Nikolay;

comparing his time in Afghanistan with a movie:

“Being in Afghanistan is like playing in a movie about you.

What you actually do there does not seem to be part of you.

And after that, you switch back to reality and watch that movie over and over again.”

about the “medieval” character of Afghanistan:

“As representatives of the Soviet civilization, we stepped into a time machine and ended up in a country many centuries ago.

Somewhere in the Middle Ages.

With dusty sheds, markets and places where people used stones for weighing herbs.

 It was all very medieval.”

about adapting to Afghanistan’s rules and culture:

“There is a saying that you cannot enter a foreign monastery with your own rules.

You have to realize that you are a guest in a country which has a different civilization,

different rules and a long history that goes back more than 2000 years.”

about showing interest in Afghanistan’s multi-ethnic society:

“Afghanistan is a multi-ethnic country with tens of different tribes.

You have to study them, see how they get along and know what their rules are.

To know all this, you need to show interest.

If you just arrive in Afghanistan as crusaders and fire away at them, utter disaster will be the only result.”