As I'm sitting here, attempting to read my tests and think about the events of the past few days, I'm contemplating a reoccurring thought that has been on my mind for years now. Though I may be young and attempting to do so in whatever capacities I can, it's a basis for my actions: I will not be around forever, and my time now, however long, grueling, fruitful, uneventful, life-changing (and/or just about every single other adjective you can think of) it may be, needs to be beneficial in some way, shape, or form. There are good, bad, and neutral things; it's necessary to improve upon them all, either by emphasis, change, information, awareness, and a whole host of other positive methods. This is not just for the here and now or the special occassion -- rather, it is a style of living, my style of living (or at least what I would like to be my style of living) and it's central emphasis is this: treating others with empathy and/or sympathy, acting with the Golden Rule in heart and mind, and working to make the world around you, no matter how grand or minute in scale an action it may be, a better place. If I can do one thing, one thing at all, to make this world better, then I believe mine will have been a life worth spent.
On that note, I realize how little and how much time I have here in Kyrgyzstan. It's a lot because it's two years in a foreign environment, doing work previously not done, learning a new language, customs, values, style of living etc. I'll be able to establish relationships and do many things that would be unthinkable if I did anything other than be a volunteer. On the other hand, if the past few years have taught me anything, years tend to fly by. The here-and-now may seem long, but in reality it's short and miniscule. Some things I will have to adapt to here, some things I will not. For instance, I fully intend to start up some sort of youth dialogue/awareness club (perhaps for the summer, but it can be integrated into my English Club) in order to talk about primarily Kyrgyzstan but also the rest of the world, pros & cons, perceptions, opinions, etc. It's a difficult task because this culture is fairly adamant about avoiding any such discussion directly - people have their ideas, but they're often conveyed via middleman, and even then it can take a long (i.e. perhaps six months) to reach the subject of conversation. But I don't have that kind of time, to ask a question and wait for weeks or months for a response. As I've mentioned before, people are adamant about me "taking a girl" - this is a concession I will not make, and I don't care about offending people about it. There are several important and alarming issues facing this country, and rather than sit back and simply be a teacher, it's my duty and call to be the volunteer that I decided to be and do something more than sit idly by and comply with every single societal norm. Some things, yes. Some things, absolutely not. Time will tell how it pans out, but my job here is to follow what my sentiments and beliefs in the previous paragraph are.
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The other day it started snowing here. None of it stuck, fortunately, but that still doesn't bode well. I've got my ridiculously heavy (the thing weighs about 20 pounds) winter coat and matching Jigeet (typically just a guy, man, dude, w/e) hat to go with it. The only thing I need now is a decent pair of boots, and something good in the way of undergarments (which I hope will arrive soon). The bazaar is devoid of many familair foods, with bread, potatoes, apples, persimmons, and expensive oranges taking the primary role now. Inside is little relief from outside, though honestly it's not much different from Harvest Lane (you know, with the whole not having/turning on of heat). It certainly makes for rough days, though, with the power going out for so long. I'm wearing multiple layers every day, my gloves, my new hat, would be wearing a scarf if I had one, and my socks will transition from regular to heavy. I just picked up my smoke detector from PC, which is a req. due to my home requiring a whole bunch of coal (and no, I don't think it's NE PA coal) to stay moderately warm. My school is, I believe, closing for much of the winter - from Dec. 25-sometime in March. It's the #1 concern here.
--
So I've gotten back from the city with a bunch of goodies in hand. I bought some fresh persimmons from the bazaar, some of the cookies (that taste oh so good, and help with the hard times here) that are both comparatively cheap and delicious - vanilla and chocolate cookie with a chocolate filling, oreo style - some peanuts, of course, and a rare and expensive treat - dried pineapple. When I saw the pineapple my mouth was dropped in disbelief, and again at the price, but I just had to have it. It's not the best I've ever had, but for my favorite fruit I'd go for it again. I wish I had gotten some bananas while I was shopping - they were very cheap this trip, about 15 som a banana (they're usually 25+ som per) - but I was hankering for the persimmons more. There are a bit more oranges out now, but they're pretty expensive and will go down in price during the winter (I believe) - now they're about 25 som per orange, and in prime season they'll cost about 60 som per kilo. Of course, if prices aren't marked, one can always sodalash (bargain) the price down, as I did for my coat, hat, and some other small items. But that's usually a case of bringing an inflated price down to the norm, particularly since the perception is that Americans have lots of money, regardless of being a volunteer or not.
My daily life here is so strange. I'm constantly requesting to help out, have the fam show me their cooking techniques, etc. etc. but they never let me do anything. They'll say alright, but when the time comes it's no deal. A bit aggrivating, particularly as I'm sitting on my bed that's had no sheets for the past 4 days due to them insisting on washing things themselves. I can understand my clothes washing situation a bit - what with having a relic-of-a-washing machine - but I'm 'required' to do my own personal laundry (ie undies & socks) in the banya, which means I get to do a few pairs every week before my head explodes from how hot the banya room is. It's more a factor of me not feeling like I fit in here, feeling quite worthless at home, and feeling like the typical lazy Kyrgyz man who does nothing but sit around, complain, and bark out orders (which I don't do, but still). Whenever I even try to do something on my own, someone either coddles me with a 'Thanks very much! You did such a good job! Now go sit down, I can finish...' or 'No no, let me do that, you can watch but I'll do it.' At least I'm 'allowed' to clean my own room...
Kyrgyz men. These days nothing boils my blood quite like this group of people. Like I said earlier, they're typically a lot of lazy do-nothings. Now, I don't want to sit here making some sort of rash generalization, but evidence has, for the most part, proven this to be so. For example, here in KY women pretty much do everything - working in the fields, cleaning the house, making food, doing all the hard work. Men do... uh... lets see... well, at my school, the 1/10 or so staff that's male teach. Sometimes I'll see a random herder or worker, but women do that as well. For the most part, the men get drunk, very early on in the day, and either gamble in the baike circle (ring of guys squating on the side of a street, usually, with a bottle of vodka) or put on a facade of working at whatever they can consider their job. A favorite pastime of theirs is to harass volunteers, particularly female volunteers, so I'm always on my guard about that. Now, that in and of itself is enough to aggrivate me to no end. But what really gets me going is how they treat the women here - there is no such thing as gender equality here in KY. At work, the men generally ignore the women (and consequently vice versa), stick to a ring and converse among themselves. At home, men generally sit down and watch as the women do all the work, and are quick to lash out with admonishing commentary or criticism, despite A) not doing the work themselves and/or B) not even knowing how to do said work. It really angers me that women are beaten here. One of my friends, who lives in the most remote part of KY that PC goes to, has had a few neighbors bride kidnap women since he arrived at site. There is a super machismo here, but really nothing to back it up. The men do all sorts of messed up things, and none of the things they actually should be doing. In my mind, most of the men here are anti-men.
Now, a strong case for why this is so is present in the following: KY has had a very rough time after the Soviet collapse. Former doctors, engineers, and other such prestigious professions have had to either become farmers/store owners, or move to different countries. Despite being a primarily Muslim country, the most prevelant drink here is vodka, which is undoubtedly an influx from Russia. Before vodka, people drank kumuz (fermented mares milk) and gave toasts with that drink at parties etc. - now, however, it's pretty much all done with vodka. There are very few jobs in the villages, where Kyrgyz primarily live, so it's hard to live a successful life without being a farmer (or at least owning a few animals yourself). People marry very young (high school graduation is called Kuz [girl] bazaar) and many families are gigantic. Prior to Soviet rule, most marriages in KY were arranged. During Soviet rule, marriage was changed to be more in the style of what we in the west have - however, this met with resistance from the Kyrgyz, so some people opted to 'kidnap' one another, a practice that is present in KY's history but only very rarely, and the manner that is so prevelant today was strongly opposed and had severe consequences during and prior to Sovietism. This method evolved a bit over time starting from the 1930's-40's, and has become strongly ingrained into the mindset of people here as being a tradition - so nowadays, many men bride kidnap, often forcably (since dating seems to be nonexistant here, and the villages are so set in their ways).
--
Two days ago (Oct. 27th) I experienced one of the strangest experiences I've had here in Kyrgyzstan. I head to school for my afternoon classes, which are supposed to start at 2:00. I arrive at 1:55, wait in the teachers' room for about 15 minutes with nobody showing up, and finally some Ejes come in and say that my counterpart is in the cafeteria. Ok, I think, what the heck is going on now, we're missing class... So I head to the cafeteria, and there, 'lo and behold, is the majority of my school's staff, sitting around having a party. I'm not given time to digest the site - my presence is noticed and I have 10 people telling me to sit in 10 different places. I befuddledly stumble to a spot and promptly have all the markings of a Kyrgyz feast/party - candy, lots of bread, lots of borsok (fried pieces of dough), soda (ie soft drinks), vodka - shoved in my face. As I grogily take a piece of borsok and have 3 people pour me some off-brand orange soda (off-brands, while in the US are usually the exact same, are in my opinion terrible here - they all have a same candy-esque taste and aftertaste to them, feel like they'll burn a hole through my teeth, and just overall taste bad), people start getting up and giving toasts, with vodka of course, in what is today the Kyrgyz style. My counterpart decides to come over and talk with me a bit; I try asking what the heck is going on, but before long I'm on the spot to give a toast of my own. So I'm standing with a coffee mug of putrid orange soda, no idea what the heck is going on or what's being celebrated, with 20 people telling me to give a toast in Kyrgyz. I rattle off the standard 'Thank you everyone, good health to you all' and have a brain fart directly after as I realize I A) have no idea what this is for and B) even if I did probably wouldn't know the appropriate way to say it in Kyrgyz. So I speak for about 1 minute, in English, about how it's an honor to be here, thanks to you all for being hospitable, etc. I sip my soda; that's not good enough! Down it in one gulp! So I comply, sit down, and try to stop my head from spinning.
I'm shipped off to class on my own as my counterpart helps clean up. The classroom I'm supposed to go to is locked, so I flounder back to the party area. Go wait in the teacher's lounge. Alright... When all's said and done, my counterpart and I head to what was presumably our next class. Only our schedule was all messed up, and we arrived one period ahead, so had an empty classroom for about 40 minutes. I glean that the celebration was for my counterpart; she was celebrating (re: being the woman, making food and serving for 3 days straight) the fact that one side of the family had given her and her husband wedding gifts. Note: I think they've been married for one year already, or something. But the party at school was to celebrate the fact that she had a celebration and now had gifts. That, in a nutshell, is the way Kyrgyz people celebrate stuff - if someone they met once on a corner 5 years ago during a storm happens to go out and, say, buy a car, or donkey, or plants a tree, or something, everyone is inclined to celebrate it with plenty of food and drink. As my mind is trying to buffer the thought process of this celebration method, my counterpart and I got into a discussion about how she thinks she's too old to have kids, and I think she's almost too young to be married. For the record she's 25, and according to her, her doctor, and most Kyrgyz people, she will be an old hag incapable of producing life very soon. I just call it crazy, especially her bit about 18-20 being the best time to have kids. Oi...
My host family. If I could describe it in one statement at the moment, it would have to be: spectacularly mediocre. Not bad, not good. It's a real struggle trying to do most anything - since kids are pretty much supposed to do all the work, and my house is anything but lacking kid-power, I can't really do a whole lot here. I've offered countless times to help and have simply been brushed off. My life at home seems to consist of three rooms - the dining room, the outhouse, and my bedroom where I spend most of my time. I haven't seen my host Eje (still disturbed that it's Eje and not host mother) for a while. My only solace is the oh-so-rare conversation with a family member at the dinner table, or spending time with my youngest host brother. I've tried talking about napkin usage at the dinner table with my family due to my nose issues (note: every meal tends to be scalding hot soup with some nice hot tea to wash it down, which my nose just loves...). They all seem embarassed about it, and lately it's been me and my sister eating meals, then afterward (or sometimes even beforehand) everyone else piles in to eat. Oh, my family also stopped buying toilet paper for some reason, instead opting for the old used notebook or Soviet handbook - I think right now the spiders of the outhouse understand me more. Oi vei.
The food here. While it's not bad, I'm starting to miss the better tastes of life (particularly after the 5th or so day straight of soup - have to pee so much every day now). It's gotten to the point where I'm retreating to my room, raiding my personal stash every day. Things have left me desiring something more; granted, not exceptionally more, but one can only do so much with potatoes and cabbage. The other night I was literally dreaming of cinnamon buns - I woke up soon after, finding I had drooled all over myself. Hot broth and noodles and cabbage and potatoes - decently filling, not pleasant for my pallet after so many days straight (particularly since they love putting dill - which I hate - fairly liberally into soups). Something non-soup would be wonderful right about now. A taste from home would be even more wonderful. I sure hope the Kyrgyz postal system doesn't pull shenanigans with my mail, as they've been known to do. So far, no packages since before I arrived at site, when PST ended and I was as of that time not yet a volunteer.
So today is my brother Sean's birthday. Happy birthday. Sorry I can't really get you a present, I'm kinda on the other side of the world. Good luck with football and hope everything goes well. Don't be too miserable - look at me, I'm in a place even colder than home, using an outdoors bathroom with spiders all the time, get to stand in a van for 40 minutes if I want to go anywhere, have to wait at least 4 hours before I have usable water, and don't have electricity for the greater majority of the day. I'm not that unhappy either! So have a good one, and eat some good food for me, maybe I'll start dreaming of it.
Three times. It's snowed three times so far in the past week's worth timespan. Unfreakinbelievable. My heater is sitting here, uselessly plugged in during our unforgiving period of electric drought. It's cold enough to make me chilly 24-7, but not outrageously so. And when I say 24-7, I mean 24-7. With my heater, my room can get maybe into the mid-60s. Heat is a winter commodity that's nigh-impossible to come by. It's either "Oh my God" cold outside, or "Eh, slightly less" cold inside. No refreshing warm showers, no thermostat to crank, no exceptional covers to crawl under. There's the 1-3 times a day I eat, getting something warm, and that's roughly it. Park myself next to my heater when the electricity comes back on, and my toes might thaw. Oh ho, it's going to be a fun fun winter. Please, post office, don't screw around with my packages and take my warm clothes...
--
So privacy is a bit of an issue for me. My family is cool about it - heck, half the time they treat me like I have the plague. It's the outsiders that give me a hard time. My room is situated as the first part of the house you can see, being front and center. My home is sort of a comunal hotspot - we have a banya that several people in the neighborhood utilize and a water pump that's frequently used by the locals. That, plus all sorts of other business deals, friends dropping by, and lord only knows what else, and we have a regular hotel lobby going on here. In Kyrgyzstan, it's rare for a house to have a doorbell, so people bang, yell, and whistle. When whatever random person they're calling for doesn't answer, they come on in and bang louder, opening doors, etc. Unfortunately for me, this means they'll come right up to my window and start banging and calling. Also, the closed door seems a foreign concept to people here - I've had a few incidents of completely random people walking into my room. That scares the hell out of me; fortunately nothing has happened yet, but my presedence hasn't been completely established. I always lock my door when I'm not at home. Finally, the curtains to my room. Like I said earlier, my room is the first one you can see when walking into the house. It also has a rather large berth of window exposure, and just a thin see-through curtain which serves almost no purpose but decoration. So yeah, I have to hide every time I change, lest I flash the entire community. Privacy, thou art a commodity.
Finally, a break of pace from the soup run. A plate o' potatoes! Yay! At least it's not scalding soup, which aggrivates my nose the most. And tea is more tolerable when I don't have a gallon of broth going down my throat. Still, I miss decent cold drinks - I may freeze to death when I go back to the States just from that alone.
When I close my eyes I feel so at peace, like a weight has been lifted. I really need this Fall Break we're having next week (Oct 31-Nov 7), a time to recharge and get some planning done. Also, I might head to Bishkek with some of the other volunteers. That'll be something - I can use the post office there and attempt to get gifts (Christmas et al) sent, meet up with some friends, check out the eats, and generally just get away from the village for a few days. Hope I have enough $$! Oi. Living on about $65 a month, been saving a good deal of it for a while. Good thing my primary shop is the bazaar, where the price can be bargained, sometimes.
One thing I've realized is that despite living away from home for the greater majority of the past 4, 4 1/2 years, I've always been home for the holidays. This year will be my first away from home during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Not easy - particularly since nobody here celebrates our holidays. Instead of Christmas they have Jangu Jill, New Years, which is the biggest holiday of the year. It has Santa, and celebration, but nothing of what makes Christmas the holiday it is today. Here there's a feast, and a gigantic Santa parade because some Swedish research group found that Santa's home would be here in Kyrgyzstan if he were to feasibly make a trip around the world in one night. But it just sounds like a bigger version of every other party they have here; not bad, but not Christmas. More similar to Thanksgiving, if anything.
--
These new pictures of that studly figure are none other than yours truly, taken just a few days ago. First there's me in my pimp-jacket and baeke hat, gearing up for the long haul of winter's cold. What's missing right now is a pair of boots, perhaps some matching gloves (I have good ones but they're brown grr...) and a nice ol scarf to go along with it all, possibly some earmuffs as well (the baeke hat has a flip-down action in the back, but it's not spectacular). The second picture is me sporting my Obama shirt; it reads "Obama, for the sake of America," from Americans Abroad for Obama, Kyrgyzstan (which wasn't cheap, either - lots o money for one on a volunteer budget). You can of course glimpse my room in all it's unkempt splendor in the background. I wear big clothes to hide my skinny self! I think I'm getting back on track weight-wise -- been eating a lot of bread, and taking second helpings, and munching on my snacks, and trying to get my fruit intake, and haven't been sick, and, and, and...
I raided the PC Talas Library last time I was in the city. At my rate, I think I'll have all the books read by the end of winter, perhaps third time through 'em all by next year's winter.
So I'm pretty nervous about next week and the election. The latest news I have is from September, with some sprinklings from emails about what's going on. I'm also miffed that I won't have the opportunity to vote, stupid Windsor Post Office or whoever it was that decided not to mail my ballot because the address compilation is switched in Kyrgyzstan (i.e. country, oblast/state, rayon/district, city/town, street, name, in descending order). Oi... the biggest election and I don't get to participate. Someone revoke my Poly Sci BA. But I hope McCain is still drowning in his muck, and Palin messing things up with her complete lack of worthwhile credential. I may have to follow other volunteers and take on an extended service if I don't get to come back to a paper with Obama's sig on it. Lord knows the irony of Bush's sig on the PC papers I got when I signed up.
--
The fact that I'm here is slowly dawning on me - that I'm actually here - and it's a bit frightening, revealing, and confusing. Mainly, this brand of volunteer work is vastly different from anything and everything I've ever done. In the past I've held volunteer work as work packed for time, never a lack of things to do, plenty of people willing to share and experience. While here it's not the opposite of those things, it's a completely different brand of volunteerism. I'm not here for a few hours, a day, or a week; I'm here living with people in their environment for a greater amount of time, attempting to both be one of them and an outsider with new ideas all at the same time. There's needs and problems, but I'm not working in a volunteer-prone area; rather, working for free (almost, I still get my living allowances) is as foreign a concept as I am. I need to dig to discover, work at fitting in, learn and listen and watch. The time here is slow, very slow, and it's easy to fall into habitual neglect or oversight. People love to glaze over problems, are quick to highlight the things they're proud of; it's true of practically any culture (see: tourism) but it makes for a mountain in terms of tackling real issues. It's going to take a lot of patience and perseverance, and I hope I'm up to this task. No amount of preperation could brace someone for a situation such as this - it has to be tackled with individual touch and gradual perception, empathy, sympathy.
In many ways Kyrgyzstan has blindsided me. When thinking of Peace Corps the typical image is a volunteer in shorts, t-shirts, and sandals; the typical African or Central/South American volunteer. Here I'm wearing business clothes every day. I've been thrown into a position as a teacher - and not just a teacher, a co-teacher, which is very very challenging - when I'm more used to doing volunteer volunteer work (i.e. spending time with the needy, helping out with this or that cause, etc.). It feels like a 9-5 job (sometimes 8-6 with no break), with quite a few more hitches to it. My role as a teacher is a bit aggrivating - I can't work with my counterparts outside of class due to the shame factor of them being young women in a village, materials are scarce, the old ways of teaching are quite apparant and highly cumbersome, and I generally don't have much of an idea what goes on (or what will go on, lesson plans aren't shared with me) during class. I think there are some bright points in what I've done so far - students sticking up for me, students rushing to me after class to give them their grade (I'll often give good grades for sheer effort, of which there is quite a lacking), students wanting so badly to get an English club going, students students students. Pretty much everything good that has happened to me here in Kyrgyzstan has been something out of preservice training or with my students. Granted, some of my worst moments also occurred with both, but who wouldn't expect that. I'll be the odd-teacher-out in that I'll side with the students whenever I can - homework and classwork system of books nobody has be damned!
On that note I'm somewhat unnerved with the degree to which my host family has extended itself to important positions. When talking about family, the conversation always goes something like "... and so-and-so is the director of x school, this person is part of the local government, cousin Bobbek (men often have bek - lord - at the end of their name) runs this company..." and so on. Part of me thinks it has to do with showing off, part of me thinks it's an attempt to assert something or other. For example, one host uncle-type-person told me if I had problems with anyone I should call him, and he'd fix them because he knows a lot of men (presumably police or ruffians, though they're practically one in the same here). He also wants me to take him to America once I go back, which seems to be a fairly common sentiment here, despite things being 'better, healthier, bigger...' in Kyrgyzstan. I know that to a large degree nepotism and favors play a role in what you are in this country. It unnerves me because Kyrgyzstan has quite a few problems, but nothing gets solved when a person goes to a job because their brother got it for them and they like the money, and they don't really know what to do so they show up at 10 a.m., often drunk, and just collect a paych... uh, lump of som (haven't seen a check here). The mentality here is all about helping one another out, be it friend or family, and little regard is given to efficiency or quality. It's readily apparent in school, with how students (despite me telling them don't cheat, don't talk to one another) will always shout or whisper answers, copy off one another, or throw things around the room (the real kicker is when they did it during our quarter's end exam - which consisted of them copying a text from a book, word for word; some students still failed even that). This culture is all about being part of a whole, scratch my back I'll scratch yours, and enh you're a friend of my brother's friend so I'll let that slide. Aggrivating in some regards, admirable in others.
The act of saying to someone 'you have problems' is never an easy one. It's also bad to go about something in a manner such as straight up giving them a bunch of something - the impressions of both wealth and dependence are none-too optimistic. The art of diplomacy must be employed in such a case, in my case, and I'm hoping that what experience I have will help me. I've held my tongue on numerous accounts so far in-country - I must continue to do so until a point in time when I can comfortably start including issues into my actions and words. Everything is so fresh and real, and my idealistic heart yearns to jump where my practical mind deems 'not yet.' Oh, but to have the knowledge, community integration, and understanding of my village... time feels oh so drudgingly excruciating sometimes.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Lots and lots (Gope gope)
5/10
Today, as I was busy throwing up due to some food not sitting well, I received a pair of texts from my good friend Robin! Comfort during discomfort.
This was my first time being truly sick at site, 4th time overall. I've had a bit of a cold for the past couple weeks, consequently granting me a constantly running, uyat (shameful) nose - it's shameful to blow your nose at the dinner table, we eat a lot of hot soup, I'm usually trapped inbetween people so getting up (which is a process in and of itself, have to "Omin" every time you get up from the table) is a hassle, and no napkins! - but nothing majorly major. Last night, though, my stomach gave me the "I've had it," grumble, and to the toilet I go! Not only is it very hard to use the bathroom under normal conditions, but it's also very cold outside during nighttime and morning hours nowadays. Add onto that my stomach illness and my cold, and we have a fun recipe. Let's just hope I don't have any urgent needs while writing this... (which, unfortunately, I did). I fear the winter, and though we thankfully have TP and not Ye Ol' Soviet Book, it's sure not huggies soft.
It's a great reassurance receiving news, tidbits, info, remarks, anything! from home. For example, today I was feeling terrible due to my illness and the awful aftertaste it was giving me. But then I received a couple texts from Robin. That turned my gloomy day into a decent one! Getting something from home is like having a bright light break through the dark clouds sometimes; it makes my day and brings me so much happiness. I wish I were able to reply to the texts, but they're sent through megacom and it costs a boatload for me to send a text regularly. But such is life here, it's primarily one-way at this point. However, today, now I have the motivation to do some work while listening to some Cash n' Who instead of moping in bed trying to down some of my putrid oral rehydration salt mixture.
--
So I've had a bit of a good rest. The work I did was primarily trying to get my English Club advertisement and pre-entrance test finished. So far so good, but it's easy working on things by myself -- the real test will be giving the test, seeing how everyone does on it, sorting out who should go to what level, etc. I surely hope this club motivates students to study and work on English better than they currently do (and who knows, maybe they'll learn a thing or two). Right now students don't do homework, in part due to not having books and also I think because they have no encouragement to do so (lack of practicality, lack of decent speakers/teachers [up until now, I hope], old methods of Soviet-style teaching still prevails in the classroom, and the list goes on...). It's a tremendous challenge for me. I'm essentially starting from nothing in most cases, with nothing but the books so generously given to me by the King's English Dept. and Peace Corps, and of course my own imagination. I started with the ABC's in my second grade classes, and I think most/every class could use it... just hope I have my singing voice intact for the 17 different forms/classes I teach (in a given week, if I'm working on Sat, I have 34 classes, 25 without Sat, which I sometimes need to do). It's also difficult working with two other Kyrgyz teachers in all my classrooms - if my methods do nothing, then what then? Oh how I suddenly wish I were an Education Major...
Aside from my health issues, things are going better here with my home life. My little 8 year old brother is becoming something of a buddy of mine - just the other day we were out making leaf soup in the yard, he often gets/shows me how to get apples from the trees in the yard, and we'll play or he'll show/talk to me about something. My other family members are a bit more difficult to interact with, but it's coming along. My 10 year old sister is a cutie-pie; very shy, but very eager whenever I ask her a question. My 15 year old brother likes listening to rap, hanging out with his friends, exclaiming loudly (what about I never know), and generally just being a typical guy, I think. I have two same-age sisters (apparently a couple of the children came in from another family, I'm not entirely sure on the story, but it doesn't seem a-typical Kyrgyz) who are nice enough but probably think I'm a space alien - wanting them to teach me how to cook food, cleaning my own room, offering to do my own laundry, etc. They do the typical Kyrgyz girl routine though; making most/all the meals (though I don't think they made the food last night...), doing the cleaning around the house, actually spending time studying for class, listening to whatever pop-esque music that peaks their interest. My eje (elder sister, aunt, etc etc. - it means a lot of things), who didn't want me calling her apa (mom), seems thrilled whenever I inquire about her work (seamstress, out of the home), family (which is apparently spread all throughout Talas), or anything else. Less so interested when talking about how things in America are, or personal interests, but hey, I appreciate not being the center of attention for once.
I just want to spend a bit of time talking about women in Kyrgyzstan. Aside from the fact that people here keep insisting that I'll be married within the year to a Kyrgyz girl, there really aren't many options for me, and here's why. In the village (particularly) girls 26 or older are pretty much considered old croons or bad if they aren't married. So, pretty much everyone my age is married. The only other option, and what I think people who insist I get married infer, is a current high-school girl. Here in KY, graduation day has a different name for these girls - kuz bazaar (girl bazaar) - and it disturbs me, immensely. Not only are these very young girls expected to become a wife, they can be forced into marriage through bride kidnapping - essentially relegating the rest of their life (if they run away from the marriage they're shamed to no end and have difficulty getting more legitimately married - some resort to suicide). Add to the fact that every man I meet, aside from generally being a lot lazier and single-minded from the women, always talks about "Kuz Al," taking a girl, it's just revolting to me. Now there is consentual bride-kidnapping, presumably where both partners love each other and it's a cheaper option than the traditional marriage, which I sort of understand - it's the unconsented kidnapping and overall male attitude I'm concerned with, especially since it's so foreign to me and vehemently goes against my values. It makes me want to join up with other volunteers or a women's awareness group. It's especially a problem here in Talas - an oblast known for its machismo and hubris. Some traditions I can understand and mentally tolerate - this is not one of them.
Power's out again, hurray. Looks like time to sign off.
Peace,
Chris
--
16/10
I usually don't write so soon after finishing, but oh my, today was something else.
So today my counterpart was feeling sick as well, so we decided to divvy up our packed schedule so she taught 3 classes on her own and I the same. Unfortunately for me, I thought (must emphasize this, I thought!) I could handle the 2nd grade class on my own. Oh hoho. What a fool I am. Never have I had such a hard time with anything ever before. People complaining at Six Flags? Sure. People calling and talking to me at Lieb's office about how their son is being sent off to Iraq? Ok, hard. This? Wow.
First off, technically speaking I'm really supposed to be sticking to older kids, 'cause it usually takes someone skilled to handle the little 'uns. But since I'm co-teaching, and figured what the heck why not help teach the class since they're learning English, I took it up. Take the co-teaching out of that equation, however, this is the situation we see. Imagine yourself in a nice, quiet, calm place. It's bright. It's sunny. There's your favorite beverage right there, you have all the time in the world to do whatever you want.
Now, rip that all away, and throw yourself into a rolling morass of hot chaos. That cry, my friends, would be me in the middle of it all, with my nice happy place going bye-bye. Oh man. The kids had no respect for me and no concept of me having authority. First we started out singing the ABC's. Loud, but semi-controlled, so all's good there. But, like a rollercoaster, the ABC's was the peak-point and everything was rickety rolling out of control down a crazy lane. While I'm trying to get my "Connect the big letter to the smaller version of that letter" game going, half the class decides to get up and do some kung-fu action moves on each other in the back of the room, or start taking stuff from other children. I call out "Tinch!" which is essentially peace, what the teachers here use in an attempt to restore order. Some kids fall in line, some don't. So I have a few kids up at the board doing the game, and the naughty ones in back going at it again. Arg! "Baldar otur!" - boys sit - I call out. That lasts a whole 2 seconds. I then have some of the kids up at the board practicing their writing. Well, for the first 10 seconds that went well, until 10 students stormed the board in an attempt to do their own thing. Now they're up at the board trying to steal chalk from one another, the ones in the back relentlessly go about doing whatever their little hearts desired, and I'm in the middle trying to do about 20 things at once. Halfway through class an Eje pokes her head in and I give her a motion of complete exasperation - she gives them a minute talk on being nice, has them sitting down quietly etc. She leaves, and chaos resumes. I try to continue on, using my recently drawn pictures in an attempt to teach them the names of some animals in English. Oh my. I call out "What is this?" and what sounds like 50 eehawing donkies reply. While I'm doing this, the tentek baldar (naughty boys) apparently had had enough of class, and ran out of the room. I sit there, stunned. Two or three more kids decide to bolt for it as well. What is going on?!? I go, look outside, see no kids, then shut the door. Well... at least there's peace and quiet now, I thought. I won't let those kids back in. But that lasted for about 2 or 3 minutes, the tentek baldar have apparently been herded up by a different Eje and rounded back into the room. At this point, there's about 10 minutes of class left, and my head is screaming to me "Why oh why God why why why?!? Make it end!!!" So for the rest of the time I'm trying to review the animals, and the tentek baldar are basically miming/mocking me throughout the rest of the lesson. I somehow survived to the end, sat down, had most of the class leave, gave my grades to the few angels in my class (all girls, of course), then exasperatedly left to teach my final lesson for the day.
If I didn't have what I consider an amazing class in my 7th "G" formers directly after, I don't know what. I came into class grouchy, but having the angels of my class calling the boys into line, doing the work, and sticking up for me, I happily gave them the 5's (A's) they deserved. Never again. Never again will I teach the 2nd grade on my own. Much credit to all teachers around the world who teach little children. A few small kids, I can handle. Twenty, half of whom are screaming mischief-making heads? Not so much. Oi... where's my tylenol...
Peace,
Chris
P.S. Just had to add this because I couldn't stop laughing - so I saw the family washing machine today. All I can say to describe it is that it looks like a vending machine out of the Jetsons, or perhaps the Flinstones. Oh Soviets, what will you think of next??
PPS. Brilliant idea! Take a photo of said vending/washing machine.
--
19/10
I think a lot of Peace Corps is a lot happening despite it feeling like very little, or perhaps a little happening feelings like a lot. Who knows, but that's kind of the impression I have right now.
First off, I just received the text from my brother Pat about my Great Uncle Johnny dying. It makes me sad - he was a good man. He always used to call me Christopher Columbus. His actions were very kind and he was a gentle man. It's sad thinking about how he always cried at funerals, even for people he didn't know. I'm sorry I won't be able to make it to his own; he's in my heart though.
This weekend (if it can be called that) I had work on Saturday, and my 'sitemate' visit me today (Sun). My school decided to schedule English classes on Saturdays, even though I said I shouldn't be working on Saturdays (which PC does say). When I inquired about it, I was told the person who devises the schedules isn't very good (as accredited to how the schedule changed about 5 times since I arrived in late Sept. -- well into the schoolyear at that point) and that they wouldn't change the schedule. I told them that's fine, but I'm not coming in every single Saturday because quite often Sat/Sun are days volunteers get together and do stuff. That plus it's nice to have 2 days off in a row. I do meet the hour requirement without working Sats, but I do feel a bit bad just not going to class all the time. I imagine I won't feel as bad once I get my English club up and running though.
My sitemate visited for the first time. I put it in quotations the first time because techically I don't think I have a sitemate -- I'm the only volunteer in my rayon (district). However, this volunteer is about 5 minutes away, so she's the closest American to me here in KY. It was a relief after this almost-month of being at site to have someone I could regularly and openly communicate with at home, even if for just a few hours. For anyone who knows me, it's difficult for me to just start up a casual conversation, particularly with someone I've just met (being personally rather shy and quiet), even when I understand what's being talked about. Add on the language barrier, and it's been tough for me. In my training village, I really only needed to know a few people, a few families, etc. and I got along fine with that. Here, I have an entire collective (teachers staff), new neighbors, new students, who knows how many family members & their friends, and just random people yelling out my name all the time. My counterparts, while knowing decent English, don't really know me, or I them, and as (I believe) I've noted before there are some issues with them, particularly taboos, and their views being completely Kyrgyz (i.e. when I was sick, they told me to start drinking a lot of milk, and the old 'wrap a dead snake in a jar around your waiste to cure your ails' trick). So yeah, complete relief to finally get to see my sitemate and have a pleasant afternoon. That, plus my family went all-out and cleaned the outhouse (wow!) and made an amazing lunch, complete with fruit (also wow!- first time having a perssimmony), fresh bread, some of the good winter salad, candies (always brought out for spec. occassions), varenia (jam/preserve, but a bit different, and very tasty - albeit very very sugary), and just about whatever they could given they only had about 12 hours notice of my sitemate coming.
So I'll be starting up my English club soon. This week I'll be giving a test to all those interested in participating. It's fairly basic (by my standards) - translate a few words, write a few sentences of their own, describe why they want to join the club, etc. Right now I just have no idea how many people want to partake in it. Sometimes I get the impression that there are a ton of people who want to join, sometimes I get the impression that there are very few. We shall see on Tuesday. I'm also not enjoying that one counterpart of mine is trying to make me do all this stuff for the club that I really don't think is necessary - such as developing 2 months worth of material and using x y or z book. She's freaked out by the Kyrgyz school standards - essentially the record books for each class/form (grades, attendance, homework assignments, dates, etc.). I'm not too concerned with it, personally, cause I think it's a load of... well... you know what, 'cause in KY grades can be bought, you can miss classes for a month straight and get the highest mark, or essentially just fudge the entire thing and have it be squeaky clean at the end. I could care less about the system at this point - I'm more concerned with developing a system, both for my club and for classes, where students actually learn something instead of memorizing something straight from a block of text that they'll forget tomorrow, or not even bothering to try. Oh Soviet system...
Before I forget, I just have to mention. The other weekend, I was out at another village because it was one volunteer's birthday and we were getting together to celebrate. We were out playing frisbee golf in what I could only describe as hilly wasteland, and lo' and behold, up in the sky, something gigantic. At first I thought, "That's a small plane right there." But then I realized it's too small to be a plane. But it was too big to be a bird. So my next, for whatever logical reason, thought was, "That's a pterodactyl." So I sat there, stunned, thinking either I'm really stupid or some space-time continuoum has opened up and everything is going topsy-turvy. Fortunately it was the former. And there was a second one, right behind the first one. These giant things in the sky were eagles. As I finally processed that thought, having never really seen an eagle in-person, I stood in complete awe, mouth hanging open, as these two giant and majestic birds soared across the sky (horizontally from us, the volunteers). Part of me wishes I had my camera on me at the time, but part of me also is glad that I didn't. I don't think a camera could have captured just how big these eagles were, and would perhaps diminish their magnitude. But it was truly a memorable experience, seeing these animals that could really do some damage, in person, in the wild, freely flying off into the distance. Eagles seen in KY: 2, eagles seen in US: 0.
--
The prospect of me teaching is a bit scary to me. I'm not an authoritarian, don't have all these wonderful methods for teaching & communicating, and just feel unprepared in general. But, today, I was given reign to run the older classes (11th formers) on my own, while my counterpart observed. Well, she sat and translated a lot for me, particularly when I started fumbling with my Kyrgyz. But overall it felt good. My activity of the day: giving parts of sentences (ie one word on a slip of paper) to students in the class, have them get together up front, and figure out how to correctly configure it. While the majority didn't get the sentences right, I think it was just so completely different from what usually goes on in class that it was enjoyable for everyone. That, plus I gave everyone top marks for effort, cause heck, everyone was involved. Of course that means I had to sign everyones homework notebook, but hey, if it gets them involved, interested, and actually doing some studying/working with English, I'll wear my hand out with kol koi's (signatures). I just hope it works...
As I'm sitting here, gnawing on a piece of dried apricot, I reminice about the days of summer when good, fresh fruit was available. Last night I was dreaming (and subsequently drooling...) about having something nice, tasty, and healthy to eat. Here in KY I generally eat decently, but meals basically consist of the following: something fatty, greasy, or oily, perhaps something spicy or salty, and maybe (if there's a party or celebration) something very sugary. As I was longing for my favorite fruits last night, pineapple, plums, pears, any type of berry... (note: I love all fruit, but these are my favs) I realized how very little I get here, and how next-to-none will exist in winter. Here, pretty much all fruit is preserved in some fashion; most goes into varenia, some is made into a dried version. I understand this, but still - I miss good, fresh fruit. In the meantime, I'll just resort to my newly-concocted snack: pieces of cut up dried apricot mixed with peanuts.
Speaking of food, I think I'm rather fortunate with the different foods my family makes, despite getting ill from some monte (dumplings, often filled with potatoes, onions, peppers or squash, some form of meat, and usually lots of fat). Lots of families feed their volunteers the same thing all the time, usually soup or something simple. Lots of volunteers have been getting tons of besh barmak - the Kyrgyz national dish of broad, flat noodles cooked over oil and topped with meat (usually sheep), particularly intestines, stomach, head, lungs etc... - and that's not going so well. I usually get something different, albeit perhaps similar, every day. For instance, one day I might get macaroni with some sort of sauce, the next day macaroni soup. But it seems lots of Kyrgyz people love their fatty, greasy foods. As an example, one volunteer, for Orozo Ait, went to a house that had an amazing spread of fruits, breads, and sweets. The Kyrgyz men touched none of it. When the besh barmak came out, they went to town on it, leaving all the fresh amazing healthy food untouched. Oi... The bread here is amazing, and the fruits/veggies are usually excellent as well. The problem is they tend to be a bit pricy, and people want sheep guts over a nice piece of fruit. Luckily I don't have to deal with that often (hurray for a female-dominated household), and don't get tons and tons of meat here as other volunteers do. I'll hold off on making that a definitive statement, however, because winter is closing in and soon I must bid veggies (aside from potatoes and cabbage) and fruits farewell, and usher in an age of fat...
--
Hrm... so today was rather interesting. Teaching my own classes was fine, esp. since the students seemed excited about subjects/activities for once. However, since tomorrow I'm giving my English club test, the questions and requests have been non-stop. First is the students - what time will it be, what do we need, who can take it, etc. etc. (most of which is on the advertisement I put up). That's understandable. But, and most annoyingly, the teachers have been bugging me about it too. Not because they're interested in the club, want to talk to me, or whatever - they're mostly afraid because their children all go to the school, they want them to join the club, but know their children don't know English. So I've had a whole bunch of my collective come up to me requesting special preference for their child, giving me their names, offering to introduce them to me, and overall bombarding me with questions. They fear that I'm going to make some sort of elite English group with this test I'm giving - all I want to do is see how many students are interested (which seems like a lot at this point) and get an idea of where everyone's English level is at. I don't mind having students who took German while the school still had it, or someone from a form that doesn't have English, or someone from 6th form (I said 7th + 'cause that's the cutoff point for the big kids I teach). But it's all fear, and why I can understand, but with how quickly word gets arround I'm a bit exasperated at how many times I've had to tell parents to just send their kids in to the test tomorrow, it's not a big deal if they don't know English. That's the way it goes, though, so here's to tomorrow and the start of my grading (for something substantive) career!
So now that my nose is starting to subside at meals, my club will begin soon, and I'm teaching a bit on my own (in an attempt to purge this system of the stringent teacher-student superiority and boring, mindless, ineffective class wall), things seem to be picking up and looking brighter. Granted, it's still very early, but I'm starting to feel optimistic. My host family is growing on me a bit more, I'm talking some more with them, and generally we're all being nice to one another. The banya (see behind Super Soviet [Jetsons] Washing Machine) is so blisteringly hot it gives me a headache and I can't breathe, but better that than bucket bathing with how the weather is turning cold. Sometimes I get a taste of home in the food prepared - tonight I had puree, which is essentially mashed potatoes (mmm mmm) with oil (of course), topped with peppers, some bits of meat, and onions. The latter isn't so much the taste of home part, but mashed taters is all gravy (hmmm... oil... gravy... not quite, but similar results). I've had more laghman (long thick spaghetti-esque noodles in oil, cooked with diced peppers, potatoes, meat, onions, etc.) than besh barmak, which is good 'cause hot laghman on a cold day hits the spot. Free time is a bit difficult because I haven't had the opportunity to swap out my books with the Talas library, but that will change in a couple days (and you'll all know because I'll get to post this monstrosity of an entry, at last), but I still could use some more in the way of entertainment. However, that's not a high priority at the moment. Right now it's just establishing myself, getting my PC money for coal to heat the home this winter, figuring out how to wash up/brush teeth decently in the winter (now I do everything at the sink, which is, of course, outside), trying to visit other volunteers and have them visit me, find the village post office so I can get some mail out, dagu dagu dagu (etc. etc. etc.).
It feels good to end on a happier note. So to all,
Peace,
Chris
Today, as I was busy throwing up due to some food not sitting well, I received a pair of texts from my good friend Robin! Comfort during discomfort.
This was my first time being truly sick at site, 4th time overall. I've had a bit of a cold for the past couple weeks, consequently granting me a constantly running, uyat (shameful) nose - it's shameful to blow your nose at the dinner table, we eat a lot of hot soup, I'm usually trapped inbetween people so getting up (which is a process in and of itself, have to "Omin" every time you get up from the table) is a hassle, and no napkins! - but nothing majorly major. Last night, though, my stomach gave me the "I've had it," grumble, and to the toilet I go! Not only is it very hard to use the bathroom under normal conditions, but it's also very cold outside during nighttime and morning hours nowadays. Add onto that my stomach illness and my cold, and we have a fun recipe. Let's just hope I don't have any urgent needs while writing this... (which, unfortunately, I did). I fear the winter, and though we thankfully have TP and not Ye Ol' Soviet Book, it's sure not huggies soft.
It's a great reassurance receiving news, tidbits, info, remarks, anything! from home. For example, today I was feeling terrible due to my illness and the awful aftertaste it was giving me. But then I received a couple texts from Robin. That turned my gloomy day into a decent one! Getting something from home is like having a bright light break through the dark clouds sometimes; it makes my day and brings me so much happiness. I wish I were able to reply to the texts, but they're sent through megacom and it costs a boatload for me to send a text regularly. But such is life here, it's primarily one-way at this point. However, today, now I have the motivation to do some work while listening to some Cash n' Who instead of moping in bed trying to down some of my putrid oral rehydration salt mixture.
--
So I've had a bit of a good rest. The work I did was primarily trying to get my English Club advertisement and pre-entrance test finished. So far so good, but it's easy working on things by myself -- the real test will be giving the test, seeing how everyone does on it, sorting out who should go to what level, etc. I surely hope this club motivates students to study and work on English better than they currently do (and who knows, maybe they'll learn a thing or two). Right now students don't do homework, in part due to not having books and also I think because they have no encouragement to do so (lack of practicality, lack of decent speakers/teachers [up until now, I hope], old methods of Soviet-style teaching still prevails in the classroom, and the list goes on...). It's a tremendous challenge for me. I'm essentially starting from nothing in most cases, with nothing but the books so generously given to me by the King's English Dept. and Peace Corps, and of course my own imagination. I started with the ABC's in my second grade classes, and I think most/every class could use it... just hope I have my singing voice intact for the 17 different forms/classes I teach (in a given week, if I'm working on Sat, I have 34 classes, 25 without Sat, which I sometimes need to do). It's also difficult working with two other Kyrgyz teachers in all my classrooms - if my methods do nothing, then what then? Oh how I suddenly wish I were an Education Major...
Aside from my health issues, things are going better here with my home life. My little 8 year old brother is becoming something of a buddy of mine - just the other day we were out making leaf soup in the yard, he often gets/shows me how to get apples from the trees in the yard, and we'll play or he'll show/talk to me about something. My other family members are a bit more difficult to interact with, but it's coming along. My 10 year old sister is a cutie-pie; very shy, but very eager whenever I ask her a question. My 15 year old brother likes listening to rap, hanging out with his friends, exclaiming loudly (what about I never know), and generally just being a typical guy, I think. I have two same-age sisters (apparently a couple of the children came in from another family, I'm not entirely sure on the story, but it doesn't seem a-typical Kyrgyz) who are nice enough but probably think I'm a space alien - wanting them to teach me how to cook food, cleaning my own room, offering to do my own laundry, etc. They do the typical Kyrgyz girl routine though; making most/all the meals (though I don't think they made the food last night...), doing the cleaning around the house, actually spending time studying for class, listening to whatever pop-esque music that peaks their interest. My eje (elder sister, aunt, etc etc. - it means a lot of things), who didn't want me calling her apa (mom), seems thrilled whenever I inquire about her work (seamstress, out of the home), family (which is apparently spread all throughout Talas), or anything else. Less so interested when talking about how things in America are, or personal interests, but hey, I appreciate not being the center of attention for once.
I just want to spend a bit of time talking about women in Kyrgyzstan. Aside from the fact that people here keep insisting that I'll be married within the year to a Kyrgyz girl, there really aren't many options for me, and here's why. In the village (particularly) girls 26 or older are pretty much considered old croons or bad if they aren't married. So, pretty much everyone my age is married. The only other option, and what I think people who insist I get married infer, is a current high-school girl. Here in KY, graduation day has a different name for these girls - kuz bazaar (girl bazaar) - and it disturbs me, immensely. Not only are these very young girls expected to become a wife, they can be forced into marriage through bride kidnapping - essentially relegating the rest of their life (if they run away from the marriage they're shamed to no end and have difficulty getting more legitimately married - some resort to suicide). Add to the fact that every man I meet, aside from generally being a lot lazier and single-minded from the women, always talks about "Kuz Al," taking a girl, it's just revolting to me. Now there is consentual bride-kidnapping, presumably where both partners love each other and it's a cheaper option than the traditional marriage, which I sort of understand - it's the unconsented kidnapping and overall male attitude I'm concerned with, especially since it's so foreign to me and vehemently goes against my values. It makes me want to join up with other volunteers or a women's awareness group. It's especially a problem here in Talas - an oblast known for its machismo and hubris. Some traditions I can understand and mentally tolerate - this is not one of them.
Power's out again, hurray. Looks like time to sign off.
Peace,
Chris
--
16/10
I usually don't write so soon after finishing, but oh my, today was something else.
So today my counterpart was feeling sick as well, so we decided to divvy up our packed schedule so she taught 3 classes on her own and I the same. Unfortunately for me, I thought (must emphasize this, I thought!) I could handle the 2nd grade class on my own. Oh hoho. What a fool I am. Never have I had such a hard time with anything ever before. People complaining at Six Flags? Sure. People calling and talking to me at Lieb's office about how their son is being sent off to Iraq? Ok, hard. This? Wow.
First off, technically speaking I'm really supposed to be sticking to older kids, 'cause it usually takes someone skilled to handle the little 'uns. But since I'm co-teaching, and figured what the heck why not help teach the class since they're learning English, I took it up. Take the co-teaching out of that equation, however, this is the situation we see. Imagine yourself in a nice, quiet, calm place. It's bright. It's sunny. There's your favorite beverage right there, you have all the time in the world to do whatever you want.
Now, rip that all away, and throw yourself into a rolling morass of hot chaos. That cry, my friends, would be me in the middle of it all, with my nice happy place going bye-bye. Oh man. The kids had no respect for me and no concept of me having authority. First we started out singing the ABC's. Loud, but semi-controlled, so all's good there. But, like a rollercoaster, the ABC's was the peak-point and everything was rickety rolling out of control down a crazy lane. While I'm trying to get my "Connect the big letter to the smaller version of that letter" game going, half the class decides to get up and do some kung-fu action moves on each other in the back of the room, or start taking stuff from other children. I call out "Tinch!" which is essentially peace, what the teachers here use in an attempt to restore order. Some kids fall in line, some don't. So I have a few kids up at the board doing the game, and the naughty ones in back going at it again. Arg! "Baldar otur!" - boys sit - I call out. That lasts a whole 2 seconds. I then have some of the kids up at the board practicing their writing. Well, for the first 10 seconds that went well, until 10 students stormed the board in an attempt to do their own thing. Now they're up at the board trying to steal chalk from one another, the ones in the back relentlessly go about doing whatever their little hearts desired, and I'm in the middle trying to do about 20 things at once. Halfway through class an Eje pokes her head in and I give her a motion of complete exasperation - she gives them a minute talk on being nice, has them sitting down quietly etc. She leaves, and chaos resumes. I try to continue on, using my recently drawn pictures in an attempt to teach them the names of some animals in English. Oh my. I call out "What is this?" and what sounds like 50 eehawing donkies reply. While I'm doing this, the tentek baldar (naughty boys) apparently had had enough of class, and ran out of the room. I sit there, stunned. Two or three more kids decide to bolt for it as well. What is going on?!? I go, look outside, see no kids, then shut the door. Well... at least there's peace and quiet now, I thought. I won't let those kids back in. But that lasted for about 2 or 3 minutes, the tentek baldar have apparently been herded up by a different Eje and rounded back into the room. At this point, there's about 10 minutes of class left, and my head is screaming to me "Why oh why God why why why?!? Make it end!!!" So for the rest of the time I'm trying to review the animals, and the tentek baldar are basically miming/mocking me throughout the rest of the lesson. I somehow survived to the end, sat down, had most of the class leave, gave my grades to the few angels in my class (all girls, of course), then exasperatedly left to teach my final lesson for the day.
If I didn't have what I consider an amazing class in my 7th "G" formers directly after, I don't know what. I came into class grouchy, but having the angels of my class calling the boys into line, doing the work, and sticking up for me, I happily gave them the 5's (A's) they deserved. Never again. Never again will I teach the 2nd grade on my own. Much credit to all teachers around the world who teach little children. A few small kids, I can handle. Twenty, half of whom are screaming mischief-making heads? Not so much. Oi... where's my tylenol...
Peace,
Chris
P.S. Just had to add this because I couldn't stop laughing - so I saw the family washing machine today. All I can say to describe it is that it looks like a vending machine out of the Jetsons, or perhaps the Flinstones. Oh Soviets, what will you think of next??
PPS. Brilliant idea! Take a photo of said vending/washing machine.
--
19/10
I think a lot of Peace Corps is a lot happening despite it feeling like very little, or perhaps a little happening feelings like a lot. Who knows, but that's kind of the impression I have right now.
First off, I just received the text from my brother Pat about my Great Uncle Johnny dying. It makes me sad - he was a good man. He always used to call me Christopher Columbus. His actions were very kind and he was a gentle man. It's sad thinking about how he always cried at funerals, even for people he didn't know. I'm sorry I won't be able to make it to his own; he's in my heart though.
This weekend (if it can be called that) I had work on Saturday, and my 'sitemate' visit me today (Sun). My school decided to schedule English classes on Saturdays, even though I said I shouldn't be working on Saturdays (which PC does say). When I inquired about it, I was told the person who devises the schedules isn't very good (as accredited to how the schedule changed about 5 times since I arrived in late Sept. -- well into the schoolyear at that point) and that they wouldn't change the schedule. I told them that's fine, but I'm not coming in every single Saturday because quite often Sat/Sun are days volunteers get together and do stuff. That plus it's nice to have 2 days off in a row. I do meet the hour requirement without working Sats, but I do feel a bit bad just not going to class all the time. I imagine I won't feel as bad once I get my English club up and running though.
My sitemate visited for the first time. I put it in quotations the first time because techically I don't think I have a sitemate -- I'm the only volunteer in my rayon (district). However, this volunteer is about 5 minutes away, so she's the closest American to me here in KY. It was a relief after this almost-month of being at site to have someone I could regularly and openly communicate with at home, even if for just a few hours. For anyone who knows me, it's difficult for me to just start up a casual conversation, particularly with someone I've just met (being personally rather shy and quiet), even when I understand what's being talked about. Add on the language barrier, and it's been tough for me. In my training village, I really only needed to know a few people, a few families, etc. and I got along fine with that. Here, I have an entire collective (teachers staff), new neighbors, new students, who knows how many family members & their friends, and just random people yelling out my name all the time. My counterparts, while knowing decent English, don't really know me, or I them, and as (I believe) I've noted before there are some issues with them, particularly taboos, and their views being completely Kyrgyz (i.e. when I was sick, they told me to start drinking a lot of milk, and the old 'wrap a dead snake in a jar around your waiste to cure your ails' trick). So yeah, complete relief to finally get to see my sitemate and have a pleasant afternoon. That, plus my family went all-out and cleaned the outhouse (wow!) and made an amazing lunch, complete with fruit (also wow!- first time having a perssimmony), fresh bread, some of the good winter salad, candies (always brought out for spec. occassions), varenia (jam/preserve, but a bit different, and very tasty - albeit very very sugary), and just about whatever they could given they only had about 12 hours notice of my sitemate coming.
So I'll be starting up my English club soon. This week I'll be giving a test to all those interested in participating. It's fairly basic (by my standards) - translate a few words, write a few sentences of their own, describe why they want to join the club, etc. Right now I just have no idea how many people want to partake in it. Sometimes I get the impression that there are a ton of people who want to join, sometimes I get the impression that there are very few. We shall see on Tuesday. I'm also not enjoying that one counterpart of mine is trying to make me do all this stuff for the club that I really don't think is necessary - such as developing 2 months worth of material and using x y or z book. She's freaked out by the Kyrgyz school standards - essentially the record books for each class/form (grades, attendance, homework assignments, dates, etc.). I'm not too concerned with it, personally, cause I think it's a load of... well... you know what, 'cause in KY grades can be bought, you can miss classes for a month straight and get the highest mark, or essentially just fudge the entire thing and have it be squeaky clean at the end. I could care less about the system at this point - I'm more concerned with developing a system, both for my club and for classes, where students actually learn something instead of memorizing something straight from a block of text that they'll forget tomorrow, or not even bothering to try. Oh Soviet system...
Before I forget, I just have to mention. The other weekend, I was out at another village because it was one volunteer's birthday and we were getting together to celebrate. We were out playing frisbee golf in what I could only describe as hilly wasteland, and lo' and behold, up in the sky, something gigantic. At first I thought, "That's a small plane right there." But then I realized it's too small to be a plane. But it was too big to be a bird. So my next, for whatever logical reason, thought was, "That's a pterodactyl." So I sat there, stunned, thinking either I'm really stupid or some space-time continuoum has opened up and everything is going topsy-turvy. Fortunately it was the former. And there was a second one, right behind the first one. These giant things in the sky were eagles. As I finally processed that thought, having never really seen an eagle in-person, I stood in complete awe, mouth hanging open, as these two giant and majestic birds soared across the sky (horizontally from us, the volunteers). Part of me wishes I had my camera on me at the time, but part of me also is glad that I didn't. I don't think a camera could have captured just how big these eagles were, and would perhaps diminish their magnitude. But it was truly a memorable experience, seeing these animals that could really do some damage, in person, in the wild, freely flying off into the distance. Eagles seen in KY: 2, eagles seen in US: 0.
--
The prospect of me teaching is a bit scary to me. I'm not an authoritarian, don't have all these wonderful methods for teaching & communicating, and just feel unprepared in general. But, today, I was given reign to run the older classes (11th formers) on my own, while my counterpart observed. Well, she sat and translated a lot for me, particularly when I started fumbling with my Kyrgyz. But overall it felt good. My activity of the day: giving parts of sentences (ie one word on a slip of paper) to students in the class, have them get together up front, and figure out how to correctly configure it. While the majority didn't get the sentences right, I think it was just so completely different from what usually goes on in class that it was enjoyable for everyone. That, plus I gave everyone top marks for effort, cause heck, everyone was involved. Of course that means I had to sign everyones homework notebook, but hey, if it gets them involved, interested, and actually doing some studying/working with English, I'll wear my hand out with kol koi's (signatures). I just hope it works...
As I'm sitting here, gnawing on a piece of dried apricot, I reminice about the days of summer when good, fresh fruit was available. Last night I was dreaming (and subsequently drooling...) about having something nice, tasty, and healthy to eat. Here in KY I generally eat decently, but meals basically consist of the following: something fatty, greasy, or oily, perhaps something spicy or salty, and maybe (if there's a party or celebration) something very sugary. As I was longing for my favorite fruits last night, pineapple, plums, pears, any type of berry... (note: I love all fruit, but these are my favs) I realized how very little I get here, and how next-to-none will exist in winter. Here, pretty much all fruit is preserved in some fashion; most goes into varenia, some is made into a dried version. I understand this, but still - I miss good, fresh fruit. In the meantime, I'll just resort to my newly-concocted snack: pieces of cut up dried apricot mixed with peanuts.
Speaking of food, I think I'm rather fortunate with the different foods my family makes, despite getting ill from some monte (dumplings, often filled with potatoes, onions, peppers or squash, some form of meat, and usually lots of fat). Lots of families feed their volunteers the same thing all the time, usually soup or something simple. Lots of volunteers have been getting tons of besh barmak - the Kyrgyz national dish of broad, flat noodles cooked over oil and topped with meat (usually sheep), particularly intestines, stomach, head, lungs etc... - and that's not going so well. I usually get something different, albeit perhaps similar, every day. For instance, one day I might get macaroni with some sort of sauce, the next day macaroni soup. But it seems lots of Kyrgyz people love their fatty, greasy foods. As an example, one volunteer, for Orozo Ait, went to a house that had an amazing spread of fruits, breads, and sweets. The Kyrgyz men touched none of it. When the besh barmak came out, they went to town on it, leaving all the fresh amazing healthy food untouched. Oi... The bread here is amazing, and the fruits/veggies are usually excellent as well. The problem is they tend to be a bit pricy, and people want sheep guts over a nice piece of fruit. Luckily I don't have to deal with that often (hurray for a female-dominated household), and don't get tons and tons of meat here as other volunteers do. I'll hold off on making that a definitive statement, however, because winter is closing in and soon I must bid veggies (aside from potatoes and cabbage) and fruits farewell, and usher in an age of fat...
--
Hrm... so today was rather interesting. Teaching my own classes was fine, esp. since the students seemed excited about subjects/activities for once. However, since tomorrow I'm giving my English club test, the questions and requests have been non-stop. First is the students - what time will it be, what do we need, who can take it, etc. etc. (most of which is on the advertisement I put up). That's understandable. But, and most annoyingly, the teachers have been bugging me about it too. Not because they're interested in the club, want to talk to me, or whatever - they're mostly afraid because their children all go to the school, they want them to join the club, but know their children don't know English. So I've had a whole bunch of my collective come up to me requesting special preference for their child, giving me their names, offering to introduce them to me, and overall bombarding me with questions. They fear that I'm going to make some sort of elite English group with this test I'm giving - all I want to do is see how many students are interested (which seems like a lot at this point) and get an idea of where everyone's English level is at. I don't mind having students who took German while the school still had it, or someone from a form that doesn't have English, or someone from 6th form (I said 7th + 'cause that's the cutoff point for the big kids I teach). But it's all fear, and why I can understand, but with how quickly word gets arround I'm a bit exasperated at how many times I've had to tell parents to just send their kids in to the test tomorrow, it's not a big deal if they don't know English. That's the way it goes, though, so here's to tomorrow and the start of my grading (for something substantive) career!
So now that my nose is starting to subside at meals, my club will begin soon, and I'm teaching a bit on my own (in an attempt to purge this system of the stringent teacher-student superiority and boring, mindless, ineffective class wall), things seem to be picking up and looking brighter. Granted, it's still very early, but I'm starting to feel optimistic. My host family is growing on me a bit more, I'm talking some more with them, and generally we're all being nice to one another. The banya (see behind Super Soviet [Jetsons] Washing Machine) is so blisteringly hot it gives me a headache and I can't breathe, but better that than bucket bathing with how the weather is turning cold. Sometimes I get a taste of home in the food prepared - tonight I had puree, which is essentially mashed potatoes (mmm mmm) with oil (of course), topped with peppers, some bits of meat, and onions. The latter isn't so much the taste of home part, but mashed taters is all gravy (hmmm... oil... gravy... not quite, but similar results). I've had more laghman (long thick spaghetti-esque noodles in oil, cooked with diced peppers, potatoes, meat, onions, etc.) than besh barmak, which is good 'cause hot laghman on a cold day hits the spot. Free time is a bit difficult because I haven't had the opportunity to swap out my books with the Talas library, but that will change in a couple days (and you'll all know because I'll get to post this monstrosity of an entry, at last), but I still could use some more in the way of entertainment. However, that's not a high priority at the moment. Right now it's just establishing myself, getting my PC money for coal to heat the home this winter, figuring out how to wash up/brush teeth decently in the winter (now I do everything at the sink, which is, of course, outside), trying to visit other volunteers and have them visit me, find the village post office so I can get some mail out, dagu dagu dagu (etc. etc. etc.).
It feels good to end on a happier note. So to all,
Peace,
Chris
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Reflect
Hello all,
As I'm sure some of you heard, and I had only heard second-hand the other day, Kyrgyzstan had an earthquake just recently. This took place in Osh Oblast, in the south of Kyrgystan, which is far away from me (relatively). Earthquakes and avalanches are the two biggest natural disasters Kyrgyzstan has, though they don't happen often. I am unaffected by the recent earthquake, but my heart goes out to the victims there.
Things are going decently well for me. I'm started to get develop a better relationship with my host family, and my fellow volunteers are proving to be good friends as well. My biggest challenge at the moment is trying to develop some form of curriculum that will prove to be effective. Herein lies the challenge:
A) My students have no books
B) My counterparts all teach from one book per class, some of which are very old (i.e. books from the early 80's that contain lines about how Soviet citizens have great freedoms to pursue their vocation of choice, while Capitalist citizens primarily join the army of the unemployed)
C) Seeing above conflict, students don't do homework and essentially learn nothing
D) Each class progresses as if students do the work, in effect continuing on with more and more complicated topics
E) English isn't learned, and everyone - both students and teachers - become frustrated with it all
F) It's taboo for me to meet with my counterparts outside of the school, they essentially have no free time after school, and lesson planning isn't done at school, so coordination and communication is very difficult
So seeing the above problems, I have a tall task ahead of me. I'm hoping to allieviate some of them in part by opening an English club at my school; that's not a complete answer, however. It will take a lot of dialogue, brainstorming, fresh ideas, compromising, and overall blood sweat n' tears to do what needs to be done in order to have an effective English program at school. As for me, right now I'm just trying to make do with what I can, i.e. adopting the partial-cursive (ouch for me) writing style they use here, and working with one of the things that should have died out with the Soviets but didn't - the dreaded blackboards.
Recently I've been able to read a lot of articles from other volunteers etc. both from past and present. It's heartened me to go back to my quintisential roots at King's by reading the happenings from my years there. Right now I've just received news of the tragedies that have happened on campus and my heart goes out to the faculty, students, residents and families - and I hope that the messages of hope and humility that were so prevalant during my time there will come through in these times to strengthen the community and give a strong sense of reality to sadness to everyone there. Please be safe, keep the victims in your hearts, and rely on one another to be there for support.
Peace,
Chris
As I'm sure some of you heard, and I had only heard second-hand the other day, Kyrgyzstan had an earthquake just recently. This took place in Osh Oblast, in the south of Kyrgystan, which is far away from me (relatively). Earthquakes and avalanches are the two biggest natural disasters Kyrgyzstan has, though they don't happen often. I am unaffected by the recent earthquake, but my heart goes out to the victims there.
Things are going decently well for me. I'm started to get develop a better relationship with my host family, and my fellow volunteers are proving to be good friends as well. My biggest challenge at the moment is trying to develop some form of curriculum that will prove to be effective. Herein lies the challenge:
A) My students have no books
B) My counterparts all teach from one book per class, some of which are very old (i.e. books from the early 80's that contain lines about how Soviet citizens have great freedoms to pursue their vocation of choice, while Capitalist citizens primarily join the army of the unemployed)
C) Seeing above conflict, students don't do homework and essentially learn nothing
D) Each class progresses as if students do the work, in effect continuing on with more and more complicated topics
E) English isn't learned, and everyone - both students and teachers - become frustrated with it all
F) It's taboo for me to meet with my counterparts outside of the school, they essentially have no free time after school, and lesson planning isn't done at school, so coordination and communication is very difficult
So seeing the above problems, I have a tall task ahead of me. I'm hoping to allieviate some of them in part by opening an English club at my school; that's not a complete answer, however. It will take a lot of dialogue, brainstorming, fresh ideas, compromising, and overall blood sweat n' tears to do what needs to be done in order to have an effective English program at school. As for me, right now I'm just trying to make do with what I can, i.e. adopting the partial-cursive (ouch for me) writing style they use here, and working with one of the things that should have died out with the Soviets but didn't - the dreaded blackboards.
Recently I've been able to read a lot of articles from other volunteers etc. both from past and present. It's heartened me to go back to my quintisential roots at King's by reading the happenings from my years there. Right now I've just received news of the tragedies that have happened on campus and my heart goes out to the faculty, students, residents and families - and I hope that the messages of hope and humility that were so prevalant during my time there will come through in these times to strengthen the community and give a strong sense of reality to sadness to everyone there. Please be safe, keep the victims in your hearts, and rely on one another to be there for support.
Peace,
Chris
Friday, September 26, 2008
Fruition
I am a volunteer!
Well, I've been a volunteer for a while now, but I'm an official, honest-to-goodness, been-inducted Peace Corps Volunteer. Guess I've made it to the pros,
finally.
My first week here has been interesting. It's a challenge transitioning from one host family to the other, particularly since I really, really liked my first
one. Now I get to face the fun of akward adjustment once again with my new family. For the most part they seem fairly genuine and nice. It may be a problem
when I tell them they will not be getting as much money as Peace Corps first paid them - I get the impression that most/all my salary (which, in effect, is
what PC paid them for September) is what's expected to be paid, which will not be the case. Cutting back may mean I have to/get to make and prepare food on
my own for one or two meals a day. Seeing as how I'm coddled and treated like a child for doing the most menial task (you braced a log while your 15 year old
host brother cut it!! good job!!! now here's a cookie...) this doesn't seem all that feasible right now, particularly since in Kyrgyz culture women do most
of the work (in and outside the house). But that's why I'm here, right? Sort of.
My village is fairly big, thus a good amount of people living here, as far as this country of 5 million goes. It's an odd feeling having strangers, children,
students, teachers etc. all knowing my name. I know about 10 people in my village, and I think every one of the 3-4 thousand here knows me. So much for
anonymity. It's a boon and a bane. Students calling my name out from across the hall, or constantly peaking into the teachers lounge for a good look, or
purposely using Russian when everyone knows I "speak" Kyrgyz? Bad. Every time I enter a classroom, speak, stand, or do anything inside of it, the
students all remain silent and attentive? Good.
My two counterparts are interesting as well. It will be a challenge, particularly since at the moment I don't see any opportunities to work with them on
lessons (their schedules are as follows - get up, make food/morning preparations for their family, go to work, go home, work work work at home until 11,
repeat for the next day). It will be a challenge, definately. None or very few of the students in all of my classes have books, and the books that my
counterparts use are primarily from the Soviet 80s (which, by the way, are fascinating to read - particularly the one talking about all the freedoms of
finding a job in a communist state and how people in capitalist states have to join the army of the unemployed). Nevertheless, I hope I can incorporate some
decent ideas and scrounge up a way to teach English effectively, even if it's just to motivate my counterparts and students (which is one of the biggest
problems, I've noticed).
Today (25-09) I had a complete "Holy Crap!" moment. As I'm waiting for the marshurtka to take me to a nearby village to open a bank account, a man comes up
and introduces himself - a former Russian language teacher from my school who now does something else. When he asked me what state I came from, I only had
to repeat it once because, get this, he knew it! For once someone didn't look at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears when mentioning Connecticut.
But, not only that, he also knew and could pronounce (in the Russified version, but still!) Hartford! But, that's not the best part. He was talking a little
about hockey, how he either played or coached, and here it is: he knew the Hartford Whalers! Holy! Not only did someone who isn't from Connecticut know
the Whalers, but I didn't even have to bring it up! In my excitement I forgot to adress him as сиз (formal you, I used the informal you, сен), so I hope that
was a mistake that can be rectified. But still, my mind is blown completely. He knew the Whalers! They haven't even existed for 11 years.
As for general stuff, things have been difficult just to the sheer transition factor. I've been reading a lot, particularly since for a good portion of the
day the electricity is turned off. My house isn't very "hang-out" friendly - places to just sit and talk are pretty much nonexistant, be it because of the
way in which rooms are situated or because everyone in the house seems to be occupied with one thing or the other (resulting in much of my time being spent
inside my room, when not working). It's also weird having my main host siblings (i.e. they are old enough to have some patience with me and I can have some
conversation with them) be my students, thus I'm always Mr. Teacher. Up until I told the vice-principal that I was uncomfortable with it, the running joke
seemed to have been that I was unmarried and thus by the end of my first year would be off in the land of love with some Kyrgyz girl (who that would be I
don't know - all the females in the village seem to be either married/older or greater than/equal to high school student aged). Right now, being in a home
with no heat is fine (particularly since I'm used to it, what with the no heat back home), but it's going to be pretty friggin' cold. I'm going to have to
splurge for a coat and boots, but could use some decent products from back home, especially since the electricity situation is so dicey.
It's not all bad though. What conversations I do have with my family are pleasant and enjoyable. One instance was particularly humorous to me - I was
helping a sister with some homework, and I got to say Canadada (in Kyrgyz a -da ending means in or at, and this text was about Canada). When I went to the
Talas library I was excstatic when I saw Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake (sorry for the lack of a proper title underlining/italicizing - notepad is quite limited); reading it brought back many good memories of a good friend or two (Nom!), and heck it's a good story to boot. My fellow volunteers here in Talas, while not quite all falling into what I would consider "my crowd," seem pretty good for the most part and I feel I have some good developing friendships here. The people here in my village also seem very hospitable, cordial, nice, inviting etc. (and protecting, perhaps overprotective at the moment), I just need to spend the time building a repor, getting to know people, having them get to know me, et al. It's time for some cross-cultural exchange, methinks!
Chris
Here's my latest journal entry from 18/09/08:
Things have changed so drastically for me over the past 5 months. I can hardly believe that not too long ago I was busting my hump at King's over courses I
loved (and some I didn't), or spending time at home, particularly with my sis' & nephew. Thursday was yet another gigantic transition: leaving my first
Kyrgyz family behind and being sworn in as a volunteer.
I absolutely love my first family here. My heart broke in the morning when I left my sister and brother. My brother was decked out in Red Sox clothing - his
bat, ball, and glove -- he wouldn't let my hand go as we shook hands and when he started to cry I embraced him as my brother. My sister completely shocked me
by telling me in English (she speaks very little) that she loves me and that I was the best big brother. I will always remember this gesture from her - it
had the power to shake the earth. Sadly, I then drove off in a taxi, after the farewells, refusing to look away while riding off and holding back the
choking up.
My mom and dad went to the swearing-in ceremony. Afterwards we had about an hour to talk, eat a bit, get some photos, etc. They gave me a gift which was
almost as powerful as my sister's words - a calender/planner and pen, and they had written a very nice note to me in both Kyrgyz and English. The time
finally came where I had to leave. As the announcement was made, I felt what I felt when I graduated from King's, when I saw my friends in America for the
last time, and when I departed from my family in the States - a sinking void in my heart. I said goodbye 3 or 4 times and almost lost it; my mom had tears
throughout. As I left on the marshrutka I let the sadness overtake me. They are no longer my host family - they are family, and I love them as I do my
family in America.
Thank you to everyone who put time, money, and effort into providing gifts from America. My family absolutely loved everything, and it meant the world to me,
being able to give them these gifts before I left. My last evening there will always remain with me - the happiness and sadness, and just an overall
realization that these people are my family.
Chris
Well, I've been a volunteer for a while now, but I'm an official, honest-to-goodness, been-inducted Peace Corps Volunteer. Guess I've made it to the pros,
finally.
My first week here has been interesting. It's a challenge transitioning from one host family to the other, particularly since I really, really liked my first
one. Now I get to face the fun of akward adjustment once again with my new family. For the most part they seem fairly genuine and nice. It may be a problem
when I tell them they will not be getting as much money as Peace Corps first paid them - I get the impression that most/all my salary (which, in effect, is
what PC paid them for September) is what's expected to be paid, which will not be the case. Cutting back may mean I have to/get to make and prepare food on
my own for one or two meals a day. Seeing as how I'm coddled and treated like a child for doing the most menial task (you braced a log while your 15 year old
host brother cut it!! good job!!! now here's a cookie...) this doesn't seem all that feasible right now, particularly since in Kyrgyz culture women do most
of the work (in and outside the house). But that's why I'm here, right? Sort of.
My village is fairly big, thus a good amount of people living here, as far as this country of 5 million goes. It's an odd feeling having strangers, children,
students, teachers etc. all knowing my name. I know about 10 people in my village, and I think every one of the 3-4 thousand here knows me. So much for
anonymity. It's a boon and a bane. Students calling my name out from across the hall, or constantly peaking into the teachers lounge for a good look, or
purposely using Russian when everyone knows I "speak" Kyrgyz? Bad. Every time I enter a classroom, speak, stand, or do anything inside of it, the
students all remain silent and attentive? Good.
My two counterparts are interesting as well. It will be a challenge, particularly since at the moment I don't see any opportunities to work with them on
lessons (their schedules are as follows - get up, make food/morning preparations for their family, go to work, go home, work work work at home until 11,
repeat for the next day). It will be a challenge, definately. None or very few of the students in all of my classes have books, and the books that my
counterparts use are primarily from the Soviet 80s (which, by the way, are fascinating to read - particularly the one talking about all the freedoms of
finding a job in a communist state and how people in capitalist states have to join the army of the unemployed). Nevertheless, I hope I can incorporate some
decent ideas and scrounge up a way to teach English effectively, even if it's just to motivate my counterparts and students (which is one of the biggest
problems, I've noticed).
Today (25-09) I had a complete "Holy Crap!" moment. As I'm waiting for the marshurtka to take me to a nearby village to open a bank account, a man comes up
and introduces himself - a former Russian language teacher from my school who now does something else. When he asked me what state I came from, I only had
to repeat it once because, get this, he knew it! For once someone didn't look at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears when mentioning Connecticut.
But, not only that, he also knew and could pronounce (in the Russified version, but still!) Hartford! But, that's not the best part. He was talking a little
about hockey, how he either played or coached, and here it is: he knew the Hartford Whalers! Holy! Not only did someone who isn't from Connecticut know
the Whalers, but I didn't even have to bring it up! In my excitement I forgot to adress him as сиз (formal you, I used the informal you, сен), so I hope that
was a mistake that can be rectified. But still, my mind is blown completely. He knew the Whalers! They haven't even existed for 11 years.
As for general stuff, things have been difficult just to the sheer transition factor. I've been reading a lot, particularly since for a good portion of the
day the electricity is turned off. My house isn't very "hang-out" friendly - places to just sit and talk are pretty much nonexistant, be it because of the
way in which rooms are situated or because everyone in the house seems to be occupied with one thing or the other (resulting in much of my time being spent
inside my room, when not working). It's also weird having my main host siblings (i.e. they are old enough to have some patience with me and I can have some
conversation with them) be my students, thus I'm always Mr. Teacher. Up until I told the vice-principal that I was uncomfortable with it, the running joke
seemed to have been that I was unmarried and thus by the end of my first year would be off in the land of love with some Kyrgyz girl (who that would be I
don't know - all the females in the village seem to be either married/older or greater than/equal to high school student aged). Right now, being in a home
with no heat is fine (particularly since I'm used to it, what with the no heat back home), but it's going to be pretty friggin' cold. I'm going to have to
splurge for a coat and boots, but could use some decent products from back home, especially since the electricity situation is so dicey.
It's not all bad though. What conversations I do have with my family are pleasant and enjoyable. One instance was particularly humorous to me - I was
helping a sister with some homework, and I got to say Canadada (in Kyrgyz a -da ending means in or at, and this text was about Canada). When I went to the
Talas library I was excstatic when I saw Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake (sorry for the lack of a proper title underlining/italicizing - notepad is quite limited); reading it brought back many good memories of a good friend or two (Nom!), and heck it's a good story to boot. My fellow volunteers here in Talas, while not quite all falling into what I would consider "my crowd," seem pretty good for the most part and I feel I have some good developing friendships here. The people here in my village also seem very hospitable, cordial, nice, inviting etc. (and protecting, perhaps overprotective at the moment), I just need to spend the time building a repor, getting to know people, having them get to know me, et al. It's time for some cross-cultural exchange, methinks!
Chris
Here's my latest journal entry from 18/09/08:
Things have changed so drastically for me over the past 5 months. I can hardly believe that not too long ago I was busting my hump at King's over courses I
loved (and some I didn't), or spending time at home, particularly with my sis' & nephew. Thursday was yet another gigantic transition: leaving my first
Kyrgyz family behind and being sworn in as a volunteer.
I absolutely love my first family here. My heart broke in the morning when I left my sister and brother. My brother was decked out in Red Sox clothing - his
bat, ball, and glove -- he wouldn't let my hand go as we shook hands and when he started to cry I embraced him as my brother. My sister completely shocked me
by telling me in English (she speaks very little) that she loves me and that I was the best big brother. I will always remember this gesture from her - it
had the power to shake the earth. Sadly, I then drove off in a taxi, after the farewells, refusing to look away while riding off and holding back the
choking up.
My mom and dad went to the swearing-in ceremony. Afterwards we had about an hour to talk, eat a bit, get some photos, etc. They gave me a gift which was
almost as powerful as my sister's words - a calender/planner and pen, and they had written a very nice note to me in both Kyrgyz and English. The time
finally came where I had to leave. As the announcement was made, I felt what I felt when I graduated from King's, when I saw my friends in America for the
last time, and when I departed from my family in the States - a sinking void in my heart. I said goodbye 3 or 4 times and almost lost it; my mom had tears
throughout. As I left on the marshrutka I let the sadness overtake me. They are no longer my host family - they are family, and I love them as I do my
family in America.
Thank you to everyone who put time, money, and effort into providing gifts from America. My family absolutely loved everything, and it meant the world to me,
being able to give them these gifts before I left. My last evening there will always remain with me - the happiness and sadness, and just an overall
realization that these people are my family.
Chris
Oh I gots me some needs...
Things I need:
Long Johns
Warm Winter Socks
One or two sweater-vests (to wear with my work clothes, business dress)
One or two sweaters, medium or large preferable (large tends to be too big for me, even with shrinkage)
A few undershirts, plain white shirts preferable
Good dictionary and thesaurus (I should have at least a thesaurus that I didn't pack - while that's going, try for my other books as well, i.e. the
literature anthologies etc.)
A good pair of gloves and a hat for winter, maybe some scarves as well
Things I wouldn't mind having:
Some food items, peanut butter, snack items, herbs/spices/sauces to make/season food with (i.e. basil, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, parsley, paprika, ginger, cumin, ketchup, mustard of all types, bbq sauce, parmesan cheese, brown sugar, olive oil, etc. etc.) Good food items other volunteers have gotten include: clif bars, various nuts (peanuts and walnuts are common here - they get different tasty kinds like Trader Joe's), various candies (non-candy bar), cookies,
crackers, pretzles, drink mixes like gatorade. Just need to be wary of things getting crushed in a package. Tastes from home and new tastes are most welcome.
Pictures, particularly of people from back home.
Movies: Some of my favorites like Rocky, Finding Neverland, etc. from my own collection. I still haven't seen the new Batman (the only movie I've wanted to
see this past year - I've held off watching a bootleg version to get something undiluted). Don't send movies in cases - those are easy fodder to get stolen.
Unmarked boxes and decoys work best, particularly tampon boxes.
Books -
books 1, 3, 4 of the Camulod Chronicles
English class/course books, primarily grade-school level
Anything, really, that could be a source of entertainment. Electricity is off for roughly 4 hours or so every day (and rising - it's going off earlier every day) and I could use something to pass the time. I've already gone through 4 decent sized novels in the past 2 weeks. My collection of Redwall books, the Wheel of Time, Harry Potter (maybe not, those are all hardcover), would all work well. Heck, if you're feeling adventurous, you could even give me something not from my collection! Most any book is interesting, as long as it isn't a technical manual or romance novel. Fantasy is my old standby, but I'll read most any genre.
Any sort of classroom materials, dry-erase markers, erasers, logbooks, etc. Not necessary but I think they would help out a bit.
Pictures, maps (of America, the world), posters that can be used for teaching. Display materials! Songs, dances, ideas, anything.
Maybe a blanket or two. It will be pretty cold here.
If possible a decent dress jacket to be sent over - something that will go with my navy and khaki colored pants (my navy jacket is too big, don't send that)
Toothpaste: I like Crest Pro-Health: Night (in the purplish box/tube). My two tubes exploded a bit on the way to Talas; they're still usable, but I have less
of it now. At first I was adverse to having paste sent, but simply looking at all the sugar consumed here makes my teeth ache. That plus I can't be too
careful, esp. with good toothpaste (and how I get very little in the way of dental).
Razors: Decent shaving razors are hard to come by and I think I left my spare blades for my schick in CT. Definately not electric. My disposables only go so
far.
Deodarant/good smell spray - I get at most one decent wash a week. Nuff' said on that.
Stain removing products, I primarily have those pens in mind. For those times when I'm enjoying sheep eyeballs too much, there won't be enough stain remover
to help the sloppy Italian in me.
PS And oh yeah, outdoor sinks/bathrooms suck -- not because of function, but because of location at this time of the year.
PPS During the writing of this and the other document over the course of a couple days, the power has gone out every single time. Hurray for laptop batteries!
Long Johns
Warm Winter Socks
One or two sweater-vests (to wear with my work clothes, business dress)
One or two sweaters, medium or large preferable (large tends to be too big for me, even with shrinkage)
A few undershirts, plain white shirts preferable
Good dictionary and thesaurus (I should have at least a thesaurus that I didn't pack - while that's going, try for my other books as well, i.e. the
literature anthologies etc.)
A good pair of gloves and a hat for winter, maybe some scarves as well
Things I wouldn't mind having:
Some food items, peanut butter, snack items, herbs/spices/sauces to make/season food with (i.e. basil, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, parsley, paprika, ginger, cumin, ketchup, mustard of all types, bbq sauce, parmesan cheese, brown sugar, olive oil, etc. etc.) Good food items other volunteers have gotten include: clif bars, various nuts (peanuts and walnuts are common here - they get different tasty kinds like Trader Joe's), various candies (non-candy bar), cookies,
crackers, pretzles, drink mixes like gatorade. Just need to be wary of things getting crushed in a package. Tastes from home and new tastes are most welcome.
Pictures, particularly of people from back home.
Movies: Some of my favorites like Rocky, Finding Neverland, etc. from my own collection. I still haven't seen the new Batman (the only movie I've wanted to
see this past year - I've held off watching a bootleg version to get something undiluted). Don't send movies in cases - those are easy fodder to get stolen.
Unmarked boxes and decoys work best, particularly tampon boxes.
Books -
books 1, 3, 4 of the Camulod Chronicles
English class/course books, primarily grade-school level
Anything, really, that could be a source of entertainment. Electricity is off for roughly 4 hours or so every day (and rising - it's going off earlier every day) and I could use something to pass the time. I've already gone through 4 decent sized novels in the past 2 weeks. My collection of Redwall books, the Wheel of Time, Harry Potter (maybe not, those are all hardcover), would all work well. Heck, if you're feeling adventurous, you could even give me something not from my collection! Most any book is interesting, as long as it isn't a technical manual or romance novel. Fantasy is my old standby, but I'll read most any genre.
Any sort of classroom materials, dry-erase markers, erasers, logbooks, etc. Not necessary but I think they would help out a bit.
Pictures, maps (of America, the world), posters that can be used for teaching. Display materials! Songs, dances, ideas, anything.
Maybe a blanket or two. It will be pretty cold here.
If possible a decent dress jacket to be sent over - something that will go with my navy and khaki colored pants (my navy jacket is too big, don't send that)
Toothpaste: I like Crest Pro-Health: Night (in the purplish box/tube). My two tubes exploded a bit on the way to Talas; they're still usable, but I have less
of it now. At first I was adverse to having paste sent, but simply looking at all the sugar consumed here makes my teeth ache. That plus I can't be too
careful, esp. with good toothpaste (and how I get very little in the way of dental).
Razors: Decent shaving razors are hard to come by and I think I left my spare blades for my schick in CT. Definately not electric. My disposables only go so
far.
Deodarant/good smell spray - I get at most one decent wash a week. Nuff' said on that.
Stain removing products, I primarily have those pens in mind. For those times when I'm enjoying sheep eyeballs too much, there won't be enough stain remover
to help the sloppy Italian in me.
PS And oh yeah, outdoor sinks/bathrooms suck -- not because of function, but because of location at this time of the year.
PPS During the writing of this and the other document over the course of a couple days, the power has gone out every single time. Hurray for laptop batteries!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Proximity
Hello all,
Here's my latest entry:
Preservice training is almost over - right now less than 2 weeks are left. It's hard to imagine everything I've
gone through over the past couple months. Right now I'm fairly sad because I really like my current host family
in my training village (and really hope gifts etc. that were sent get here in time for me to give them before
I leave), but I know in my heart I came to Kyrgyzstan for a different reason. It wasn't to find comfort and
coddlement from very nice people; it wasn't to hang around a bunch of Americans with narrow views; it wasn't to
escape from anything, or have a tremendously fun happy time, or have everything readily accessible and easily at
hand. If I wanted all that, I could have stayed home where I have plenty of friends and family, opportunities, etc.
I came to Kyrgyzstan because deep down I hold myself to be one thing above all else: a servant. Holding others
before myself, helping rather than enforcing, seeing the fruits of labor through others' success. Those are what I
love most in life. On the brink of becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer I can finally garner some perspective on my
situation and how it will pan out over the next couple years. Yes it's nice to have comforts, and confidants, and
all the other things that go along with a typical lifestyle. But that's not what I want, or even like. I want
others to have that - I want others to have that success, those friends, this life of theirs bettered, or that
skill honed. The world will always have problems, and although people often go about their lives concerning
themselves over their own problems, I find it's often necessary for greater action or education or involvement
before anything, no matter how big or small, can be solved. If I can do my part in any small way, anything positive
at all, then my time here will have been priceless.
It's amazing thinking of the differences between peoples. For instance, today I was on a marshurtka (van, one of
Kyrgyzstan's main public transportation methods) essentially drowning in a sea of people, sandwiched between a
drunk man and a woman tending to a sick person sitting down as five more people piled into the vehicle. In many
places this would be very strange, illegal, bad, etc. but here it's the norm. One of my most earnest beliefs is
that all people, no matter who they are or where they're born, are in essence the same, or at least very similar.
Smiles, love, family, etc. are all quite universal. It's the marshurtkas of our world that separate us - what we
grew up with was different, and we think it's better, or worse, than what other people have. But these differences
are essentially meaningless - in the end, the people on the marshurtka get home, just the same as the people on the
bus, or the people driving their car. We may eat different food, practice different religions, speak different
languages et al, but how are we truly different? In the end we're all human (and, barring some sort of
extraterrestrial contact with intelligent life), which is what really matters to me. We can be different in our
minute ways, but I believe we're all a lot more similar than we're led to believe throughout the course of our
life.
This is one basis I have built my ideology and thinking style around, and something I hold close to my heart. I
hope that throughout my service in Talas (and overall in Kyrgyzstan) that it will benefit me in my endeavours to
serve others. It's difficult to contemplate what will come, but I'm thankful that some of my perspective has
finally returned to me over these 3 months of training.
Chris
I'm quite sad right now because I'll miss the people I grew close to over these 3 months. However, as I've always believed, if we keep someone in our heart, we never truly lose them. This belief has helped me transition through the difficulties of leaving family behind in the States, and I think it will help me out in this instance as well. Family and friends are forever.
Talas will be a big challenge for many reasons, notwithstanding how some of the current volunteers act, locals perceive people, and how isolated from the rest of the country the oblast seems. I'm looking forward to the challenge, and hope to form many good relationships.
Right now it's difficult to imagine how things will pan out. Most people in the States have things like the election on their mind -- here in Kyrgyzstan our biggest concern is how the winter will play out. There are pretty major power outages throughout the country, particularly Talas and Chuy, and this could lead to an entire quarter of school being out of session. I'm not so much concerned about the power outage and heat -- what concerns me is what there will be to do during this time. In the summer, when school is out of session, many volunteers start clubs and things of that nature, which could be more difficult to accomplish during the winter. Ideas are welcome, as always!
Well, I hope everyone is doing well, and those that aren't to get better soon! All the best, and peace,
Chris
Here's my latest entry:
Preservice training is almost over - right now less than 2 weeks are left. It's hard to imagine everything I've
gone through over the past couple months. Right now I'm fairly sad because I really like my current host family
in my training village (and really hope gifts etc. that were sent get here in time for me to give them before
I leave), but I know in my heart I came to Kyrgyzstan for a different reason. It wasn't to find comfort and
coddlement from very nice people; it wasn't to hang around a bunch of Americans with narrow views; it wasn't to
escape from anything, or have a tremendously fun happy time, or have everything readily accessible and easily at
hand. If I wanted all that, I could have stayed home where I have plenty of friends and family, opportunities, etc.
I came to Kyrgyzstan because deep down I hold myself to be one thing above all else: a servant. Holding others
before myself, helping rather than enforcing, seeing the fruits of labor through others' success. Those are what I
love most in life. On the brink of becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer I can finally garner some perspective on my
situation and how it will pan out over the next couple years. Yes it's nice to have comforts, and confidants, and
all the other things that go along with a typical lifestyle. But that's not what I want, or even like. I want
others to have that - I want others to have that success, those friends, this life of theirs bettered, or that
skill honed. The world will always have problems, and although people often go about their lives concerning
themselves over their own problems, I find it's often necessary for greater action or education or involvement
before anything, no matter how big or small, can be solved. If I can do my part in any small way, anything positive
at all, then my time here will have been priceless.
It's amazing thinking of the differences between peoples. For instance, today I was on a marshurtka (van, one of
Kyrgyzstan's main public transportation methods) essentially drowning in a sea of people, sandwiched between a
drunk man and a woman tending to a sick person sitting down as five more people piled into the vehicle. In many
places this would be very strange, illegal, bad, etc. but here it's the norm. One of my most earnest beliefs is
that all people, no matter who they are or where they're born, are in essence the same, or at least very similar.
Smiles, love, family, etc. are all quite universal. It's the marshurtkas of our world that separate us - what we
grew up with was different, and we think it's better, or worse, than what other people have. But these differences
are essentially meaningless - in the end, the people on the marshurtka get home, just the same as the people on the
bus, or the people driving their car. We may eat different food, practice different religions, speak different
languages et al, but how are we truly different? In the end we're all human (and, barring some sort of
extraterrestrial contact with intelligent life), which is what really matters to me. We can be different in our
minute ways, but I believe we're all a lot more similar than we're led to believe throughout the course of our
life.
This is one basis I have built my ideology and thinking style around, and something I hold close to my heart. I
hope that throughout my service in Talas (and overall in Kyrgyzstan) that it will benefit me in my endeavours to
serve others. It's difficult to contemplate what will come, but I'm thankful that some of my perspective has
finally returned to me over these 3 months of training.
Chris
I'm quite sad right now because I'll miss the people I grew close to over these 3 months. However, as I've always believed, if we keep someone in our heart, we never truly lose them. This belief has helped me transition through the difficulties of leaving family behind in the States, and I think it will help me out in this instance as well. Family and friends are forever.
Talas will be a big challenge for many reasons, notwithstanding how some of the current volunteers act, locals perceive people, and how isolated from the rest of the country the oblast seems. I'm looking forward to the challenge, and hope to form many good relationships.
Right now it's difficult to imagine how things will pan out. Most people in the States have things like the election on their mind -- here in Kyrgyzstan our biggest concern is how the winter will play out. There are pretty major power outages throughout the country, particularly Talas and Chuy, and this could lead to an entire quarter of school being out of session. I'm not so much concerned about the power outage and heat -- what concerns me is what there will be to do during this time. In the summer, when school is out of session, many volunteers start clubs and things of that nature, which could be more difficult to accomplish during the winter. Ideas are welcome, as always!
Well, I hope everyone is doing well, and those that aren't to get better soon! All the best, and peace,
Chris
Friday, September 5, 2008
More to Come
Hello all, I have a few entries here:
So the time has finally come, where I get to visit my permanant site (Peace Corps so far seems to be one bigtransitional step after the other). Things will be a lot different for me, I believe. My host mother (though sheprefers to be called Eje, which is big sister/aunt/teacher[female]/et al) is 36, has five children, and apparentlymakes/sells clothes. The father in the family died. I feel bad because Peace Corps requires all volunteers to have their own room, so my family will be sleeping three to a room. We have a banya, which is the traditional (or common, I should say) Kyrgyz bathing method - it's essentially a very, very hot sauna.
I'm excited to go to Talas. I've considered it the land of mystery - as Americans we know very little about Kyrgyzstan, but talking to people in Kyrgyzstan, they all seem to know very little about this oblast. Volunteersalways say, "I hear it's nice, but I've never been." Locals (from the north -- there's a huge north/south rivalryin country) say it's beautiful, and has mountains and forests, but that essentially describes anyplace in Kyrgyzstan. I find it an intriguing challenge to uncover this oblast.
Right now my speaking capabilities are very limited but I can hold basic conversations. Listening, I can usuallyunderstand at least the gist of things. My new host mother (eje) uses many words I have yet to have heard (perhaps due to regional dialect differences) so that will be a challenge. I do, however, feel confident aboutthis whole prospect and look forward to getting some good work attempts in. Who knows, maybe something I do will prove useful.
Chris
Today (1-9-08) wasn't the first day of class, but it was a rather big holiday. All the primary/secondary schoolstudents were at my village's school, and they all came in their finest costumes (suit is called costume) People who are nervous about speaking in front of large crowds have absolutely nothing over this situation -1100+ eyes all staring at the only American in the village (and, most likely, the first they've ever seen) asI'm shuffled up front to be a spectacle sitting beside the center-stage panel of school director & co. Nevermindthat they had cameras (yes, video/tv cameras) rolling for this event; the pomp and circumstance was enormous, simply with the speeches and dress alone. And, oh yeah, I had to give a speech too -- so here I am, the newcomer,the oddball, the barely-speaks-Kyrgyz American, in front of one of the most elaborate ceremonies I've ever seen(and I've seen some crap, be it a Derby holiday or D.C. procession), with a thousand + native Kyrgyz speakers listening, and I have to give a speech. I've given several speeches before, and I know and can deal with the nervousness that goes along with it -- this situation was a whole new ballgame. Everyone else who spoke was up there for about 5 minutes. I had my one paragraph and lasted roughly 30 seconds to one minute. My hands were drenched and my heart just about ready to burst from my chest. But I made it, sat down, and watched the rest ofthe ceremony (while being watched in return).
Today was overall very good. I met with the two English teachers at my school (who will be my counterparts) -I was impressed, especially since neither of them have been outside of Kyrgyzstan. The school is very large, with1000 students and 70-80 teachers. Both of the English teachers are very young, in their 20s, so introducing newideas will be much easier for me. Everyone at the school was cordial and inviting, perhaps even protective, and I think things will go well.
My new host family seems pretty nice at the moment as well. My host "mother" insists that I call her Eje -- she is36, which is why Apa (mother) seems too old for her. There are 5 children in the family - 3 sisters and 2 brothers. They all seem great and the youngest two are adorable. No host father - he died, I believe. This familywill be different from the one I have in my training village, but I have no real concerns at the moment (other than communication -- things suddenly got harder once I realized my family speaks at normal Kyrgyz [or Russian,that's always a frustrating factor] speed, or have the Kazak dialectual influence. Cultural differences are alsoplaying a part for my new village -- things that were acceptable in my training village aren't acceptable (at least for now), different greetings, people looking at me like I have lobsters crawling out of my ears. You know,the typical "What is that thing walking down the street?!?" reaction.
It's hard to believe that a new school year has started and I'll be on the other side of the desks. Some would say I'm here to avoid real life. I think this is more real than anyone could get (even in the US, ha!). Here's to actual, honest work, all without getting paid!
Chris
When one comes to the Peace Corps, I'm sure there are plenty of reasons involved. Saving the world is a common mentality. Something to do after college is another. Taking a (supposedly) free international trip? Maybe. Whatever the reason, we're here and we have a job to do. I've been taking a lot of time recently to think about this, especially since I was recently in relatively close proximity to all the Talas volunteers yesterday, boththe old and new.
There are some things Peace Corps likes to overexaggerate - such as explaining the worst case scenario for virtuallyevery possible event. Some things they have are strict policy. Some things they have are not necessarily strict, but they're trying to work something into the image. Take for instance drinking in Kyrgyzstan - by all accounts prior to departure I was informed that it would be impossible to avoid drinking alcohol (particularly vodka). However, once I arrived here, I found out that avoiding the nectar of parties and toilets is not only feasible (ifa bit socially akward, especially in a former Soviet state), but in certain regards it's actually better from a social standpoint due to the Muslim population in-country. However, there is still that Russian influence, and drinks are the primary stock of just about every single store in Kyrgyzstan. It's given me some time to reflect and think on this whole drinking situation.
For those who don't know, prior to leaving to Kyrgyzstan I hadn't touched one drop of alcohol. I'm very proud of the fact that I went throughout my entire college career without touching the stuff. There are many reasons whyI didn't drink -- among them witnessing friends falter and go down dark holes due to consumption, my avid approachto peer pressure (in that it means a whole lot of nothing to me), and just attempting to be a decent role-model.After hearing what I did about Kyrgyzstan I tried some the week before I came, just so I could get an indicationas to what it was like, primarily because of all the horror stories of being unable to avoid drinking. Well, I gethere and see that I can (and, as a volunteer, am strongly encouraged to do so) avoid drinking if I so choose.
Yesterday all the volunteers in my oblast got together and had a pretty raucous party - most everyone drank, I didnot. Now, I'm not against drinking by any stretch of the imagination - I completely understand the need to blow off some steam, have a good time, enjoy something delicious, etc. But, this is a case that I think is detrimentalto our presence here. Here's a rather large group of Americans, in the middle of a public restaurant, loudly living it up in the middle of a culture that seems to admonish such behavior. It's at this point that I realize that, while perhaps in the future I may (may) drink moderately, nothing strong, and never in such a situation asto be the stupid American causing a scene, I will try my hardest not to drink throughout my service. It's something that I feel will go hand-in-hand with other policies such as dress code and code of conduct - many volunteers take those with a grain of salt, I will try to follow them as much as possible.
As a volunteer who has volunteer experience (not just study abroad experience), representative experience, andcultural exchange experience, I feel I have some ground to stand on. I've gotten flak from others for my stances,but in most instances I think they only have experience (time-wise and language-wise) in Kyrgyzstan. It's truethat as a volunteer, being one of the very, very few Americans in this country (and in my case the first in thevillage), we are constantly being monitored and scrutinized. One slip up, one dire or outrageous mistake can ruin months' worth of work and hurt a volunteer's image (which in turn hurts other volunteers and Peace Corps). So many people who are here now don't seem to realize this - complaints are often about how this or that is different, or I can't get/do this, and regard isn't given to the situation. It's impossible to step outside of theKyrgyzstan box - this is a 24 hour job, and the only way to get a real, actual break is to go to a different country or possibly go to the middle of nowhere.
It's aggrivating to have these attitudes around me - I thought that by joining Peace Corps I would be leaving insensitivity and self-centered actions behind. Instead there are people who seem to be living for the weekend, in Peace Corps. That statement just leaves me dumbfounded. I seriously hope I'm wrong, and I know thereare plenty of good people here, but this is something that's been bugging me for the longest time, ever sinceleaving Philadelphia. I came here to work, to attempt to help a community that could use new ideas to great benefit, to try showing people and organizations how to acquire resources that they could use. I came here to be a volunteer. It just doesn't seem that way to me for some people in this group, and I hope I never get called culturally insensitive by another drunk volunteer again. If need be I'll spend all my time with my community andforego visiting others.
Sorry if this last entry was a downer -- I just think people need to take time and realize that this isn't a frat party or fun special time. We're in Peace Corps.
Everything is going well now. One thing I would like to make note of: any mail being sent to me will get here much sooner if it has the Cyrillic address on it as well. Some items I have received have blocks or blanks where the Cyrillic would be; mail will get to me with just the English, but having the Cyrillic will shorten delivery time by about 2 weeks or so (from what I've experienced). Thank you, though, to everyone who has sent me mail -- I absolutely love getting news, and pictures are practically a godsend.
Well, for now I don't have much else in the way of an update. I hope everyone is doing well, and my thoughts and prayers go out to those who are not.
Peace,
Chris
So the time has finally come, where I get to visit my permanant site (Peace Corps so far seems to be one bigtransitional step after the other). Things will be a lot different for me, I believe. My host mother (though sheprefers to be called Eje, which is big sister/aunt/teacher[female]/et al) is 36, has five children, and apparentlymakes/sells clothes. The father in the family died. I feel bad because Peace Corps requires all volunteers to have their own room, so my family will be sleeping three to a room. We have a banya, which is the traditional (or common, I should say) Kyrgyz bathing method - it's essentially a very, very hot sauna.
I'm excited to go to Talas. I've considered it the land of mystery - as Americans we know very little about Kyrgyzstan, but talking to people in Kyrgyzstan, they all seem to know very little about this oblast. Volunteersalways say, "I hear it's nice, but I've never been." Locals (from the north -- there's a huge north/south rivalryin country) say it's beautiful, and has mountains and forests, but that essentially describes anyplace in Kyrgyzstan. I find it an intriguing challenge to uncover this oblast.
Right now my speaking capabilities are very limited but I can hold basic conversations. Listening, I can usuallyunderstand at least the gist of things. My new host mother (eje) uses many words I have yet to have heard (perhaps due to regional dialect differences) so that will be a challenge. I do, however, feel confident aboutthis whole prospect and look forward to getting some good work attempts in. Who knows, maybe something I do will prove useful.
Chris
Today (1-9-08) wasn't the first day of class, but it was a rather big holiday. All the primary/secondary schoolstudents were at my village's school, and they all came in their finest costumes (suit is called costume) People who are nervous about speaking in front of large crowds have absolutely nothing over this situation -1100+ eyes all staring at the only American in the village (and, most likely, the first they've ever seen) asI'm shuffled up front to be a spectacle sitting beside the center-stage panel of school director & co. Nevermindthat they had cameras (yes, video/tv cameras) rolling for this event; the pomp and circumstance was enormous, simply with the speeches and dress alone. And, oh yeah, I had to give a speech too -- so here I am, the newcomer,the oddball, the barely-speaks-Kyrgyz American, in front of one of the most elaborate ceremonies I've ever seen(and I've seen some crap, be it a Derby holiday or D.C. procession), with a thousand + native Kyrgyz speakers listening, and I have to give a speech. I've given several speeches before, and I know and can deal with the nervousness that goes along with it -- this situation was a whole new ballgame. Everyone else who spoke was up there for about 5 minutes. I had my one paragraph and lasted roughly 30 seconds to one minute. My hands were drenched and my heart just about ready to burst from my chest. But I made it, sat down, and watched the rest ofthe ceremony (while being watched in return).
Today was overall very good. I met with the two English teachers at my school (who will be my counterparts) -I was impressed, especially since neither of them have been outside of Kyrgyzstan. The school is very large, with1000 students and 70-80 teachers. Both of the English teachers are very young, in their 20s, so introducing newideas will be much easier for me. Everyone at the school was cordial and inviting, perhaps even protective, and I think things will go well.
My new host family seems pretty nice at the moment as well. My host "mother" insists that I call her Eje -- she is36, which is why Apa (mother) seems too old for her. There are 5 children in the family - 3 sisters and 2 brothers. They all seem great and the youngest two are adorable. No host father - he died, I believe. This familywill be different from the one I have in my training village, but I have no real concerns at the moment (other than communication -- things suddenly got harder once I realized my family speaks at normal Kyrgyz [or Russian,that's always a frustrating factor] speed, or have the Kazak dialectual influence. Cultural differences are alsoplaying a part for my new village -- things that were acceptable in my training village aren't acceptable (at least for now), different greetings, people looking at me like I have lobsters crawling out of my ears. You know,the typical "What is that thing walking down the street?!?" reaction.
It's hard to believe that a new school year has started and I'll be on the other side of the desks. Some would say I'm here to avoid real life. I think this is more real than anyone could get (even in the US, ha!). Here's to actual, honest work, all without getting paid!
Chris
When one comes to the Peace Corps, I'm sure there are plenty of reasons involved. Saving the world is a common mentality. Something to do after college is another. Taking a (supposedly) free international trip? Maybe. Whatever the reason, we're here and we have a job to do. I've been taking a lot of time recently to think about this, especially since I was recently in relatively close proximity to all the Talas volunteers yesterday, boththe old and new.
There are some things Peace Corps likes to overexaggerate - such as explaining the worst case scenario for virtuallyevery possible event. Some things they have are strict policy. Some things they have are not necessarily strict, but they're trying to work something into the image. Take for instance drinking in Kyrgyzstan - by all accounts prior to departure I was informed that it would be impossible to avoid drinking alcohol (particularly vodka). However, once I arrived here, I found out that avoiding the nectar of parties and toilets is not only feasible (ifa bit socially akward, especially in a former Soviet state), but in certain regards it's actually better from a social standpoint due to the Muslim population in-country. However, there is still that Russian influence, and drinks are the primary stock of just about every single store in Kyrgyzstan. It's given me some time to reflect and think on this whole drinking situation.
For those who don't know, prior to leaving to Kyrgyzstan I hadn't touched one drop of alcohol. I'm very proud of the fact that I went throughout my entire college career without touching the stuff. There are many reasons whyI didn't drink -- among them witnessing friends falter and go down dark holes due to consumption, my avid approachto peer pressure (in that it means a whole lot of nothing to me), and just attempting to be a decent role-model.After hearing what I did about Kyrgyzstan I tried some the week before I came, just so I could get an indicationas to what it was like, primarily because of all the horror stories of being unable to avoid drinking. Well, I gethere and see that I can (and, as a volunteer, am strongly encouraged to do so) avoid drinking if I so choose.
Yesterday all the volunteers in my oblast got together and had a pretty raucous party - most everyone drank, I didnot. Now, I'm not against drinking by any stretch of the imagination - I completely understand the need to blow off some steam, have a good time, enjoy something delicious, etc. But, this is a case that I think is detrimentalto our presence here. Here's a rather large group of Americans, in the middle of a public restaurant, loudly living it up in the middle of a culture that seems to admonish such behavior. It's at this point that I realize that, while perhaps in the future I may (may) drink moderately, nothing strong, and never in such a situation asto be the stupid American causing a scene, I will try my hardest not to drink throughout my service. It's something that I feel will go hand-in-hand with other policies such as dress code and code of conduct - many volunteers take those with a grain of salt, I will try to follow them as much as possible.
As a volunteer who has volunteer experience (not just study abroad experience), representative experience, andcultural exchange experience, I feel I have some ground to stand on. I've gotten flak from others for my stances,but in most instances I think they only have experience (time-wise and language-wise) in Kyrgyzstan. It's truethat as a volunteer, being one of the very, very few Americans in this country (and in my case the first in thevillage), we are constantly being monitored and scrutinized. One slip up, one dire or outrageous mistake can ruin months' worth of work and hurt a volunteer's image (which in turn hurts other volunteers and Peace Corps). So many people who are here now don't seem to realize this - complaints are often about how this or that is different, or I can't get/do this, and regard isn't given to the situation. It's impossible to step outside of theKyrgyzstan box - this is a 24 hour job, and the only way to get a real, actual break is to go to a different country or possibly go to the middle of nowhere.
It's aggrivating to have these attitudes around me - I thought that by joining Peace Corps I would be leaving insensitivity and self-centered actions behind. Instead there are people who seem to be living for the weekend, in Peace Corps. That statement just leaves me dumbfounded. I seriously hope I'm wrong, and I know thereare plenty of good people here, but this is something that's been bugging me for the longest time, ever sinceleaving Philadelphia. I came here to work, to attempt to help a community that could use new ideas to great benefit, to try showing people and organizations how to acquire resources that they could use. I came here to be a volunteer. It just doesn't seem that way to me for some people in this group, and I hope I never get called culturally insensitive by another drunk volunteer again. If need be I'll spend all my time with my community andforego visiting others.
Sorry if this last entry was a downer -- I just think people need to take time and realize that this isn't a frat party or fun special time. We're in Peace Corps.
Everything is going well now. One thing I would like to make note of: any mail being sent to me will get here much sooner if it has the Cyrillic address on it as well. Some items I have received have blocks or blanks where the Cyrillic would be; mail will get to me with just the English, but having the Cyrillic will shorten delivery time by about 2 weeks or so (from what I've experienced). Thank you, though, to everyone who has sent me mail -- I absolutely love getting news, and pictures are practically a godsend.
Well, for now I don't have much else in the way of an update. I hope everyone is doing well, and my thoughts and prayers go out to those who are not.
Peace,
Chris
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