So I am at PDM right now, and things are... interesting. My counterpart didn't end up coming - she had some family issues to take care of - and I thought I would be here on my own. Instead I received a rather nasty shock this morning. The teacher I have had so many issues with and just recently stopped working with was sitting in the conference room. My program manager decided that since my counterpart wasn't coming I needed to have someone here from my school, and the school's director wasn't free. I confronted my PM and told her about all this -- she said that this teacher's purpose is primarily to just relay information back to my counterpart and director, but that I still had to work on a presentable project with her for this conference. I'm just a bit more than miffed at that, and am currently wondering how any of this will work.
--
PDM is finished. The information we learned was very useful -- I feel like I can actually start being a volunteer now, not just a teacher-drone. Things didn't go as poorly as I expected with the counterpart, in part because the majority of our sessions were done separately for language purposes. Suffice it to say, though, she did a complete 180 when it came time to start working on a project proposal. Now I have this woman saying I'm going to be written about in the history of my village and that the village's grandchildren will sing to their grandchildren about said deeds. I need to quell that, I'm not here to attain fame or deification or what have you. I just need to pass along the skills to be able to start projects in the community and help out with what I can. Hopefully things can get started soon.
One thing that was mentioned for a project idea is opening up a kindergarten in my village. Not exactly a small feat, that. But it's good to know that things are thought of among the community members. I'm not supposed to come in and tell people what they need, we certainly do enough of that as a world power in other fields of influence. It's a relief and inspiration. Grassroots work, finally, can start to blossom.
--
A week in Bishkek. It's kind of funny, especially in retrospect. I had fun getting together with other volunteers and doing that whole bit, and it was nice having a change of pace. But it also didn't fit. I didn't go to any of the stores or restaurants, feeling I didn't really need to, and I'm sort of proud of myself for it. One day I went to a store called Narodnie, basically a standard supermarket, and had something of a minor panic attack -- the walls lined with wrapped products (particularly fruit -- abberation!), a feeling of claustrophobia, the bright lights shining down at me... I felt like I couldn't breathe and immediately got a headache. My escape to the street was a relief, but it was still an alien world -- paved roads, traffic, lights, car pollution... I was a village bumpkin in a strange and hostile environment. America will be difficult to adjust back to, I imagine.
I would love to delve into a matter concerning volunteers that occurred a day after the week of seminars. That, however, would be folly. Suffice to say, something less than desirable took place that involved multiple parties (thankfully I was not present) and now prices are being paid. It couldn't have come at a worse time either, just after other incidents and the prospect of a healing on the horizon. It's a shame, truly. We, the volunteers, need to grow up and learn that we cannot waste our two years here with such trivial contrivances.
Upon arrival back at site spring continues to be staved off by the last hurrahs of winter. It's disconcertning -- I thought I left this weather back in the NE States... But what can I do. My family procured some fish (was ok, they leave all the bones in it though, making for some tricky eating) and some mushrooms (!!!) when I got back. I'm so pumped about the mushrooms! My family apparantely grows them on a few logs in the yard. Mmmm mushrooms... Haven't gotten sick from eating them yet either. Good news!
Things are starting to look up at site. I have people telling me they missed me and were asking where I went from the past week. My classroom situation is starting to unfold, and prospects for the future here are starting to unveil themselves. This coming week will be spring break, following Nooruz (Muslim New Year) and those celebrations. I think I'm going to head into the city this weekend to view the festivities and games that accompany the holiday -- lots of interesting and truly national ceremonies etc. take place on this holiday.
Recently I've been thinking, reading, and watching (via movies) about Africa. It's odd to explain, but I just feel a connection with the continent. In large part I'm a volunteer today because of Africa -- my quest for social justice has strong roots in it, be it the friends I made during summers at Six Flags or trying to be an activist on my college campus. I put my #1 location preference for Peace Corps as Africa, but the first available slot was Central Asia. It's hard to determine right now, but I think that at some point in my life I want to work somewhere on the vast continent.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Empire Strikes... Uh, yeah
I have my classroom. My hours are more reasonable. I'm working with my one true counterpart now. Things are so bright I think I could cry!
Yesterday I went to school for my Kyrgyz tutoring. My tutor was there, I saw her coat, but she didn't show up to teach me Kyrgyz. Instead she went to a seminar and neglected to tell me. Oh well, that's the norm here. I tried going to the English classroom, but it wouldn't open. The lock still isn't installed, so initially I thought it was locked from the inside. Coming back today, it still wouldn't open, so I went to the school's director. Apparantly the zavuch (vice-principal) took it upon himself to nail the room shut, for seemingly no reason. Luckily I had a horde of club students waiting out in the hall for me, and he got a pair of pliers to take the nail out. I've long since stopped trying to understand the logic behind such actions -- just let me have my room, please.
One volunteer from my oblast is gone, he got in trouble for his actions. This particular volunteer was my oblast's VAC representative, a committee dedicated to handling volunteer issues (the fact that I'm not 100% sure on what VAC stands for is testament to how involved I was). However, with his absence, there's a spot open that my fellow oblasters must vote on. After thinking things over I'm going to try running for the spot. In a very real way I miss doing the representation bid, be it interning or model UN'ing or what have you, and volunteer rights and issues are fairly critical in this organization that seems very top-heavy. Am I qualified for such a position? Who knows. But I'd like to think I'll make a greater effort to get input from my fellow oblasters and actually represent. I feel I'm in a good position with most of my oblast, and those I'm not close with I'm at least communicative with. To me its definately not a free ride to Bishkek to party and have fun.
This coming week is PDM. Finally, a chance to get out from the teaching grind and learn some useful things for developmental and project purposes. It's also (I believe) the last time my group of volunteers will all get together in one place during service. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it. I'll be heading in a day early and spending some time with my host family, which I'm anticipating even more than PDM. On top of it all this Sunday is Women's Day, which is very important and worthy, in my opinion, particularly in a country where women really need recognition for what they do. I bought some flowers and am going to make a cake (and perhaps some pasta fagioli) for my Talas family, trying to do something similar for my Chuy family.
We've all been told March is a milestone for volunteers. I'm starting to feel it. Work is getting better. The crummy winter days are dying out to sunny, warm, and bird-song filled ones. Things are starting to go right for once! The new batch of volunteers is arriving toward the end of the month, which is quite exciting. Overall it's the death of what's been bad and the birth of what will be good for me, at least so far. My eyes may feel heavy and tired, but I can feel my heart beating once again -- I can feel life, and happiness, and purpose again! It's a joy, a real, pure joy, and I'm ever so grateful for it all.
A couple weeks ago my friend Dan stopped by my site before heading back to his own -- he had been on a week-long venture to Southern Kyrgyzstan (which sounds pretty nice, esp since it was warm and sunny there while it was snowing here). Anyway, we went out into my village looking for some miscellaneous items (I believe one was an animal cracker-tasting cookie I had found one time, pretty cheap too). Upon entering one store we found one of the most hilarious things I've witnessed in-country -- they were selling stickers. In true Kutaiski (Chinese) fashion, they were very out-of-place and non sequiter, especially with the line on each exclaiming, "We have hopes because we have love. Made in China." Anyway, Dan bought a sheet of stickers that had some sort of teen girl pop group on it, I bought one entitled "Verduras y Hortalizas - 2." My sheet is, if the language is correct and if one can read it, vegetables in Spanish. Spanish. What the heck is it doing in Kyrgyzstan? Just another flop that made its way here, I think. But it's hilarious, so I bought it.
Now, what did I do with the stickers, aside from have a good laugh? Well, this week my students handed in some homework. This particular assignment was about what they like/don't like and why. One student wrote "I don't like war because it is useless." Besh! Besh plus! For those that don't know, besh (five, in Kyrgyz) is the equivalent of our A (or, 90-100 grade range). That sentence made my day. You bet I slapped my Lechuga sticker on that homework! Ha! The student muttered a meek "rakmat..." (thank you) and seemed a bit confused/scared, and I'll admit the Spanish has no relevance to class, but man oh man it was awesome. Don't know if I'll get anyone to top that line.
--
Last night I had a bit of a freak out moment. For Women's Day, March 8th, I decided to buy some flowers and to bake a cake. I snuck the flowers in from my trip to a bigger village that has a bazaar easily enough and will give them to my fam before I leave for Bishkek. The cake was another matter. I had to ask around to find some milk -- here milk isn't sold at the corner store or gas station, rather people have cows and try to sell it. So I told my eje I was going to make a cake and needed some milk, and after a couple days she finally decided to get it. Anyhow, I followed the recipe on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa box that was so graciously sent over, and I think things turned out ok (also made the frosting on said box -- improvised with regular sugar though because the powdered variant is nonexistant here). I must have spent a good 2-3 hours baking these bad boys, super chocolatey, super messy, and, at the moment, I have no idea how they taste. After I was finished baking them it was about 11 at night, and my family tried getting me to eat some. I said no, it's late, if I eat all this sugar I won't be able to sleep. Instead of eating it, I go into my room to get my camera and take a picture of the cakes (the battery had died so I was charging it), but when I go back into the dining room the cakes are missing. I listen and hear every single family member in the other room -- they had taken the cakes in there. My mind had a meltdown, I knew what was going on -- Kyrgyz people, instead of leaving stuff out at the table and eating it there, will instead stuff pockets full of candy and sweets (or whatever else), go into a room - say, this room I'm talking about - and scarf the stuff down as quickly as possible. My heart sank, my mind was angry. Please tell me I didn't just bake these cakes so that they can be demolished in one night. Luckily the power went out soon after, so I think that forestalled subsequent scarfing. But I went to bed with that thought on my mind, texting some friends about it all. I wake up this morning and frantically try finding the cakes. Not in the room from the night before, not in the kitchen. I open the dining room door and see 1/4 of a cake sitting on a dish -- I think "They really ate all that cake??" but upon further investigation there was one fully intact cake sitting on top of the refridgerator. My mind and body let out a big woooosh and all is right -- I'll get to have a piece for myself (see how it is, learn what I can do to make it better next time) and got to take my pictures. Relief!
Yesterday I went to school for my Kyrgyz tutoring. My tutor was there, I saw her coat, but she didn't show up to teach me Kyrgyz. Instead she went to a seminar and neglected to tell me. Oh well, that's the norm here. I tried going to the English classroom, but it wouldn't open. The lock still isn't installed, so initially I thought it was locked from the inside. Coming back today, it still wouldn't open, so I went to the school's director. Apparantly the zavuch (vice-principal) took it upon himself to nail the room shut, for seemingly no reason. Luckily I had a horde of club students waiting out in the hall for me, and he got a pair of pliers to take the nail out. I've long since stopped trying to understand the logic behind such actions -- just let me have my room, please.
One volunteer from my oblast is gone, he got in trouble for his actions. This particular volunteer was my oblast's VAC representative, a committee dedicated to handling volunteer issues (the fact that I'm not 100% sure on what VAC stands for is testament to how involved I was). However, with his absence, there's a spot open that my fellow oblasters must vote on. After thinking things over I'm going to try running for the spot. In a very real way I miss doing the representation bid, be it interning or model UN'ing or what have you, and volunteer rights and issues are fairly critical in this organization that seems very top-heavy. Am I qualified for such a position? Who knows. But I'd like to think I'll make a greater effort to get input from my fellow oblasters and actually represent. I feel I'm in a good position with most of my oblast, and those I'm not close with I'm at least communicative with. To me its definately not a free ride to Bishkek to party and have fun.
This coming week is PDM. Finally, a chance to get out from the teaching grind and learn some useful things for developmental and project purposes. It's also (I believe) the last time my group of volunteers will all get together in one place during service. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it. I'll be heading in a day early and spending some time with my host family, which I'm anticipating even more than PDM. On top of it all this Sunday is Women's Day, which is very important and worthy, in my opinion, particularly in a country where women really need recognition for what they do. I bought some flowers and am going to make a cake (and perhaps some pasta fagioli) for my Talas family, trying to do something similar for my Chuy family.
We've all been told March is a milestone for volunteers. I'm starting to feel it. Work is getting better. The crummy winter days are dying out to sunny, warm, and bird-song filled ones. Things are starting to go right for once! The new batch of volunteers is arriving toward the end of the month, which is quite exciting. Overall it's the death of what's been bad and the birth of what will be good for me, at least so far. My eyes may feel heavy and tired, but I can feel my heart beating once again -- I can feel life, and happiness, and purpose again! It's a joy, a real, pure joy, and I'm ever so grateful for it all.
A couple weeks ago my friend Dan stopped by my site before heading back to his own -- he had been on a week-long venture to Southern Kyrgyzstan (which sounds pretty nice, esp since it was warm and sunny there while it was snowing here). Anyway, we went out into my village looking for some miscellaneous items (I believe one was an animal cracker-tasting cookie I had found one time, pretty cheap too). Upon entering one store we found one of the most hilarious things I've witnessed in-country -- they were selling stickers. In true Kutaiski (Chinese) fashion, they were very out-of-place and non sequiter, especially with the line on each exclaiming, "We have hopes because we have love. Made in China." Anyway, Dan bought a sheet of stickers that had some sort of teen girl pop group on it, I bought one entitled "Verduras y Hortalizas - 2." My sheet is, if the language is correct and if one can read it, vegetables in Spanish. Spanish. What the heck is it doing in Kyrgyzstan? Just another flop that made its way here, I think. But it's hilarious, so I bought it.
Now, what did I do with the stickers, aside from have a good laugh? Well, this week my students handed in some homework. This particular assignment was about what they like/don't like and why. One student wrote "I don't like war because it is useless." Besh! Besh plus! For those that don't know, besh (five, in Kyrgyz) is the equivalent of our A (or, 90-100 grade range). That sentence made my day. You bet I slapped my Lechuga sticker on that homework! Ha! The student muttered a meek "rakmat..." (thank you) and seemed a bit confused/scared, and I'll admit the Spanish has no relevance to class, but man oh man it was awesome. Don't know if I'll get anyone to top that line.
--
Last night I had a bit of a freak out moment. For Women's Day, March 8th, I decided to buy some flowers and to bake a cake. I snuck the flowers in from my trip to a bigger village that has a bazaar easily enough and will give them to my fam before I leave for Bishkek. The cake was another matter. I had to ask around to find some milk -- here milk isn't sold at the corner store or gas station, rather people have cows and try to sell it. So I told my eje I was going to make a cake and needed some milk, and after a couple days she finally decided to get it. Anyhow, I followed the recipe on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa box that was so graciously sent over, and I think things turned out ok (also made the frosting on said box -- improvised with regular sugar though because the powdered variant is nonexistant here). I must have spent a good 2-3 hours baking these bad boys, super chocolatey, super messy, and, at the moment, I have no idea how they taste. After I was finished baking them it was about 11 at night, and my family tried getting me to eat some. I said no, it's late, if I eat all this sugar I won't be able to sleep. Instead of eating it, I go into my room to get my camera and take a picture of the cakes (the battery had died so I was charging it), but when I go back into the dining room the cakes are missing. I listen and hear every single family member in the other room -- they had taken the cakes in there. My mind had a meltdown, I knew what was going on -- Kyrgyz people, instead of leaving stuff out at the table and eating it there, will instead stuff pockets full of candy and sweets (or whatever else), go into a room - say, this room I'm talking about - and scarf the stuff down as quickly as possible. My heart sank, my mind was angry. Please tell me I didn't just bake these cakes so that they can be demolished in one night. Luckily the power went out soon after, so I think that forestalled subsequent scarfing. But I went to bed with that thought on my mind, texting some friends about it all. I wake up this morning and frantically try finding the cakes. Not in the room from the night before, not in the kitchen. I open the dining room door and see 1/4 of a cake sitting on a dish -- I think "They really ate all that cake??" but upon further investigation there was one fully intact cake sitting on top of the refridgerator. My mind and body let out a big woooosh and all is right -- I'll get to have a piece for myself (see how it is, learn what I can do to make it better next time) and got to take my pictures. Relief!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
