Hello All!

It's been quite awhile since I've updated but much has happened within the past 3 weeks or so. The biggest area I can comment on is the Easter Holiday. On Palm Sunday my mother took me to the church and we lit candles for our loved ones. We then received 'palms' which were from the willow tree. I was so lucky to see the inside of the church. It was comforting to see the same pictures as in an American Catholic Church. When we got home we put the palms in the gate to our house. This brings good luck. I also had a vase with the palms in my room. The next week we went to church at 10 p.m on the Saturday before Easter. Many people from the village showed up. It started with everyone getting candles for their loved ones and the priest saying some words. The priest then lit a main candle and everyone lit their single candles from one another with the original light coming from the priest. We then put our candles in several stands and all took one lit candle and walked around the church three times (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). Afterwards the priest said some words...of which I couldn't understand and then we walked home with a lit candle. I found out later that we aren't supposed to talk on our way home... On Easter Sunday I woke up and we dyed eggs all sorts of different colors! I must say, in Bulgaria, their eggs are prettier. They use cotton, onion peels and different colors to make these amazing designs. It was awesome.

Another story I have happened just yesterday. I was on my way home and turned on my street. Normally I look at the ground when I walk and all of a sudden I decided to look up. Staring at me were 20 sheep! I then thought to move to the side of the road so I could pass...well...they followed me...so I walked faster...and they kept following me. I saw my mom down the way and she was laughing pretty hard! Apparently I'll make a good shepardess?

My daily routine consists of language from 8:30-1:30, an hour lunch and then studying, tutoring or working on community projects. We had to make a map of our community and are now working on a Community Service Day. The kids want us to sing, dance and do theatre activies.

I've been in my village for about a month now with 3 other volunteers are we are taking it day by day. It definitely isn't easy but we are having a blast! In two week we will find out about our permanent sites. As we are Youth Development workers we have no idea what kind of organization we will be in. It could be a school, orphanage, NGO, shelter, etc... Once we find out where we're going we will find out our counterparts (who we will be working side by side) and have a conference to get to know one another.

I find that I rarely have a spare moment and try and utilize my time learning the language as much as possible. We travel to a larger city when we have our 'hub' (the entire B27 group) which is awesome! City life is so very much different than the village life. I've had the opportunity to visit both an orphange and a special needs day center. It was quite an experience!

Other then that I am enjoying my time here, learning the language and meeting amazing new people...American and Bulgarian.

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. I appreciate them!

Love,

Jo

Okay….So I’ve been in KSTAN two months now! I am finally able to say that I’ve completed training. It has been quite a hectic and busy two months, let me tell you. This past week has been the craziest at all. On Monday and Tuesday we had our normal language classes. On Wednesday we all found out where we will be placed in the country, on Thursday we had our big health projects and on Friday my language group took our language exams. The feelings are those you all felt in your college years during finals week…except worse! I know, it’s hard to imagine but the stress was high!

I’m sure you are all wondering where I am going. In a previous post I listed all the characteristics of each oblast. The Peace Corps had a really neat system set up to tell everyone where they are going. When we got to hub site there was a huge map of Kyrgyzstan drawn out. The different oblasts were all outline and in each oblast were little hats with the oblast name on it. In the middle of the morning all the trainees and volunteers (they came to welcome us!) surrounded the chalk country. The health program manager started out by calling out our names and telling us where we were going. I was so shocked to learn where I was going…and the answer is….NARYN!! Yes! Ladies and gentlemen, I will be living right in the mountains. I had absolutely no idea I would be placed here. They do not place many health volunteers in this oblast and I didn’t think I had a chance of going. There are 11 other volunteers besides myself going. There is a girl from my language group going as well – and she’s another health volunteer! We are so excited. I am lucky because she is really outdoorsy and is ready to can food and make granola. Everyone seems pretty cool and we are all stoked to get to our site. The elevation is about 1,000 feet, so not very high, but still in the mountains! I will be in a large town which is what I wanted. Next-my job-I will be working at a nursing school! I know it sounds weird since I am not a nurse nor do I have that type of medical background. However, I will be working with the youth department. This is an amazing assignment and I am so excited and ready to get started! There is another health volunteer where I am and apparently she already has work waiting for me… In my village 3 trainees were placed in Issykul, 3 in Talas and then the 3 of us in Naryn. Everyone, for the most part, is excited about their site and what lies ahead.

Secondly, we had our final health projects on Thursday. Joanna and I did our health project on how to stop a bloody nose and clean a cut. We created a health lesson and then gave it to a group of children at an orphanage. The kids really liked our project. In most part this is because we used ketchup for blood. They thought it was hilarious when I put it all over my nose and pretended I had a bloody nose. When we asked them what the problem was one little boy shouted, ‘There’s ketchup on your nose!’ It was really funny.

I finished off the day by going to a four hour peer support training. There were 7 of us chosen to be peer support volunteers. The easiest way to describe this is the eight of us will be mentors to the rest of the volunteers while in the Peace Corps. Volunteers who are in need of support will call one of us 7 and talk to us about what is going on. I’m sure you all get the idea…

Lastly, Friday morning, I had my big language exam. This is the exam to measure our progress and where our language is at the end of training. For almost two weeks I was working with my language instructor and just chatting with her in Kyrgyz. This really helped my performance and I scored and intermediate high. I am very proud of myself! The tests normally last 20 minutes but you all know me. My test lasted 45 because I was talking so much. Go figure. The rest of my group waited until after lunch to take their LPI because they were all in warden training! Each oblast has people who are in charge of relaying important messages and holding onto medications. Therefore, it was I and my LCF for the rest of the day after I finished my test. We decided to head to Bishkek for a lesson! I learned words about transportation and was able to experience more of the city. We ate at a delicious Chinese restaurant where we had spicy garlic bamboo chicken and an eggplant dish. Yes Mom, I chose the eggplant dish. I’ve had it twice now it’s probably one of my favorite foods I have ever eaten. It has a sweet and spicy soy sauce covering sautéed eggplant. Delicious. After Bishkek I headed to Kant to meet up with fellow trainees where we celebrated finishing our LPI’s. A hangout we often frequent is a Georgian restaurant where they make cheese bread. As we cannot find cheese very often nor can afford it, this dish is quite a delicacy. We meet a group of Russian pilots sitting next to us and ended up sharing several bottles of vodka. It was quite a cultural experience and a very fun time.

Things are going well over on this side of the world. I am very excited to get to my site and get settled in. The last time I lived in the same location for two years was in high school. It should be interesting staying put in the middle of the mountains for two years. Let’s see how it goes! Once again I appreciate and LOVE emails from you all. It’s nice for me to share what’s going on over here and I would really love to get updates from you all. Remember, I don’t really know too much about what’s going on over there so updates are nice.

Next week is another big week as well. We meet our counterparts, get sworn in and head to our permanent sites. I will try and update you all in the next week or so after everything is done and over with. ALSO – tomorrow, my language group and I are headed to Bishkek to try out the brand new Mexican restaurant. I know many of you are wondering…yes there are margaritas and yes I’m going to drink them. Stay in touch.

Love you all,

Johanna

Hello to All!

I hope this posting finds you all in high spirits. As in the United States, it is springtime here! I have been told that it is abnormally cold for spring here. However, I am finding it quite pleasant! It is so refreshing to see flowers blooming and green, green grass. Another beauty that I have been able to see has been condensation above the mountains. For a few days the mountains will not be visible (which is a bummer), but then it snows and the mountains appear more exuberant than ever! It is definitely worth two days of non-visible mountains for the beauty after a snowfall.

Well, I have two weeks of training left. All the trainees have much on their mind. First, on Wednesday, we will get our site placements! Everybody is anxiously awaiting where we will be and whom we will be with for the next two years. Unfortunately, only four people will be placed in the Osh Oblast versus the 25 originally planned. Many trainees are bummed but it’s always good to remember safety first. The site placement takes a couple hours and is a big ceremony. Current volunteers from every oblast come to welcome their new mates. I have been told over and over that they are just excited as we are! The directors and managers will all get together on Monday and go over every individual trainee. In collaboration, they determine where the best placement for each volunteer will be.

Secondly, on Thursday, we will have our health lesson in a neighboring village school. I have not talked much about health thus far so I think it’s time to give a brief overview. Because we will all be placed in different health facilities, our weekly training is very broad. However, it is essential to being a good volunteer. We have worked on proper facilitation, health problems in Kyrgyzstan, health care system in Kyrgyzstan, how to manage a classroom, visiting organizations in Bishkek and more. We also have weekly community assignments where we talk with people in our community about health issues. Some of these assignments include mapping out our communities, talking with youth about health issues and visiting medical facilities. We have covered a variety of subjects that will meet everybody’s need.

Joanna and I are doing our health lesson on basic first aid concerns with young children. Our topics include how to stop nosebleeds, bandage cuts, wrap breaks and heat exhaustion. We will be giving the lesson in the local language. Luckily, one of our trainers will be with us to help!

Thirdly, on Friday, we will have our first LPI test. This test will measure our language proficiency thus far. We have to meet a certain criteria, intermediate low. If this is not met we will get tutors when we get to our village. However, I am planning to get a tutor regardless. We are all very stressed about this test. The LPI is important because after Peace Corps, some may use their fluent language to for future job opportunities. I just try and remind myself not to worry and that the language will come, bit by bit. My concern/desire is being able to speak when I get to my site. Language is so important and plays a huge role in service.

I will write another blog in a week or two when everything hectic has finished. The week after our language test we have our swearing in, meet our counterparts and have seminars that will help us when we get to our site. I am so excited for this week!

The trainee’s in Kengesh have been blessed to be in our village. Everybody has treated us so kind and we are welcomed wherever we go. Last week I went to a ‘toy’ with my family. This toy, or party, was for a 60th birthday. There were at least 50-70 people there with a DJ, dancing and a TON of food. Vodka and wine was being served constantly. I refrained from drinking except an ‘ostee’ with wine. An ostee is just touching the liquor or food and have a small sample to be polite. This toy was big and fun!

We also had culture day last weekend. For this day each language group had to prepare a local food, cultural skits and a talent of some sort. We prepared ‘kattima’ which was delicious. It is dough rolled out, with a ton of oil and a mixture of eggs, onions and ju-sai. For our skit we acted out a baby’s first steps and the introduction of a kaylin in a family. A baby’s first steps is when the parents release the baby out into the world to start walking. The parents tie the baby’s feet and then kids from the family run up and cut the rope. The kids then take a hold of the toddler and introduce them into their world.

The introduction of a kaylin is a huge event. A kaylin is a new wife, or to be wife. She will now take on all the responsibilities that a mother would. This includes all the cleaning, cooking, dishes and washing. The kaylin is introduced by the mother tying a white scarf around her head. She is then welcomed, given words of encouragement and often gifts. A funny story to go along with this: a couple weeks ago a girl in my training group went to a party where they introduce and welcome the kaylin. Since our language skills are still developing, this trainee didn’t know what exactly was going on. instead of tying the scarf on the kaylin, she tied it on herself! Everybody started laughing and she didn’t know what was going on. they explained to her that she was supposed to tie the scarf on the kaylin! The trainee then started saying, ‘I am not a kaylin! I am not a kaylin!’ It is a hilarious story and she will never live it down.

We have switched our language group instructors and now everyone in our group is female. We are having such a blast. The topic of our conversation is so fun and girly! I will be sad to end PST but I am grateful for the friends I have made.

I’m not quite sure about the political situation in Kyrgyzstan but for all of you that are wondering…I AM COMPLETELY SAFE!! I am not in any danger nor will I be throughout my service. Speaking of safety, a man from the US Embassy came to speak with us all yesterday! It was quite interesting and I learned a lot about crime in Kyrgyzstan and how to stay safe.

As always I enjoy hearing from everybody in the states. An email puts a smile on my face all the time. I also appreciate your humor and would like more of it! I hope this post filled some need of what’s going on over in Central Asia. I am doing the best I can!

Love always,

Johanna

Hello everyone. This is Jo's mom with a message from her. She called home this morning to chat and to let us know that they are having problems getting their packages from the US. So, Jo asks that if you want to send her a package, please wait until she arrives at her permanent site in June and gives us the new address. Letters, however, are very much welcome, as are emails and phone calls. She sounds in high spirits and seems to be enjoying her time in Kyrgyzstan more every day. Hopefully, she'll be able to post a new entry soon. Barb

Hello Everyone!

I hope you are all doing well back in the United States. Any interesting news you all want to catch me up on? I’d love to hear it! Things are going great in Kyrgyzstan. We are coming up on our fifth week of training. It will be our last week with our current language facilitator. The facilitator I have now is awesome. He will definitely be missed! We will have our second facilitator until the first week in June. The volunteers will be sworn in and then sent to our permanent sites where we will meet our families. No one knows where they will be placed yet. We are all eagerly awaiting our assignments. Remember, Kyrgyzstan is the size of North Dakota – it’s not very big! However, the diversity of the country is amazing. As I wrote before, each oblast has its benefits. I will be happy wherever I am placed.

Language is coming; slowly but surely. I find that I am able to communicate more every day. My apa is very patient with me. I can tell that she enjoys teaching me. It must be exciting for the host families to see how the volunteers progress throughout their service. Everyone in my group is doing an amazing job learning the language. The five of us have a very pleasant outlook on learning the language. We are taking our lessons days by day and are enjoying what we are learning.

The volunteers in our village (10 of us) have formed strong relationships with one another. We are like a family.*For the teens at Pathfinders reading this: Why do you think this has happened? Ten very different people becoming as close as brother and sister to one another in a month? Has this happened to you with any of your friends? What does this tell you about how people react to different situations?*

I haven’t talked too much about my village. The village I live in, Kengesh, is very tiny. We have several magazines (stores that sell candy, vodka and bread), 3 larger stores (like a first class BP), a mosque, a house of culture/club/library, a healthcare facility (we will find out if it’s working next week…) and an extremely nice school. I do not know the names of any streets – they aren’t labeled! Instead, the name of the street is sometimes listed on the house itself. Some volunteers are living in larger villages that have large stores or even bazaars (a market). I will hopefully be able to visit a town in the near future!

This past Sunday several volunteers, myself and a trainer went hiking to find Buddhist ruins. We hiked for about two hours before we reached our destination. We could see Kazakhstan from where we were. I think we were only a mile or two away. We climbed up huge hills and walked into unfamiliar land. There were many sheep grazing with their herder sitting nearby on their horse. I have amazing pictures. Unfortunately it’s going to be hard for me to upload them for awhile. Our first destination was a Buddhist gravesite (I think). We saw human bones in the dirt. It was ridiculous. I have never seen anything like it. Our second site was Buddhist ruins. It’s hard to describe. However, it was an awesome experience.

Another first for me while being in Kyrgyzstan was using a banya! Imagine sitting in a hot sauna (Amanda I know you are familiar). Now, triple the heat. A banya is where you bathe in an extremely hot sauna. The water is kept boiling by the fire that is constantly lit. It was actually hard to breathe because of how hot it was. I had to crack the door open to let cooler air in. There was also reading material…and it was how to speak in English…yes, I took one. I absolutely loved my banya! It’s normal to have a banya once a week.

After my banya the family had a movie turned on. It was a Kyrgyz movie with English subtitles. This movie was about bride kidnapping. Our last culture day was about bride kidnapping so it was very interesting to watch it on the television. A few days later I had a conversation about bride kidnapping with my mom. Since my Krygyz is very simple I had a hard time with the discussion. I know that my apa was not bride kidnapped and she married her boyfriend. We joke about what were to happen if someone kidnapped me. I told her no one would want me as a wife because I don’t cook, do laundry or clean. I would make a bad wife! It was very funny and we had a good laugh.

I haven’t talked to much about my family yet. My family is wonderful. My apa, Saltanat, sells cosmetics in a neighboring city. She sells the Mary Kay but the Russian version. If only I could afford it! My apa treats me very well. She actually wouldn’t let me out of the house the other day because my skirt was wrinkled. She ironed it for me and then let me go on my way! She also braided my hair the other day. I definitely feel as though she cares for me! She is doing a wonderful job providing fruits and vegetables…this I am so grateful for!

My ata, Sarabek, is a very kind man. He is a taxi driver in Bishkek, the capital. I don’t talk with him as much as I do my apa but when I do he helps me with whatever I need. I have worked on pronouncing my vowels with him and learning many verbs. The other day he came home from the market with a banana for me! It was such a pleasant treat!

I don’t see too much of my brother, Urmat. He works in a neighboring city and has a girlfriend who he sees. He knows a little English which is helpful. It was agreed that we would each help one another with learning English and Kyrgyz. Hopefully I will be able to teach him something! Urmat is also very kind and helps me whenever I need it.

Itoosh is a very active six year old. I have been here a month and have yet to see her cry. She always comes to me with a smile and is anxious to see what I am doing or what foreign objects are in my room. I taught her how to play ‘go fish’ the other day and now it has become a daily activity with her and her friends. I have also watched Shrek with her and she seems to like it. Itoosh is also great with helping me learn vocabulary. My Kyrgyz family is wonderful.

The other day the health volunteers went to visit a local school. We observed how the teachers taught how the students behaved. I witnessed a math class. I have never witnessed children so excited to learn math! Hands were raised at all times. Everyone wanted to participate. There wasn’t any disruption or talking out of turn. Hands were also raised differently than in the U.S. If you lay the left hand horizontally out in front of you, bend the right arm at the elbow and put the right elbow on top of the left hand you have raised it correctly. It was fascinating to watch! They were learning algebra – what we know as the FOIL method.

The last thing I wanted to write about were the sounds of my village. On my way to lessons I usually pass cows or a herd of sheep going out to graze. I hear lambs, goats and cows. I also have to be careful so I don’t step in the product – it is everywhere! I also hear, “Hello!!! Hello!!!!!” all the time. The Kyrgyz children know that it is the English way to say Hi. I always respond with salam. Another sound I hear fairly often is the sound of the crazy traffic. I would not be able to drive here. The rules are very different. That’ll be a discussion for another day. Every morning I wake up to the sound of the rooster in my yard. He is in charge of all the chickens. I constantly hear him yelling/talking to the chickens. I don’t know whether it’s neat or annoying…. Another aspect of Kyrgyzstan that is different from the United States are the dogs. The dogs are here to protect the houses and keep intruders away. They are usually unfriendly and scary. They bark every time I go to the outside as if I’m going to steal the neighbor’s potatoes or something. When they come running after you it is important to stand completely still until they are satisfied that you aren’t going to come onto their property. These dogs bark at all hours of the day and night. This bark is really harsh as well. Lastly, I hear Russian fighter jets on a daily basis. They are flying to a nearby base. It is really neat to hear them. I wonder what they’re up to every time they go by! *For my girl scouts: How do the sounds differ at your house? School? Can you compare what I’m hearing and what you’re hearing? What do you think living here with all these unfamiliar sounds would be like?!*

I hope to hear from you all very soon. Stay well.

Салам! That means ‘hello’ in Kygryz. It is pronounced salam. I hope this post finds you all in high spirits and doing well. I am doing great over here in the mountains. When the days are clear and the mountains are in perfect view I cannot get over how glorious they are. Whenever I see them I comment on their beauty. I am fearful that my camera will not capture their justice.

I have been taking many pictures with my new camera. THANK YOU MOM!! The package was excellent! My host family and their friends all enjoyed the jelly beans. They were gone within a couple hours. I was also able to get out my American spices and introduce them to the family. They were a tad skeptical but tried them out the next day and enjoyed it. Now, at every meal, the spices are used.

I continue to enjoy the food. The radish salad with cabbage is one of my favorites and I enjoy it on the special occasions that we have it. One thing about Kyrgyz food is that they use a lot of oil. I have now turned to scooping the oil into another bowl and drain each bite I take. One thing about the food here, lots of potatoes and bread. I am on carbohydrate overload. Everyone in my village is feeling rather sluggish due to our diet. We have been forewarned that the women will gain about ten pounds in pre-service training. However, the men will lose about ten pounds. We try to counter it by walking or running in the soccer field. It works most of the time. However, we all know how I love to nap…

Language classes have been going decent. It is tricky for me to grasp the concept of Kyrgyz language. The structure of a sentence is different from English and even the words used are different. If I were to say that I am going to school it would translate in Kyrgyz as I school go. Each day I feel progression. I do know that when I get to my permanent site I will get an instructor and get lessons several times a week to keep working on my Kyrgyz. When trying to learn another language in depth it is clear how tricky learning English would be! The notion of the way the Kyrgyz speaks is fairly simple; it’s just learning it from a language that doesn’t make much sense.

You may be wondering about the title of this particular blog. Today when several of the volunteers were at the field walking and playing soccer with the kids, some of them started singing Beyonce. I’m sure most of you have heard the song, “All the Single Ladies!” Well, when the kids were singing it, it sounded like they were saying, “All the Single Legs!” It was very cute. They were also naming off rap artists such as Xhibit, 50 cent, Akon, etc… Of course, I knew them all. See Daniel, my taste in music has come in handy so do not ever make fun of me again!

When the volunteers were together for a couple days we had the opportunity to really get to know everyone in our training group. There are 68 of us, equally split between males and females. We are spread out in seven different villages. Two of the villages are learning Russian and will be placed in a Russian speaking city or town. There are approximately 8-15 volunteers in each village working with one another. I must say, I am with a vast array of people from all over the country. Everyone definitely feels like family. We are all in this together. It is nice to know that we are there for one another when the times get rough. Human relationships still cease to amaze me. I am in awe watching everyone grow and become close. All the volunteers will now see each other once a week until we swear in (sometime in June). After that we will be separated all over the country. I am especially grateful for the other nine volunteers in my village. We all spend time together outside of classes and are really getting to know one another. The other day we went on a couple hour hike towards the mountains. It was absolutely beautiful.

Within the next few weeks we will be told where we will be sent and to do what. Within Kyrgyzstan there are oblasts (like states in America). Each oblast has it’s pro’s and con’s (like everything else).

The Chui Oblast is where I am right now. Bishkek, the capital and the Peace Corps office are located in this region. This oblast is in the northern part of the country and has weather similar to the Midwest in the United States. Many volunteers travel to Bishkek on the weekends to do shopping or catch up with other volunteers. Most people will expect me to speak fluent Russian here. It is not rare to hear a Kyrgyz person address another Kyrgyz speaker in Russian. Therefore, I doubt I will be placed here.

Issyk-Kul is another oblast. Issyk-Kul translates to hot lake. This is the oblast where there is a lot of tourism. Many people come here from Russia and Kazakhstan. The weather is temperate all year round and the winters are similar to the Northeast in America. The snow is also light and powdery. The summer is hot enough for a beach but nothing compared to other parts of the country. This part of the area is more accustomed to foreigners than other parts of the country. As the name implies there is a huge lake here, you should look it up!

Naryn is another oblast. I have been told that this is the most beautiful area to be in. However, it is also the coldest. Other volunteers have been horse trekking amongst yaks in the mountains, watched nomadic games or go camping in the mountains. If I get placed here I will experience something from another world.

Talas oblast is located in the Northwest part of the country. People here are known for their hospitality and generosity. Talas city is not as large as the other main cities in Kyrgyzstan but one can still get whatever they need. Also, if placed in Talas, you can go to Kazakhstan! It is just an hour or so away from the border. The city called Taraz is amazing and rivals the other large cities in Kyrgyzstan. Talas is also known for its clean air and mountains. In fact, to get here, you have to go through mountain passes!

Osh is the last oblast to be listed. Many volunteers in my group want to be placed here. Life here is influenced by Uzbek Culture. This is noticed through many of the words and phrases that are used. In fact, several TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) volunteers will be placed in an Uzbek village where they will learn to speak Uzbek! How neat! The south is much more conservative in regards to Islam. Also, it is HOT! Fruits and vegetables are available all year round.

There are two other oblasts but volunteers will not be placed there.

I gathered this information from one of my culture books the Peace Corps has given me. I did the best I could but I know I missed a lot. Hopefully when I tell you where I am placed or where I have visited you will have a small image in your mind about where I am. I will update you more on where I will be placed as soon as I know.

I did have my site interview and requested to work in an orphanage or with teenagers. Hopefully my wish will be granted. I told my program manager that I don’t care where I am placed in the country as long as I have a job I will enjoy. I even offered to go to Naryn.

Nothing else is new on this end. I milked a cow the other day. I also had something similar to frosted flakes with fresh cow’s milk. It was delicious! This coming weekend all the volunteers will be going to the orphanage where we meet every week to do repairs and play with the kids. It should be a blast. I will take pictures and let you all know how it went!

Cheryl - I am hoping that the girls have been able to read this blog! I am still trying to be placed in an orphanage. I will let you know as soon as I do! School life here is much different than in the States. It is required to go to school until grade ten. The kids are all dressed in suits, ties and dresses. School is also only for half a day. Whenever we walk in a room everyone stands up and gives us a very formal greeting. One thing that isn’t different between cultures: games and laughter. I just love it!

I love getting emails and facebook messages from you all. I miss you dearly but am enjoying my time here immensely. If you have any questions about anything let me know :) Love you!

Greetings from across the planet! Things are going very well here in the Kyrgyz Republic. Training is intense, as expected but I am learning very fast. We have been speaking the language for five days now. Some of what I have learned is as follows:

Where are you from? How old are you? What time did you get up? What time did you go to sleep? What is your name? I am from America. I am a volunteer. Mixed vocab such as carrots, onions, cucumbers, butter, tomato, sugar, candy, bread, tea, yawn, spoon, fork, knife, numbers, directions and more that I cannot think of.

We are catching on fairly quickly for learning the Cyrillic Alphabet. Our teacher is Chyngyz and he teaches us 98% in Kyrgyz. We learn through watching and repetition. Four hours a day is spent on learning the language. It is quite interesting. Hopefully I will be able to get around and have a meaningful conversation with a local.

The next part of the day we spend eating lunch and doing something cultural. Lunch usually lasts an hour and a half. We eat a variety of foods such as soup, vegetables, dumplings, beet salad, carrot salad and lots of bread. I am trying to monitor my bread intake as I cannot afford new pants.

April 4th was a very special day. My apa’s entire family came over to have lunch and dinner! The dining room was set up really fancy and the whole day was spent cooking. We ate lots of bread, vegetable salad, radish salad, and beef stroganoff. In the beef stroganoff there were cow intestines. Yes, I tried them. Will I eat them again? Probably not – but I tried it! I have pictures of everything and I will upload them as soon as I get internet and more money.

My little brother, who is 21, is a nice help when trying to translate words and he speaks a little English. My little sister just loves EVERYTHING in my room! I have to lock in when I’m inside to get school work done as she always wants to show me how show me how she hula hoops or wears her hat. She is also fascinated with my computer! I have a gadget on here that changes the front to Krygz; she enjoys this. Having her around reminds me so much of Lily! I am so thankful for my family both here in the Kyrgyz Republic and the United States.

In my training group I work with four other people. We are getting along very well and have become very close. I am working with three females, Joanna (22), Kris (25) and Cheryl (37), and one male, Robert (58). I am lucky as Joanna lives right across the street from me. We are very similar and have become great friends. After our language lessons we meet the other group in our village. In this group there are five other people. They all vary in age and gender. Each day for lunch we go to a different volunteer’s home where their apa cooks for us. Then, after lunch, we all head to the soccer field where we run or play with the kids when they get out of school.

Our schedule for this week was going to be very eventful. However, nothing is for sure when you’re in the Peace Corps. Our events got rescheduled for a different time and we were able to spend more time with our families in our village.

This past Wednesday we were able to see everyone else in the K-18 group for the morning. It was really great to see all the other volunteers! Human relationships cease to amaze me. We have all known each other for a week but have made such powerful connections. When placed in such a stressful, difficult and amazing experience such as this one it is only human nature to bond and attach to one another. I took some time just to watch everyone else interact and just sat in awe thinking how spectacular this is. We all might be able to see one another this weekend in Kant. On this occasion we were all blessed with four more shots to keep us healthy. One of the shots had terrible side effects. My arm felt worse than a tetanus shot and many people developed a fever and sickness later that day. Yes I did feel miserable but it only lasted half an afternoon and the evening. The shots were definitely worth seeing everyone else in my group!

I am so grateful for this experience. It seems very surreal. At least twice a day I step away from what I’m doing and look in on myself – I am really doing it! My emotional health is great; I am loving every minute of this. I cannot wait to continue and expand my knowledge. Being a social worker taught me a great deal about self care and I am utilizing that here as much as I can. I have officially been out of the United States for two weeks. I do miss the amenities that the U.S has but coming here is totally worth losing the luxuries for awhile.

For all of you wondering…the outhouse isn’t that bad! It’s actually nice having the stink be outside than having someone stink up the whole house. It really isn’t a big deal. I know some of you are wondering about bathing as well. My apa heats me water several times a week to bath my body. During the week I washed my hair three times. I wash using a cup and warm water. I am very clean!

Joanna and I did our laundry for the first time the other day. We filled two buckets with warm water. We then put our clothes in and scrubbed with a bar of soap (many volunteers had missing items when they arrived in country. Laundry detergent was one of my missing items). We scrubbed and rinsed for about an hour and hung out the clothes out to dry. I will try harder not to spill on my clothes and to try and prolong the washing period. It isn’t bad washing laundry but it does take a lot of time. Well, I suppose I have the time to do it now, don’t I?

Secondly, I have a water distiller in my room so I will not get sick from the water. Gradually, however, I am going to incorporate small amounts of the regular water into my diet to start getting used to the bacteria. I have not gotten sick yet but I probably will within a week or two.

I do not have a cell phone yet. Hopefully I will get one in another week or two. I am excited to talk to all my friends and family!

**Note** my cell phone number will be on my facebook page. If you want to talk to me give me a ring before going to work as I am 11 hours ahead of you. As for my restaurant friends you can call after your shift and I will be getting ready to go to sleep – perfect timing!

**Note** it is NOT free for me to call but it IS FREE for ME to receive calls. It will cost you all international rates. However, the most of you can afford to make a phone call whereas I am on an extremely limited budget. Check out your cell phone rates and hopefully I’ll hear from you!

**Note** I know some of you were going to send me care packages. It takes 4-6 weeks to get a package here. When you do send it you should also get the red, white and blue tape and seal the crap out of the package. I don’t want anything you send get stolen (especially from Karen and Kasey). If you are looking for things to send the powdered stuff is great (crystal light, Gatorade, etc..). Baby wipes, facial wipes and lotion would be appreciated. Also, if you can get your hands on some guitar music that would be swell 

I am looking forward to hearing from you all. I am so pleased that I decided to do this! This morning I woke up to the sound of cows mooing and rooster’s cock-a-doodle-doing.

Love and miss you all, JOJO

Hello everyone!

I hope this update finds you all in high spirits. The Kyrgyz Republic is treating me very well. Yesterday, was April Fool’s day and I didn’t even realize it was April until looking at my clock at this very moment… This is not surprising as I have been extremely busy the past 4 days.

Yesterday was the busiest day of all – the day we moved out of the Issy-Kul hotel and into our villages! We spent the day packing and preparing for our arrival to our new families. In the morning we had a cultural lesson. I was able to experience what it would be like arriving to my host family. I was being prepared to be offered a large amount of food and chai, or tea. It is polite to continuously give more tea and more food. In fact, if you clear your plate it means you want more food! They scenario I was given was rather intimidating as we had only had two days of language. However, I made it through the lesson and I was confident I’d make it through the night. All the volunteers and trainers also went into Bishkek to buy our families flowers. When picking out flowers we had to be sure that we did not give them an odd number of flowers (we didn’t have to count if it was in a bunch) and to pick flowers other than red roses.

After the city we all ate lunch (potatoes, beef and beets with garlic) and then packed our things to leave. The 100 or so of us headed to Kant (neighboring city) for the matching ceremony. All the volunteers sat in their respective village and then the volunteers and host families from each village went on stage to find one another. While this was happening there was loud Kyrgyz music playing that was really fun to listen to.

My host mother and host sister met me on stage. They were very excited and gave me hugs and kisses. My host sister, Itoos (i-two-s) was very excited to meet her big sister! She is six and she reminded me of Lily. My host brother is 21, Umat (uu-mot) and was excited to meet me as well. We then carpooled to Kenngesh with another volunteer and her family.

When arriving at the home it was important to take your shoes off before entering the home. This is done to keep one’s home clean (even if it’s cluttered or dirty). My host mother and sister then showed me around the house. There is a room for everyone, a big space for kitchen and dinner table (we have a stove!) and a banyo – wash room – with running water. I then was able to see my room- BEAUTIFUL! It is literally twice the size of my bedroom in the United States. My host mother had made an amazing quilt that covered the entire wall. It is gorgeous. I also had a wardrobe, dresser and a full size bed. And yes, for all of you wondering…I do have electricity in my room.

I was then given time to unpack all my things. Side note: the entire house smelled of fresh paint. My host mother told me at dinner that they had painted before my arrival. By this point I had to go to the bathroom. I was anxious to see the outhouse and what everybody uses to go to the bathroom! The outhouse is a wooden house with a wooden seat where there was a hole. I wasn’t quite sure how to use it as the hole and step was raised above the ground. The first couple times I did it incorrectly but by today I got the hang of it. No, I did not pee myself – I just made it more difficult than it needed to be.

After I was finished unpacking and getting settled I went to the dining room/kitchen area to be with my host mother. She helped me learn the names of sugar, yogurt, apple, banana, pomegranate, clock, phone, butter, bread, onion, carrot, potato and candy. I kept repeating the words after her. I think I did a pretty good job! The way Kyrgyz is spoken uses different muscles in a person’s mouth. My mouth is making sounds that I didn’t know could be words. It is very difficult to understand the right tone and how high or low the sound needs to go. Also, in Kyrgyz, the r is rolled. Hopefully I will learn how to do that soon enough.

Since I am writing this blog you all figured out that I survived the first night in my village! It was scary going to the bathroom in the dark. There are wild dogs everywhere that are definitely not friendly. I am hoping that I will not get bit and if I do, I would prefer it if I had my rabies shots completed. I woke up around 6:45 to start getting ready. My host mother, Saltanat, had warm water ready for me to rinse off. This was a much welcomed surprise! We then ate breakfast which was leftovers from the night before (a soup, fruit salad and halva (delicious sunflower seed dessert). It was then time for the rest of the day to start.

The first day at school we studied language from 8-12. We went outside, talked to locals and learned basic words and the alphabet. We then had a rather large lunch at our instructor’s house. The lunch included potatoes, beef, cucumbers, tomatoes, bread, jam, pastries, candies and of course chai. Lunch was served at a table that was on a raised area of the house. We sat with our legs crossed (men) or off to the side (women). When finished eating everybody at the table brings their hands to their face, makes the gesture of washing it and bringing the hands down and briefly together. While doing this the word omen is quickly said one time.

The group then ventured out into the village. We walked around and visited the local store and school. They sell many goods at the store including candies, hair accessories, flashlights, drinks, etc… The school was amazing. It looked fairly new and was kept in very nice condition. We visited the groups and were able to say salom to the kids at school. Every student was dressed in either a suit or a skirt. The appearance showed that the Kyrgyz Republic takes great pride in education. The kids were all eager to get their picture taken with the volunteers and were very giddy when we’d talk to them.

When I got back to my host family I practiced the alphabet and then went outside to play with some of the children. They had such a riot seeing my run around and play. Children are the same everywhere! They are full of such laughter and spirit. It made me feel at home when I was interacting with the younger ones. They were able to teach me a game without having to know the language and they were overjoyed when I was able to figure it out.

We then had dinner which consisted of potatoes, tomatoes and a type of lentil bean. There was a little zing to it but not much. After dinner I-toosh wanted to play the harmonica again and so we did. The whole family watched as she played. I recorded a video of this and ata and apa thought that the camcorder was the neatest thing.

These blogs have been difficult to write as the amount of my exhaustion keeps getting worse and worse. Hopefully I will catch up on my sleep soon enough!

As they said when we left the school: goodbye and stay in good health.

Love always, Jo

Hello to all!

As you probably have expected life has been very busy the past two days. We arrived Monday morning around 4 a.m. Our breakfast started at 10 a.m and from there we began our initial training. For breakfast that morning we had oatmeal and a dish of minced meat wrapped around a type of bread mixed with onions. It was delicious.

After breakfast the entire group met in a common area along with the entire Kyrgyz Peace Corps staff. Everyone introduced themselves. During introductions we received so many “Thank You’s!” for us joining and coming to serve the Kyrgyz Republic. These acts of appreciation touched my heart as I felt needed by the country. You all know that I was motivated when making the decision to join the Peace Corps but this just reaffirmed my motivation and touched me deeply.

The first part of the day were introductions and getting to know the people we were working with. For lunch we had a tasty rice noodle dish, soup (with beef, cabbage and onions) and then a meat dish for the main course. Other foods I have had since being here has been beef and noodles, something equivalent to our potato salad, potatos, sweet bread and tea at every single meal. A neat fact is that tea is called chai in Kyrgyz.

When lunch and other official business was finished we broke off into our groups to study language. We also found out where we will be staying for the next three months! Nine other people and myself are staying in a town called Kenngesh (ken-yesh). Most of us are all health volunteers and will be working with each other every day for the next 2-3 months. An interesting fact is that we will all be staying in houses on the same side of the road! This is done so that the volunteers will not have to cross the street after dark.

Shots – yes – I had three shots today; Hepatitis A, rabies and the menoncagnol.

They are taking a new approach in teaching us the language and culture. We are learning through experiential learning. Our language trainers are from the Kyrgyz Republic and do not speak to us in English unless they have to. Our other trainers are a combination of current volunteers and also Kyrgyz nationals. We learn our language by watching hand motions, seeing pictures and constant repetition. Thus far it is going really well.

The trainers have been very helpful telling us about their experiences and any questions we may have. I know many of you were concerned about bride kidnapping. For starters, I am too old. Girls are kidnapped when they are 14 or 15. The kidnapping is both consensual and non-consensual. The women in the Kyrgyz Republic do not frown upon bride kidnapping and see it as ordinary because it may have happened to them. When I learn more I will inform you.

Tomorrow we head out to our villages. We will first go into Bishkek to buy flowers and other essentials we may need. Our host family will come meet us at the ceremony and take us home. From there on out my training group will meet in the village everyday to work on language, culture, health education and safety. Once a week we will all travel to a hub site where the entire group of volunteers will meet and go over general knowledge. I will be traveling to the hubsite on a marshutka, which is a mini-van bus. I can catch the marshutka by walking in the street – anywhere in the town – and waving one down.

At first I am not able to leave my village – first stage. The first stage may last anywhere from a week to several weeks; it depends on how I am in the village. During the second stage I am able to leave the village as long as I am with somebody. When I leave I have to inform my facilitator of where I am going and I must return by 9 p.m. Once I return I also have to inform my facilitator. During the third stage I am able to go off by myself. For all of you that are worried about me being here – PEACE CORPS KNOWS WHERE I AM AT ALL TIMES!! I am under very tight watch. If anything happens they will know immediately. So rest assure, you have nothing to worry about.

Many of you are wondering about the other volunteers I am with. I am with people from all over the United States – from River Falls, WI to Hawaii. Other states include Colorado, Washington, California, New York, New Jersey, Maine, Florida, Oklahoma, Tennesee, Texas, Arizona and Alabama. Most of the volunteers have traveled to other countries, lived in other countries and speak numerous languages. As being someone who has never traveled before everyone has been very kind with helping me out. Unfortunately, I did not get the memo about needing a surge protector for my straightner and I burned off a chunk of hair from my bangs. Does this surprise you? Probably not. As I may have said before, everyone is brining unique attributes to our training group.

For Cheryl – The Match Correspondance Program does not start until I am sworn in at the end of May. I will give you details as soon as I have them. Please be sure to tell the girls Hello from me! You can let them know everything I am doing – from learning a new alphabet/language, eating new foods, to living with a host family. Please be sure to let me know if they have any questions for me – I want them to learn from this just as I am!

Lastly, I am doing great! I am really enjoying this experience. As of now it still feels like a dream. Was I really in Istanbul? Can I really see the Tien Shan mountains out my window? Am I seriously saying hello and how are you in the local language? Yes!! It feels great. I am not homesick yet even though I miss you all. Little things remind me of each and every one of you. As I am a big music fan different songs remind me of different individuals and that puts a smile on my face.

It was definitely in the cards for me to have been employed at Dunn County Human Services. I learned numerous coping skills while I was there which has helped me with this huge transition. Make sure to tell everyone there hello from me and that I think about you all on a regular basis! And yes Mel I am still writing in my gratitude journal – I love it! If you could tell my families and kids that I say hello and wish them well I would really appreciate it – I think they’d appreciate that I have not forgotten them.

If you are going to be sending care packages I would reaaallllyyy like soft toilet paper. In the country I can get toilet paper in Bishkek when I travel the city. It is important for me to carry t.p with me at all times since I do not want to be using other things such as corn husks and leaves!

Once again I am having an amazing experience her in the Kyrgyz Republic. My goal is to plant the seeds and make a difference to the people in this country. Please do not be worried about me, I am having a blast! I will be getting a cell phone in a couple of days. I will be getting a plan where it will be free for me to receive calls and texts (and it shouldn’t be too expensive for you to call or text. International rates). I will post the number on my facebook page when I have it. Also, I am eleven hours ahead of you so call me on your way to work or when you are going to sleep.

I love you all and miss you all. I hope you found some of the things I have written informational and entertaining.

Thanks for everything I love you!

JO

An afternoon in Instanbul:

Greetings from overseas! Yesterday morning the entire Peace Corps Crew (70 of us!,) headed to the JFK airport from Philadelphia. It was quite a procedure as almost all of us had two checked bags equalling 100 pounds, and two carry-on’s as well. We arrived at the airport and had plenty of time to hang out, sleep and get to know one another. At 4:30 we were ready to board a 10 hour flight to Istanbul. What a site to witness. So many people, bags, chit chat and happiness. Unfortunately it was during this time that I noticed I owned a camera that does not work correctly. I will not be able to post pictures for awhile until I get some from other volunteers until I am able to get a new camera.

Thankfully I was able to sleep for about four hours. The other six hours were spent on the plane listening to music and chatting. Andy was my seat buddy and we had an awesome time getting to know one another. When flying into the dark I was able to see an amazing sunset; all the layers and colors. It was beautiful . I know this will probably surprise ALL of you but I was abnormally quiet during this flight – coping perhaps?

At 9:30 a.m we flew over Italy and into Istanbul. The view from the sky was gorgeous. I definitely felt a wave of excitement wash over me as this was my first time flying overseas. After we landed and got off the plane the majority of us paid $20.00 to get a Turkish Visa for the day. We all split into our own little groups and proceeded to go and explore the city.

Jose and Andrew were very kind and took me under their wing. As you all could have guessed I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. Exchanging money, passport protection, cab rides, etc… I am so grateful that they were able to walk me through everything! The three of us then spent the day with three ladies and went to see the Blue Mosque.

The two males and I got into the cab and drive into the city. The driving was different than what I have experienced before – much faster and in kilometers. The section of Istanbul that I was priviliged enough to see was just exquisite. Flowers everywhere, clean streets (generally), a beautiful lake with ships emmersed in the mist, families playing, soccer games and much more. The buildings were very high and a few had clothes hanging out of the windows drying (reminded me of Aladdin).

Our first priority was to get to the Blue Mosque. It was gorgeous! There were people everywhere and so many different areas to look at. The steps leading into the mosque were even beautiful! When first walking in one sees pillars and beautiful architecture. We roamed around the area and decided to go inside. It was requested that females wear a head scarf and a skirt. I only had a head scarf – I am thankful I was able to go inside.

The inside of the mosque was gorgeous as well. Extrememly high ceilings with detailed with fabulous architechure. We were able to see where people prayed. Fortunatley, the group I was with was able to make it to the mosque just in time. About 20 minutes after we left we heard the bells calling for prayer all over the square. Seeing this was a wonderful experience.

Our group then decided to grab a bite to eat at a restaurant around the corner. I had a cheese and tomato sandwich (I know…but I didn’t have enough Turkish dollars to get anything else!). We then proceeded to stroll around the square where people were continuously asking us to buy trinkits or eat at their restaurant. One thing I really enjoyed was that we walked in the street on cobblestone. After our stroll we decided to go back to the plaza in front of the Blue Mosque and try some chai tea from the local vendor. This was a perfect time to relax and people watch.

Our next task was to get to the airport to connect to our next flight. On the way I learned that driving 140 kilometers is very fast…our cab driver was pulled over and ticketed.

My time in Turkey has been very short but very rewarding. I must say, up until 8 weeks ago I never would have pictured myself going to Istanbul. What a beautiful city! This experience makes up a page in my ‘what am I grateful for’ book. Perhaps one day I will return!

The people I have met thus far in my Peace Corps experience have all been different, unique and amazing. We all have different skills to offer one another and are here for a specific purpose. Most of the other volunteers have traveled abroad or lived in another country for an extended period of time. Being one who has not traveled before (besides Mexico and Canada), I have definitely felt out of the loop. However, I feel that this is a good attribute to bring as well. I do not have any expectations and I want to make the most out of this experience that I can.

I will post again soon! Love you all, JO

Hello!

I am writing you from the hotel lobby in Minneapolis, MN. I leave for Philly in 9 hours - exciting!! As expected, goodbyes have been tough. However, it's amazing how many people I have supporting me throughout this experience. My co-workers at Dunn County truly touched my heart today by surprising me at the restaurant. You know when you get goosebumps because you are overwhelmed by how much someone cares about you? Yes, that's what I was feeling! And Dan! Such kind words that bring a tear to my eye right now just thinking about it.

These past three weeks have been such a blast. My friends and family are absolutely amazing. Prairie Farm, Milwaukee, Lake Mills, Tyler and Austin! I have really enjoyed seeing the family in Tyler, gambling in Shreveport, being with my two favorite Amanda's in Austin, experiencing Texas life, staying with Heather and Shannah in Milwaukee, date night with Christian, going out in Menomonie with my college girls, Madison with Chloe (and the fur coat video!), playing and singing music with Martin and Matz at 5 a.m (just like the old days), knitting with my cousin Wendy and hanging out with my family at home. You are all incredible people and I will never forget you!

I hope I was able to see everyone before departing. If I didn't, well, you know I'll see you when I get back :)

I certainly have many emotions running through my mind right now. Honestly, though? I'm feeling pretty relaxed. I am ready to serve my country and dedicate the next two years of my life to serve the Kyrgyz Republic. If you have any questions for me just let me know and I will do the best to answer.

I'm looking forward to sharing this with with you all and I hope you keep in touch.

JoJo

Blog post #1:

...eagerly awaiting my departure to another country. I am very excited to be creating a blog. It makes me happy to know that I will be able to communicate with my friend's and family via video, text and pictures. I look forward to sharing my experiences!