21. February, 2003
...Another wish list request: could you send any kind of free maps that you could get from AAA? Maps of the U.S. Tourist maps, old ones that you don't need anymore would be great, too, especially if they had things like "post office" on them. I want to do a unit on travel and maps next semester.
Mail is thrilling. I leave the post office like a lottery winner. The Russian postal worker likes me now because I learned how to say "are there any letters?" in Russian.
Teaching is alternatingly frustrating and rewarding. I made a friend, a woman my age! She is married and has a child, but she will come over for English classes- I hope we'll just talk. I was invited to her house and treated royally. Her husband played the komus (banjo type instrument) for me, and spoke with me at length. I'm excited to maybe have a friend my age.
I'm going to be teaching a sample lesson for some teachers in my reason at a "workshop" that Soros is doing at one of the schools. Gulp. I'm scared- who qualified me? At first I tried to get out of it, but I do realize that this is my job here, and ultimately, getting teachers to do something besides read soviet texts to their students and then asking questions, is really important. Although my teaching ability is way below my standards, I am a native speaker and do have
a slightly more encouraging and interactive approach than teachers here. So I'll try not to feel too much like my self-esteem is on the line. Doing my best, right?
Essengul's son picked himself up a bride. She arrived the day I got back from Megan's. The whole thing seems to have been arranged within one weekend. I had never heard of her in the discussions about who his bride would be. Essengul said " we introduced them and they loved each other at once, so we said, why wait?" It's pretty sketchy if you ask me. Tomorrow there will be a big party. At Essengul's house, there is a constant stream of guests. The bride has to wear a white head scarf and bow deferentially to everyone, and she doesn't get to speak...
...Another wish list request: could you send any kind of free maps that you could get from AAA? Maps of the U.S. Tourist maps, old ones that you don't need anymore would be great, too, especially if they had things like "post office" on them. I want to do a unit on travel and maps next semester.
Mail is thrilling. I leave the post office like a lottery winner. The Russian postal worker likes me now because I learned how to say "are there any letters?" in Russian.
Teaching is alternatingly frustrating and rewarding. I made a friend, a woman my age! She is married and has a child, but she will come over for English classes- I hope we'll just talk. I was invited to her house and treated royally. Her husband played the komus (banjo type instrument) for me, and spoke with me at length. I'm excited to maybe have a friend my age.
I'm going to be teaching a sample lesson for some teachers in my reason at a "workshop" that Soros is doing at one of the schools. Gulp. I'm scared- who qualified me? At first I tried to get out of it, but I do realize that this is my job here, and ultimately, getting teachers to do something besides read soviet texts to their students and then asking questions, is really important. Although my teaching ability is way below my standards, I am a native speaker and do have
a slightly more encouraging and interactive approach than teachers here. So I'll try not to feel too much like my self-esteem is on the line. Doing my best, right?
Essengul's son picked himself up a bride. She arrived the day I got back from Megan's. The whole thing seems to have been arranged within one weekend. I had never heard of her in the discussions about who his bride would be. Essengul said " we introduced them and they loved each other at once, so we said, why wait?" It's pretty sketchy if you ask me. Tomorrow there will be a big party. At Essengul's house, there is a constant stream of guests. The bride has to wear a white head scarf and bow deferentially to everyone, and she doesn't get to speak...
14. February, 2003
Hello from Kazakstan. I took a bus from Ming-Bulak to Kyzyl-adyr, and then a "taxi" to Megan's village, Pokrovka. It was an exciting adventure. Now that I'm more settled in, I can relax enough to enjoy the view. In the early morning light, the trip through the valley was stunning. Mountains on both sides, snow, fields, old delapidated livestock stations. The bus was an ancient German tourbus, falling apart as usual. There was a bumper sticker on the inside: "I love perestroika." haha. Such adventures make me feel quite proud of my accomplishments. It was lovely to arrive at Megan's house. She and Loren were waiting for me. Then we walked into her village to get a taxi to Taraz. It's about a half hour car trip, but we waited a half hour at the border crossing. This seems to be quite a large city. The internet situation and bazar is much bettter here. It is great to know that I can easily visit Megan!
Yesterday there was a Valentine's day party at my school. It included a Miss Ming-Bulak beauty pagent. How dreadful! My sister was the representative from the 10th A form. Fortunately she did not win. I don't need any beauty queen relatives. haha. The girl who won was much less smart than my sister, but cuter. Some things are universal, I guess. The girls had costume changes. I wish I could have videotaped the event. The evening dresses were all white, and they looked like wedding dresses made from curtains. They probably were made from curtains. The girl who won had worn a hoop skirt. It was homemade from wire. I had seen it carried in and thought it was a science project or something.
I took pictures at the director's request. No one has a camera. I had had much success with photo-taking before. Everyone gets excited to have their picture taken. It got out of control though, because at the end every student wanted their picture taken, so I had a hallway full of students heckling me. I darted out of there because I couldn't take it anymore. Back in the teachers room, the teachers were drinking vodka and eating the cakes that the girls had entered as one part of the competition. It was a very strange and tiring day.
On Tuesday this week was "Ite," a muslim holiday whose meaning no one seems to know. And I asked many people about it. It would be an interesting anthropological study- the invention of holidays where there were none! Someone said they heard on tv that this was a muslim holiday, so now they celebrate it because before they weren't allowed to. I drank tea at each neighbor's house. it was funny because it resembled trick-or-treating more than anything else. Gluttony!
It was good to finally meet many neighbors. I'm starting to know more people. Everyone wants me to either teach them English or become their daughter-in-law. Much laughter.
Teaching continues. I'm still having to make me lesson plans easier and easier, and it's hard to get the kids to do homework. I started English club this week. It will help me stay motivated to work with the more advanced and excited kids. I will get tired of teaching the alphabet to 11th graders who have been studying English for 6 years but don't know it yet... I will also see about teaching the younger teachers this week. I see it as a social outlet, really. I hope you are well. love, Erika
Hello from Kazakstan. I took a bus from Ming-Bulak to Kyzyl-adyr, and then a "taxi" to Megan's village, Pokrovka. It was an exciting adventure. Now that I'm more settled in, I can relax enough to enjoy the view. In the early morning light, the trip through the valley was stunning. Mountains on both sides, snow, fields, old delapidated livestock stations. The bus was an ancient German tourbus, falling apart as usual. There was a bumper sticker on the inside: "I love perestroika." haha. Such adventures make me feel quite proud of my accomplishments. It was lovely to arrive at Megan's house. She and Loren were waiting for me. Then we walked into her village to get a taxi to Taraz. It's about a half hour car trip, but we waited a half hour at the border crossing. This seems to be quite a large city. The internet situation and bazar is much bettter here. It is great to know that I can easily visit Megan!
Yesterday there was a Valentine's day party at my school. It included a Miss Ming-Bulak beauty pagent. How dreadful! My sister was the representative from the 10th A form. Fortunately she did not win. I don't need any beauty queen relatives. haha. The girl who won was much less smart than my sister, but cuter. Some things are universal, I guess. The girls had costume changes. I wish I could have videotaped the event. The evening dresses were all white, and they looked like wedding dresses made from curtains. They probably were made from curtains. The girl who won had worn a hoop skirt. It was homemade from wire. I had seen it carried in and thought it was a science project or something.
I took pictures at the director's request. No one has a camera. I had had much success with photo-taking before. Everyone gets excited to have their picture taken. It got out of control though, because at the end every student wanted their picture taken, so I had a hallway full of students heckling me. I darted out of there because I couldn't take it anymore. Back in the teachers room, the teachers were drinking vodka and eating the cakes that the girls had entered as one part of the competition. It was a very strange and tiring day.
On Tuesday this week was "Ite," a muslim holiday whose meaning no one seems to know. And I asked many people about it. It would be an interesting anthropological study- the invention of holidays where there were none! Someone said they heard on tv that this was a muslim holiday, so now they celebrate it because before they weren't allowed to. I drank tea at each neighbor's house. it was funny because it resembled trick-or-treating more than anything else. Gluttony!
It was good to finally meet many neighbors. I'm starting to know more people. Everyone wants me to either teach them English or become their daughter-in-law. Much laughter.
Teaching continues. I'm still having to make me lesson plans easier and easier, and it's hard to get the kids to do homework. I started English club this week. It will help me stay motivated to work with the more advanced and excited kids. I will get tired of teaching the alphabet to 11th graders who have been studying English for 6 years but don't know it yet... I will also see about teaching the younger teachers this week. I see it as a social outlet, really. I hope you are well. love, Erika
24. January, 2003
Hello from Talas! I hitched a ride to Talas this morning. That is apparently common practice. I still had to ride the people crush bus to the bazaar, where i began my quest for internet. The 3 places that supposedly have internet where not open or non-operational, so i was extremely frustrated because i've been looking forward to this for a long time! I came to the Soros office, it's an NGO that is very active in Kyrgyzstan, but i don't think it has much money here in Talas. i spoke with the woman who works here- she has excellent english- and she offered to let me use their computer. it's wonderful.
I have completed two weeks of teaching, and it's been more or less successful. some classes are great, but i'm in need of a major attack plan for the classes who've been learning english for 6 years but don't understand the verb "to be." So it's a struggle, but I think it's a normal struggle. I had an email from Johanna, my friend from Telman, today. It was good to hear from a friend, and to see that we are in the same boat. My family here is less open than my first family, as i've said before, but all in all, it will be ok.
I'm going to go to the bazaar and buy a winter hat. I'll also invest in some vegetables and fruit. Last night I cooked for myself. I made buckwheat with onions. It was a great meal.
I'm very warm now- my house is warm, and they gave me the warmest classroom. Everyday gets a little better.
Sometimes I get bored at home at night. And I miss excercise.
It's a cold day, and the trees are all icy. For the first time in a week the sun is shining, which makes all the difference. I haven't felt very inspired by nature, it's been a defrost. All the roads are muddy, you can't imagine. But today at the bus stop I watched the sun come up and all the old men and women get their cows moving down the road with the rest of the herd, and thought to myself that this is OK.
I'll go home now and get to work on this weeks lessons.
Hello from Talas! I hitched a ride to Talas this morning. That is apparently common practice. I still had to ride the people crush bus to the bazaar, where i began my quest for internet. The 3 places that supposedly have internet where not open or non-operational, so i was extremely frustrated because i've been looking forward to this for a long time! I came to the Soros office, it's an NGO that is very active in Kyrgyzstan, but i don't think it has much money here in Talas. i spoke with the woman who works here- she has excellent english- and she offered to let me use their computer. it's wonderful.
I have completed two weeks of teaching, and it's been more or less successful. some classes are great, but i'm in need of a major attack plan for the classes who've been learning english for 6 years but don't understand the verb "to be." So it's a struggle, but I think it's a normal struggle. I had an email from Johanna, my friend from Telman, today. It was good to hear from a friend, and to see that we are in the same boat. My family here is less open than my first family, as i've said before, but all in all, it will be ok.
I'm going to go to the bazaar and buy a winter hat. I'll also invest in some vegetables and fruit. Last night I cooked for myself. I made buckwheat with onions. It was a great meal.
I'm very warm now- my house is warm, and they gave me the warmest classroom. Everyday gets a little better.
Sometimes I get bored at home at night. And I miss excercise.
It's a cold day, and the trees are all icy. For the first time in a week the sun is shining, which makes all the difference. I haven't felt very inspired by nature, it's been a defrost. All the roads are muddy, you can't imagine. But today at the bus stop I watched the sun come up and all the old men and women get their cows moving down the road with the rest of the herd, and thought to myself that this is OK.
I'll go home now and get to work on this weeks lessons.
