Bryan Prior’s Experiences with CLS: Tajikistan and Beyond

CLS Program: How did participation in the CLS Program impact your career? How have you been able to use your Farsi language skills in previous or current positions?

Bryon Prior: The language skills I acquired while abroad with CLS are invaluable.  I would argue that the seven weeks in Dushanbe, Tajikistan were equivalent to at least one full year of language study, and potentially comparable to four full semesters of study.  The ability to immerse oneself in a country while receiving the amount of dedication the CLS language instructors provided created the perfect environment to take one’s language skills to a whole new level.  I arrived in country unable to carry on a conversation beyond a few exchanges.  I left spending an entire night speaking relatively fluid with locals. 

As a CLS alumni, I had the opportunity to receive funding for private tutoring, which both kept my speaking skills sharp while also advancing with improved pronunciation and advanced grammar and vocabulary.

With that kind of improved language, I was able to bring Farsi with me in my future career.  First as a Human Terrain Analyst, I developed questions in Dari (a Farsi dialect spoken in Afghanistan) for colleagues to use once they deployed to Afghanistan.  I was even able to conduct interviews in Dari while training at the U.S. Military’s National Training Center.  My language skills helped me play the role of a middle-man between Dari linguists and U.S. Military company commanders.  I warned linguists of key vocabulary they would need to know and watch out for mistranslating.  I also showed troops how, with a little practice, they too were capable of asking their own questions when a translator was not present in the field.  To this end, I developed a set of questions in English, with their Dari translations, that hit on the key knowledge gaps such as informal leadership and development issues.   

In more recent work with the Department of Defense, I lean on my Farsi skills to read newspaper articles and provide basic translation to increase the awareness of key terms for those in my office. 

CLS: In addition to developing proficiency in Farsi, what other skills did you gain from the CLS Program?

BP: When I first applied for the Farsi-language scholarship I was slightly hesitant about the location: Dushanbe, Tajikistan.  Since it wasn’t Iran, which was at the core of my foreign policy interests, I was worried about the marginal utility of the program outside of the language training.  However, one of the biggest take-aways I had from the program was learning about Central Asia, the former Soviet Republics, and Tajikistan specifically.  Tajikistan, along with its neighboring countries (Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan) has a fascinating history. Whether for those studying comparative religion and the numerous Sufi sects, or those studying counterinsurgency and the still present resentment toward Russia from the Basmachi Revolt, the history of the region has direct applicability to foreign policy today.  By learning about Tajikistan, I discovered a set of histories that is too often ignored in Western schools and government training.  The United States all too often focuses on major powers, despite the consequences smaller powers hold on a region.  Consider, for example, the role of the Tajik Civil War between 1993 and 1996 on the development of Islamic Fundamentalist groups in the region as the poured over the border into Afghanistan after the Fundamentalists lost in Tajikistan.  Or in another case, consider the suppression Muslims faced throughout Central Asia, including Tajikistan, under Soviet rule.  The blowback from decades of Soviet policies is only recently manifesting itself in many parts of Central Asia. 

I came away from my time in Tajikistan with a much deeper appreciation for the role of small powers.  Additionally, I gained a much deeper respect for the struggles – and often repressed customs – of those same peoples often bullied by great powers.   

CLS: Will you continue learning and working with Farsi in the future?

BP: Absolutely.  At least I hope so.  Once you demonstrate a certain level of language proficiency in many government positions, you are more likely to be eligible – or at least receive advocacy from your bosses – for further training.  Plus, with the proficiency I’ve attained after studying abroad and working with a private tutor, I am able to read the news and pick up conversations with Iranians on the job or in the streets. 

Even if some government offices don’t offer additional training, with the generous bonuses available in government jobs for critical language skills, one can find ways to afford continued study on one’s own.