One last thing!

Here is a collection of moments from my service in Kyrgyzstan.  I had an exhausting time, but looking back on it now, it was all worth it!

Close of Service

Why am I going home 7 months earlier than planned?

A few weeks ago, our post and headquarters gave all K22 volunteers two options. We could continue with service, have to deal with the emotional and tiring visa process, and stay in country. The second option was to COS early, go home and be finished with our lives here in Kyrgyzstan.

Before these options were presented, I was certain I would stay until the summer – if the government allowed for that of course. I felt confident in my stubbornness and how it has kept me in country for this long. Why not 7 more?  Once I read the email with our options, my gut told me to go. And once I took a step back, I found it harder to justify me staying. I wasn’t feeling fulfilled in my work, in fact I dreaded teaching. My few clubs this year were a gentle reminder why I decided to join the Peace Corps in general, though draining in their own right. The general sentiment of strangers in the city were usually somewhere in between indifferent and hostile. The government continuing their suspicions of the people who were trying to help only echoed the feeling of being unwelcome.

In all honesty, the reason for leaving was not so much the temporary enjoyment of American food and being able to travel at night. It was about a feeling of completion I have for my service, and a desire for the autonomy of myself. My service has been difficult, and many days I questioned my decision of coming at all. These bad days, combined with daily harassment, created an incredibly negative space. Also, my projects and activities had been planned to end in December, there was little more for me to finish in such a short period of time.

Looking back, I’m still so proud of myself for achieving this dream and coming to Kyrgyzstan, but now it’s time to go. The moment I made my decision, it felt right. I don’t want it to seem like I was not happy with my life in Kyrgyzstan. In many ways it was an amazing life and has changed me– I hope – for the better. There is no way I can accurately explain what it’s like; living with a Kyrgyz family, teaching students who are unmotivated, creating projects and clubs you feel passionate about, and of course building relationships with other volunteers.

So now I’m here in the airports of the world, sitting, eating and sleeping off my Kyrgyz hangover. I am so exciting to make decisions for myself and maybe feel like a grown up by this time next year.

Please have patience with me family and friends if I roll my eyes at your first world problems. It will take some time to adjust.

18 Months Down

So we have made it a few more months without getting kicked out yet. Everything in the visa department is still a bit up in the air this winter. While waiting for news, I'm trying to keep busy.

In the second year of your Peace Corps service, you decrease your work hours with your primary organization. With all the free time of only working at my school twice a week, I have started teaching an english class at the Kyrgyz National University. We discuss current events and politics and I love it. Most of the students are either International Relations or Foreign Policy majors, which is right up my street. These students are ambitious, active and eager to learn. It's a big change and wonderful improvement for my service. Teaching secondary students who aren't motivated can be as discouraging as it sounds. So being able to end my week with a group of students who are excited that I am here and looking for opportunities to improve is uplifting.

Over the past few months, there are only a few events worth mentioning. First, my host cousin got married! Her name is Aliya and we have been pretty close during my service. She was an exchange students in America in high school and her english is amazing. She works for the Ministry of Justice in the city, and I must admit, when she told me she was getting married I felt a little sad. I know the reality of Kyrgyz wives and mothers. But after her she had been dating Osker for several months (a long time in Kyrgyzstan) and how she was able to attend the Strong Women's Training after her wedding, I believe that they have a supportive and egalitarian relationship. So when the wedding festivities began, we all had hours of preparation.

I, unfortunately, was in charge of balloons. 

The kazan was filled with delicious besh barmak.

The day was lovely and filled with affection

These girls are truly my allies and buddies during these parties

My family wanted to pull a prank on the husband to be. They dressed me up in a wedding dress and pretended that I was the bride. Sometimes I feel more like a prop than a person, but that's how it goes.

Once at the Toi, Aliya came down in a large, draped tunduk carried by her sisters-in-law - including my mom

Then, her and Osker walked together to their honored table while being blessed

The Toi was a blast, I never end up taking too many pictures because I am too busy eating, dancing and answering the same questions over and over again.

But by the end everyone found a way to have a great time.

In October, PCVs held a training to help spread information about healthy lifestyles, mental wellness, organization and women's rights in Kyrgyzstan. Aliya was my counterpart for this training and we hope to start a Women's Club in the city next to my village this month. The training was held in Issyk Kul and included 50+ participants!

At the end of the training was a 5K "empowerment run". 

Aliya rocked it and even beat me by a few minutes! 

Yoga also was a big hit.

Besh barbak at its purest. Noodles, onions, sheep and big pieces of white fat. mmmm.

International village's view of the mountains. 

For a few days my family got a new puppy, Borzik. We became fast friends and I loved him! But my family had to give him away for the friend because we got another dog Shadyk. Shadyk is rude and loud but that's what is valued, so bye bye Borzik.

My secondary counterpart, Chinara, and I held a teacher training with the English teachers around Issyk Ata. We taught the structure of an essay and what makes a good argument. 

I will categorize this as a success.

Big shout out to mom for sending this potholder kit. Karema and I spend hours picking out colors in English and learning new words like "under" and "over".

She had been asking for me to make her a purse, and when I finally got around to doing it, her smile was so big. I wish I had done it sooner!

For Halloween, the American Corner in Kant held a big party for students around Issyk Ata. For some reason we mostly just focused on the pumpkin part of halloween. The students had prepared Jack-o-Lanterns but also pumpkin jam, pastries and soup. I can't complain because the Americans were the judges so I got to eat a lot.

The decorations even said "Pumpkin Day". Something might have gotten lost in the translation.

The room was packed with probably close to 40-50 kids! All who took this halloween things pretty seriously. 

Well that is all for now. I have a Toi coming up this week, Thanksgiving in Naryn and of course, visa updates! It's gonna be great!

Living for Sun

The past few months, as mentioned in my previous posts, have been far beyond what I thought my "Peace Corps experience" would entail. However, we have moved past it, collected our visas for the next few months and I am not letting them go to waste. I refuse to let these next few months (or year, if the Kyrgyz government allows it) be anything but enjoyable. Last year I was very focused on integrating, being a part of my new family and working with my counterpart. This year, I won't waste my time on students who don't care, and only cause distraction. I won't be hard on myself when I don't want to go to another guesting with my family. And I will allow myself to reject all the besh barmak that is offered to me.

I plan on working with the American Corners in Kant many times a week this year, starting a new talking club with students who are engaged and excited to learn english and visit different parts of the country and see how other volunteers live. Also, and this may seem small, but making my own food will be a battle with my family and one I intend on winning. Less sheep and more spice please.


First things: Ala Archa National Park. Absolutely beautiful. (I wonder how many times I can use the word beautiful in this post)

My mom living for herself

Peace out, mama

After the admin hold scare, we were given the option for Interrupted Service. This "IS" option allowed us to leave Peace Corps due to the stress and, well, interruption the situation put on us and our sites. We had said goodbye, several times, to our families and counterparts. We had packed and closed up our projects. And for some, there was no reason to go back. So we had to say goodbye once more, to our fellow PCVs who decided to leave.  

(Also, only two of those pictured left, but it's all I've got)

Obviously, I couldn't wait to snuggle with Karema and watch some cartoons. Home at last.

My plan for Kyrgyz was to see every oblast that I could. And with that plan in mind, I rarely left my Chui oblast. I was a lazy bum all year. But with the admin hold scare behind me, I  got a marshrutka to Issyk Kul and bought a ticket to the south and spent too much money seeing this beautiful country.

Though the lake in Issyk Kul is of course the main attraction, this is only true because no one has seen Molly Pace's kitten yet. Milton almost broke me down when I had to say goodbye. 

And again...cows having babies.

September 1st, First Bell, begins the school year with an hour long ceremony and then no classes. I got a lovely spot at the teacher table and didn't even have to give a speech. Happy days.

Kyrgyzstan truly is one of the most naturally beautiful countries I have ever been to, and each region has a different landscape. It's not all mountains and hills - though there are a lot of those. So for with last bit of freedom I took to the south with my friend Julia and saw the most stunning parts of Kyrgyzstan.

Mountains were a little too close for comfort

Lenin feeling himself

In the middle of the city there is an ancient mountain that you can climb up and then take pictures. 

So we did.

On our next leg, we headed to Arslanbob. In this small mountain village there is an ancient and massive walnut forest. The whole village smelled like fresh and rotting apples. It was wonderful. It turns out I didn't take any pictures of the forest, so let that be a testament to how engrossing it was. Here are some other sites:

Little waterfall

Be sure to click on this picture. 

The village wedged between mountains.

Later, Julia and I went onward to find the big waterfall. This one was a bit of a stretch for me. Towards the end, it's just a few kilometers of rocky stairs to the top. Yikes. As you can see for the picture below, I was trailing behind the bionic woman - also known as Julia.

And if you look really closely, you can see a little white line on the mountain

...

yeah that's the waterfall.

Here it is close up

Not impressed

Just kidding, it was pretty rad.

The view from the big waterfall. 

Next destination - Sary Chelyk (yellow bucket). Traveling from one small village in between the mountains to a small village in the canyons isn't so simple in Kyrgyzstan. We spent 6 hours going from marshrutka to taxi to marshrutka, but the stars aligned and somehow we were going the right way. Plus, sometimes the traveling part gives you some great views.

But alas, we got to Sary Chelyk and I am so glad we did. As we were taking a shared taxi up the mountain the taxi driver told us "It's best in July and August". Well I would recommend going on the off season because other than the apparent and striking beauty of this lake, the silence surrounding it left an impression. We spent about 2 hours up there just watching the reflections change from the wind patterns, playing with the fish and looking out for snow leopards. We arrived in the morning while the air was still cool and refreshing, leaving just in time for it to heat up. 

As always, the pictures don't do it justice. Being surrounded by these massive mountains, feeling dwarfed by them and listening to the silence was incredible. Reliving it now is incredible. I feel really lucky to be living here and being able to experience these places that not many plan on visiting. And what's great is I know there are more places in this country for me to see.

So who wants to come visit me now?