландӣ барои ҳамаи ҳамватанон орзумандам!
The Time Traveler’s Wife – Yet Another Touching Movie
by ibrahimjon on Aug.16, 2009, under Uncategorized
In the evening, I was invited to go to Bow Time Cinema in West Hartford to watch newly released movie The Time Traveler’s Wife. I am very happy joining and not missing this touching movie. The movie is based on a book by Audrey Niffenegger. Main actors are Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams.
This is all about a young man whose name is Henry. The movie starts with a car accident when a small kid looses her mother. This scene was unexpected and scary. Henry travels to the past from future meeting with a little girl with whom he gets married in the future. In some moments I found it very funny and humorous and did not expect it would have sad end. Now after seeing the movie, I wish to read the book based on which this movie was produced. I highly recommend to everyone both to read the book and see this touching movie.
Rock Neck State Park Beach
by ibrahimjon on Aug.15, 2009, under Uncategorized
As planned early in the morning I woke up and prepared to go to the Rock Neck State Park. First I was told told just going to the beach in Connecticut. Later when we were on our way, I realized it is pretty long distance from West Hartford. My friend Sari gave me a map to navigate while she was driving. I was really impressed to see the distance. Just see how long it is to go down from West Hartford to Rock Neck State Park.
The weather in the morning was foggy. I was thinking it might not be a good day to swim without sun. When we came to the beach, we have saw already many people putting umbrellas, reading books and camping in Rock Neck State Park. So we also prepared our place by putting beach chairs and umbrellas. Later the weather became sunny and the beach got populated. So I went to swim and the water was salty and hot already. I liked this beach but Rehoboth Beach in Delaware was much better 
While enjoying the beach, Sari was using her Iphone to communicate with her friends on the Facebook. On the way back home we talked about how she uses technology and what am I hoping to get living and studying in the US. In this country it is a challenge not knowing technology. Everywhere people use technology even when parking a car, when you need to pay for parking there is a digital display! Sari gave me her Iphone to use its GPS and see how drive back to West Hartford. It was really amazing to see how we were moving to West Hartford navigating with Iphone. In West Hartford, Bishop’s Corner we went to have Big Macs at McDonald. Sari showed me some impressive Iphone applications such as Smule’s Ocarina iPhone app.
I will try to blog as frequently as I can. These days so many things to explore here. Soon I will be writing more… I make notes about every day of my life here and will be blogging soon.
My first attempt to drive a car…
by ibrahimjon on Aug.11, 2009, under Uncategorized
Today I had a chance to drive Honda Accord and find driving easy. Of course, I understand that everyone who is willing to drive a car should study additionally driving rules, road maps, and all other tricks. Even when completing driving course does not mean you are a good driver, good driver should should have several years of experience. Having a chance to drive a car, I realized that it might be easy to drive but find driving rules as a challenge. In this country people are very serious about driving. Everyone obeys the law of seat belts.
Sari, my host mom offered me to drive and instructed me how to turn, push and gas etc. While I drove the care, Sari took my pictures on how I learned parking properly. According to her I could learn quickly to drive, but still need to learn many things. I had unusual and excited feeling when driving… Hopefully soon I will have extra time to study, get my driving license and gain some experience of driving while being in the country of cars and big trucks…
In this photo, I am driving Honda Accord, Uni of Hartford C Student Parking Cent – Mastering to drive and parking appropriately according to rules. Remember to use your seat belt to avoid fines…
Аз Вашингтон ба Ҳартфорд
by ibrahimjon on Aug.05, 2009, under Uncategorized
Имрӯз ба шаҳри Ҳартфорд ҳамроҳи як донишҷӯи тоҷик бо номи Наргис омада расидам. Пеш аз нишастан ба ҳавопаймо ҳар ду барои гузаштан аз гумрук омода шудем. Ҳар ҷомадони мо бояд на зиёд аз 50 фут(тахминан 22 килограм) бошад, вагарна ба ҳар вазни иловаги аз мо метавонанд беш аз 100 доллари амрикоӣ талаб намоянд. Хушбахтона, ҷомадони мо на он қадар вазнин буд ва мо парвоз омода шудем. Тахминан парвози мо аз Вашингтон то Ҳартфорд камтар аз яку ним соат тӯл кашид.
Дар охир ба шаҳри Ҳартфорд расидем ва аз гуфтаи Наргис ӯро як донишҷӯ мунтазир буд. Манро бошад ҳеҷ кас дар Ҳартфорд интизор набуд. Ман танҳо суроғаи меҳмонхонаро медонистаму халос. Мо дар фурудгоҳи шаҳри Ҳартфорд харитаи шаҳро гирифта бо ҷадвали такси ва автобусҳо шинос шудем. Наргис ба донишҷӯе мунтазир буд ва манро хоҳиш кард, ки ҳар ду мунтазири ҳамон донишҷӯ шавем. Баъд аз чан лаҳза он донишҷӯ, агар хато накунам, лаҳистони ба назди мо омад ва ҳолпурси карду Наргисро гирифта рафт. Баъдан ман як таксиро дошта ба меҳмонхонаи Hotel Inn Express омадам.
Шаҳри Ҳартфорд на он қадар шаҳри калон мебошад. Маркази шаҳри Ҳартфордро Downtown Hartford, яъне Маркази Ҳартфорд. Инҷо Биноҳои баланди Бонки Амрико, ширкати мобилии AT&T, ширкатҳои суғуртави қомат афрохтаанд. Шаҳри Ҳартфорд – маркази маъмурии иёлати Коннектикут мебошад ва аз гуфти сокинони ин шаҳр Ҳартфорд дар ҷаҳон ҳамчун пойтахти ширкатҳои суғуртавӣ машҳур аст.
Дар меҳмонхона тез барои бардоштани ҷомадони на он қадар вазнини ман пешхизмати меҳмонхона ёри расонд. Дар меҳмонхона ба ман ду калиди ба корти пардохти хизматҳои мобили монандро доданд, ки онро метавонед ба ҷои калид истифода баред. Дар меҳмонхонаи дастраси ба Шабакаи Интернет бе ноқил ва хеле суръати баланд дорад.
Аз рӯи имкон ман бештар дар бораи Ҳартфорд ва таҳсили худ дар Донишгоҳ хоҳам навишт. Агар саволе оиди таҳсил ва зиндагӣ дар Ҳартфорд ва умуман дар ИМА дошта бошед, ҳатман дар поёни ин навиштаи ман тавзеҳоти худро ирсол намоед.
Вохӯри бо Сафири ҶТ дар Вашингтон
by ibrahimjon on Aug.04, 2009, under Uncategorized
Имрӯз барои ҳамаи мо иштирочиёни барномаи Эдмунд Маски рӯзи охирин дар Вашингтон аст. Пагоҳ ҳар яки мо ба Донишгоҳи худ парвоз хоҳем кард.
Барномаи шиносоӣ бо кишвари Амрико, таҳсил дар Донишгоҳ ва зистан дар маҳалли худро ба мо меомӯзанд. Тӯли якчанд рӯз дар Вашингтон ман мисли дигарон дар барномаҳои ин конфронси шиносоӣ иштирок карда ҳар рӯз як чизе наверо дар бораи ҳаёту таҳсил дар Амрикоро омӯхтам
Чун дар ин конфронс 140 нафар донишҷӯён аз тамоми ИДМ иштирок мекунанд, имрӯз намояндаҳои кишварҳои ИДМ барои вохӯри бо донишҷӯён даъват шудаанд.
Дар акс шаш нафар донишҷӯёни тоҷик ва Сафири ҶТ дар ИМА Абдуҷаббор Ширинов, 4-уми августи 2009
Вашингтон Ҳавзаи Колумбия
Tajik Cultural Day in Wilmington
by ibrahimjon on Jul.26, 2009, under Adventure, Uncategorized
Sunday July 26, 2009 – After yesterday’s sunburn at the City of Rehoboth Beach it was hard to get up late in the morning. Today Tajik students are invited to show how to cook Oshi Palov. Together with friends I went to shop (rice, meat, oil, cabbage etc) and by 10:00 we were ready to go to cook and have our Cultural Exchange with American friends.
Margaret, a woman who has kindly invited to cook and enjoy Tajik traditional meal. She came and took us to her house with her Honda car showing the way to her house and telling all about people. On our way to Margaret’s house there was a fair. Our host told that this fair is for farmers to showcase their harvests and have competition. American farmers also bring their cows and goats. It was interesting how they spend their week-ends having various activities. My two Tajik female fellows and one Azerbaijani fellow also divided our tasks on the way to Margaret’s house. I decided to peal carrots
So when we arrived to Margaret’s house, I found the place very beautiful and green, many cottages surrounded by colorful flowers. When I entered I found the cottage full of artworks and souvenirs collected from different parts of the world and many many books.
We started preparing meals first cabbage, big red Bulgarian peppers with beef. I started preparing carrots peeling them and cutting them into pieces. Malika, one of my fellows mentioned about McDonald’s fries. Yes, carrots for Oshi Palau must be peeled and cut like McDonald’s fries.
We had also other two American guests and we played table tennis – I learned how to play table tennis and we had “word” tennis game.
So after preparing Russian golubtsi , we started cooking Tajik Palav. Our traditional meal was very delicious and it reminded me how about my hometown. It is such a pleasure when one may introduce cooking by not only telling but also showing how it is cooked. Our American friends like Oshi Palav
We took lots of pictures and went out to see beautiful flowers around the cottage. I took several photos of flowers and bees. Here I posted one of the photos at Wikimedia Commons.
And lastly we had also Tajik music and showed Tajik dance. We had Shabnami Surayo and Jonibek Murodov’s song playing and demonstrated Tajik dancing
From east to west – my transatlantic flight…
by ibrahimjon on Jul.11, 2009, under Adventure
On July 9, early in the morning I got up to pack my bags and get ready for my flight to Almaty. Shukhrat and Aki Murod helped to get to Dushanbe International Airport. I had 103 somonis (around $23) in my pocket which I wanted to spend before leaving Tajikistan. Shukhrat told me I could spend this Tajik money for my overweight luggage. So after saying “Bye” to Shukhrat and Aki Murod at the airport, I went to custom office where I was asked by custom officer about my flight and my luggage, interestingly about money too! I said I have no somonis(though I had 103) but have dollars (I had $170). He looked so pleased and offered me his assistance as a porter. I said I do not need the service of carrying my bags as they are not too heavy. But the officer was continuing to carry my bag thinking he can get some of my money when my bag is overweight! There were also some foreign passengers whom they were very careful
When we weighted my bag it was 21,5 kg and a female officer who was checking my ticket said “there is no need to pay for overweight 1,5 kg.” It was sad to see the custom officer who changed his status to porter to get some of my dollars…but could not…
I wish I could give my somonis to Aki Murod or at least Shukhrat. It was good that I passed Tajik customs without paying a penny.
At 3:30pm Almaty time I arrived in Almaty. There was a room at Aksunkar Hotel near Almaty International Airport was reserved. When I passed Kazakh custom, I was greeted by many taxi drivers. They were offering me to help with my bag, to take to Almaty Downtown, even one of them said Aksunkar is not a good hotel to stay…
Refusing to all taxi drivers’ offers I gave my bag to Luggage Storage and walked 100 meters to get to Aksunkar Hotel. It was a nice hotel with many Air Companies (Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Tajik Air etc) Offices in the ground and first floors.
My room was nice (it had a nice bed, TV with cable, air conditioner, hot water to shower). Everybody was telling Aksunkar Hotel was not a good hotel, but it is one of the good hotels. I think taxi driver was saying so hoping to take me to Almaty downtown and earn some money…
Later July 9 and early in the morning of July 10 at 3am Almaty time I took a flight to Frankfurt, Germany. I arrived in Frankfurt at 7:30am and had to wait my flight to Pennsylvania, US till 1:30pm Frankfurt time. I could manage to call my wife and let my family know I arrived safely arrived in Germany. It was good to be able to call home easily. Those passengers who have laptops can enjoy free wireless Internet, and those who haven’t can still use Internet, in other words Internet-Taxis with metallic keyboard and ball mouse. (one hour of web browsing is 16 Euros!)
For lunch at Frankfurt airport I had a pie and a cola for 4,50 Euros. At last the time of my next transatlantic flight came. I sit near window and enjoyed my flight to the US listening music and news. There were lots of movies but I watched only a movie Confessions of a Shopaholic about a girl who is Shopaholic. You can see some photos from this movie at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1093908/mediaindex
I see many passengers also were reading books and a man sitting by me was reading this book
At 3:30 pm Philadelphia time I landed safely and it was a very long flight. I used to see the overhead monitor which displays maps, time left and destination.
There were so many visitors to the USA. It was interesting to see people of almost all nationalities standing in line waiting to pass customs. Compared to US citizens and permanent residents, the number of visitors were bigger as there were uncountable crowd of people. At last I was called by officer who kindly asked about my documents and reasons of visit. He had welcoming look and asked why I had to cancel my first visa. Due to my Russianized name IbraGimdjon on my DS form which has also another version like in my current passport IbraGimDZHon, on July 2 I missed my flight and had to re-issue my visa on July 8 canceling the previous one. I showed my previous DS form with misspelled name of mine. I think those who have russianized names like mine with Tajik “Ҷ” russified with DJ or DZH must simplify their names avoiding Russifications!
The officer said it was good to keep a copy and welcomed me to the USA! Then I moved to and got my luggage. A representative from the University of Delaware was waiting for me holding a paper with a note “University of Delaware”. I approached and introduced myself and Mr. Ken said my name but could not say my official russified name. I told him to just call me Ibrahim or Ibrahimjon From Pennsylvania International Airport Mr. Ken drove me to Newark. The highway was full of vehicles as at the end of Friday many people go out of town to spend their week-end. Mr. Ken said Newark is a nice place mostly populated by students and showed me English Language Institute and UDel students’ dormitories.
Mr. Ken also guided me to UDel Students’ Center where I was given a key with a small plastic device(key) to open the main door of the dormitory. I got my room key and my roommates were off to Washington DC tour. Next week I should not miss New York City tour to see the Statue of Liberty!
This week-end I need to prepare for my test on Monday and be ready for my upcoming classes
I have tried to briefly write all about my travel. If there is any question, please leave them as comments below or contact me
(I haven’t camera and computer yet. I will be writing in detail and posting photos soon) Thanks for understanding.
