More pics below

October 21, 2005


Okay. First off, lets clear a few things up.

NO. 1 I DO NOT HAVE A MISSING TOOTH, DESPITE THE WAY THESE PICTURES MIGHT LOOK. I HAVE PERFECT TEETH THANKS TO MY PARENTS, AND PLAN TO KEEP THEM THAT WAY. THE PICTURE QUALITY IS DISTORTED.

NO. 2

I am going to describe my house in my village. I walk in the front door, which locks with a latch, and am in the garage. On one side I have a room with a wood stove and a sink with a bucket above it that puts water into the spout. It drips into a bucket that you empty periodically throughout the day. It has a television and a stack of mats that my host parents make into a bed at night. They both sleep in the living room/kitchen/bedroom. On the other side of the house is a formal dining area and my bedroom. In between is an outdoorish kitchen with a stove, another drip sink and the banya, and it connects to the chicken coop. That’s it. No kitchen or anything like that.

Okay, so today I taught in front of the staff, and I was pretty nervous. It ended up going really well. I was pretty happy with the class. We went over families and I used a diagram of my own family tree to explain it. After that we learned adjectives and I got a good review from the TEFL coordinator. So I’m happy. We had more language lessons this afternoon and then I headed home… or so I thought.

I walked into the house and wanted to take a little nap, before Chrystal and Laurie came by to watch movies. But my host mom said something to me that resembled neighbors and leaving the house, so I changed out of my school clothes and went with her. We met up with 15 other women from the neighborhood and headed to one house. At the house we all sat down for tea, and then the vodka came out. I don’t think I have ever seen so many women taking shots before. They just kept coming. It really loosened me up and I found myself speaking Kyrgyz and having the best time since I have got here. They made me feel so welcome, and I was giving English toasts with their Kyrgyz toasts all night. Mine might have been somewhat inappropriate, but no one knew what I was saying! We stayed for a few hours and then went home, where Chrystal and Laurie were waiting. We ended up just sitting around talking to my host family; it really is much easier with more friends around to help me communicate. I found out that my host father did in fact bride kidnap my host mother when she was 17. She said she cried, We watched a show similar to Wheel of Fortune and fed my puppy too.

I even got to wash my hair yet again and am preparing for a football game in Bishkek tomorrow that we are all going to watch, I am really excited. I have to teach at 8:50 and then we are off, with American flags in tow. Then banya day, I love the weekends.

I had a definite epiphany today while walking down the street. It came to me when a young girl said ‘hello, how are you, my name is… etc.” She was from one of our classes, and we taught her that. It really feels good. I love it here. I love being able to communicate in this language that I never would have even heard of otherwise. I love walking down the street with the cow herd looking for other volunteers. I love trying to talk to random sweet people who invite me in to their lives at the drop of a hat. These people are incredibly kind and generous. I love what we are doing here.

And then Mom and Katie called today to make it all even greater!!! I can’t wait until they come to visit.