Summer Camp Grant!

Well I'm home. After 85 hours of travel, I made it to the promised land. So far I got my haircut, and I've played with my cat (who is much larger than I remember), and have tried not to be too out of control when it comes to all the tasty things available for me. My grant for my toilet project is almost finished, I hope to finish that today and get it sent in. My other grant however is done! Yeah! 

 

Joni and I wrote a grant for summer camp next summer. Summer camp is an amazing opportunity for kids from our area. It's not something they usually get to do, and many kids get a break from working in the fields. One of our sessions will be on Life Goals. It may not seem like a big deal, but Kyrgyz children are never asked what they want to be when the grow up. Many students have not thought about it. They get to 11th form and suddenly they have to think about what they will do next year. Will they go to university? What will they study, where will they go? Our camp will offer students the opportunity to learn and do things they would otherwise never be exposed to. 

 

The form of grant we wrote is a PCPP grant (Peace Corps Partnership Program grant). With this type of grant, it goes up on the PC website and our friends and families can donate to our grant. Other people can also search for our grant and donate as well. All donations are tax deductible. Joni and I worked it out; it's approximately $35 per person attending camp. Every little bit counts, so think about it, and help the Kyrgyz kids attend a week of fun!

Follow this link to look at our grant and donate: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=307-143

And Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

These past few weeks have gone by in a blur. Winter is here in full throttle- it really makes me miss the sweltering days of summer. Joni, Alex and I held another teacher-training seminar, and we had a really great turn out. Usually we have five or six teachers show up, but this time we had nineteen! Our great turnout was probably due to the fact that we announced we were handing out applications to get a Peace Corps volunteer.  But the teachers were attentive and participated, and the seminar went well.

 

Just after our seminar, Ariel, Joni and I headed to Osh. We spent the night and ate 'American' food at a restaurant in the city. A little taste of what's to come- my stomach and digestion did not enjoy the meal as much as my taste buds did. The next morning we headed to Kara-Suu, which is a bazaar town on the Uzbek border. The town has the largest bazaar in southern Kyrgyzstan.  We were more curious than we were looking for a deal, but it was an adventure. Ariel's host sister told us that the bazaar in our village is second only in size to Kara-Suu's bazaar, in the South. I'm not sure how much I believe her, especially after experiencing the full scale of the Kara-Suu bazaar.

 

In light of recent events over the past couple of weeks I've been thinking a lot about what another volunteer mentioned on Thanksgiving. We were going around room, just before we ate six delicious pies, and saying what we were thankful for. Most everyone mentioned how we were thankful for the amazing volunteer community we had in Jalalabad, and how despite the fact that not one of us was with our families for the holiday, it still felt like we were. And then we got to Anthony. He said he was thankful for being an American.

 

I can honestly say that I've never thought about being an American, and how it's even something I should be thankful for. Especially after studying abroad, and surrounding myself with other cultures, I always felt that being an American was something to be embarrassed about. What was there to be thankful for? But as I sit here, wrapped in my sleeping bag, with no heat, intermittent electricity and really needing to pee (the outhouse being across the courtyard through a snowstorm) and I've realized that I am thankful to be an American. Tolerance, justice, the way women are seen as equal and not as something you can steal; all the things I've taken for granted. Life here isn't like it is back home- maybe it's a good thing, maybe it's a bad thing (it's certainly different). I have to be careful not to become entrenched in the idea that America is better than everywhere else, we certainly have our share of things to be ashamed of, but for once I can actually say I'm thankful to be an American.

Bazarkorgon celebrates Thanksgiving!
the cooked turkey, which didn't really fit in the oven...

Third step in turkey cleaning process.

De-feathering the turkey.

Nothing like a freshly slaughtered turkey for thanksgiving.

My 6th form class playing twister.

My awesome spinner board. yes, i am aware that twister only has four colors.

The finished board! I even laminated it with tape.

Cooking club with my 7th form.

7th form

Nargiza and Seil, from 7th form

Happy Thanksgiving

November went by quickly and really don't have much to say, I didn't do much. The first week was fall break, the following week and half was a teaching seminar for my counterparts, and then through a series of ridiculous circumstances I didn't have any lessons. So far in the month of November, I have only taught one lesson. I spent a lot of time reading, and thinking about Thanksgiving, and eating lunch with other volunteers.

 

There are three cafes that we regularly eat at in my village. One, Arman's, is named after a former volunteer; another has a really great outdoor eating area; and the third has delicious sashlyk. Sashlyk is sort of like a kebab, but only with meat; it's very big in southern Kyrgyzstan. The sashlyk that we get there reminds Joni and I of tri-tip and is so tasty. Rather than the overcooked boiled and bland meat we usually get, this is medium-rare and flavorful. It's definitely one of my favorite parts of the week.

 

During fall break I had cooking club with my favorite 7^th form students. We made pizza, but I'm not so sure that they liked it. After they left I worked on a twister board and spinner to use in my English club. It took a lot of time and I even laminated it. Joni had also made one and tried to use it during one of her lessons. Her students did not like it. I was a bit afraid that my students also wouldn't like it, but they did! It was really fun.

 

This next month is full of excitement. This coming weekend we are having another teacher training, after which we are going to Kara-suu. Kara-suu is a town on the Uzbek border that has turned into a really cheap bazaar. Joni and I finished writing our grant for next summers' camps, and I'm working on my grant for my school's new toilet.  And then two more weeks of school and then America! I'm really excited for my two weeks of hot water, flushing toilets, heat, and food.

The kids who live at my house, the third time they came.

Joni and Ryan with the jack-oh-lanterns. Mine's nose fell off- I never did find it.

The kids from my house the first time they came trick-or-treating.

Handing out candy.

Students that came trick-or-treating.

Me with my students.

My very first trick-or-treater.

We made brownies in my 9th, 10th and 11th form English club.

The boys 'helping' to make brownies.

brownies. That's my new host sister in the center.

My jack-o-lantern before its nose fell off.

The BK girls at Ginger's birthday party.

Halloween

There are days when I've had it up to here with Kyrgyz culture, and there are other days when I find myself amazed by the culture. Just the other day I was speaking Kyrgyz with my new landlord/ host mother. I've known her since December and worked on winter camp and both summer camps with her. Every sentence that came out of my mouth was using the formal you.

 

In many languages there is a formal you and informal you. In Kyrgyz there are both, but it differs from other languages, or at least the languages I've been exposed to. In Kyrgyz you can never really switch from formal or informal when you become friends with someone or are familiar with someone. If someone is older than you- you use the formal, regardless. They could be one week older than you and you still use the formal, even siblings. If you happen to be the younger twin- you use the formal. I just found it crazy that I was speaking so formally with this woman that I know pretty well. Kyrgyz culture, it's so polite.

 

I recently purchased a new bazaar bag. It's lime green and quite stylish. It's made from that weird recycled paper fabric that's becoming so fashionable in the now green conscious USA. Kyrgyz people are becoming green without even realizing it! I've seen this particular bazaar bag everywhere; all the locals are using them. Although to them they just see a more durable bag. Typically a local buys a thick plastic bag and uses it and reuses it, until it falls apart, so this new style bag is seen as so much more long lasting. All year I've found it funny how the plastic bags are seen as fashion accessories (last year's fashionable model was the large green Barnes and Noble bags). They use them for everything! For things they bought in the bazaar, for their banya stuff, for packing for vacation. I remember showing up for winter camp and seeing all the kids with their stuff packed in plastic bags- hilarious.

 

The past couple of weeks have been exciting. Halloween was very busy for me. The week before Halloween, I explained the holiday to all my new classes, and reviewed with my classes from last year. Then I invited all of my kids to come trick-or-treating on Friday evening. The BK volunteers came over to witness this and help pass out candy. It was so much fun. A bunch of students came and brought their younger siblings with them. I loved seeing all their costumes- it's always been my favorite part of Halloween. The kids that live at my house got dressed up too! There are four of them, all under five, and their moms dressed them up and they came over. It was so adorable. They enjoyed the holiday so much they went inside, and came back with different costumes on.

 

We had to cancel our harvest festival that was planned for later this month. A couple of weeks ago there was a big fight in the stadium between boys from four of the schools in my village. A few were seriously injured and the police have been stationed at all the schools in the area to keep school violence down. Tension has been high between the schools in the area, and so we decided to cancel the festival. We didn't want any fights breaking out, as we would have been seen as responsible. I'm bummed that we cancelled it; I was so looking forward to it. Perhaps if inter-school violence declines, we'll have a spring festival.

 

The TEFL program (teaching English as a foreign language) here is changing this year. In our last semester of teaching we, the volunteers, are supposed to simply observe our counterparts, rather than teach with them. This is so we can give them feedback and so they learn how to teach without us with us still here. It's all about sustainability. I completely understand the reason for this change. It just means that I only have six weeks of teaching left. Six weeks. I can't believe it. Instead of counting how months I've been here (15 in case you were wondering), I'm counting how months I have left. It doesn't feel like I should be six weeks away from being done with my primary assignment. Twenty-seven months no longer seems like a long time, like enough time.

My new backyard. Apple trees and grape vines.

My new house.

New house.

Turkeys fighting in my yard.

new kitchen

other room

sleeping area

I had dinner with my counterpart, Aigul, and her family.

We woke up after camping to this. All that snow was brand new.

Joni and Ariel with our sweet fire.

Our sweet campsite above kok-jangkok.

Ariel and I putting together the tent.

Walnut forest.

Ariel and Joni trudging up the hill.

Camping!

After months of talking about it, we finally went camping. Ariel, Joni, and I hiked high above another volunteer's village and set up camp. Since this was a short trip and we didn't exactly have it approved, we tried to stay close to other volunteers. It was beautiful. Much colder than in our area, but it was refreshing to not be roasting. We hiked amongst the walnut trees, in the second largest walnut forest in the world, until we found a stop at the top of the mountain. We waited until the herders were down off the mountain and then we set up camp, and built a fire. It was a great, albeit cold, night.

I started my English clubs this week. The kids were excited; I planned only fun things to do. But I did notice that none of my favorite kids from last year showed up. It turns out that all my best students are now attending Ariel's school, which is the really fancy and better school. I'm a bit disappointed.

Yesterday three of us decided to have a teacher-training seminar on lesson planning. We called and texted teachers from all over the rayon, and personally invited a bunch of teachers. Only one teacher showed up. Even our counterparts didn't come. It was a bit disappointing. So instead of having the seminar, we had chai and samsas (a food bearing a slight resemblance to a samosa), and just chatted in English. The one teacher who came is one of my only true Kyrgyz friends, Gulnaz. She works at the Russian school, although not for long, she too is moving to teach at Ariel's school.

After a rather funny conversation with a taxi driver last weekend, I decided to start compiling a list of reasons of why I love Kyrgyzstan. Also, after this week, I realized that it will be good to look at occasionally to remind myself of why I'm still here.

When trying to choose a taxi driver to take, I always ask what kind of car they have. My favorite response is when they shot, 'I have a big car, a golf.' And they in all serious mean that the Volkswagen Golf is considered a luxurious roomy car, which is this area of the country, it is.

I love that women still bake bread every week for the family to eat.

I love hearing the call to prayer- it adds structure to my day, and allows five moments to pause and rest.

The apples here are unbelievably delicious, and unbelievably cheap.

I never have to answer questions about myself anymore. Enough people know who I am, that when someone asks, they answer for me: 'oh she's American, she works here, she's born in '85, and she's not married.'

Every time I visit someone I leave with a goody bag of candy, nuts, apples and bread. Sometimes I even get meat!

hello!

Time here seems suspended. The weeks go by, and I don't even really notice. I'm starting to get back into my teaching routine. So far my schedule has changed four times, which can be frustrating. Last year I would have gone on some tirade about the Kyrgyz education system, but this year I sort of expected it- I'm going with the flow. And really the schedule does need to be changed, it never comes out right the first time; actually it needs to be changed again, but I'm not holding my breath. This year I'm teaching 5^th-9^th forms. I have three of my five classes from last year, and I replaced my two graduating 11^th forms.

In the past couple of weeks I've also moved. When I found a scorpion five inches from my pillow, I decided enough was enough. The next day I was on the phone, and arranged to look at a new place. My new place is a compound house, not an apartment, so it has the added protection that a family offers. It's significantly smaller than the apartment, but no scorpions! My new family is nice, they keep asking if I need anything else for my room, but I have a pretty sweet set-up. My house is two rooms, a small kitchen and then a bedroom/ everything room. I like it. There's always water at night, available from a pump in the yard, as well as a really nice outhouse and a banya that they actually use. I feel like I moved up in the world.

The volunteers in my area have started planning a fall harvest festival in my village- think elementary school carnival. The festival is going to be a fundraiser for my school toilet, as it is going to end up being a very costly project. We're hoping to get local businesses involved as well as local community leaders. I think it's going to turn out well, and the kids and the community will really enjoy it.

My kitty is really no longer a kitty. He spends most of his time on the windowsill stalking the turkeys that roam the yard. I'm hoping that my new family will agree to sell me one of their turkeys for Thanksgiving. And kill it and de-feather it for me, as I'm not really sure how to do either of those things.

Fall weather teased us for a week, and has since fled, which is disappointing because I am tired of the heat. I just want to sleep under a blanket and have my outfits be temperature appropriate again. Jeans and a t-shirt are very hot in 100+ weather. And don't be thinking I have the luxury of air-conditioning, or shade for that matter.

This upcoming weekend the girls and I plan to go camping. Although we don't yet have any idea exactly where, or any details prepared for it, we're going. It should be fun. We're thinking somewhere in the walnut forest, but we'll see.

The big news of the week, around here, has been that the supermarket in Jalalabad is closing. Our beloved Narodni, where we could buy a few things that were unavailable in the bazaar, such as tonic water (which was really only one time), and nutella. But to be fair, we didn't really go that often, and no one else did either, that place was always empty. However, it really put a damper on a COS (close-of-service) plan of mine. Every time I went to Narodni, they gave me coins for change. Coins! Coins here are basically worthless, and no one will take them (even Narodni!), especially the really small ones that are less than a som. I had this plan to save all the coins the store gave me and in year from now, buy something with only coins! I had already started saving, and now I have all of these coins and there is nothing I can do with them. Ugh.

Alright all. Happy Columbus Day!? That's coming up soon, right? Well enjoy your day off, and as we say in the local lingo-жакшы бар! (Jockshay bar, roughly translates to- good go!).

Happy Fall!

Time seems to pass without me realizing exactly how much time has past. Looking at the calendar this week I was shocked to see it's already well into September. One year ago today was my very first day as a Peace Corps Volunteer, and my very first day living in my village. I still can't believe that I've been in country nearly fifteen months. Looking back on my first year of service, I am glad that I made the decision to be here. I may not love teaching everyday, and I may reach my cultural overload every now and then, but when I do fun things like camp, teach a successful lesson, or have a fun teacher training, I remember why I'm here.

 

I remember awaking the morning after our swearing-in party (feeling a bit hungover) and getting on a Southern bound flight. After a three hour taxi ride, I hopped out with my luggage and walked into my new home. It was scary, it was like starting out all over again. But here I am, survived a year, and still happy about it. Ariel and I have come to be known as our village's "redemption volunteers." There has been something like fifteen volunteers who have served in our village, and only three have finished all two years. Everyone else left before they made it seven months. If Ariel and I didn't make it, the village wasn't getting any more volunteers. To have made it past those other twelve volunteers is great. People no longer seem afraid that we're giong to leave.

 

There's this ice cream place that we always go to, at least five times a week. Ariel and I were sitting there the other day thinking about how lucky we were and how much we loved our site. The two of us think that we got the best site in the country. Our village has a village feel, but is quite large by Kyrgyz standards, so we have city like amenities. Cafes to eat at, a huge bazaar to shop in, and easy transportation to anywhere in the country.

 

The last few weeks have been uneventful. Ramadan started, school started, and we celebrated Kyrgyz Independence Day. The weather has started to cool off, which is great, I was starting to really hate the heat (110 and no air-con= unpleasant). The Bazarkorgon girls are planning a rayon wide Harvest Festival that is going to be a fundraiser, but for what exactly we're not sure. That's about all I have planned this fall, which is a welcome break after my hectic summer schedule.

 

 

Ryan, Joni, and I bought cheap Chinese bicycles in the bazaar.

Ryan and I with our new bikes. I think Alex is negotiating for a playboy bunny stamped bike bell.

Me with four of my five sitemates on Kyrgyz Independence Day (Aug 31), and some random kid who jumped in last minute.

Joni, Ariel and I in front of the Bazarkorgon yurt on Independence Day.

Local students participating in the independence day celebrations.

Bazarkorgon officials watching over the festivities, while Lenin watches over them.

The main stage on independence day. Local girls wearing national dress.

A traditional Kyrgyz yurt.

Girls in national dress.

Photos from camp!

The girls hard at work- coming up with team names.

At a workshop on the first day- everything is so green!

There was a ferris wheel at camp... but it was broken.

We're in charge- can't you tell?

Tug-of-war got fierce! The girls snapped the rope in half.

Walking down the counselors' cabin- camp was beautiful and delightfully not hot

Tye-dye- a little bit of American camp, the girls loved it

We had a scavenger hunt one night. Joni and I made the girls form a human pyramid when they found us.

At one of the sessions, the girls had to make a community map, and all the groups made a map of camp. One group included Joni and I!

The volunteers- hard at work!

Everyone from first camp.

Anthony came up with some sort of team-building exercise. This photo makes it look more torturous than it was.

The volunteers demonstrated steal the bacon.

Camp Counselors at second camp.

Second camp!

The volunteers performing at the talent show- I think they're singing Britney Spears.

Having fun at arts and crafts.

This is Aktan, Joni's host-brother; he was the star of second camp.