We LOVE Americans!

Standing on the street at 1:30 in the morning in Ashgabat my friend and I searched desperately for someone to take us to the airport. She was on her way to Turkey, and I was going to Bishkek.

Five minutes later a group of three boys pulled up in a blue BMW, laughing wildly with their music blaring.

"WHERE YOU GO????????" They yelled.

"To the airport," we said. "Will you take us?"

"Ahhhhhh TOO FAR!" they replied and took off.

So we waited until five minutes later they sped back around, smiled widely and said, "We changed our minds! GET IN! You're American!!!!!!"

We jumped into the car and took off with what turned out to be the three coolest guys I've ever met in Turkmenistan.

"We love Americans! We're so glad you're here! We'll take you for free!"

And so the ride went like that, a non-stop conversation of broken Turkmen, Russian and English. We arrived to the airport and they got out of the car, helped us through security, and offered to stay and wait or bring me back to their house to hang out for awhile since my flight didn't leave for a few more hours.

"Really, I'm good! It's okay!" I assured them. We exchanged phone numbers and decided we would definitely hang out when I got back to Turkmenistan.

"ANGELA we'll call you when you get back!!! We friends!" they said. "We LOVE Americans!"

Where else will a car full of really cool guys give you a free ride all the way to the airport and make you laugh your butt off the whole entire time because they're just so damn awesome?

I love this country.