Weird Week

November 8, 2007
Things have been interesting here…today started off with a flu and an HPV shot administered by a doctor who carried his meds in a cooler to Andy’s apartment (that makes 24 shots in country). We congregated there at 9am, patiently waiting in line for our vaccines as we passed the time examining the goodies brought to us by the PC Medical officer: Q-tips, cotton balls, lotion, water filters, raid, and anti-fungal cream were the most popular items. Newsweek Magazine came in a close second.

Post-vaccines we met up with our SOCD Program Manager and the Safety and Security Officer and proceeded to then get introduced to the local chief of police. He was kind enough to give us his contact information answer our most dire questions. The Uzbek journalist that was assassinated here a few weeks a go, according to this man, ‘had some enemies.’ I suppose he was telling the truth.

Meetings of sorts, mixed with lunch, a trip to the post office (when I got a text that I had a package waiting for me – turned out it was for the other Rebecca), a stop at the American Corner Library, an apartment check, a snickers bar (was so close to buying the super snickers), a free ride home, and my favorite soy salad made up the rest of my day. Busy, satisfying, and I even have a movie to watch later: Little Miss Sunshine.

I finished a weird book last night: The Dogs of Babel. It was about talking dogs, depression, suicide, and grief. Kind of a downer.

Oh, I almost forgot! I took my first weekend trip last weekend. I went to visit a friend who lives about 2 hours away. Erika and I took a Marshrutka last Friday afternoon after (a very successful) Women’s Leadership Club meeting. I almost forget sometimes, because I live in the city, how poor and undeveloped – but paradoxically stark and beautiful – this country really is. On our way there, with the young man sitting behind me puking the whole way, we passed fields and farms, small villages, lots of cows and donkeys, and we drove up and through and around hills and mountains. The scenery was breathtaking. I was, for the first time since arriving at my site, fully engaged and appreciative of this place. I couldn’t stop looking out the window.

The small city we visited was strange, with a big TV in the center of town and a handful of women’s boutiques. I was impressed that it had some things that larger cities lack. I ate my first Jesus Burrito: a tortilla filled with refried beans, scrambled eggs, tomato sauce, cheese, and bay leaves. Scrumptious, as gross as it sounds.

Cameron was a wonderful host – he cooked dinner for us: pasta with pesto, garlic bread, and a cabbage salad. Delicious! We walked around a lot on Saturday, bumped into some other volunteers, and headed back Saturday afternoon.

We decided to splurge for a taxi on the way home. It was only 50 som more, which is a little more than a dollar. Erica and I walked to the taxi spot – a parking lot filled with leather – vested drivers shouting out locations – Bishkek, Osh, Uzgen, Talas, Nuryn! As you approached a car/ driver who shouted your desired location other drivers would crowd around and they would all simultaneously attempt to recruit you. Erica and I tried to bargain, but ultimately they were all charging the same price so we picked our man by the looks of his car, and how sober/ rested he looked. Taxi drivers here are notorious for driving from Bishkek to Osh and back without sleeping.

Once in the 1994 Audi we negotiated with the driver on a lower price, at the cost of 3 more passengers. As we started out I sat back and relaxed, tired from the day. But as soon as the driver pulled onto the main road he put the petal to the metal. I have never enjoyed a car ride less in my life. I asked the mother next to me if his race-car style driving was normal and she said yes, closing her eyes with her arms around her baby’s lap on top of her. I closed my eyes tight as our driver attempted to pass slower cars around sharp corners; at some point I dozed off. When I woke up we were in traffic behind a horse and 15 minuets outside of our city. I was relieved/ thankful/ surprised to be home and alive.