He gets up at 5 a.m. to learn English: the story of a young guesthouse owner at Tajikistan’s Seven Lakes

At 23, Muslimsho manages his family’s guesthouse in Nofin, one of Tajikistan’s Seven Lakes villages. Growing up among international travelers inspired him to learn foreign languages, develop the family business and dream of exploring the world himself. More than 20 years ago, Muslimsho’s father, Jumaboy Ako, was among the first residents of Nofin to open a guesthouse for tourists. Today, his son runs the business, welcoming visitors from different countries and communicating with them in Russian and English — languages he largely taught himself. In summer, an Asia-Plus journalist spent several days at the family’s guesthouse, At Najmiddin’s, near the fourth lake, Nofin. The establishment was named after Jumaboy’s father. Lakes villages. Growing up among international travelers inspired him to learn foreign languages, develop the family business and dream of exploring the world himself.

More than 20 years ago, Muslimsho’s father, Jumaboy Ako, was among the first residents of Nofin to open a guesthouse for tourists. Today, his son runs the business, welcoming visitors from different countries and communicating with them in Russian and English — languages he largely taught himself. In summer, an Asia-Plus journalist spent several days at the family’s guesthouse, At Najmiddin’s, near the fourth lake, Nofin. The establishment was named after Jumaboy’s father. The boy in the photograph When Jumaboy started the business, Muslimsho was only three years old. His childhood unfolded among travelers, making encounters with people from different countries a natural part of his life. At the time, local families were learning how to host tourists through workshops organized by tourism industry participants. However, not everyone who attended the training went on to open a guesthouse.…