switzerlandofthestans

Home Safe

2009-10-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say that I've made it home to the US safely. I've been home for 3 weeks now. I'll write more about readjusting later - when this reality sinks in. Its been an amazing journey and thank you to everyone who gave me support over the past 2+ years!

2009-08-25T00:50:00.000-07:00

Our bonfire with the campers

The volunteers outside our cabin

Summer Camp!

2009-08-25T00:48:00.000-07:00

August 17-21st I volunteered at my friend Martha’s Youth Summer Camp. Together with four other PVCs and four other local volunteers, we took 26 kids (between 13-17 years old) 3 hours north of Jalal Abad into the mountains. We stayed at an old soviet-built camp in a small village named Kizulunkor.

The camp was a huge success, despite the decaying condition of the camp facilities and the lack of amenities – such as running water.

Each morning we broke the group into teams and they rotated through three 1-hour sessions on topics such as: goal setting, self-esteem, nutrition and fitness, sexual health, gender roles, giving presentations, and critical thinking. Each afternoon the campers had their choice of arts and crafts, sports, games, or free time to work on preparing for the talent show. Night activities included movies, games, a talent show, and a bonfire.

On the 21st we traveled back to Jalal Abad and a married couple – Fritz and Ginger – cooked a huge delicious chili dinner for all of the camp volunteers.

It was definitely an exhausting (and dirty week – no showers!) but I’m so glad I helped out. The other volunteers and I maintained a super positive attitude all week and we had a lot of fun spending time with each other. We left with the sense that the campers all benefited from the camp too.

Above are some pictures from the camp. We took over 300 photos and videos so I’ll be happy to show more when I get home in 3 weeks!

AUGUST!!!!

2009-08-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe it’s mid August already. This summer has been super busy and has been flying by. In June I took my cat to Bishkek to get spayed and spent some time with my PST host family. In July I traveled to every oblast to conduct TOTs for the anti-Bride Kidnapping Toolkit I helped create and revise. And this month my NGO – the Central Asian Alliance for Water had a Youth Festival. It was more like a camp because the 90 children all slept over. I helped with icebreakers and sports and pool games. Three of the K17s helped out too. On the last night my NGO invited us all for a celebratory dinner at a fancy restaurant. I got chicken with mushrooms in a cream sauce. It was yummy.

This summer I’ve also been spending a lot of time on my thesis. Draft 1 was submitted June 1st, the second draft submitted July 1st and I’m currently working on my third and final draft.

Next week I’ll be helping a volunteer friend with her summer camp. I’ve always wanted to be a camp counselor. I’ll get to co-lead sessions on self-esteem, healthy relationships, and arts and crafts! It’s a 6-day camp about 4 hours from where I live – up in the mountains at a camp facility. We’ll sleep in cabins, use outhouses, and bath in a stream. I’m looking forward to the cooler temperatures. It’s been about 100 degrees or hotter everyday here and I never knew I could sweat so much. My favorite summer activity has been cold showers! When you live in a place with no A.C. you do what you gotta do to cool off.

It’s almost time to start giving away my stuff and think about packing up. I leave Kyrgyzstan in 33 days – and will be arriving home September 16th. I haven’t been home in two years. I feel like I’ve been in Kyrgyzstan forever, but I sort of feel like I haven’t been away from the US that long. Either way though, it’s going to be a huge culture shock. So if I act a little weird when I first get home, just give me some time to readjust to that fast-paced life I used to know.

I’m already starting to get sad thinking about saying goodbye to my friends, co-workers, and community here. But I’m really excited about seeing and reconnecting with my family and friends at home.

Oh and the food! This is what I want to eat/drink upon my return to Americastan (in no particular order): Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla Iced Coffee, bagels with cream cheese, sandwiches (with kosher spears), a chicken finger sub, guacamole, sushi, Burke’s mint patty and coffee health bar frozen yogurt, chicken pot pie, salads (with lettuce and salad dressing!), good spicy Mexican food, margaritas, salmon, a lobster roll, broccoli, blueberries, bacon, spinach, nachos, quality wine, quality beers and micro brews, seltzer water, limes, and anything my dad cooks/grills. I will be poor and unemployed upon my return so if anyone wants to take me out I’ll pay you back with crazy stories and good company!

Kyrgyzstan Tour

2009-07-20T23:44:00.000-07:00

So in the past 6 days I've traveled to Chui, Naryn, Karakol, and Talas. I'm back in Bishkek awaiting my flight back south so I can complete the tour with Jalalabad and Osh! Its been crazy sharing taxis - for 4 - 8 hour stints to get out to these places where PCVs live in the middle of nowhere. The purpose of my tour was to conduct trainings with PCVs on the Anti-Bride Kidnapping Toolkits I revised from last year. This has been a huge project for me and a big part of my Peace Corps/Masters International experience. It was amazing to see the different oblasts and experience the cultural and temperature differences of each place. I'm exhausted and sweaty and dirty and still have half a day of traveling ahead of me, but I'm happy that I have the support of the staff, of other PCVs, and of locals. I'm happy that I've seen almost all of Kyrgyzstan too!

Roo Post-Op

2009-06-11T02:22:00.000-07:00

Roo's First Adventure

2009-06-11T02:21:00.000-07:00

So this past Friday I drove up to Bishkek, the capital, cat in tow – to get her spayed. I was going to fly but the travel agency where I usually buy my plane tickets told me I’d need to buy a special crate, obtain special documents from Bishkek, and pay a ridiculous price to take my cat on board. So I took a taxi instead.

The first two hours of the 12-hour ride I doubted myself and my decision to travel to the capital at all. Roo was freaking out – clawing at the inside of her carrying case, trying to get out. She cried for 2 hours straight. By the third hour I think she wore herself out and gave into lying still and quiet. By the time we got to Bishkek, I think I was more restless than she was. We spent the night with a local friend who was very welcoming to the both of us.

Saturday morning my friend came with me to translate. I held Roo while the vet gave her a shot to put her to sleep and she went limp in my arms. It was strange because her eyes never closed. My friend and I waited outside and 30 minutes later the operation was finished. The vet gave me instructions on how to care for Roo for the next 10 days. I had to go to the pharmacy and buy some antibiotic stuff to put on her stitches. And I was instructed to change her white cotton suit every few days.

Saturday afternoon I headed out to Krasnaya Rechka to spend some time with my first host family. They told me it was fine if I brought my cat. Though I don’t think they were expecting her state. Roo was just waking up from the anesthesia when we got there and as soon as I opened her carrier, she swaggered out and fell on her side. She kept taking a few swaying steps and falling over and over until I picked her up. She was acting “drunk” the whole day. By Sunday she was walking all right but still refused to eat or drink. I think the surgery, the new environment, and the amount of people running around all day long traumatized her. She hid under the table in the corner the whole day.

On Monday we went back into Bishkek to see the vet again. The vet made sure everything was healing okay, and implanted Roo’s identification chip – which is mandatory for taking cats out of Kyrgyzstan. She also wrote up Roo’s International Passport and gave me 2 viles of vaccines and a needle and an injection schedule to bring back with me (since it would have been too much to give her the vaccines at that time).

I took Roo to the PC office, while I met with PC staff to figure out final costs of Bride Kidnapping Toolkits I’ve been developing. And then back to the village.

On Tuesday we spent some time running around Bishkek doing errands and more time at the PC office. I bought a plane ticket and strode into the airport with Roo like a person who transports animals all the time. I acted confident and no body even asked to see any of her documents. There were absolutely no problems flying with her. In fact, Roo slept the whole time through check-in and throughout the entire flight, while babies and toddlers were screaming and crying all around us. Even though the flight was short – it gave me hope for the final trip home in September.
Roo and I were both excited to be back in my apartment Tuesday night. Though it was only a 4-day trip, and everyone was extremely hospitable to us, it was still stressful and I was exhausted. We both slept all day Wednesday to recuperate. The only other thing I need to do before coming home is get a bill of health form signed and stamped from the Health and Sanitation Department in Bishkek 3 days before leaving the country. I’m glad everything else has been taken care of!

Cat Costs in Kyrgyzstan:
Sterilization – 300com = $7
Vaccines (2) – 600com = $14
ID Chip – 1,000com = $23
International Passport – 100com = $2

Taxi to Bishkek – 900com = $21
Flight back from Bishkek – 2,000com = $47

Roo’s companionship = Priceless

New Women's Club Blog!

2009-05-17T22:12:00.000-07:00

So my Women's Leadership Club started a blog! Check it out at: www.oshladyleaders.blogspot.com

Mira Mira - World Peace

2009-05-05T02:26:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite signs

Multicultural Show

2009-05-05T02:21:00.000-07:00

My local friend has an NGO that works on multicultural and multiethnic education - her NGO does an annual Multicultural show where tons of kids dress up in different ethnic costumes and dance. It was outside, beautiful weather, quite an interesting show to see in the park.

Earth Day - Park Cleanup

2009-04-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

My Women's Club Team!

Getting dirty picking up trash in the park

Knock, Knock! Girl, open your door!

2009-04-22T01:21:00.000-07:00

It’s 8pm on a Tuesday night. I hear an elderly lady knocking at my door and my neighbor’s door. She’s yelling something in Kyrgyz – all I can understand is "money." I don’t answer. After a solid five minutes the knocking stops and I peek out of my balcony door to see if I can see who is coming out of my apartment building stairwell. It’s an old lady and she spies me! “Devushka! (Girl)” she shouts, “Pachemu ne otkriviete deveier? (Why didn’t you open your door?) Chas (Wait)…” and she runs back up the steps to my door. “Give me 100 rubles,” she says in Russian, “our building needs to put in a new water pipe tomorrow. We have no water now. We need clean water. Give me 100 rubles. Everyone has paid except you and your neighbor.” “Can my landlord pay?” I ask her as I reach for my cell phone. “I’ve lived here 56 years and I don’t know who your landlord is,” she says. “I knew the last one, but not this one. Is he Kyrgyz? Is he young?” I ask her to wait one minute while I grab my wallet and instead of waiting outside she comes into my apartment. She’s a tiny woman, perhaps 75 years old, wearing a patterned dress, rubber boots, and a hand-made wool shall covering her head. Her eyebrows have been filled in with dark black charcoal. She only comes up to my shoulder, but her voice is loud, hurried, and confident. When she speaks I watch her gold teeth and wonder if she thinks my apartment smells – I just fried some tempora and the oil smoked. She eyes my cat but doesn’t comment. I give her the 100 com and ask her if she wants my landlord’s cell phone number anyways. She takes my phone and calls him – explains what she’s doing in my apartment and that she’s taken my money. When she hands me the phone my landlord asks me if there’s a problem. “No problem,” I say – though he should have paid the money and not me. I figure I’d rather be on good terms with my neighbors than refuse to pay and be blamed for the building’s lack of clean water. Plus, I’d like to have my water turned back on sometime soon.

Just now, another knock on my door. It’s an old Kyrgyz couple. They look confused when I answer. They ask for someone, say something in Kyrgyz, I tell them (in Russian) I don’t understand Kyrgyz. They say something else; I stare back at them. Then they ask me in Russian, “Where do you live?” “I live here,” I say, “this is my apartment.” They stand there staring at me for a few more seconds, then look at each other and shake their heads. Then they turn around and leave.

I used to have a policy of not answering my door for anyone who doesn’t do the “Peace Corps knock” – especially at night because there are no lights in my hallway and no door to my building so it could be anyone. Most of the time people knock it’s just to collect money anyway. But I think I might have to change my policy. I’ve met some interesting people the past couple times I’ve opened my door and it’s been really good Russian practice!

K15 and K16 PCVs

2009-04-20T02:16:00.000-07:00

Dear K15 and K16 PCVs:
Please take a few minutes to evaluate the PC Kyrgyz Republic Bride Kidnapping Toolkit - if you ever had or used one. If you have ETed but used the toolkit while you were here I need your responses too! Just click on the link: Click Here to take survey Thanks!

Phuket, Thailand Photos

2009-04-07T04:47:00.001-07:00

The lovely beach

One of the three Indigo Pearl Pools

2009-04-07T04:43:00.000-07:00

The Floating Market

Monks at the Ancient City

Thailand Photos

2009-04-07T04:27:00.000-07:00

Buhdda hand with flower

Last night in Thailand - Looking pretty (tan)!

Thailand was Amazing

2009-04-05T00:47:00.000-07:00

Stepping off the plane in Bangkok was like entering a whole new world. A bright and coded and brilliantly loud one. The contrast from where I had come was jarring and exciting. From my first taxi ride to my last in Thailand, I felt at ease, intoxicated with the sensory overload – but content.

My first two nights I stayed at New Joe’s Guesthouse, just a block over from the infamous Kho San Road. The guesthouse was located on a little ally-like walking street; lined with street food vendors, coffee shops, massage boutiques, and jewelers. I paid just $10 a night and got to experience the “backpackers’ haven.” Kho San Road was a bargain shopper’s paradise. Cheap bags, clothes, shoes, souvenirs, and everything else you can imagine spilled over the sidewalks – catching thousands of tourists in its organized chaos and enticing deals. My first meal was yellow curry with vegetables and tofu over rice. It was so deliciously spicy I almost cried.

I also managed to get in touch with a girl I studied abroad with in the Balkans. She had been living and working in Bangkok for almost a year. We met up for dinner and drinks at a rooftop restaurant that hosted a breeze and an awesome live band (playing American hits). The next day I got to see where she works and we ate lunch (Thai food) and dinner (Mexican food) together.

One day I found a Dunkin Donuts. No, really, I did. Since I had been having reoccurring DD dreams I just had to go in and order an iced coffee. Dunkin Donuts in Thailand is much classier than back home. I didn’t get to custom design my iced coffee – it only comes one way – with condensed milk and lots of sugar – but I did get to sit and watch people delicately choose their spectacular donut creations. The donuts looked fake – they were so ornate and colorful!

On the third day of my trip I met up with my Auntie Carol at the posh Conrad Hotel. I felt way out of my element at first (remember I’m a Peace Corps Volunteer), but quickly adjusted to the luxury of it all (AC, plush beds, and a pool on the 7th floor). It was a teary/joyful reunion. I had never felt so anxious/excited to see family.

Carol and I spent the next few days exploring Bangkok’s tourist spots: the Grand Palace and Wat-Pho, the floating market, the Bride over the river Kwai, the Ancient City, the weekend market, and Siam Square. We took some amazing pictures and found some great gifts. It was remarkable to see the diversity of landscapes – city/countryside, ancient/modern. And it was remarkably hot!

On my seventh day (Carol’s 5th) we flew down to Phuket and checked into the Indigo Pearl Resort. The resort was beautiful and tropical – definitely my favorite part of the trip. For the next 3 days we did nothing but sit on the beach, sit by one of the three pools, eat delicious food and drink yummy cocktails. One of the (Adults Only) pools even had a bar in it – I’m talking swim up to the bar and sit on a stool underwater. It was at this lovely spot that I had a cocktail served to me in a coconut. Heaven!

When we sadly left Phuket we flew back to Bangkok and had one last meal together before Carol had to leave to fly home. My friend Lindsay met us and after teary goodbyes I left with Lindsay to stay at her apartment for my last 2 nights.

With Lindsay I experienced some of the less touristy stuff – mostly we shopped and ate and socialized. We also hung out in her rooftop pool. It was exhausting but very fun.

There was so much to do and see and experience in Thailand. Two weeks was great – but I could have easily spent a month there. The people were friendly and helpful (tons of people speak English). The public transportation was clean and fast and easy to use.

I got a haircut and a foot massage and a Thai massage and a pedicure. I definitely pampered myself but everything was so cheap! I also bought some new summer blouses and a sundress and a pair of sandals. It was so nice to see new fashion and new styles. I wanted to buy everything.

I owe my Aunt more thanks than I could ever say. She made this trip happen and we had a wonderful time exploring Thailand and trying new things together. I loved it all.

TravelRoo

2009-02-28T23:44:00.000-08:00

Roo is travel ready! Bought this cute little carrier at the little pet store by my apartment.

Done and Done

2009-02-27T23:53:00.000-08:00

Memories...

2009-02-27T00:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas Gathering

Thoughts...

2009-02-16T02:19:00.000-08:00

I believe my idea of normalcy has become askew. What’s normal and who decides what’s normal anyway? My power just went out – it must be midnight. Earthquake trembles are as frequent as headaches. The water shuts off mid-shower and I just stop, all sudsy, and wait.

I dreamt of grocery shopping last night. I was having trouble filling up my basket because I was overwhelmed by choices and the store ended up closing. I then found myself in a Russian class and I couldn’t open my eyes; the class started laughing because they assumed I couldn’t speak Russian. I had to explain to them – in Russian – that I was tired from shopping, to make them be quiet. I woke up muttering “slushiteti menye pajalousta…ya ocheen ustala pa ta mushta…”

I’ve been immersed in learning and researching and preparing for Thailand. I’m traveling again soon. Thai culture and cuisine looks amazing and I can’t wait to be exploring and enjoying. I though the Russian language was difficult, but Thai seems impossible! Though the stories I’ve heard about the ease and convienece of traveling in Thailand have soothed away any insecurities. I’m so ready and so excited to go and to meet up with and spent time with my Auntie Carol. There’s no other person I’d rather do this trip with.

PC Life Update

2009-02-14T03:18:00.000-08:00

The winter is winding down here. My past few months have been spent working at my 2 NGOs, organizing a Women’s Empowerment Seminar Series, interviewing for my research, playing basketball with Ed’s English class, helping Matt with his Boys’ Winter Camp, and spending some time at the Center for American Studies.

Our Seminar Series was comprised of 3 1-day workshops on Violence Against Women (human trafficking, domestic violence, bride kidnapping, women’s rights/human rights), Career Skills (resume & cover letters, interview skills, leadership), and Women’s Health (family planning, abortion, nutrition, mental health). We invited local experts (NGO directors, doctors, lawyers, professors) to present to groups of 20 university girls and young professionals. It was a lot of work, but worth it.

This past Friday my good friend Justine left. She will be missed by locals and PCVs a like (check out her blog – www.justinekyrgyz.blogspot.com).

Anticipation for spring and new volunteers is keeping me going.

Rent just increased to 5,000com($125)/month! That’s 1,500com more than PC provides. I love my apartment and location too much to move though.

I finally got my 3rd small paper finished and approved. Must focus on my thesis now.

Congratulations to my friends at home who have recently gotten engaged and pregnant!

A note to prospective cat owners overseas:

2009-01-16T00:46:00.000-08:00

I thought I was doing a good thing when I adopted my tiny kitten over a year ago from a fellow Peace Corps Volunteer whose cat had a litter. If I didn’t take it, it’d probably end up on the street. I also thought I’d be gaining companionship and would have a little something to take care of, if for nothing else, to make me feel more responsible here, while living alone.

My precious Kyrgyz kitten was born with three ears (which I didn’t even notice until I brought her home). And eventually she earned her name Kangaroo – Roo for short, by spending hours inside my hoodies. She loved to borrow and cuddle against my belly; I would go about my household activities with her there.

Roo is a little over a year old now, and in heat. Imagine the most annoyingly excruciating sound and amplify it. Now, try living with this 24 hours a day for a week. For the past few nights I’ve felt sympathy for my neighbors (these old soviet-style concrete apartment buildings aren’t great at sound control) and have been effectively quieting my cat by distracting her every 30 minuets or so, all night long, by dangling a fake fish in front of her attached to a yellow plastic rod. The fish is on the floor, then with a flick of the wrist, the fish is on the bed. Back and forth until she’s tired and settles down for a bit. When there’s quiet I shut my eyes and pray my arms will work while I’m asleep.

On Tuesday I woke up nauseas; eyes bloodshot. Wednesday was better. Tonight I’m hoping for at least 5 consecutive hours of sleep. I googled “cats in heat” in the mists of my temporary insanity (from lack of sleep – remember I’m a PCV and am used to my usual 9-10 hours a night) and found articles detailing how to alleviate your cat with a Q-tip. It was more than disturbing. I know the humane thing to do is to get my cat spayed. Unfortunately for me, they don’t do that here – which may explain the plethora of strays.

So, my advice for all you animal lovers abroad is: get a male!

Celebrating the holidays with CAAW

2009-01-05T04:18:00.000-08:00

A coworker's family

Shahru's kids

Camilla with Gulnara and Chingees

My Director's baby

2009!

2009-01-05T04:16:00.000-08:00

January comes in like a flash – even with the countdown of days to the celebratory turning of the new year – its still seems to surprise me somehow. “It’s 2009,” I say aloud to myself – to no one in particular.

It was 2007 when I got to this place. More than time has marked my transformation. Evolution is a curious thing. My physical appearance has not undergone any drastic changes – and really I’m still the same old me, but I’d like to think I’m a better version of myself now because of my experience here. But, ah, my time is not yet up, so why you may ask am I reflecting on how this experienced has changed me. I have lots of time you see, and reflection is a continual process. This is just one of many reflections – and I find comfort in expressing myself in a New Years Resolution atmosphere.

Last night (New Years Eve) I was standing in Lenin square – enveloped in a fervor of excitement. Fireworks and sparklers were erupting in every direction – and the ones far off were backlighting Lenin who seemed to be the only thing standing still in the middle of it all. I let myself get carried away with the spirit of the place and the time and opened all my senses to the pure joy of it all. Adrenalin and champagne held back the cold, and in the chaos I felt so present, so alive, so home in a city I had grown to know and love over the past 15 months.

Some days I have no problem sleeping ten, eleven hours, then waking up and reading the day away. Lately I’ve been needing to finish books quickly; it’s an obsession almost. I feel like I’m running out of time and yet…I can’t stop procrastinating. I lose myself in books, in bazaar hunts, in cooking elaborate meals for one, in mundane everyday tasks – and yet in these escapes I find something satisfying. A feeling of productivity.

My New Years Resolutions:
1. Study Russian 1 hour every day
2. Exercise /Yoga
3. Work on my Thesis and other papers 4 days a week
4. Stop being the Junk Food Queen and Drink More Water
5. Learn more about the history and keep up with Central Asia Current Events

I think that’s a good start. I could write a resolution list that would fill a whole page, but that’s not realistic is it?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

2008-12-23T23:05:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a joyous holiday season - wherever you are and however you're celebrating! Hope Santa is good to you all. It will be a white Christmas here in Kyrgyzstan.

Around Town

2008-11-11T23:03:00.000-08:00

Matt, Andy, Me

Me, Justine, Matt, and Ian

Christmas Wish List

2008-11-11T22:58:00.000-08:00

•Cupcake wrappers, Vanilla extract
•Green beans/ cream of mushroom soup for casserole
•External modem attachment for MacBook
•Toms shoes (Khaki/Plaid Woven Fleece lined or Sapphire Corduroy Toms, size 8) www.tomsshoes.com
•Music: Lori Carson, Ray LaMontange
•Jiffy Pop
•Baileys
•Coffeee Mate – Flavored
•Candles
* 2009 Daily Planner

*Auntie Carol got me brown Toms last spring and I love them. I've worn them a lot - they're cute and super comfy (good for walking to work).

Gazi's wedding in Bishkek

2008-11-09T22:54:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2008

2008-11-09T22:49:00.000-08:00

Andy, me, Justine, Matt, and Bryan

Fry Fest 2008

2008-10-14T02:12:00.000-07:00

Andy and I bonded with newbies Matt and Justine during our first annual Fry Fest. The menu included hummus, falafel, hot stuffed peppers, and cookies. Good times were had by all.

Lady Leaders

2008-10-05T06:09:00.000-07:00

Women's Leadership Conference

2008-10-05T06:05:00.000-07:00

Women’s Leadership Conference 2008
September 25-28, 2008

# of female Participants: 50
[# of girls under 25 years old: 38, # of women over 25 years old: 12]
# of Presenters: 16
[15 women – Kyrgyz, Russian, Uzbek, 1 man - Kyrgyz]
# of PCVs who assisted: 14

Conference Sessions (1.5 hours each):
1. Role of Women Leaders in Society
2. Women’s Suffrage
3. Gender Equality
4. HIV/AIDS Awareness
5. Round Table: Women Leaders in Kyrgyzstan – What Does it Take?
6. Yoga and Healthy Living
7. Women’s Rights are Human Rights
8. Women in Business Leadership
9. Human Trafficking
10. Bride Kidnapping
11. Promoting Volunteerism and Civic Involvement: NGO Fair
12. Leadership Skills and Programs – for students
13. Corruption
14. Balancing Career and Family
15. Breaking Stereotypes
16. Educational Opportunities Abroad
17. Women’s Sexual Health
18. Stomp and Dance

Members of the Women’s Leadership Club – “Lady Leaders” organized this 4-day Women’s Leadership Conference, along with Peace Corps Volunteer assistance (me) and the support of the Gender Studies Department and the Center for American Studies at the local State University. The goal of the conference was to inspire a sense of possibility and instill a sense of responsibility toward women in leadership in Kyrgyzstan. The conference was successful because it provided a space for current local women leaders and future women leaders to come together to discover and develop leadership skills, behaviors, attitudes, and opportunities. The conference was conducted in the local languages (Kyrgyz and Russian). Peace Corps Volunteers worked behind the scenes setting up coffee breaks, rooms, doing registration, taking photographs, etc.

Evaluations were collected at the conclusion of every day. The return rate averaged 34 completed evaluations/day. At least 3 mentor/mentee pairs were formed. 25 participants expressed interest in joining the Leadership Club - “Lady Leaders.”
Each participant received a participant packet (folder, notebook, pen, badge, handouts, evaluations), a 65com/day Per Diem, a t-shirt (NOT SPA FUNDED), a certificate, and a CD of photographs from the conference.

Each presenter received a badge and a 165com Per Diem.

Both participants and presenters expressed interest in helping plan/facilitate/participate in next year’s conference.

3 Members from my organization – the Central Asian Alliance for Water – were involved in the conference. My director was on the round table panel representing Women Leaders in Kyrgyzstan, Gulnara presented on Leadership Skills for Students, and Aida was the CAAW representative for the NGO Fair. They were all happy to be involved and present.

Challenges: Some presenters who had committed weeks prior dropped out a few days before or never showed up, including the person who was supposed to give the welcome speech. It was very frustrating and stressful and made us appear to be unorganized. Evaluations reflected that the first day was not as smooth as the others. Another challenge was technical related. The university promised us 2 projectors but day of said they only had 1 working one. We had to borrow a projector from another NGO. Lack of power was also a problem.

Indicators of success: The participants hardly spent 10 minutes at the coffee breaks. They were always sitting and waiting for the next sessions to begin before the breaks ended. The participants were enthusiastic, grateful, and extremely active. The topics were interesting and generated a lot of discussion in and outside of the sessions.

I’m really happy with how the conference went. It took a lot of preparation/time/energy, but definitely felt worth it. The presenters and participants took the conference seriously, but also had a great time learning, developing leadership skills, and meeting new people. There were definitely aspects we could improve on, but for our first time organizing anything at this scale, I’d say we did a good job – thanks to Farida and Cholpon (my Lady Leaders).

Chong Rakmat

2008-09-18T02:33:00.000-07:00

That's "big thanks" in Kyrgyz. Just wanted to let ya all know that we now have conference T-shirts. They came out great. Thanks to every one for ideas and support. It's really appreciated. Also - for those of you who are interested in our Women's Leadership Club, we have a lot planned for this year. As I get into the swing of the new school year I will post updates on activities and events - with photos when possible. Again, Chong Rakmat!

Looking 4 Lilya

2008-09-11T23:51:00.000-07:00

I'm looking for the movie "Lilya 4 Ever." If anyone has it, could you send me a copy? Or if you want to be really cool - you could buy it on amazon and send it to me. I'm helping a local NGO with an anti-trafficking awareness campaign and I think it would be a great educational tool (the movie is in Russian). When I was in Bosnia, some of the NGOs used it there and it was really effective. Thanks!

My Family was Here!

2008-09-05T03:05:00.000-07:00

Fam in Kstan

2008-09-05T03:01:00.000-07:00

On the 22nd of August – 31st my family was in Kyrgyzstan! My dad, stepmom, and 4-year old brother made the long journey (safely) out here.

At 3:30am their plane landed in Bishkek. I watched from the second floor in the airport as they came out of the terminal and I couldn’t help but cry. I was so happy to see them – it had been over a year since I had seen them last. After what seemed like forever (was actually only an hour) they made it through customs and baggage. We hugged and made our way out to the hotel shuttle.

For the first few nights we stayed in the Silk Road Lodge – what a treat for me! That was nice and comfortable. We walked around Bishkek looking at sights and even visited the Peace Corps office. Nate got to play in a park and quickly made friends with a little Kyrgyz boy about his age. We ate at a Turkish café, an Italian restaurant and a Kyrgyz restaurant. One day we spent the entire day visiting my first host family in a village. My real family and my host family got to meet each other and I got to play translator. That was pretty amazing – as I expected (since both families are fabulous). My host mom prepared plov (a national dish) and lots of salads and fresh breads. It was quite a feast. Nate played great with my host sisters. I also got to meet my host family’s new volunteer and talk with her for a bit. That was a lot of fun.

On Sunday, Anton – our trusted taxi driver – took us four hours east to Lake Issykul. We stayed at the Royal Beach. That was interesting. The lake was pretty. The weather was a lot cooler – even chilly at night. The “private bungalow” was a little cramped, but real close to the beach. Plus, 3 meals a day were included so my family got to try a lot of the local cuisine. The whole place was relatively quiet considering it was still high tourist season. Since that was my first time on the lake I enjoyed it.

Another 4 and a half hour taxi ride with Anton from the lake to the airport was how we spent the morning of family visit: Day 4. The fly down south was not too bumpy – though there were some pukers on the plane. We spent Days 4 – 8 exploring the sights of Osh. We hiked Suleiman Mountain, trekked through the bazaar, ate at some cafes, and even went in a 3-story yurt museum.

On the 30th the family flew back up to Bishkek and departed for home early on the 31st. I was relieved when they called and said they made it home safely. I’m so grateful that they came to visit, experience Kyrgyzstan, and get a glimpse of what I’m doing and how I’m living. I’m glad they got to meet my friends and colleagues, see my apartment, and my crazy cat. I’m sure they’ll think often about their adventurous trip and reflect on what they have seen and learned.

Thank you Dad, Carolyn, and Nathan for visiting me. I love you guys!

200 com

2008-08-14T01:03:00.000-07:00

So we found this place that will sell us t-shirts with our logo and " Women's Leadership Conference 2008" for 200 com each. Thats only $5.50! Sooo now I'm looking for fundraising ideas. Let me know if you got any! We need approx $300. Thanks!

Looking for T-shirts

2008-07-29T23:20:00.000-07:00

With our Women's Leadership Conference planning well underway, I have become increasingly dissapointed that our request for funds for participant t-shirts has been cut from the grant we've recieved.

I know I should be happy that we even recieved partial funding - 43,600com to be exact (about $1,200), but the girls have their hearts set on T-shirts. They designed a really cool logo of a strong woman holding up the world.

So, if anyone knows of any companies/organizations that donate t-shirts, we can probably scrape up enough money (or have participants pay) for the screen printing here. Places like the Gap make t-shirt donations, but only within the US. Its been tough finding someone to donate t-shirts to Kyrgyzstan.

We'll have 50 participants at the conference, which will take place at the end of September. T-shirts can be any color, as long as they fit 15-20 year old girls - small/medium sizes would be best.

If you have any info please email me: becky.johnson@mail.sit.edu
Thank You!

About Arslanbob

2008-07-24T23:44:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went to Arslanbob with my friend Tara. It took us over 4 hours to get there, switching taxis halfway. We arrived at lunchtime on Saturday, ate some plov at a chihanah, then met up with Tara's friends who work for CBT (Community Based Tourism). We started hiking to the waterfall in the afternoon when it started downpouring. So we ended up sitting under an ice cream tent in the center of town, playing cards for a few hours.

Later in the evening we went guesting at a local house. We sat and ate for hours with Tara's local friends. We slept very comfotably in a guesthouse that night. On Sunday the weather was perfect so we hiked all day: up to the small waterfall, then to the panorama, then to the big waterfall. It was great, exhausting though. We headed home Sunday night, and found much cheaper taxis back.

It was fun to be in the mountains where its cooler, and see the beautiful nature.

Arslanbob in July

2008-07-24T23:38:00.000-07:00

Arslanbob!

2008-07-24T23:36:00.000-07:00

Arslanbob

2008-07-24T23:25:00.000-07:00

One Year A Go...

2008-07-06T03:55:00.000-07:00

One Year a go I arrived in the Kyrgyz Republic. This past year has been filled with new experiences, meeting new people, learning how to make connections , speaking Russian, and surviving in a new element. It's been enjoyable and rewarding and I just want to thank everyone who has supported me along the way - through emails, letters, phone calls, packages, and positive thoughts. You're support has given me the strength to do this work. I miss everyone back home, but another year will go by before we know it.

The new volunteers arrive late tonight. This is a very exciting time for all of us here in the Kyrgyz PC world. Best of luck to the newbies!

Happy 4th!

2008-07-06T03:52:00.000-07:00

Hey All,
I know I'm a few days late, but just wanted to wish you all a Happy 4th of July. Hope you all enjoyed fireworks and yummy food, spending time with family and friends.

Turkey Shots

2008-06-23T03:16:00.001-07:00

Turkey

2008-06-23T03:15:00.001-07:00

My trip to Turkey was fantastic. I was trying to think what my favorite part was and it’s a tie between eating good food (lots and lots of olives) and swimming in the Aegean. The weather was perfect the whole time. We ventured outside of Istanbul, took a 10-hour bus ride south to Izmir, then another bus ride to Cesme, a small costal/touristy town. It wasn’t quite tourist season yet, so that was nice. The beaches around Cesme were amazing – crystal clear, warm blue water. We rented lounge chairs on the beaches and had waitress service. What a life!

We spent our last few days trekking it back up to Istanbul and exploring there. We went to a palace, the grand bazaar, the spice bazaar, the famous Blue Mosque, and even took a boat tour of the Bosphorous. Oh and we did the Turkish Baths! That was an interesting experience.

On our last night we walked a ways and found a bridge that was packed with seafood restaurants underneath. We ended up picking a place when the owner approached me and started speaking with me in Russian. It was really fun to look at a Russian menu and make small talk. The food wasn’t bad either – they served this delicious olive oil with crushed olives and toast to start, then we split a shrimp cocktail, then salmon. Its remarkable how good seafood tastes after a year without it.

We stayed in hostels (except for the first night) and met some cool people along the way. I got to go shopping and buy a few new shirts and some earrings. We drank Effes at night and watched the Euro Cup – every café and pub had their TVs in the windows so people could sit outside and watch the soccer games. It was a lot of fun. Thanks Ben!

It was weird coming back to Bishkek. I stayed in Bishkek for a few days when I got back and I couldn’t wait to just get back to my site, my apartment, and my kitten. She was such a spaz when I finally got home and now she wont leave my side. I think I traumatized her.

I’m getting back into the swing of things here – tutoring 3 times a week, and have begun working everyday at the Central Asian Alliance for Water. It’s so hot though and the office is lacking AC and fans, so the big city pool tempts me everyday. I went to the pool for the first time last Friday and then again on Saturday – it was freezing but refreshing! If there weren’t 200+ boys swimming in their underwear I’d go everyday.

Pizza Party!

2008-06-23T03:11:00.000-07:00

Women's Club Pizza Party

2008-06-23T03:09:00.000-07:00

On May 31st we had a pizza party with our women’s club girls at a local pizza café. We had a nice time chatting about all that we had done in the past year and all that we will do in the upcoming year.

Thank you again to all of you who have given donations for our Women’s Club! We really appreciate your support. I will post photos soon!

Women's Leadership Club

2008-05-25T01:47:00.000-07:00

This past week we only had 6 girls attend because it's exam time here at the universities. We talked about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Bride Kidnapping - which went well. These are some of the girls:

Plov Time

2008-05-25T01:40:00.000-07:00

Sarah, a K14, taught us how to make plov the other night at Meg and Theo's. Plov is a traditional Kyrgyz Dish made by frying onions, carrots, garlic, meat, and rice in a large kazhan (deep/thick pot). It took about 3 hours, but was delicious! It was only appropriate to wear traditional Kyrgyz Cowpawks (mens' felt hats) while we ate.

Oh May

2008-05-13T23:07:00.000-07:00

On May 9th nine volunteers piled into taxis and took a 25-minute ride outside of the city center. It was a hot a sticky day. I was surprised, as I always am, how quickly the city morphs into the rural countryside. In less than minutes, apartment buildings changed to mud-brick compounds with outhouses; paved roads into dirt.

In no time we arrived at the Hippodrome – a giant stadium surrounded by 10-foot high concrete walls. We paid the driver and followed the stream of people up a path towards the bleachers. Men, women, and children dressed in traditional Kyrgyz garb, on horses made their way through the crowds. At one point we walked by a long row of families eating on topchans and they all stopped to stare at us (this feeling was heightened because I was walking along side my African-American friend who attracts a lot of attention).

We found a row of empty benches in the already packed bleachers and claimed them. Since we arrived an hour before the scheduled starting time, we compared opinions on what this game of “Oolack” would be like since none of us had actually seen it before. In the end we all agreed it was like polo, played by men on teams with horses, using a sheep carcass as the ball.

4 hours later, oolack had not started, but in the meantime there were speeches and songs, men and women playing traditional instruments, some horse parades, and some horse races. I have never seen so many horses in one place before. Plus, set against the backdrop of the mountains, it was pretty spectacular. As we rounded our 5th hour on the hard wooded benches, exposed to the harsh sun, a few of us called it a day and left before the official game started. But all in all it was a good cultural experience anyway.

The next day one of the volunteer’s host mother said she saw us on TV!

May 10th was Megan’s 25th Birthday and we celebrated by playing basketball during the day. It was fun to get out and play but we couldn’t have picked a hotter time of day. That evening we congregated at Colin’s and Megan cooked us all tuna hot dish, spaghetti bake, and 3-layer dip. Others brought salads and desserts. I made chocolate chip brownies. We drank strawberry lemonade* and sat outside in the backyard. The best part about the party was we all wore muumuus. Very comfortable and very chick.

I bought my plane ticket to Turkey and will be meeting my brother in Istanbul in a few weeks. I’ve never been so excited about a vacation before. After having been in country for almost a year now, it will be nice to get away for a bit and recharge. Plus, I haven’t seen family in a year and it will fun to spend some time with Ben.

A few major accomplishments from the past week: I made vegetarian chicken pot pie from scratch – crust and all! And it actually came out pretty good. And I made huevos rancheros from scratch (Corn tortillas topped with homemade refried beans, fried eggs, cheese, homemade salsa, and hot sauce). I don’t think we have the right kind of corn meal here though because the corn tortillas didn’t turn out that great. Each meal took a few hours to prepare, but I enjoyed doing it.

I hung up some screens yesterday so now I can enjoy bug-free fresh air in my apartment. Roo has been bored because she doesn’t have any flies to torture and eat anymore.

Strawberries and cherries are out in the bazaar now, which is fantastic – and prices are dropping everyday. I bought a half a kilo of cherries last week for about a dollar. This week a whole kilo is one dollar. I love it.

Megan and I have found ourselves addicted to “Maxi Chai,” partly because of its name and partly because of its refreshing, thirst quenching qualities. “Maxi Chai” comes in a plethora of flavors: peach, strawberry, kiwi, lemon, and even pineapple! Who says the little things in life can’t make you happy?!

May 10th...Megan's 25th

2008-05-12T00:46:00.001-07:00

Good Food, Good People, Good Party

May 9th

2008-05-12T00:42:00.000-07:00

Local Police and Local Old Men, Pretty Horses

Another Kyrgyz Holiday...

2008-05-12T00:38:00.001-07:00

This is a view of the stadium we went to on May 9th to watch some traditional Kyrgyz horse games. There were a lot of people and a lot of horses.

Meg, Karen, and I

2008-05-12T00:35:00.000-07:00

Seeking Donations!

2008-04-28T01:40:00.000-07:00

I can’t even begin to fathom how many individuals actually read my blog, but if you’re reading this, then I’d have to assume you care somewhat about the Kyrgyz Republic.

Every Friday at half past two, 15-20 young women, ages 15-23 attend our Women’s Leadership Club. As Megan and I put finishing touches on our lesson plans, the ladies trickle in – eventually filling up a large circle in our classroom at the Kyrgyz-Uzbek University.

The three goals of Women’s Leadership Club are to 1. Practice English 2. Discuss issues relevant to women in Kyrgyzstan 3. Have fun. In the process we hope to transfer important skills and to facilitate and foster a safe environment for local women to dialogue about issues that effect their lives.

Past session topics included: dream jobs, careers, gender expectations, resume writing, cover letters, interview skills, mock interviews, labor migration, human trafficking, HIV/AIDS, sexuality/safe sex, menstruation, self-esteem, culture, breaking stereotypes, Black History month, effective communication, challenges women face, and assertiveness. So far we have held twenty-one sessions. Upcoming sessions will be focused on nutrition/women’s health, homosexuality, prostitution, body image/concepts of beauty, and goal setting.

Every week a core group of girls show up, but there are always new people too. The core group of girls also comprises the student planning committee for the Southern Kyrgyzstan Women’s Leadership Conference that we are developing.

The leadership conference will be for 3-4 days. Our student planning committee has been meeting regularly to decide on session topics, local leaders to invite, presenters, activities, venues, and other aspects of the event. They have already designed a logo and a slogan for t-shirts and certificates.

The Women’s Leadership Club has been one of the most fulfilling activities of my Peace Corps service thus far because the young women who come to club are so inspiring. They are intelligent and motivated – which in turn motivates me. We’ve had some amazing, and some difficult discussions on topics some of our girls have never spoken about before. I feel good about helping them to critically think about their environments and issues that impact their lives. On top of all that, we’ve been able to share cross-cultural experiences.

This is where you all come in. Up until now, Megan and I have been paying for the materials we use during club with money from our living stipends. We would love to set up a Women’s Leadership club fund through donations. Just a small budget, would help us do more with the club over the course of the next year and a half, and would help us reach more young women.

Materials here such as flipcharts, small notebooks, markers, and the like are all fairly inexpensive. A couple hundred dollars would go a long way. If you would like to support our Women’s Leadership Club please email me at beckyj6043@hotmail.com and I will send you my mailing address. Cash and/or office supplies would be much appreciated.

On behalf of Women’s Club – Thanks!

April Showers...

2008-04-21T00:25:00.000-07:00

I turned 24 in Kyrgyzstan, on the 14th of April. I’ve always felt older than my age, but 24 seems like a good year. It rained all day, but it was productive nonetheless. I cleaned my entire apartment – since my friend from Talas was coming down for the week, and worked a bit. I got 2 packages from the post office. In the evening I made pizzas with the other volunteers at Meg and Theo’s place. I splurged on canned olives to add to the fresh basil, spinach, and sun-dried tomato toppings. So gourmet! Karen made brownies – my favorite. It was a great night, concluded with a few competitive rounds of catch phrase.

On Tuesday of last week, one of my NGOs had a project writing training from 9-5. It was in Russian and I understood most of what was going on. After lunch my brain was fried, but I stuck it out. When I got home I was so exhausted. But – since I fixed my oven I decided to christen it, so I made green bean casserole! Yummy!!

So my friend from Talas hung out for the week, which was fun. She gave a presentation for the leadership workshops.

I got a fridge finally, on Thursday! My landlord was pretty resistant to my pleas, so I busted out some Russian to negotiate. I think he was impressed/entertained so he finally gave in. He said his family was getting bigger so he needed to buy a new one; I got his old one. It’s so nice to be able to refrigerate my milk, cheese, and eggs and have cold beverages. How did I live 5 months without one?!

My good friend Karen left Kyrgyzstan (again) on Saturday. Her farmer-to-farmer project with Winrock International ended, so she said goodbye and packed up. It’s going to be strange not having her and her baked goods around.

Hopefully all these April showers will bring lots of fruits and veggies in the months to come.

Roo likes reading too

2008-04-07T00:49:00.000-07:00

Suliman Mountain...a while a go

2008-04-07T00:46:00.001-07:00

April

2008-04-07T00:44:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I usually write pretty realistically, to make it easy to convey what I’m experiencing here. The following is an example of how I write for me – more creative. I hope this reveals another layer of understanding.

Kyrgyzstan has seeped into my pores like a fine dust, leaving on my skin a gritty residue. Constant friction leaves me raw and tired but I cannot sleep. Am I changing? Am I growing? I sculpt awkwardness and cultivate its forms on my heel. Lean into your discomfort they said. I’m leaning so much, I’m almost lying down; but no, I will not surrender.

Faces and tongues that were once new I feel as if they have always belonged to me, or me to them – though we don’t always understand. I cradle my hours, frame in my mind the moments I never want to elude me. Time is elusive here; I feel older somehow.

Stallion reds and hushes of greens, stable yellows, and violet flurries guide me now, always alive. When there’s nothing else there’s always color. I look forward to the freshness of vibrant mornings, solitary walks, humming thoughts.

In the village, miles away from everything and nothing, I sit with the women and they give me tea, bowls of sumalack, homemade naan. I made a wish on the stone in my sumalack, lucky me, then gave it to six-year-old Monha Liza. Her toothy smile broke my heart, filled me with hope. Riding home past fields and farms and poverty and life, the urgency of childbearing shakes me, and I cry. Silent tears for my unknown future and unborn children. I’ve never been so sure.

Naked, I examine my body; fingers trace scars etched in fleshy mauve. I look on the outside how I feel on the inside: soft and imperfect, altered. I think often about the impressions left on me and the ones I blindly, carelessly leave behind. Such fragments, such deep gashes. I should be more careful.

Terminals and hotels, Russian taxi drivers, conversions come so easily now. Exchange rates, cultural exchange, interpersonal exchange, change, change, adapt.

Hand wash; soak in suds, scrub with scratchy bars. Rinse and wring, wring and rinse then hang dry. Green clothes lines and cheap Chinese clothespins. My socks and underwear are exposed and dripping on my balcony for all of Aravanskaya to see.

2008-04-07T00:40:00.000-07:00

Kyrgyz New Year Pics

2008-04-07T00:35:00.001-07:00

Kyrgyz New Year

2008-04-07T00:33:00.000-07:00

On March 21st - 24th I celebrated Norus, the Kyrgyz New Year, with my coworkers and friends. One day I went to a sumalack party at one of my NGOs and one day I went to a village festival with some other volunteers.

Sumalack is a traditional food that is made once a year, on Norus. It is made from cooking ground wheat and wheat milk with oil and stones in a large outdoor kazan. The kazan looks like a giant wok, but deeper, and is usually mounted on bricks above an open fire pit. The sumalack needs to be constantly boiling and stirred for 24 hours. When it is finished it looks like a thick brown molasses; and is usually eaten with bread. I got to stir the sumalck with what looked like an oar, for about an hour. You’re supposed to make a wish while making your first stir, and later when eating it, if you get a stone that’s good luck. Sumalack is made in huge batches, then jarred and stored in the fridge. I was given a liter.

The village festival we stumbled upon was a bit of an accident. We had hear that oolack was being played in this particular village about 25 minutes outside of the city, so we jumped in a taxi and got dumped on the side of the road. Where we thought would be oolack (men on horses play a polo like game with a sheep head) the whole village had gathered for a Norus festival. At first people just stared and we didn’t feel comfortable, but then a few older women ushered us into their yurt and played music for us. There were 4 other yurts and a circle formed around a microphone. Throughout the day there were musical performers, speeches, dances, and a simulated wedding precession in the middle of the circle. In the yurts judges were going around scoring them on various traditional foods laid out, decorations, and entertainment. We got invited into each yurt and were given foods to try and tea to drink. Yurts are a lot bigger on the inside than they seem from the outside, and quite comfortable too.

On Norus, the city was teeming with people and families, everybody wearing their “Sunday best.” It was a gloriously warm day and all of the outdoor cafes were at full capacity. People were picnicking on every patch of green grass in the park, and young boys were playing on the riverbed in their underwear.

Growing Pains

2008-03-19T01:28:00.000-07:00

Roo has become a feisty “hot dog kitten.” She’s growing long, like one of those hot dog dogs, but she still looks like a baby. When she was little, her people climbing was tolerated because she was so light that it didn’t hurt much but now, at 4 months old, she’s leaving ugly red scratches all over my body. Anti-people-climbing training is underway.

Saint Patrick’s Day came and went uncelebrated. This time last year I was bartending at Senor Flacos and sipping on margaritas…mmmm…

I finally saved enough com to buy a fridge – but last weekend I had a fridge buying fiasco. I spent all day Sunday walking around the entire city looking in all of the new and used appliance stores for a small refrigerator. By mid-afternoon I found the perfect one and even bargained to pay 1,000 com less than the sticker price. After getting it home via taxi then carrying it up to my apartment all by myself I was seriously disappointed when I plugged it in and it didn’t turn on. Luckily I was able to get a local couple to help me take it back to the store the next day and fight for my money back. So now I’m back to square one: fridge-less. Nothing is simple here.

On a brighter note, the weather is awesome. It has been warm and sunny! All of the snow is melted – no big parking lot snowplow piles here – because we don’t have parking lots or plows. I even ventured to wear my flip-flops once, but got some stares, so decided its not quite flip-flop wearing time yet.

My friend Karen moved into a new apartment fully equipped with a washing machine, a fridge, and an aristone! Such luxuries! I took her up on her offer to do my laundry at her place – I’ve washed my clothes in a machine twice in the past 9 months! I have a new and deep appreciation for washing machines. It’s so nice to put on real clean clothes.

I managed to somehow pull my Achilles as soon as spring arrived. I’m not sure when or how I did it, but one day on my way to work I was in so much pain that I could barely walk. So I’ve been trying to rest it which hasn’t been easy to do because I need to walk everywhere for everything.

I got some new books from my mom last week, which look great. Thanks mom! That’s about all that’s new. I’m managing – living day by day. The weeks go by fast. I’m thinking of taking a mini vacation but not sure where yet. I’ve never gone this long without a break before and I’ve been feeling burnt out lately. I think getting away for a while will rejuvenate me. Turkey and Thailand are sounding nice right about now. Anyone want to come or meet somewhere?

Happy Women's Day to You!

2008-03-11T01:40:00.000-07:00

The month of March has been interesting thus far in Kyrgyzstan. One of the biggest holidays here is International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8th. Because the 8th was on a Saturday, most people celebrated with co-workers and colleagues on Friday. The flower stands in the center of town were mobbed all day long. Flowers were bought and given to women, along with chocolates, stuffed animals, and other small trinkets. I received a red carnation and a wind chime from my local friend Kanykie, and a small wooden statue of an African looking woman from my tutor.

In honor of Women’s Day the mentor/mentee program at the local university organized a roundtable discussion on bride kidnapping (know as “ala kachuu” here) and showed a short film – Part of Petr Lom’s PBS Documentary. I’m glad I was invited because it was interesting to hear local opinions about this practice, and it got me to thinking about my thesis more.

My little brother turned 4 last week! Happy (Belated) Birthday Nathan!! It was fun hearing about his swimming party at the YMCA and the new Easy Bake Oven he got.

The past few days have been gloriously warm – all of the snow is pretty much melted. The bazaar is much more manageable now. I have a small balcony in my apartment – just big enough to fit one chair. I’ve enjoyed reading out there and soaking in the sun. I let my kitten on the balcony too, but only when I can supervise her. I think she might just be dumb enough to jump off of it after a bird or a fly, not realizing we’re on the top floor.

Cafés have started putting tables and chairs outside again. And some of the seasonal ones are preparing to open. So exciting!

At the end of March we will have another Peace Corps training, this time on Project Design and Monitoring. I have to decide this week who I want to bring with me (it can be anyone from either NGO I work at, who would want to work on a project together).

Old ladies in long skirts, peacock sweaters, head scarves, and orange work vests have been out in full force cleaning up the city. You'd think this would be job for young men, but these ladies get the job done with their homemade brooms. Yesterday on my walk to work I noticed guys on statues scrubbing them clean. And ahh, the smell of buring trash is in the air! All this activity has got me to thinking about Earth Day, which is coming up, and what we could do here...

Slush City

2008-02-27T04:03:00.000-08:00

The ice is finally beginig to thaw, leaving in it's wake a mighty slush. This city never fails to challenge me. Instead of ice skating to work, it's now like walking in sand. Such a good workout that I don't feel guilty at all for not power walking with Meg, or taking belly dancing class with the other girls.

It has been great spending some time with a friend and former volunteer who had to leave the PC, but is back working part time with another NGO. Last weekend we tackled the bazaar and the mountain - both exhausting but interesting events. (I'll try to post some pictures soon).

My kitten is growing bigger everyday. She eats alot and loves to try to get at whatever I'm cooking and eating. Despite my best efforts, her favorite things to play with are used dinner napkins. And she goes bonkers for cheese.

I got a package and some wonderful pictures from Dad and Carolyn and Nathan yesterday. Thank you guys! Nathan - thank you very much for the easter bunnies.

I'm excited for spring time. I can't wait to shed the layers. I don't want to be called a cabbage anymore!

Power Meltdown

2008-02-24T02:41:00.000-08:00

This past Thursday, after a long day at the office without electtricity, I went home to find that the power in my apartment was on. I settled down with a movie and an hour or so into it I heard a terrible hissing noise. I looked down at my power adapter, plugged into my surge protector and black smoke was comming out of it. I immediately ripped it out of the power strip, then unplugge the power strip altogether. It was too late...brown liquid was ozzing out of it. Luckily my computer survived the surge. But I no longer have a way to charge my battery. My power adapter was fried beyond repair.

Just as that was happening, I flicked on my light to get a better look at the damage and my light bulb became painfully bright then exploded. The glass bulb litteraly flew out of the socket - leaving the metal part behind. This surge went on all night and into the next morning blowing up all my lightbulbs and smoking my chargers. It was quite unpleasant.

From the past month or so...

2008-02-18T01:40:00.001-08:00

February 15, 2008
January came and went in a flash. Happy Belated 26th Birthday Ben!
I’ve been spending my days working at 2 different NGO’s, reading, watching movies, writing, taking care of the little one, thinking about my school work, and hanging out with friends. On VDay we had a heart-shaped cookie decorating party at Kristina’s for Valentines Day in conjunction with our weekly PCV meeting.

Last week I wrote my first grant proposal, with Meg’s help. We’re planning a 4-day Women’s Leadership Conference for this May and want funding so we can make the event as professional and as fun as possible – including T-shirts, certificates, and a close of ceremony celebration. We asked for less than $1,700 for 50 participants from the US Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic – Democracy Commission - Small Grants Program. We’ll see what happens. I’m anxious to find out if we’ll get it. My first grant – so exciting!

The Saturday before last, after attempting to construct the 20-pound gingerbread house Meg and Theo got in a Christmas package, we went dancing at a local disco under a bridge (I know, sounds sketchy, but it was actually pretty nice). It was fun but expensive – 100som for ladies to get in, 200 for the fellas. We had a big group, which made it better and safer. The pop music here is interesting. Enrique and the Back Street Boys, as well as Shakira, Nelly Fertado, Jennifer Lopez, and Justin Timberlake are all very popular.

The past few days were a bit warmer and the ice started melting, then it froze again, and it’s snowing today. The roads and sidewalks are so slick – I could strap on a pair of ice skates and skate to work. The locals have been saying this is the worst winter in 50 years. It’s comparable to a New England winter, but feels colder because most buildings aren’t heated very well. My friends who are teachers here keep getting weeks off because the schools have been shut down because they’re too cold. This is happening throughout the country.

I have a new Russian tutor. She’s not a co-worker, but works in the same office building. It has been working well so far – she teaches me Russian and I teach her English. We’re trying for 3-4 lessons a week. She’s a former English teacher so I’m a little intimidated – I feel like I’m not a very good teacher. But it’s good to be back into a steady language routine.

I learned how to knit a few weeks a go. I’m not very good, but I got the basics down. Kelly left a nice pair of needles and Meg gave me some green yarn, so I’m working on my first scarf. I bought a ball of yarn at the bazaar, but it’s way too thin so now it’s a cat toy. Roo goes crazy over it.

I started a fridge fund – a bucket for my 1 com bills. Since my charmingly flawed apartment has no fridge, and my cardboard box in between the window panes is starting to fray, I decided to start saving. I’ve been asking around and found out I could get a small used one for about 3,000 som, so I’m hoping I’ll have enough saved to buy one in April. I’ve been able to go without one because stuff stays cold enough in the window or on the balcony, but come warmer weather I’ll need one.

Last Sunday I had a humbling experience. I had a few friends over for brunch and at one point I looked out the window and noticed a person laying face down in the snow outside. When yelling didn’t produce any results my friend agreed to go down with me to do something. It was an elderly lady and she looked nearly dead. We couldn’t shake her awake. One of her shoes was off, her coat was open, and she wasn’t wearing any hat or gloves. Her cheek was literally on the snow. She felt alarmingly cold, and was barely breathing. Eventually a nice Uzbek woman came out and luckily my friend could speak Uzbek, so they talked for a while about what to do. We knew if we left her she would die in an hour or two. It was snowing pretty hard. At one point I looked up at my apartment building and noticed faces in every window – people were just watching us. Finally we found someone who could tell us where this passed out lady lived and just as we were about to carry her there (it was close by) two young Russian teenage girls walked by and offered to help. So the four of us carried this old lady who eventually opened her eyes a bit up to the third floor of a nearby apartment, where she lived. I knew I did the right thing by taking initiative, but for the rest of the day I couldn’t stop thinking about the faces in the windows, and why it was the foreigners and not the neighbors who took action.

I’ve been on a soup kick. The Peace Corps gave us these Kyrgyz Republic Cook books – made up of recopies compiled from previous volunteers. It’s really great and I’ve been trying lots of new things. But, as the winter is in full force, the produce selection has been minimal – I’m talking potatoes, onions, and carrots. So anyway, I tried the French onion soup recipe and it was amazing and easy! So the next time I made it I added carrots and potatoes, and then the third time I got creative and added pasta and soy meat too. I’ve been making up big batches so I can have leftovers for lunch (trying to save those soms).

It’s weird that planning for the next group of volunteers is already underway. It seems like we, the K-15’s just got here, and already the K-16’s are on their way. They arrive in July, and will be sent to sites in late September. Unfortunately, no more volunteers are being placed in cities, so I won’t be very close to any of the newbies.

What else…I just found out today that my director at the Central Asian Alliance for Water is four months pregnant. She’s so cute. We talked for a while today about pregnancy and marriage and she seemed concerned that I’m 23 now, will be 25 when I go back to the states, and I don’t even have a boyfriend, never mind a husband or children. Women here in Kyrgyzstan usually get married young – between 18 and 22.

Learned a new term for prostitutes: night butterflies.

Translated 2 SWOT analyses at work today from Russian into English. That was fun.

It just took an hour and 37 minutes for water to boil in a small pot – that’s how low the gas is. For some reason they turn it down in the winter. The electricity has also been very weak. And my heat stopped working. I can see my breath in my apartment. Good thing I have sweaters!

My friends and I tried a new Chinese restaurant, which just opened in the new Chinese hotel. It was a bit strange. The restaurant was on the fourth floor and to get there we had to take an elevator, and then walk down a long hallway of rooms then up a flight of stairs. The food was okay, but I probably won’t go back anytime soon.

The volunteers here have a pretty decent collection of DVD’s – I’ve watched many in the past few weeks because it’s been too cold to do much else, including Grey’s Anatomy and Weeds season 1. Last week I rearranged my apartment. It feels more spacious now.

Meg and I walked to the bazaar and the supermarket yesterday morning. We had to stop on the way back to rest because we were carrying a lot of stuff and it was unusually warm out. I bought an economy size bag of cat food, which seemed like a good idea at the time, by the time I got home my arms were shaking. Work out for the week: check.

Last night I went out for Plov (a traditional Kyrgyz Dish made from rice, vegetables, and meat) with a friend who was a K-10 but is now back working for an International Development Agency. Her friends are visiting and wanted to eat at a chiahanah – which is like a restaurant but you rent a small room. Most of the time only men go to chiahanahs. You take off your shoes and sit on pillows around a short table. The food is communal, so everyone just gets a spoon and digs in. We drank lots of tea, ate lots of plov (1 ½ kilos!) and pickles and talked about politics for a few hours. The Chiahanah was in a neighborhood on the outskirts of town and when the taxi we called didn’t come after 30 minutes we started walking. Eventually we flagged one down and got home before 10pm. And on the way home my mom called which was a fabulous surprise! Thanks mom! It was great talking to you.

Spring/Summer Wish List

2008-02-13T00:38:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Instant Coffee
Franks Hot Sauce
Peanut Butter
Gum
Spices
Veggie bullion cubes
Wasabi sauce
Wasabi almonds
easy meals/sides
DVD’s (used)
Music (burnt mixed CDs)
Oil-free sunscreen for face
Q-tips
computer cleaning wipes
small kitty pooper scooper
Bathing suit (modest 2 piece)
**Summer Tote bag (durable and large enough for laptop)**
Spring/summer clothes
Tom’s Shoes: www.tomsshoes.com (any color/pattern)
Sandals (size 7 1/2 - Cute but comfy)

SIT, Не Правда?

2008-02-06T03:26:00.000-08:00

Soo...SIT changed it's name. Weird. I guess I knew in the back of my mind it was coming. Herd the buzz on campus last year, but Graduate Institute? Really?

Speaking of formerly known as, SIT - heard from Mary Kay and Trent today! I will write to you both soon! So great to hear from you guys. MK - loved the pics.

Let the Research Begin!

2008-01-25T00:37:00.000-08:00

As I delve into my research I am starkly aware that my acess to resources is limited. Therefore, I am requesting your help. If anyone has any titles, or know of any books/articles that relate to Development/Central Asia/Women, Human Trafficking/Bride Kidnapping in the former Soviet Republic, National Identity, and the like, let me know! Thanks so much.

Sledding

2008-01-23T02:27:00.000-08:00

Sledding in Krasnaya Rechka with Meg and Theo and their host family. Good times.

Kelly, We'll miss you!

2008-01-23T02:21:00.000-08:00

Have fun back in the states. Eat some good food for us!

My baby

2008-01-21T01:03:00.000-08:00

Kitten!!

2008-01-21T01:02:00.000-08:00

Well, I got my kitten. I returned from In-Service Training Tuesday afternoon and picked the little one up Tuesday night. It’s Friday now, and in the past 3 days I managed to litter box train her. She’s so smart! She’s only 7 weeks old, but is doing very well adjusting. She’s eating and sleeping a lot, likes to play with ping-pong balls, and loves to cuddle. I tell her everyday that I’m not a tree but she climbs me anyway – from my slippers to my shoulders! When I cook dinner she likes to sleep in the hood of my sweatshirt, and when I’m sitting, she’s always sleeping in my lap. We brought her mother over today so she could nurse one more time, but it didn’t happen – she was preoccupied with wrestling and playing with momma’s tail. She has one small deformity - an ear and a half on the right side. It’s hardly noticeable, unless you really look for it. Haven’t picked a name yet, but am leaning towards Roo because she likes to cling to me like a little kangaroo. But I’ve been calling her all sorts of names: Cry Baby, Monkey, Gabby, Flappy, Flying Squirrel (you should see her jump!). I’m still taking suggestions.

Enjoy the pictures!

2008-01-21T01:00:00.000-08:00

I meant to post this before IST but it didn’t happen…
January 5, 2008
After warnings from the Peace Corps about possible severe earthquakes hitting my vicinity, and subsequent days/nights of heightened anxiety, I’m happy about the fact that I’m leaving for In-Service Training tomorrow. I want to be as far away from earthquakes as possible, though, without leaving the country – that’s difficult to do. I recently learned that the winter months mark earthquake season here.

Big good news: I’m getting an aristone!! I talked to my landlord (coolly but sternly) using my finest Russian and convinced him to finally buy me a hot water heater – so I can actually shower in my own apartment! This is so exciting, as the bucket bath routine is getting old.

So on my walk to work every morning I pass a large compound of buildings, set back from the main road – blocked by a chain and sometimes a guard. I had been so confused because I thought from the signage that this place was the local hospital, but all the Doctor-looking people were wearing big chef hats: the kind of paper ones that stand up tall. Sometimes they wear the white lab-coats…or butcher coats. Thankfully, the older volunteers are much wiser than I and they assured me it was a hospital. Don’t know how I feel about their attire, but at least I know where to go now in case of an emergency.

Meg and I got our first Kyrgyz haircuts last week. What an experience! Meg’s husband, Theo had one of his female co-workers show us which salon she uses, and introduced us to her hairstylist. We made appointments and returned the following day. The whole routine is basically the same: first a shampoo, then a nice chat about what you want you hair to look like, then the cut, then the blow dry. The most shocking difference is that they shampoo your hair standing up. You stand facing this big sink and flip your hair forward, bending down so you’re looking at your toes. There are not enough towels to cover your shoulders so the water trickles down your face and into your shirt. On me, Maya used “Head and Shoulders, 2-in-1.” The 'what I want my hair to look like' conversation was interesting, having not studied hairstyle vocabulary. We supplemented our convo with hand gestures and pictures. In the end, it was a little shorter than I wanted, but healthy looking and feeling. Definitely 150 soms well spent (about 4 dollars).

Okay, lots to do and pack today. I probably won’t have a chance to write while I’m away, but I’ll fill you in on all the details upon my return!

2008-01-13T23:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I just completed my In-Service-Training! That marks my 6th month of being in Kyrgyzstan. It was strange seeing everyone who is still here, whom I haven't seen since the end of Pre-Service Training. We stayed in the same hotel, just outside of the city. It was cold! Thought it would be a nice relaxing week, but it turned out to be stressful. I actually got homesick for my apartment! I'm heading back to my site tomorrow - hopefully with the snow there won't be any flight delays or cancellations.

I got a chance to visit my first host family in the village over the weekend. Wish I had planned it better so I would have had more time to spend with them. I just stayed one night. Our little puppy is now a lot bigger, and nicer (she walked me to the outhouse every time!) The girls were great. And everyone enjoyed the newspaper article I gave them (from the haverhill Gazette). My mom was a little embarassed that she wasn't more dressed up, but they thought it was really cool that their picture was in an American Newspaper. My host dad loved looking at the car ads. He just bought a new one, and was bummed to see that cars are cheaper in the U.S.

They sent me home with homemade jam and tomato sauce, which I can't wait to eat.

I'm getting the kitten tomorrow!!

2008-01-01T21:52:00.000-08:00

The Last Day of The Year…

As I sit in my cozy apartment, watching melted snow and ice drip off the roof, past my window outside I hear an old woman bellowing from the sidewalk below, “TVORGG, SIIR…TVORGG, SIIR, CMETANA.” Her voice is high pitched, almost mournful sounding. I don’t have to look to know she’s walking around the apartment buildings selling homemade cottage cheese, cheese, and a thick cream cheese out of plastic buckets. Her calling is as daily and as steady as the Muslim call to prayer that I hear every morning, pre-dawn.

In stark contrast I think of the giant flat screen TV they recently erected on one corner of the busiest intersections in the city. I think it was put up to display advertisements, but every time I have passed it – usually on my way to work or back from friends’ houses – it’s blaring old American rap music videos.

Out front of the oblast’s administration building, where I work, is Lenin Square. It is here, the tallest statue of Lenin in all of Kyrgyzstan, resides over the city – one hand clutching his jacket’s lapel, the other raised in a wave-like salute. Posed here, surrounded by flags and a “New Year’s Tree” almost as tall as he, he looks benevolent; happy almost, to be in the center of the city’s festivity.

The bazaar is now more dangerous than ever. There’s another layer to it now: ice. The once muddy ground is now a pure, uneven sheath of ice. Un-phased local women continue to walk confidently in heels arm in arm, while tourists slip and slide all over the place falling and bruising their unaccustomed bodies.

As the week, and now the day wears on, with the New Year on the cusp of the day – the interruption of fireworks becomes more frequent. Outside children ignite and throw “poppers” at each other – usually landing within inches of tiny toes and cracking like gunshots. In the stores, sparklers and rockets are sold beside displays of champagne – and sell in higher volume.

New Year’s Eve was very interesting. Ed invited a few of us over for dinner – in his new apartment (which is pretty much the same as mine, but with sparkly wallpaper instead of paint. We have the same landlord). He cooked us spaghetti and homemade sauce. It was delicious. For dessert we ate rice crispy treats! (Thanks Meg’s Mom for sending the ingredients!)

After dinner, we went over to a former PCV and his (beautiful) Uzbek wife’s apartment just across the way. Her parents, sister, and niece and nephew were there too, as well as another volunteer. We watched a live Russian New Year’s show on TV, broadcasted from Moscow. It was strange to watch TV because I haven’t done so in 4 months, but cool because during each singing performance the lyrics were shown on the bottom of the screen like karaoke. Good language practice. We toasted with champagne at midnight then went outside to experience the fireworks extravaganza. It was so insane. It seemed like every household bought and ignited their own supply. Meg and I were so overwhelmed we stood against the wall of the apartment building, to avoid getting hit. I’ve never seen so many fireworks at such close range before. The show ranged from sparklers to these giant Roman Candles. For about 45 minutes after midnight it seemed as if the whole city was under siege. The noise was deafening. So that was my first Kyrgyz New Year.

On another note, I believe it’s earthquake season. Last week we had a huge one. It was pretty scary. I was sitting alone in my office – on the 4th floor when it hit. I didn’t know what to do so I just shut my computer and sat frozen at my desk. It was over in less than a minute, but this time stuff fell. When I got home from work later that day, my apartment was covered in plaster dust and chunks. My cement walls and ceiling cracked in multiple places – leaving quite a mess for me to clean up. Someone told us the epicenter was just 20 miles away!

New Year’s after I got home from guesting and was about to fall asleep there was another earthquake. This one was significantly smaller and quicker. And then yesterday (Jan 1st), as I was washing dishes a medium size one hit. I shut off the water and braced myself against my dish cabinet in the kitchen. It wasn’t as big as the earthquake that caused damage, but it still freaked me out a bit, especially with the after-tremor that rocked the building seconds later.

1 Christmas Down, 1 to Go

2007-12-26T21:36:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day turned out to be very lovely. It was a white one. There was lots of good food, and great company. I missed seeing everyone and doing the usual family Christmas run-around, but It made me happy to know that everyone would be togther and enjoying the day.

The city here has begun to shut down. Christmas isn't popular, but New Years (Нови год) sure is. It feels like a mix of what we consider Halloween and 4th of July. There are masks and costumes, lots of fireworks, and the "Christmas Tree" actually is for New Years. The town is painted in tinsel.

On New Years Eve a bunch of us will be going out for dinner, that's pretty much all we have planned. No grand fancy parties.

I talked to my first host family last night and made arrangements to visit them after IST, in the middle of January. Very excited about that (and about the fact that I was able to communicate that to them in Russian)! I'm looking forward to seeing them all and spending the night. The youngest sister just turned four. The oldest sister keeps telling me via text messages that Eliza keeps asking where I went and when I'll be home. So cute!

Merry Christmas!!!

2007-12-24T02:30:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve
(Written Dec 23rd)

I just read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Woke up this morning, made myself some “Dancing Bear Buttermilk Pancakes (from the Peace Corps cook book),” cleaned my apartment (like down on my hands and knees scrubbing the floors kind of cleaning), decorated my foam Christmas trees (more fun than I imagined), hand-washed my laundry (never fun, but I’m getting used to it), then read The Alchemist.

“To realize one’s destiny is a person’s only obligation.” – from The Alchemist

If you’ve read it, I don’t need to explain. If you haven’t – read it.

I was sitting in my bathroom today and I said a loud, “I’m in Kyrgyzstan! I am in Kyrgyzstan.” I do that sometimes – I’ll be in the middle of doing something totally mundane and it hits me – where I am and what I’m doing. Most minuets of most days have begun to feel routine. I wake up at the same time, drink my morning coffee, go to work, usually meet a friend for lunch, work some more, go to meetings, come home to my apartment and cook myself dinner, read or watch a movie, go to bed, etc. But I have these punctuated moments of self-awareness – which usually make me stop and say a loud, “I’m living in Kyrgyzstan.” Then I look out the window, or turn on the water and know that it really isn’t that different than the places I’ve lived in before that got me to where I am now. There are children playing and laughing, students in school, politicians in their offices. And that’s what really amazes me. Just because it has an exotic name, it’s really not that different. People are people in spite of where they are born and live, what language they speak, and what religion they keep.

I’m not allowed to talk about politics here, in this forum. But we had presidential “elections” last week. If you want to know more email me. Quite interesting.

The Be Good Tanyas have been holding steady at the top of my music playlist, along with Damien Rice, and my old friend, Catie Curtis.

I bought a long phone cord last week. There’s a place I can buy internet cards – so I can use dial-up from my apartment, instead of having to go to the internet café. The cost is pretty much the same and so is the speed, so I’d do it for the mere convenience of sitting in my pj’s and sipping tea while checking emails. Unfortunately, my computer is too smart for old school dial up. It’s like, “dial-what? Where’s the Wi-Fi?” Well, there’s no wireless here (that I’ve found yet). But a good friend has promised to bring me back an external modem from the land of Europe, after the holidays. Merry Christmas to me! I haven’t used my own computer to access the internet since Philadelphia in July.

It snowed all day today. It was really nasty. There’s about a quarter of an inch on the ground! I love the PCV’s from California and Florida who send me texts like, “What constitutes a blizzard?!” and “I’m hibernating until April.” Cracks me up. I kind of miss sledding. There’s a tradition here that on the first snowfall of the year the boys throw snowballs at the girls. Needless to say, I didn’t go outside today. Last time a boy threw snow at me it broke my nose (cough, BEN, Cough). The good thing about the snow here is that it covers the sidewalks, and if I can’t see the sidewalks, I can’t see what’s on the sidewalks, and I walk a little bit steadier.

So you can probably tell from the latest pictures I posted that I’ve met my kitten. Sooo cute, huh? I don’t think I’ve ever seen an animal so small. Her little ears and tail were all stubby and when she stood up she shook. The momma cat seemed like a beast compared to the baby. Haven’t decided on a name yet. She’s all white underneath and grey on the top with flecks of black. The timing will work out well though. I have to go to In-Service training for a week at the beginning of January and by the time I get back, she’ll be ready to be separated from her mother. I can get cat food and that stuff here, but if anyone wants to send tiny flea collars I’d be extremely appreciative.

I have to admit I did something amazing today. I made a tomato-cabbage tortellini pasta dish from scratch and it was delicious! Okay, so the tortellini was Barilla (thanks Dad and Carolyn), but the sauce was all me. I’ve developed this cooking strategy. I impulsively buy things at the bazaar, like cabbage, and then throw it in a pot with sautéed onions and see what I come up with. I’m a big fan of one-pot meals. I was even going to make bread today, but I couldn’t find any yeast at the store. A couple days a go I made reeces pieces cookies for my coworkers for the Holidays. Tomorrow, for my wine and cheese party, I was thinking of making fake-crab dip.

Wine and cheese makes me think of this great wine bar in Brattleboro Vt., that I used to go to with some friends from school after our Arts and Social Change class. That place had the best olives. The wine was expensive (for my budget), but I always felt so grown-up going there (except when I had to order the cheapest glass on the menu). Tomorrow night won’t be so fancy. I told everyone to bring their own wine (I’m no Santa Clause).

I’m happy a friend will be spending the night on Christmas Eve. That way, I’ll have someone to share the cornmeal pancakes I’ve been wanting to make with. Christmas dinner will be potluck style – like Thanksgiving. There will just be a small group of us, since Christmas is during the week and the village kids can’t come. I’m making green bean casserole without green beans (can’t find them anymore). I haven’t thought of what to substitute them with yet, but I’m leaning towards potatoes.

I hope everyone has a fun Christmas wherever you are and however you’ll be spending it. Don’t worry about me in little old Kyrgyzstan. I’ll be in good company. I’ll be merry. I will be thinking of you guys. “Just another day,” has a whole new meaning to me now.

“Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is. At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as times passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their Personal Legend…It is a force that appears to be negative, but actually shows you how to realize your Personal Legend. It prepares your spirit and your will, because there is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It’s your mission on earth.” – from The Alchemist

apartment

2007-12-19T01:00:00.001-08:00

New Kitten

2007-12-19T00:57:00.001-08:00

Reflections in the Fog...

2007-12-12T01:19:00.000-08:00

What is the pull? What motivates me to push back the covers in the still-dark morning and dress up to go to work everyday? Why am I living in a semi-developed city in an apartment by myself? Shouldn’t I be isolated in a yurt somewhere? Eating sheep eyes and drinking vodka?

I’m a Sustainable Organizational and Community Development Peace Corps volunteer in the Kyrgyz Republic. I’m posted in a city in the south of the country. It rains a lot. My primary assignment is with an NGO called “Ayalzat,” which is a women’s initiatives non-governmental organization. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I spent my time in their tiny office, with 4 other women working on grants and projects, or out in the community helping with information campaigns, trainings, and seminars around anti-trafficking, domestic violence, and micro-credit. Occasionally I visit the hot-line, where my former host mother works, and the shelter for victims of human trafficking.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I work with the Central Asian Alliance for Water. Having just begun there, I’m in the process of learning HTML so I can help revamp their 2 year old website. In the future I will also go with them into the villages to help with the various components of advocacy and training on water rights and youth and women empowerment.

Every Friday afternoon I co-facilitate a Women’s Leadership Club with another volunteer. This is usually the highlight of my week not only because the young women who attend club are so motivated, but because they are optimistic and intelligent and inspire me.

Sometimes I am overwhelmed with how disorganized and slow things are here; how the work culture seems to grate against my productivity-oriented personality. I need to stop and remind myself that relationship building is important here too.

The pull is the friendships I am forging with locals and with expats. The pull is getting the chance to mold my life here, for the next 21 months, with the random chunk of clay I was given. The pull is knowing that everyday my Russian is getting just a little bit better, that I show up to work and set an example, that I appear positive, that I represent single American women.

I don’t fit in here physically, with my blond hair and blue eyes. I don’t speak Kyrgyz. I’m not married nor have children. I can’t walk the length of the city in high-heeled boots. I’m a foreigner – even if this is my home for 2 years. I can always leave. My roots are someplace else, far away.

I still look upon the fruit pyramids in the bazaar with wonderment, and at the old women selling individual cigarettes and sunflower seeds with wide eyes, wondering how they survive. When I see the full-length “peacock sweaters” I smile and think of how a fellow volunteer says winter is here officially when the peacocks are out in full force – 80% of women over the age of 50 don these multi-colored sweaters with their knee high black rubber boots.

I’m getting used to the electricity and water being unreliable. Candles are about the only thing in this country sold in bulk. When I turn my faucets in my modest apartment, water only comes out sometimes. I fill buckets and empty soda bottles when the water does work, to use when it doesn’t. I can’t remember the last time I showered. I bath in a bucket in my tub using water I heat up in an electric teapot. I can shower effectively using just 2 liters of hot water. Luckily, it’s winter so there’s no point in shaving.

Recently, I had a handy day. I installed a lock for my balcony door, and hooks on the back of my bathroom door using only my leatherman. In the same day I peeled potatoes without a peeler, and finished the last of 5 pillow covers (using only the materials in one small travel sewing kit). These are valuable skills I’m learning here!

By the end of my service I’d like to be able to: play the guitar, knit scarves, write grants that get funded, design/implement/monitor/evaluate projects, cook better, speak Russian fluently, improve my public speaking, present a finished thesis, and say that I made a difference, among other things.

27 months is a long time, but it’s all relative.

December 7, 2007

2007-12-06T23:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I attended an Anti-Trafficking Theater sponsored by OSCE and put on by 2 local NGOs. The event was mostly for school children, to raise their awareness about the situation of trafficking in Kyrgyzstan. Many factors, such as poverty, a new democratic structure, geography, and cultural/gender roles, lead to a high rate of trafficking in and out of the Kyrgyz Republic. There are false job opportunities in newspapers, and fake ads to work abroad hanging up all over the city. People are often lured by the prospect of earning lots of money, and overlook the suspiciousness of the jobs they are applying for.

So the Theater event was a good one. Lots of youth were involved in the performance and the auditorium was packed with kids. I think they got the message across while having some fun. I was impressed with the quality of work that went into this event.

I celebrated Hanukah last night, with my Jewish friends in Kyrgyzstan. I’m not Jewish myself, but I thoroughly enjoy potato latkes. Kelly and Sarah graciously shared their traditions with us, and wowed us with their cooking. The menu consisted of 3 types of Latkes: “The original, “The Taco Latke, and “The Health Nut;” and 3 types of toppings: sour cream, pico de gallo, and homemade apple sauce. It was a nice end to a long day.

As far as my work situation goes this is what I’ve decided: I will stay where I am for now, but will only work part-time with Ayalzat (Mondays 9-4, Wednesdays 9-12, and Fridays 9-12). The other two days I will work with the Central Asian Alliance for Water – on their gender and advocacy campaign. And during free afternoons I will have Women’s Leadership Club and Russian tutoring. I’ll visit a couple NGOs in Bishkek while I’m there for In-Service Training in January, and keep that as an option if this doesn’t work out.

It's December!

2007-12-02T04:07:00.001-08:00

December 2, 2007

Thanksgiving has come and gone. Our celebration was a memorable one. I spent it with friends – volunteers and a few Fulbright Scholars – at my Mercy Corps friend’s apartment in the city. We all contributed to the cooking and the cleaning. We had lots of traditional Thanksgiving dishes, with some improvisation, and some new dishes too. Two rotisserie chickens accompanied our small turkey. My green bean casserole was actually peapod casserole, but it was delicious all the same. Kelly made sweet potatoe casserole – and added apples to double the recipe. Meg and Theo made cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. Mostly everyone else made and brought salads and desserts. It was quite a feast. There was even mulled wine.

After eating (for the most part of the day) we went around the room and shared our most interesting Thanksgiving stories/memories. James won that game – he spent a Thanksgiving in Teepee with Mormons! I have never felt more American – or felt such a deep bond over a shared holiday. The whole day turned out better than anyone expected; and getting the chance to talk on the phone with my family made it all the more special.

It snowed here yesterday, on the first day of December. Just flurries, nothing stuck. I had done laundry the night before and hung it outside to dry…well, the icicles dangling off my socks and undies are just beginning to melt in the midday sun.

Yesterday, because of the cold and wet weather, my friends and I decided to bake. Meg had gotten chocolate chips and walnuts in her last package, so Kelly and I contributed flour and we hung out at Meg’s and baked away the afternoon. We were so excited that we decided to double the recipe and ended up freezing half of the dough – after we made about 50 cookies.

Theo cooked us spicy chicken and stir-fry for dinner, then we ate more cookies. Then we played cards; and ate more cookies. It was a fun, mellow day; I got absolutely nothing accomplished except a stomachache – from eating too many cookies… but it was so worth it!

I had an intense morning at the bazaar today – fighting through crowds like Christmastime at the mall. Except, the bazaar is outside, so it was muddy and cold. I’ve decided I like going alone when I have a long list. I think I finally have a general idea of all the sections of the bazaar and how to get from one to the other - through the mazes of stalls, alleys, tables, and vendors. It’s almost like an obstacle course; and to find the tea spoons you have to dodge the cart pushers yelling “Osh!,” weave past the old folk walking slow, navigate by the beggars, and jump out of the way when the random bikes and cars somehow zoom by. Admittedly, it’s dangerous, and no one should attempt the bazaar obstacle course when they are sick or tired. You need to be on your toes – so you can walk fast and avoid getting pick pocketed.

I bought a bunch of stuff for the apartment today, like a shower curtain rod, clothespins, teaspoons, butter knives, a strainer, fabric to cover some floor pillows, candles, toilet paper, rope, nails, coat hooks, rug, and some veggies. Today’s scavenger hunt took about 2 hours; grand total 500 som (approx. $14).

I almost forgot…my kitten was born on November 26th. There were two in the litter, but one died. I haven’t seen mine yet, but she’s tiny, black and grey, and healthy. I’ll get to bring her home in 8 weeks. Any name suggestions?

Thanks!

2007-11-21T21:00:00.000-08:00

Dad, Carolyn, and Nathan - Thanks for calling this morning! It was soo good to hear your voices. I'll be thinking about you all day. Hope you guys have a fun Thanksgiving! Love you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-20T01:22:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to say a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I will sure miss the get togethers this year with both my Mom's and my Dad's sides of the family, but just wanted to let you all know I'll be thinking of you. As for me, I'll be celebrating pot-luck style with 15 volunteers/ Americans. Thanks to Dad and Carolyn I'll be making green bean cassarole! I think we'll even have a turkey (bought/killed/and de-feathered at the local bazaar). Our Mercy Coprs friend (from Scottland) has graciously offered to host dinner. It won't be the same as being home for the Holidays, but it should be fun and interesting to see the Thanksgiving creations everyone will bring.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

New Apartment/ Holiday Wish List

2007-11-11T00:14:00.000-08:00

Everyone has been amazing at sending me stuff. I am so grateful. I've put together another list, since it seems like people actually enjoy putting packages together, and well, since you're gonna do it anyway, thought I'd help you out. This is what I could use:
can opener
fabreeze****
body spray
stovetop stuffing****
French's Dried Onions (for green bean cassarole)****
onion dip/soup packs
thumbtacks
smart wool socks
scented candles
taco seasoning
a new flash drive (mine has a virus)
warm hooded sweatshirt
black stretch pants (for layering)
2 pocket folders
index cards
small reading light/ booklight
paper towels (cannot get here)
tinfoil (unheard of here)
small notebooks
tequila nips, Bailey's nips (hide and don't declare - contact Martha for expert instructions)
mouthwash
deodorant (it's so expensive here!)
oil-free face lotion
Reeces Pieces
Jiffy Pop

**** indicates urgent need

Packing in boxes and sealing with the US Postal tape seems to work the best. Make an inventory list on inside of box to further prevent theft.
Don't send big/heavy boxes - too expensive and difficult to carry home from the post ofice. I can live without all of this stuff, so don't feel like you have to send me anything. But, if you want to, Thank You in advance!

Sunny Saturday

2007-11-10T00:25:00.000-08:00

I just have to say the weather here has been amazing! It has been in the 60's and sunny. It hasn't rained a drop in a month. Yesterday there was a snowstorm in Bishkek.

I'm gad it's warm here because I have no heat in my room at my host family's apartment. I have a space heater, but no where to plug it in.

Spent the morning exploring the bazaar - bought some cleaning supplies, shampoo, and some food, as well as a lightweight metal bookshelf.

I'm sad to report that my good friend Karen is leaving PC Kyrgyzstan. We'll all miss you Karen! People are dropping like flies around here! We started with 63 Volunteers and I believe we're now down to 49.

Weird Week

2007-11-10T00:21:00.000-08:00

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.

End of Oct, Beginning of Nov

2007-11-03T22:32:00.000-07:00

Lack of Resources…
Wednesday October 24, 2007
Through the sms (text messaging) phone tree I learned that the water for the whole city was being shut off for an unknown number of days. I’m not sure who found out first, but somehow everyone in the city knew before it even happened. This morning when I went to brush my teeth nothing came out of the faucet when I turned it on, but the bathtub was full of water. Strange to think about how quickly we learn to live with and without water, among other things.

At work today the bathroom doors were tapped shut. If there’s no water the toilets don’t flush.

At the café the menu was reduced to bottled beverages and pizza – no coffee, tea, pasta dishes, salads, or french fries.

Walking home I noticed women walking up from the river carrying buckets and teapots full of water.

Lacking resources in another way, my director at work wants me to find grants without using the internet. Talk about thinking outside of the box!

Thursday October 25, 2007
I had my first mini-breakdown yesterday. Had I not gone to a 7-hour wedding celebration Tuesday night I think I would have been fine, but I was just so tired. It was a combination of physical fatigue, not fully understanding what everyone was saying to me in Russian, and not knowing enough Russian to express myself and feel understood. I wasn’t sobbing, just feeling pretty low.

But lows and highs, good days and bad days, are all part of this experience. I have to develop a tougher skin; have to be able to function in this transitory state of being half in, half out linguistically and culturally. I have to learn not to compare myself and the work I’m doing with other volunteers – because each of our work situations are completely different, and we all have such different skills and strengths. I have to continue to learn and develop in order to be useful, and I have to figure out how to help build sustainability (while lacking resources) while grappling with the concept of development and what it means to be a development worker.

My good friends Adam and Tracy – who were in my training village, went home last night. They were having a hard time adjusting to their new living and working situations and finally decided it was time for them to leave. They are good people, and will be missed.

On a lighter note, Halloween is coming up, and this weekend there will be a big Halloween party at a local café. Lots of volunteers from surrounding villages will be coming down, donning costumes of all sorts. I’m looking forward to seeing people I haven’t seen since we came to our sites.

In Women’s Club this Friday we will be conducting mock interviews and will help edit the girls’ resumes. We’re looking for funding so we can get t-shirts made for the girls, and have begun thinking about putting together a Women’s Leadership Conference for next summer.

With the arrival of some packages from family, I have had new clothes to wear! Exciting. Great timing since the lack of water has put a damper on my laundry routine. Plus, I’ve received so many boxes of crackers that I haven’t had to spend money on food lately. It’s fabulous, really.

If anyone has any crafty, cheap, and easy home-decorating ideas let me know! I’ve been trying to think of ways I can make my new apartment more homey once I move in, and will surely be spending lots of time indoors as the weather turns colder.

Thursday, November 1, 2007
I can’t believe it’s November already! The weather has been getting cooler as the leaves continue to change and drop. Mornings and nights are cold, but mid-day the temperature has been around 50 degrees. Beautiful.

The Halloween party last weekend was a lot of fun. This local café hosted a Halloween costume party complete with games and prizes. So many volunteers came, which made it packed. Some people were really creative with their costumes. This group of 4 volunteers from nearby villages all game as Peter Pan characters. Along with my friends Kelly and Erica I was part of the three blind mice trio. We were more like 3 blind mice from the ghetto though, cause I made our ears out of black plastic bags, tissue paper, and elastics. We wore black clothes and sunglasses and drew on some whiskers with eyeliner. Good times.

We also carved pumpkins at Theo’s NGO and baked pumpkin seeds. Soo good!

Yesterday, when it was actually Halloween a few other volunteers and I went with Kelly to the shelter her NGO sustains for street kids, to teach the kids about trick-or-treating. They made masks and we hid behind different office doors, and when they knocked we handed out candy. They seemed to really enjoy it.

My friend’s cat is having kittens and he said I could have one. I’m so excited! Hope they pop out soon! Then I have to wait 8-10 weeks before they can be separated from their momma. I wasn’t going to say yes, when he asked if I wanted one, but I figured the kitten would provide some company and entertainment – since I’ll be living by myself soon, and won’t have a TV. Plus, there are no vets here, so I won’t have any other expenses besides the cat food (the pet store is right on the corner, so close). Cats here are about half the size as cats at home. They never get very big. And my friend’s cat is black, white, and grey striped so I know the kitten will be adorable. Maybe I’ll take two…

Let’s see what else…my first English Conversation Club – for my NGO’s staff will be held in an hour. Originally it was scheduled for Monday, and then postponed till Tuesday then canceled and rescheduled and canceled yesterday. So, if it doesn’t happen today, I’m going to be really frustrated, but I have to learn that that’s how things work here. My friend Meg, who has already been here for a year and who is an English teacher, has agreed to help me, since her Russian is 100 times better than mine. I’m so lucky!

Another interesting tidbit: I’ve had a little cold for about a week, and my host mother is convinced it’s because I shower (and get cold after the warm shower), so she’s banned me from showering. She says I need to go find a public banya (which is like a steam room) to use. I think I’ll just be sneaky and shower when she’s not home. Also, she doesn’t understand why I wash so many pairs of socks and underwear every week – I should only have 1 pair a week to wash – that would be more normal.

I’ve mentally rearranged my apartment (that I have not moved into yet) about 6 times now. I’ve never lived in a 1 bedroom or in an apartment by myself; I’m so excited!! A few things I could use for the new place would be – a can opener, small white Christmas lights, Tostitos brand cheese con queso sauce (in the aisle with the salsa), and a dust buster (in that order).

At the bottom of my page I’ve added some links to a few of my friends’ blogs. Check them out if you want to see some more pics, and read some other perspectives.

City View

2007-11-03T22:27:00.001-07:00

City view.
Chilling in the apartment.

Halloween Weekend

2007-11-03T22:22:00.000-07:00

Kelly, Erica, and I were the Three Blind Mice. Matt, Rebecca, Christie, and Ted were Tinkerbell's Crew.

Pre-party Getting Ready

2007-11-03T22:16:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of us getting Halloweened-up in my new apartment...

Halloween Festivities

2007-11-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

These pictures are from the weekend before Halloween. We carved pumpkins at Theo's NGO, made costumes, went to a dinner party, and then to a Halloween party at a local cafe. It was fun celebrating an American Holiday in the Kyrgyz Republic!

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-29T01:40:00.000-07:00

My fellow PCVs and I started celebrating halloween this past weekend. We had a pumpkin carving contest at Theo's NGO on Saturday afternoon and I won for the category "most prettiest." That was fun. I'll upload some photos maybe tomorrow.
Saturday afternoon we spent making costumes and hanging out with some village volunteers. Saturday evening Megan made a pasta extravaganza for us all and then we went to a Halloween party at a local cafe. It was a very busy and fun day. Some people got very creative with their costumes. Kelly, Erica, and I were the 3 blind mice. I used my creativity to construct us some mouse ears out of trash bags and tissue papper. Pretty funny.

Lots of photos to post (but can't from this computer). Soon, I promise. I even took some of the apartment.

Anyways, Halloween is actually on Wednesday so Happy Halloween!

Big Thanks

2007-10-23T01:35:00.000-07:00

Thank you Auntie Martha, Auntie Carol, Mom, Ben, Brenda, and Sue for sending me packages! I am very appreciative and thankful that none of them were pilfered en route! You guys are wonderful. Thank you for your support.

SOCD Volunteers

2007-10-23T01:29:00.000-07:00

This is a photo taken on swear-in day of the SOCD (Sustainable Organizational and Community Development) Group.

Explainations...

2007-10-23T01:24:00.000-07:00

The last couple of photos are from my per. site. The one at the bazaar is me and my fellow PCV Meg. The pic of the mountain is a famous maountain right near my house. Meg, her husband Theo (pictured below), and I climbed it a few weeks ago.