Tuesday, December 23, 2008
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
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.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Christmas Wish List
•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).
•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).
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Fry Fest 2008
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.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Women's Leadership Conference
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).
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).
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Chong Rakmat
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!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Looking 4 Lilya
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!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Fam in Kstan
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!
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!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
200 com
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!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Looking for T-shirts
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!
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!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
About Arslanbob
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.
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.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
One Year A Go...
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!
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!
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.
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.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Turkey
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.
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.
Women's Club Pizza Party
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!
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!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Women's Leadership Club
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
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.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Oh May
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?!
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?!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Another Kyrgyz Holiday...
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.
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