I think garage sales are strange. Enough said. I also think living in Congress Park is kickass. I have cool neighbors. Well I actually know none of them, but I have some fellow crossfitters that live close-by (you know who you … Continue reading →

So sorry to inform you all, but my butt has already informed me it will not under any circumstances be making a 15 hr flight back to the States so it looks like I’m stuck here! Let’s just say that … Continue reading →

D'yer Mak'er, sung by a student band at North Kazakhstan University in 1999.

My friend Dmitri (Дмитрий Авдеев) and his band "Rhythm" rehearsing at North Kazakhstan University in 1999. Dmitri was a friend of mine in Petropavlovsk when I served in the Peace Corps there, and shared this great home video with me a couple of weeks ago. He'd like to apologize to everyone for his English; he didn't actually speak English very well back then, and was just singing the words by ear. Also, he points out that the instruments were of inferior quality, and that hampers the sound a bit. Back then it was very difficult and expensive to get high quality rock instruments in the former Soviet Union. All that being said, I'm posting this because I think it's pretty cool. From: forrestdunbar Views: 0 0 ratings Time: 03:48 More in Music

It’s about 9 on a Tuesday night. It appears that tomorrow I will be on my way to live in China for a year or so. It also appears that I have left this blog unfinished. A while after I … Continue reading →

Sitting in the Denver airport this past weekend, I checked the screen for my flight and gate information and was flooded with memories.  Not of Denver, in particular, as it was my first time flying there.  Looking at the “Departures” screen in any airport has a peculiar effect on me.  One that, I’m sure, is [...]

The Galtaji outside of Jaipur in Rajasthan, India. It’s an ancient pilgrimage site for Hindus.  It’s a monkey temple or Gal war Bagh.

This is the Alexander Column in the middle of the Palace Square in Saint Petersburg, Russia. I tried to make it as symmetrical as possible excluding the people.

A monument built inside the Dachau concentration camp to help us to always remember the atrocities of the Holocaust and hopefully prevent future crimes against humanity.

A shot of the inside of the main courtyard and the surrounding mountains in the Amber Fort in Jaipur, India.

This is called the Darwaza-i Rauza, or great gate. You had to pass through it to be able to get to the Taj Mahal.

An iconic Indian taxi in Delhi. They’re called Tuk-Tuks and they are so much fun to ride around in.

I’ve traveled a lot and experienced a lot, but nothing has ever been like my first day in Nicaragua.  Let me preface by mentioning that I missed my first flight into the country because my plane out of La Paz was … Continue reading →

This was the entry gates to The Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, Russia. This who place was nothing but pure class.

A picture of my second favorite view in all of Saint Petersburg. It’s called the Church of Saviour on Spilled Blood. It is called this because it is built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated.

An ancient Chinese sculpture in The Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It reminded me of Zull from the movie Ghostbusters.

The Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, Russia, was truly amazing. The amount of world class art of all types is almost unmatched. These just lined the entry stairs.

A partial shot of the Jain Temple in Ranakhpur and the mountains surrounding mountains. It’s between Udaipur and Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India.

Monday morning I left Bolivia.  It was a bittersweet goodbye – the sweet being that I’m now I’m in Nicaragua, and the bitter being leaving such an interesting country full of great people.  This last Thursday I had a goodbye … Continue reading →

I’m finally going to write something again but haven’t got a topic. I’m open to writing about anything you all would like to read. Just leave suggestions in the comments and whatever gets the most votes wins. Thanks!

I felt giving all of my clothes away yesterday. Well all of them except my workout clothes that double as my work clothes/pjs . So I grabbed a trash bag and started going through my closet. I have a jean … Continue reading →

A shot from the top of the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, India. If you look in the distances you can see why Jodhpur is called the Blue City.

Today I really wanted write a blog about the current metaphorical ‘thorn in my side’, but I will spare you the bloody details. Instead I wanted to pass along a great way to de-clutter your brain/thoughts (that is assuming you … Continue reading →

This was taken at the amazing Amber Fort in Jaipur. It was beautiful to see all the fabulous marble work all over the fort.

This was the last picture I took in India. A little seaside cafe in Goa we ate at everyday where you ate fresh seafood everyday.

Of all the beautiful things I’ve seen or will ever get to see in this life I’m not sure anything will ever rival the Taj Mahal.

I really loved Jodhpur. We got our first taste of monsoon weather when our hotel room flooded after an extremely hard rain.

Altyn Arashan and a Kyrgyz Yurt (2009)

Back in 2009 I took a week-long trip to Kyrgyzstan with 2 friends. Besides the complexities of getting a visa in Central Asia, it was a quick hop over the border from Kazakhstan where I was serving in the Peace Corps. I know Kyrgyzstan is a world class vacation spot for most Americans, especially being so close--and with recent revolutions, government change and whatnot adding to the excitement... As strange as it sounds, though, it was probably one of the most fascinating and fun trips I ever took. Most people think of a dream vacation as a place like Cancun or Hawaii--both great places to visit, don't get me wrong--but I think of a place like Kyrgyzstan as a dream vacay. Altyn Arashan means golden valley, and it lives up to its name! And one's life is not lived until you spend a night in a yurt--simple as that... I'm sorry if the video, editing and sound are't that great. I recorded the video on a quick shot digital camera and quickly edited the vid with Windows Movie Maker. From: timmmmyification Views: 2 0 ratings Time: 14:33 More in Travel & Events

Nora [looking at lovely daffodils being sold along the sidewalk]: How much are these?

Middle-aged Russian Woman: 30.

Nora [thinking she has misheard]: How much?

MRW: 30 som.

Nora [thinking this is way too cheap for pretty spring flowers]: Wait, how much are they?

MRW: OK, I'll give them to you for 25 som.

“Have it your way.” “Right now.” “Oh and Super Size it too.” “Thanks.” “Hurry up.” My dad said something the other day that got me thinking. He said something to effect that we live in a McDonalds/fast food culture where … Continue reading →

Since I left Kazakhstan, many different things have happened. I now have a new job at a study abroad company. Jenny has a part-time art therapy job and is enrolled in art courses part-time. I am happy in the present and looking forward to the future.

New Years 2012!

Glorious display of the intellectual ability of University of Connecticut

Snow Leopard at Central Park Zoo in NYC

Polar Bear at Central Park Zoo

Sorry for my last rant. I didn’t mean for it to seem… so feisty/nasty. Also…if you have a problem with poor grammar and spelling, stop reading this blog immediately and indefinitely. You have been warned. Well I am back again … Continue reading →

As most of you know, A LOT has happened over the past few months since I last posted on this site.  I am no longer in Kazakhstan with the Peace Corps, and I’ve been trying my best to find my place again here in the U.S.  Since I never really explained in detail on my [...]

Here is something that was sent to me from one of my excellent former students named Nurdaulet. It’s a handy chart with some good phonetic transcriptions of basic Kazakh words and phrases. Kazakh is a Turkic language that’s existed for very long time. Basic Kazakh words – Негізгі қазақша сөзтіркестер How do you do? ; [...]

I will start off by saying hello. It has been awhile since my last post. That sounds like a confession. haha. My brain is all over the place. Maybe it’s hormones or maybe I’m just a bit crazy. Or both. … Continue reading →

This week is my last week working at Alalay (the orphanage).  I will definitely miss the girls in my cabin even though I wasn’t able to get as close a relationship with them as I would have hoped due to … Continue reading →

Argument for accepting the presence of bias…so we can deal with it effectively: 1. Bias is the interplay of connotations and situations. 2. Philosophers have historically considered bias in language inimical to the search for truth. 3. This approach has incorrectly presumed that it is possible to remove bias from the pursuit and communication of [...]

While starting to sort through the jumbled pieces of the life I left behind as I fled the country a year ago, I discovered a few things that really put it all into perspective - though what perspective that is, exactly, I’m not quite sure. I know a few people have been waiting for The Big [...]

One of my life goals is to be trilingual before I’m 30 (English, Russian, and Spanish).  I’m not even close to getting there yet.  Traveling and volunteering has allowed me to meet some of the most amazing and intelligent people … Continue reading →

While starting to sort through the jumbled pieces of the life I left behind as I fled the country a year ago, I discovered a few things that really put it all into perspective - though what perspective that is, exactly, I’m not quite sure. I know a few people have been waiting for The Big [...]

Alum describes Peace Corps experience in Kazakhstan

On Tuesday, March 6, 2012, Wagner College history graduate Kevin Burke '09 returned to his alma mater to speak about "Life in Kazakhstan as a Peace Corps Volunteer." Burke's 18 months as a PCV in Stepnogorsk, Kazakhstan was abruptly ended by dramatic political changes that forced the Peace Corps to abandon its mission in that country. Burke, however, refused to leave his post until the US Government intervened. Burke's presentation focused on cultural differences between Kazakhstanis and Americans and presented a view of international service and volunteerism in organizations like the Peace Corps. From: WagnerCollegeNYC Views: 19 0 ratings Time: 01:37:39 More in Education

When I’ve got a lot of time on my hands I like to look at some of my old pictures. Lately, I’ve really only been looking at pictures from my time in Peace Corps Kazakhstan (1 & 2) and from my short, but amazing, vacation in India (1, 2, & 3.) Today, sparked by the [...]

What if you ___________________________and it turned out it wasn’t what you thought it would be? Fill in the blank: won the lottery, bought a new house, found your soul mate, got your dream job, ate a huge piece of chocolate … Continue reading →

Transportation log the past 2 weeks: 1 hour, plane, Osh-Bishkek (+2 hours in taxis to/from airports) 5 hours, taxi, Bishkek-Naryn 1 hour, helicopter, Naryn-Bishkek (+3.5 hours in taxis to/from landing pads…thus saving us all of 40 minutes for a cool $4k. Thanks for the joyride, AKDN!) 16 hours, bus, … Continue reading →

Early December, I enjoyed a two-week vacation in Southeast Asia. At least, I wanted it to be vacation. But “vacation” infers you have a job to go back to, something very much not true for me. Maybe it’s more accurate to call those two weeks “limbo”. “Limbo” conjures up feelings of uncertainty. Confusion. Yep, much more accurate. And not only was I confused about my future, I was confused about my past. And lucky for me, I found myself still in limbo-land after arriving in the Midwest. As many of you know, events beyond my control set my head spinning like a top mid-November, and whoever spun it did a fabulous job, because it hasn’t stopped yet. But as I twirl around, I’ll hold to my promise and deliver some more stories as relive the glories of life as a PCV before the addition of that pesky R-for-returned.

Заходити!

I had long had good intentions of hosting dinners at my apartment. I’d wanted to invite my director, my host family, and other local friends. Finally, the perfect opportunity came along, and I had to pounce on it. My director was on vacation, but word on the street was that she was in town. So, a couple conversations and a few phone calls later, dinner was set for October 8. At first the plan was for three of us – my school director and the director of a preschool where I’ve been helping out.

My mind raced with recipe ideas. What to make to impress such important guests? Spicy is risky, flavor is strange. But I knew I could whip up some delicious chicken taquitos and incredible beans. I threw caution to the wind and diced up some spicy salsa, too. And for dessert, a fresh ginger and pear bread. This was gonna be good. At least I knew I would think so.

Friday night, I got word that the preschool director would likely not be back in time to join us on Saturday. Undeterred, I whipped up enough to feed all three of us women (uh, plus 10 hungry men… oops). My timing was decent, thanks to my school director running late. She wasn’t sure which apartment was mine, so she was walking in circles and calling to get directions from me. Right… (This is as great a place as any to remind us all that these directors speak next to no English. And my Russian? Well, don’t expect me to be able to differentiate between Soviet blockhouses.) I slipped on some shoes and met her at a nearby café, came back, and quickly finished baking the first batch of taquitos.

The two of us sat down in my little kitchen, opened up a bottle of wine, and got down to business. From my short time living with her upon my arrival to Shakhtinsk, I knew she was a great cook and as someone who has traveled a good bit, I hoped she would be up for something new. And whaddya know, she was! She seemed to thoroughly enjoy what I had prepared for us, and asked enough questions to replicate some of it at home.

So food was fine. And I must say, conversation was, too. Our only Russian conversation. ;) Yep. I kept up with most of her mile-a-minute Russian, believe it or not. Lots of talk about food and work, and many mentions of a young man she had wanted to invite in the other director’s place. She had just come from a meeting at the regional Ministry of Education, and had wanted to invite the head honcho, Nikolai. He’s 32 and available, she said with a wink. She also touted his educational background and religious stance. But since she herself was coming to my apartment for the first time, she had decided against the possibility of freaking me out by bringing along someone even higher on the ol’ totem pole. Out loud, I said she should have brought him. Inside, I wasn’t so sure. But it was decided that there must be a second dinner party, when both he and the preschool director could come.

We finished our wine with dessert, which left out the mandatory hot tea. But for tea, we’d go to her apartment. We made the five-minute walk over, and she set out some blini for me to try. On the anniversary of her father’s passing, she had made loads of them to share with family and friends. She showed me what kitchenware she uses to make blini, and upon remembering that my birthday was coming up, determined that her present to me would be a pan perfect for making them. Conversation continued over tea, and my visit ended with her running around the apartment, collecting homemade canned goods for me to take home. My newly acquired goods were heavy enough that she called a taxi to take me back.

October

The 8th was the first of many fabulous evenings that filled up the month. The day after I hosted Svetlana Yureivna, I traveled with a van full of people up to Astana, where a FLEX exam was being held. Marly and I got to help more than we anticipated, which afforded us a fascinating view of the inner workings of the competition’s first round. And then, as we waited for Raushan to complete the second round, several of us wandered around the glitzy capital.

The following Friday, my kitchen was fabulously full of Indian food that Elena, Losha, Marly, and I shared. After some ping pong battles, we went off to a second gathering Saturday night, where the best intents of others to have a Bachelorette Party for Melissa were quashed by Shakhtinsk PCV antics. One thing we now know for sure: not all vodka is created equal. Thank God the party never left the building.

By far the biggest party was yet to come. I had been invited to celebrate my host mother’s 40th birthday, for which they had rented out a restaurant in a nearby village, Novodolinka. Miraculously, I made it to that dinner and to another PCV gathering in Karaganda, involving a lot less drinking and a lot more dancing. Good thing, too, since Sunday night I was hosting two of my local bosses (Svetlana and Svetlana) and their boss (Nikolai).

On October 23rd, I hustled around my apartment, trying to make it presentable as I whipped up (far too much) food. This time, dinner was not ready when I wanted it to be. But three guests mean guests can talk to each other. So they chatted and helped as I finished a couple last minute things. Soon the table was covered with food and we could just enjoy the evening. I was more than happy to listen, but chimed in when I could. As they looked through my photographs after we ate, I sure caught up on words used. They, like so many others, riddled me with questions, learning as much as they could from the snapshots I showed them. A common observation made refers to our silly grins. It’s so easy to spot the American in amongst stoic Kazakhs and Russians. The evening’s highlight came when we took our own group picture. I set up the timer, joined the others, and smiled from ear to ear while the others showed next to no emotion. I chided them as I reviewed the shot. Not to be outdone, they insisted on taking an “American” picture, teeth and all. The result? A bit more emotion and a lot more giggles as they looked at themselves on my camera screen. Let’s call this cultural exchange at its finest. ;)

As for all the food… I turned it into a week of hosting. Volleyball friends after a game on Monday night, a couple teachers on Wednesday night, and chips and salsa for PCVs on my way to Almaty that weekend. Sounds to me like I made just enough.

  So I snook into my parents house and checked up on their Paleo Challenge. They are doing great!!!!! I am so proud of them for taking the initiative to try this new way of eating. Go parents. In other … Continue reading →

It's been a pretty eventful three months in Nepal. I don't know what I expected, but this ain't it.

Kathmandu is not a peaceful city. It is loud and overcrowded. I am reminded of the old tale of a wise professor filling a large jar to the top with stones and asking his students if it was full. Of course they fall for it and most say yes, and then he pours in pebbles to fill all of the spaces, and asks again. About half still fall for it, and say the jar is full, and then he goes on to blow their minds by adding sand, and then finally brings it home by pouring in water.

His moral is that you can fit all kinds of things into your life, but you have to take care of the big things first because they won't fit if the little things are already in the way. All I think about when I hear this story now is the streets of Kathmandu.

Add just the cars and trucks, and Lazimpat road- the main road in my neighborhood- looks not too different from any road back home. Those are the big stones. Then you've got rickshaws, most of them motorized on this road, but sometimes rigged to bicycles. And speaking of bicycles, there are also the people who have strapped a massive bookshelf to their bicycle, and are slowly walking in down the street to some unapparent destination. Then, like the sand rushing in to fill all of the empty spaces, are the thousands of motorcycles, always weaving, cutting in, swerving, with two, three, and sometimes a family of four people riding on one bike.

Coming to the main road from my small street, I see the road as most of the students saw the jar of stones. My brain tells me that it is full. But then people push past me (politely - gotta love the Nepalese), and proceed to glide into empty spaces, timing their advances with the moving vehicles, crossing the street in a feat that looks like it belongs on some Japanese obstacle course reality show.

I'm still terrified enough of traffic that I wait for comically long periods of time to cross the street, but it is funny how my brain now sees that big jar full of stones, pebbles, sand, and water, and feels no shock. And sure enough, as I pass a goat tied to a telephone pole in this urban center, or a monkey traipsing along the electrical cables, I know that there must be some type of molecule that could be injected into that full jar to make it even fuller.

Latest news:I'm hiring staff for the Volunteer Nepal office..."How to conduct an interview" is now on my Favorites tabSteffen leaves Monday for New Zealand. He'll work for a few weeks, and then I'll fly over in March!Motorbike has happened. We took a road trip to Bhaktapur (UNESCO world heritage site, Newari village). We wore helmets!Kathmandu is in the middle of a gas, petrol, water, electricity, and cat food shortage. The power is out around 11-14 hours per day, and people sit in line all day to fill their gas tanks. The cats are in heaven because we're feeding them tuna, chicken, and the occastional Puppy Chow (which, oddly, is abundantly available).

Chaka passed right before Christmas, from an unknown genetic disorder that claimed two kittens from her litter. She will be remembered for her insistence on talking while eating, and her cute tiger stripes. R.I.P. Chaka.

It's been too long since the first post from Bishkek... That's a sign that things have settled into a routine, perhaps. Research is coming along slowly, connections are coming along quickly, since there are so many wonderful people to meet in Bishkek! Most days find me wandering the city a bit, meeting friends and colleagues, and snapping a precious few pictures. Here are just a couple shots of the city. I need to get them posted before all the snow melts and these become horribly out of date... Also, they are a bit hazy because coal fires and car exhaust keep the city warm.

Lenin waves "hello" on the way to the University where I am based.

Often there are small protests on this square.

Soldiers guard the flagpole, the warrior guards the square.

In the background is the national museum.

A highlight of last week was giving a presentation to International Relations undergraduate students on how to get into gradate school in the United States. The presentation was fun and the students had some great questions: for the record, if your email starts with BadBoy31@... you might want to get a new address before you start emailing admissions departments!

In just a few short weeks the routine will change again as research and travel pick up. Never a dull moment!

An empty building on the main drag, Chui.

Shows the reach of American advertising: Don Draper would be proud.

Me in the snazzy apartment! Had a few guests over a couple weeks ago (hence Jiselle in the background); yesterday friends came over to lead a plov-making workshop. Pictures perhaps to follow, too bad I can't share the delicious plov with you all!

When I write I usually I pick an overarching theme for my post. An emotion, a current event, sometimes an anecdote. This time that’s been almost impossible. While it took me only a day or so to write about the first post about my egress from Kazkahstan, I’ve been trying to write this piece for [...]