Friday, July 24, 2009

Summer

So today, July 7th, is my one year anniversary in Kyrgyzstan. In many ways it feels like a long time has come to pass, but overall it feels like just yesterday that I was going to The Wood n' Tap instead of the Chowder Pot (who would have thought there'd be an hour wait on a Tuesday??), having my last meal in America at a weird Mexican/'punk' food place (the only place open on July 4th...), saying my goodbyes both in person and on the phone, then leaving for Kyrgyzstan on my two-day venture via plane. It's been a wild ride so far, and I think this next year will have quite a bit more in store for me. Hopefully things will be much better, particularly with what experience I have and my own personal expectations in hand. Thanks to everyone for your support during year one, particularly my family and friends who have sent packages and mail!!
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After getting back from Turkey things have been pretty interesting. The first week back I was a bit depressed, not in the least because I was ill from some bad meat that didn't quite want to digest. I was also comparing things from Kyrgyzstan to Turkey -- not fair, in my opinion, or condusive to much if anything at all. After week one, though, things started to turn around.
First off, I must say that having an open schedule is so very redeeming. My mental health has skyrocketed, there's virtually no stress in my life at the moment, and I've started routines (like working out every other day) that have done nothing but good for me. Sometimes I'm a bit bored and feel like I'm not doing a whole heck of a lot, but it's so nice to take this time to recharge and look around me for once, instead of being tied down and working/fighting all the time.
My relationship with my host family is getting better day by day. There are still some quirks (like me not agreeing to my host eje trying to take money from a student who wants to come over and study English with me) but on the whole I'm getting much more comfortable with them and I think they're feeling better around me too. The one sister I was talking with regularly and was developing a good friendship with unfortunately just recently left for Bishkek in order to study at university (I'm happy for her but am sad to see my best friend here in the village leave). The food is hit and miss but usually it's something decent -- for example, today I got a plate of beans, a very good thing (esp. since not many Kyrgyz people eat beans) -- and if things keep up I'll be pretty content for the next year to come.
The biggest change for me, personally, is my attitude. I wouldn't exactly describe it as complacent, but it's fairly similar. I guess I'm just at peace with things at the moment. The feeling first truly struck my consciousness while in Turkey as I was travelling to Chanakkale (not truly knowing where I'd be staying the night or what was in store for me, but feeling that things would be just fine and to take things in stride), and has carried over to the here and now. It's a very good perspective to have here, in my opinion, especially with the norms and way things work in-country. I haven't lost concern and am still careful, but it's nice not worrying about things so much -- particularly about little things that irritated me beforehand. I'm feel like I'm at home here, and can actually relax for once.
Feeling at home here is also something new and good for me, in my opinion. I'm starting to fall in love with Kyrgyzstan and the people living here. I think that for my first year here I was unfair, for whatever/many reasons (putting Africa in as my preference, the general attitude toward foreigners here, troubles with work/counterparts, health issues, et al). Things have been changing in me, though. I'm starting to find myself internally rooting for the Kyrgyz more and more every day, and that for every bad thing that may happen here there's something good that will happen (and the good thing usually counts 10 times more than the bad). Things are interesting at the moment -- I'm trying to figure out how to channel my new perspective into something good and positive.
I've found a piece of heaven. That's more than I can say for America! Travel to one of the farthest villages in my oblast, so close to Kazakhstan you can walk to the hills that serve as the border. Once you get to the village, take one street north, then turn onto a street leading east after about 15 minutes of walking. Take this road all the way to its end, and you'll come to a local family's home. This home sits right next to a pond/lake, with reeds growing around it, sitting as a very striking view with the mountains off in the distance. All around this home there are trees -- I had something of a feeling of displacement due to how very similar this particular woodsy setting was to my home at Harvest Lane. Compile this with some of the most hospitable people I've seen in country, and a heavenly setting is just what I have in mind. A stroke of Cupid may have struck me at this particular location...
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Last week was the Talas Summer Camp. Somewhere between 60 and 70 students, 20 volunteers, and a handful of others were present at this camp. The schedule was usually sessions in the mornings and games/activities in the afternoon/evening -- lots of good stuff, essentially. I was on bazaar run duty throughout the week, so I went in to buy food every day so missed out on the morning events. However, I think it was a very good camp, especially for the kids -- if nothing else it was an environment in which they could be free and act without judgement (presumably), not to mention time away from daily chores and working in the field. I think my primarly role at the camp was trying to pick up on how to do things for next year -- the K-15's have sort of deemed me as the one to put things together and run the camp next time around.
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A trip to Bishkek for my VAC meeting, helping out with friends and birthdays, going to the gym three times a week. Not much more to my summer than this at the moment.

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