[I posted 2 entries today! here's the first!]
I don’t know what altitude my village sits, but the stars never appeared closer or twinkled brighter. Bands of the Milky Way come into sight as thin immobile clouds. There is depth to the night sky. No smog or light pollution to hide the distance between each illumination – 1 million, 3 million, 10 million light years away (OK, maybe not that far).
As fellow trainee Tristan said, it makes 3am visits to the outhouse bearable.
Life continues to be good in Kyrgyzstan though the newness is starting to wear off. My dad made a very good point. He said the first month was like a vacation, now reality is beginning to set in. And set in is has. I miss my family and friends. I miss cooking for myself. I miss owning my own time. I actually miss Starbucks (darn you Gingerbread Latte! You were my demise!). We had training a couple of weeks ago about Culture Shock so whatever I’m feeling is normal and valid. It’s just growing pains and I take comfort in that. To stay positive I’ve been keeping a list of good and just plain silly moments over the past few weeks. I really like lists.
--Good –
-With two of my host brothers, pulling down a sunflower and eating the seeds directly from the flower.
-Within one hour sending out 5+ emails and IM with a friend back home (the systems are so slow here I’m lucky if I read 2 emails let alone reply to them).
-The animals know me. The dogs bark less and sometimes when we eat dinner outside the chickens will walk under my chair. A bold brown hen actually pecked my back pocket in search of a snack! I didn’t hurt. J
-Riding the marshruka by myself.
- For Cross Cultural Day my village had to explain the components of a Russian engagement and we had a real Russian matchmaker helping us! So I just had to thrown in a little Fiddler on the Roof. It was my way of integrating. I sang one line from the Matchmaker, Matchmaker and I think I nailed it. [this photo is from Cross Cultural day. i'm wearing a traditional Kyrgyzstani hat and standing inside a yurt.]
-On the hard days, knowing who I can go to for support and knowing who feels comfortable coming to me.
-I have an indoor shower and I can use it every day if I want to.
- Learning, understanding and saying at least one new Russian word a day. I should probably improve that number……..
--Silly--
-Trying to carry on a conversation with my host brother. Okay, he’s 4. And he speaks another language besides Russian. He’s invented his own gibberish and ironically those are our best conversations.
-I try to hold my breath when I visit the outhouse but sometimes on the way out I catch a whiff of the pit. My immediate reaction is to blow the air out of my lungs through my mouth. What good is that going to do?
Our communities are on lock down for a week so this will be my only internet visit until next week. Till then!
I don’t know what altitude my village sits, but the stars never appeared closer or twinkled brighter. Bands of the Milky Way come into sight as thin immobile clouds. There is depth to the night sky. No smog or light pollution to hide the distance between each illumination – 1 million, 3 million, 10 million light years away (OK, maybe not that far).
As fellow trainee Tristan said, it makes 3am visits to the outhouse bearable.
Life continues to be good in Kyrgyzstan though the newness is starting to wear off. My dad made a very good point. He said the first month was like a vacation, now reality is beginning to set in. And set in is has. I miss my family and friends. I miss cooking for myself. I miss owning my own time. I actually miss Starbucks (darn you Gingerbread Latte! You were my demise!). We had training a couple of weeks ago about Culture Shock so whatever I’m feeling is normal and valid. It’s just growing pains and I take comfort in that. To stay positive I’ve been keeping a list of good and just plain silly moments over the past few weeks. I really like lists.
--Good –
-With two of my host brothers, pulling down a sunflower and eating the seeds directly from the flower.
-Within one hour sending out 5+ emails and IM with a friend back home (the systems are so slow here I’m lucky if I read 2 emails let alone reply to them).
-The animals know me. The dogs bark less and sometimes when we eat dinner outside the chickens will walk under my chair. A bold brown hen actually pecked my back pocket in search of a snack! I didn’t hurt. J
-Riding the marshruka by myself.
- For Cross Cultural Day my village had to explain the components of a Russian engagement and we had a real Russian matchmaker helping us! So I just had to thrown in a little Fiddler on the Roof. It was my way of integrating. I sang one line from the Matchmaker, Matchmaker and I think I nailed it. [this photo is from Cross Cultural day. i'm wearing a traditional Kyrgyzstani hat and standing inside a yurt.]
-On the hard days, knowing who I can go to for support and knowing who feels comfortable coming to me.
-I have an indoor shower and I can use it every day if I want to.
- Learning, understanding and saying at least one new Russian word a day. I should probably improve that number……..
--Silly--
-Trying to carry on a conversation with my host brother. Okay, he’s 4. And he speaks another language besides Russian. He’s invented his own gibberish and ironically those are our best conversations.
-I try to hold my breath when I visit the outhouse but sometimes on the way out I catch a whiff of the pit. My immediate reaction is to blow the air out of my lungs through my mouth. What good is that going to do?
Our communities are on lock down for a week so this will be my only internet visit until next week. Till then!
6 comments:
Thinking about you always!!! Love and peace to you. Jessica
Kelly,
So good to hear from you. Sounds as if you are being very positive while feeling a little homesick which i think is perfectly normal. I just got back from Atlanta where I saw your mom, Susan, Julia and Papa OJ...then I went on to Bossier (Shreveport) to stay with my friend Bonnie and 3 other friends from childhood. We meet one time every year and stay in our pajamas and eat and talk about all of our other childhood/high school classmates. We truly are the Yaa Yaa Sisterhood group!
Just keep safe, "put on your big girl pants" and chin up! You will be so happy you have done this and are making a difference! We are proud of you and keeping you in our prayers.
Love you,
Aunt Pam
Kelly,
I am really enjoying your posts! I remember the culture shock setting in living in London after a few months (no decent mexican food there!!)... You must be at a whole different level!
Pam and I send our love,
Nathan
i want twinkling and brightness...im not brave like you are - but i wish i could have a dose of what you have...all of it.
Hey Kelly,
Great to see photos, wow it's really beautiful there, and to hear how you are doing. Sounds like you are well, if a bit homesick which is to be expected. Just back from my Windjammer trip to Costa Rica. Also very beautiful in a 3rd World Country sort of way. Saw monkeys, sloths, wild horses, macaws,whales, dolphins, turtles and sailfish. Gotta run, work to do.
I came across my old cartoon journal of Israel the other day and it made me think of you. Hope all is well with you in your latest adventure. I'm proud of you.
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