Be Nice To People

Life is a curious thing. When I heard about the shooting in Chattanooga I was so confused and sad. So many people worry about my safety while I’m here, but I have been saying from the beginning that there is no place that is immune to tragedy and senseless violence. For the most part, I have been so proud of the way Chattanooga has responded to this unbelievably tragic event. From what I have seen via social media and traditional media sources, people have come together in love and support, which is amazing. It makes me so proud to consider Chattanooga home. However, I have seen some things that are pure hate, and that is disappointing. As someone who is not muslim, but still living in an Islamic country it angers me to see posts from people condemning an entire religion and everyone who is a part of it. Let me just say, my experience with Ramadan in Kyrgyzstan has been nothing but positive. 

We moved to our permanent sites right as Ramadan had begun, and my apa and ata fasted the entire time. Orozo (the word for fasting) is challenging. My host parents would fast al day long, not even taking a drink of water, all while working regular hours and tending to the five children living in our house. At just before 9 o’clock every night they would get to break fast until about 3 am. Here’s the deal, Ramadan is an incredibly powerful holiday. The reasoning behind it is so awesome. It is a time to experience what those who cannot afford food and water go through every day. It is to serve as a reminder that we are incredibly blessed by Allah (God) with food and water. Not everyone is, and we should not forget that. I did not take part in fasting for a few reasons: 1. It was incredibly hot and not drinking water is dangerous 2. I did not feel convicted to do so and 3. It was never asked or expected of me. In fact my apa even made food for me, a 24 year old, because she knew that I did not know where all of our cooking utensils were kept. I have never been forced to do anything. My apa and ata are fairly devout and while there are some Islamic customs they do not adhere to, they mostly follow the Quran pretty closely. They do not drink, and my ata is such compassionate and good man. He does not yell or raise his hand at anyone in the family. I have seen people posting so many negative things about Islam in light of recent events that hit close, too close, to home, and I just have to interject that most of what I have seen being posted about Islam is false.

 My family has warmth and love for each other and me that I cherish. When Ramadan ended and my family celebrated Eid they were so considerate of the fact that I might find it all overwhelming. The tradition, in Kyrgyzstan, is to go to all the neighbors houses and eat plov. My family insisted that our house be the first one, and then told me I didn’t have to attend Eid at every house. They were worried I would get tired, and that people would insist I eat more than I wanted (because that is hospitality). 

What I am trying to say is, please think about what you post, or re-post. Think about is this post coming from a place of love? Or a place of hate and ignorance? Are you posting facts about this religion? Or just some random meme that you have no clue if the information is factual? 

Also for anyone I am connected to on social media, if you are posting hurtful, false things about the dominant religion in the country where I live, please be more considerate. Remember we are all just people, and that whatever god you believe in, we come from the same one.

Just Call Me Coach

This past week was a good one. We had a summer sports camp in Talas City. It ran from Monday to Friday, and every day was a different sport. Every single Talas volunteer came in to help at some point. It was so good to see everyone. Since I live in the city, I helped out every day. Admittedly, I was more use on certain days, because my soccer and volleyball skills are basically non-existent. We had a great group of kids the whole week. I loved getting to interact with them, and learn about them. We really focused on the sports aspect and not so much the English, not that any of the kids seemed to mind.

   
                                                        Volleyball was a HUGE hit!

Doing some serious coaching

We opted for underhand serves so more kids would make it over the net

Aside from actually doing something volunteer-ish, my favorite thing about last week was hanging out with all the volunteers after camp was over. Each day started at 9 and ended somewhere between 2 and 3. After all the campers left, we would pick up all our gear and go back to the apartment the village volunteers were renting, drop off our stuff and either go to the bazaar to get the needed ingredients for dinner that night, or just hang out. It was so much fun, and the food was awesome! We had chili, burritos, and fajita chicken salad. All with Kyrgyz twists depending on what ingredients we couldn't find. (Yes, you can find reasonably hot peppers here)

One afternoon we went to the river and just lounged around. It is so nice! I think the river will be my favorite spot. This week is definitely already feeling lonely compared to last week, but this weekend is Talas Welcome Weekend, so I'll get to see everybody again! I know without a doubt I could not have been placed with a better group of volunteers.

****SIDE NOTE****
Here is something cool, there is a program here called FLEX that is super competitive, and it takes really motivated students with a high level of English and sends them to the US for about a year. I have met several FLEX alum, and they are amazing. BUT! Here is the really cool part, this year there is a FLEX student from Talas City going to Tennessee!! How awesome is that?! I am going to meet with him sometime this week, and from what I've heard he might be going to Chattanooga! Crazy, right? I know. Small world.

Other side note:

I have a local address now, but I am going to wait to give it out until I know that it works. But as soon as I get something from one of the few people that have it, I will post it here. I also might include a list of items that I wouldn't mind getting if you are feeling generous, but letters are also VERY appreciated!

That's all for now.

Love y'all!

Isn't It Ironic?

It’s the little triumphs that I’m trying to focus on at the moment. The small things that make me feel like i’m going to be able to live here, and do okay. The past couple of days have had a lot of those triumphs. It started with having such a great and heartwarming conversation with my sister Aizada. She is almost 17, and really wants to improve her English, which is already really good. I have been giving Daston and Aiyapere some phrases and words to practice, but Aizada and I just chat. She told me about how she wants to go to The University of Central Asia and study business administration. She wants to study abroad in the US, and work in America for a few years. Then, she wants to open up a business in Talas, like a bowling alley or something like that. It was so cool to hear about her dreams and ambitions. She is a smart and driven young women and I can’t wait to see what the next two years have in store for her. 

Yesterday, I had a few really awesome moments. I have been making it a habit to stop into a different magazine (little convenience store) every day on my walk to ARZ (the reproductive health NGO I am working with) just to meet the people, and let them get to know my face. I always buy something small like juice or gum. The magazine I stopped in yesterday had the sweetest lady working behind the counter. She wanted to know everything about me. We talked for about 10 minutes, and I understood about 90 percent of what was being said, and she seemed to understand me just fine. When I got to work my counterpart, also named Aizada, but will always be referred to as Aizada Eje, told me that she wanted to take me to a puppet show at a pre-school. It was not a puppet show. It was an interactive, live show with the giant mascot characters, and it was so great. The kids were laughing and dancing. I loved every second of it. Especially because kids are just kids. They couldn’t have cared less that some 6 foot blonde lady was there. They just wanted to see Mickey, and dance their little butts off. Later I found out that Aizada Eje’s family were the performers. They travel from oblast to oblast doing these shows for children. 

Finally, after a pretty good session with my Kyrgyz tutor, I got to go home. I was about 40 yards from my back gate when this old man stopped me. All I was thinking was, “no, no, no. I just want to go home.” It also needs to be said that I have a really difficult time understanding when older men speak. They tend to not enunciate as much as women. However, I was pleasantly surprised that I could not only understand the words he was saying, but I understood WHAT he was saying. Listening comprehension has been a huge struggle for me. But, holy crap I knew what this man was saying! I was so ecstatic! He told me that he was my neighbor, and I was like family now. It is such a comfort the have an older man want to look out for me. It is a patriarchal society that places a lot of honor and respect in age. so having this older man know my face and name is an asset. 

Irony is a funny thing. So, as I was typing this Aizada Eje, my counterpart, came over to ask me about a math question. It was about number not adding up, and if you want to know the details of the question I’ll let you spend to money to call me. When she explained what she didn’t understand, I immediately saw what the issue was, but I had no way to explain. As good as Aizada Eje’s English is, there are some things that we just can’t communicate clearly on. Irony, man. What a jerk.

And it's on to Phase 2

If you’re thinking, “Wow, Chrissi really is slacking with this whole blog deal”, you are correct. I never promised frequent posts, though. Let’s see, what has happened since my last post? the answer is: a lot. Phase one of training ended, I took my LPI (language proficiency interview), met my permanent host family, met my counterpart, packed up all my stuff to move, and had my swearing in ceremony. Like I said, a lot. It’s all been pretty good. No real hiccups or issues. My new family is very sweet. My Apa and Ata are very nice and super welcoming. They have 7 children, but only 4 still at home. I have a 16 year old sister, a 14 year old brother, a 12 year sister, and a 3 year old sister. My 16 year old sister, Aizada, speaks English. the rest of the family does not, but that’s okay. How else am I going to practice my Kyrgyz? 

So far, my counterpart, also named Aizada, has been showing my around Talas City. I have a decent grasp of where things are located. I know where to buy things, and how to get home from just about anywhere. It’s slow going at this point. I want to just fast forward a little bit to the point when I will be working on projects, but all the steps in between are important, I guess. 

I think I am really going to like it here. My organization has a clear mission and vision from what I can tell. They also have a very dedicated group of local volunteers, which is awesome. I just have to keep reminding myself that it took about 5 weeks for Kengesh to feel like home, and the same will probably be true for Talas City. At least this time I have a little bit of language. 

That’s really all for now. Oh, I will have a new address that you can send things to soon. I just have to get it written in print, because Kyrgyz cursive is tricky. 

Until my next post,

all my love.

Oh, and a big happy birthday to one of my favorites: Blake! Miss ya, B.

Being Talasome.

So, you’re probably expecting this blog to about my permanent site since I found out where I will be for the next two years just a few days ago. Well, it isn’t going to about Talas. Sorry. I will give you a really quick run down. Talas is in the western part of the country, it is the birthplace of Manas (look him up), I will be in Talas City working with an NGO on reproductive health, and I’m really excited that Talas will be my home. Done.

Okay now for the real reason I opened up my computer to do something other than watch a movie. Today (Sunday), while I was cleaning, which we do every Sunday, I started thinking about how much I hate cleaning. I have always hated cleaning. My family can tell you all about it, but then I started thinking about the other similarities Kyrgyzstan has to America, at least for me. I have lived with educators my whole life, and my Apa is an Enlgish teacher. My dad is a huge history lover, as is my Ata. We watch documentaries all the time. Sometimes I have no idea what is being said, but I feel that way when my mom and sister start talking school stuff or when Jordan and Victoria start talking in German. 

As much as I want to learn about Kyrgyz culture, and as different as it may be at times, it is impossible to ignore the similarities. And those similarities are what I focus on. I look for comfort in them. Surviving and thriving during this whole adventure is majorly dependent on not only learning Kyrgyz culture and adopting it, but also finding a way to make this country and the people feel like home and family. Feeling at home is crucial for me. It’s why I got my tattoo, even though I barely understood this reason at the time. It’s why my journals and notebooks full of love and familiarity are so important to me. 

I can be happy anywhere, if it feels like home. And it does. I feel welcome in my host home. I don’t feel like I’m in the way or a burden, and that is part of what makes it home. I believe this experience, much like any experience in life, is what you make it. I have been happy basically this entire time because I want to be, and I choose to be. That’s my goal, motto, mantra for this adventure. I know there will be bad days, but I know they won’t last. There will be good in those bad times. I just have to look for it, and hold on to it tightly. 

If you really want to know more about Talas, I can post more. However, seeing as how at this point in time, I have never actually been there it may not be helpful. Also, there will be two years worth of posts that will take place in Talas, so don’t fret.

I hope you are looking for and holding on to all the happies that are all around you!

Here's how this works...

Okay, so I guess what I’m going to do is just write out these posts whenever inspiration strikes. Which could possibly mean that I will be posting multiple posts at once, but hey, what can I do? As I’m writing this it is May 17, which means that week 4 starts tomorrow. HOLY CRAP, y’all. We’re closing in on one month in Kyrgyzstan! Can you believe it?! I certainly can’t. Anyway, what have I been up to? Well, if you’re friends with me on Facebook you probably saw some pictures from when we went to Bishkek on Friday. It was a long, hot, and fun day. We had about an hour commute from Kengesh. The first marshrutka was so crowded. Fortunately for me, I was standing next to a window, and I got to feel a breeze every now and then. If you’re wandering what a marshrutka is, it is a mini bus type deal that comfortable fits about 20 people. However, there is never a marshrutka that turns down a paying customer. So you can imagine how crowded they can get, but it’s just another experience that I get to have. The day in Bishkek was full of sightseeing. We had to keep a pretty tight schedule. My favorite part was probably Osh Bazaar. It’s essentially this GIANT outdoor flea market. You can find pretty much anything you want there. It was stifling hot, though. I did talk to a merchant in Kyrgyz while I was there, and he was impressed with my Kyrgyz. (I need to note that it was probably more about the fact that I was trying than my Kyrgyz being that good.) The day ended with my language group going to tour the Peace Corps office. Which was cool to see, but we were all so tired we barely asked any questions. 

Yesterday (Saturday), I had language class from 9-12:30, and then I came home and studied. We had lunch, and then I studied. I called Mom, then studied. Called my sister, then studied. I was going to study I little more, but the power went out because of a storm, so I went to bed. I can honestly say that I have never studied this hard. But, I feels nice. It’s nice to be challenged again. I haven’t really had to learn anything in an academic capacity in about 2 years, and the challenge is refreshing. Especially now that my brain is remembering how to learn. It makes me think that going back to school when I leave KG won’t be awful, but don’t get too excited Mom. I still have over 2 years, so I’m not making any definite plans, yet. 

Today (Sunday), my apa told me we might go to the mountains, and see her father’s sheep, which I’m pumped about. However, the weather is seriously not cooperating, so we may have to wait. Today is also cleaning day. I have scrubbed my room top to bottom. Maybe this experience will make me a neat freak. I doubt it, but maybe it will make me not hate cleaning? We’ll see.

Later this week, I will find out my permanent site, who my counter-part is, and what my main project will be. It’s a huge deal. I will be spending the next two years, hopefully, living with one family, living in one place, and working on this project. I will also have secondary projects that will take up a lot of my time, especially the first year. I’m excited! I can’t wait to start working on things other than just language. Not that I don’t appreciate the emphasis the Peace Corps puts on language, because I do. SO much. 

Anyway, I guess that’s all for now. 

Love y’all.

It's been forever and the Internet is unreliable

I know, I know. I didn’t post a thing the entire time I had reliable internet. I’m sorry. To say that I was busy and overwhelmed, would be slightly downplaying it. But, I’m writing this now, so if you’re reading this it means that I’ve found internet! (but probably just temporarily)

So much has happened that if I were to try and write everything play-by-play, we’d both be dying of boredom. Not to mention my fingers would be so tired, and I’d probably still forget something. So, let’s try a list format. 

Things I have done successfully:

• walked to class
• learned a few very basic Kyrgyz phrases
• set up my water filter
• played with my host sister
• helped my Apa and Jingay (mom and sister-in-law) make dinner
• learned tons of Kyrgyz words
• used some of them properly
• played ultimate frisbee with the other volunteers in Kengesh
• cleaned my room
• showered (yes, we have an indoor shower!)
• used the restroom (no, we don’t have an indoor toilet)
• learned the Kyrgyz alphabet (okay, I actually still have a little trouble with some of the vowels some of the time)
• done my laundry (by hand, oh my gosh, it takes FOREVER!)

Things I have attempted, but haven’t actually mastered:

• used more complex sentence structure
• attempt to use more Kyrgyz when possible
• sleep all the way through the night

The language is difficult. It has sounds that don’t exist in English. I’m getting better every day, but it’s still a slow process. We have about 6 hours of language class five days a week and three hours on Saturday. Sunday we have off, but right now it feels like there is no down time. In class it’s an active learning environment and at home it’s passive, but never having a break is exhausting. This is also my first foreign language, and it’s certainly a challenge. I know I can do it, and we have only been in country a week. (I’m writing this on May 3.) Yet, I still find myself getting frustrated when I can’t communicate. 

But, I’m doing okay. I’m making it. I’m glad to be here. I just wish I could learn the language immediately, but since that’s not possible I guess I’ll just enjoy the ride, the ups and downs, which seem to come in incredible succession. 

Like just now. I had a great morning playing ultimate frisbee with the other volunteers, and then I came home and had a particularly difficult lunch full of silence and confusion. But right now I am having the best time with my little sister. We have played, danced, sang, and taken so many pictures. She is about 7. Her name is Ayannah, and she is my saving grace right now. 

Also, I have to admit that I cheated. I read Blake’s entry in my journal before I got to it. But, trust me I needed it. B, if you’re reading this, which you probably won’t until someone tells you, thank you. That message got me through a rough night. 

To everyone back home, I’m good. I promise. I love you!