November 13, 2003
Megan will come today to give Mirbek a practice interview, and Mirbek and I will go to Talas tomorrow to have Colin give him a practice interview. I learned that besides the interview, there will also be an essay and a group problem-solving section, where they will watch how the students interact with each other to solve the problems. Mirbek has no experience with this kind of thing, at least not from my English lessons. I don’t know how I can better prepare him… he will go equipped with his blind determination and little else. I don’t think I’ve ever used this phrase before, but it is sums up how I feel about this situation- pray for him.
Megan will come today to give Mirbek a practice interview, and Mirbek and I will go to Talas tomorrow to have Colin give him a practice interview. I learned that besides the interview, there will also be an essay and a group problem-solving section, where they will watch how the students interact with each other to solve the problems. Mirbek has no experience with this kind of thing, at least not from my English lessons. I don’t know how I can better prepare him… he will go equipped with his blind determination and little else. I don’t think I’ve ever used this phrase before, but it is sums up how I feel about this situation- pray for him.
November 9, 2003
Another quiet day. I planned lessons, made my Mirbek’s-interview-preparation plan, washed my clothing and hung it out to freeze dry, and cleaned my room. Have I told you that the standard broom is homemade from dry grass? Old ladies sell them at the bazaar. This is one of those things that could very easily upgraded into, say, brooms with handles so you wouldn’t have to sweep with your back bent over, but everyone seems to be happy with the crippling grass broom. So I clean my carpet with my grass broom.
I forgot to tell you about my second trip to IREX. I went last week with students to that computer center again. Instead of it being a two-day event, it was only one whole day, so we could save the bus fares. We left the center at five o’clock, and got to the bus station by 5:30, but there was nothing to take us home, no marshrukas (vans), no taxis. So we had to wait for the 8:00 Bishkek bus! It was rather dreadful. Now that it gets dark at 5, there aren’t as many transportation options. It wouldn’t have been fun to be in that situation by myself, but it wasn’t great to have twelve 16 year olds under my supervision, either. I won’t tell you about all the drunks and sketchy people we kept company with… plus, when we finally left, the bus driver decided to save gas for the first stretch, so we actually didn’t arrive in Ming Bulak until 9:30. Two of the girls live an hour’s walk from the school, so I was worried about them. It all ended well. One of the eleventh grade boys took charge and organized who would walk whom home. I was impressed by everyone’s maturity in the situation. It was a lesson. I don’t think I can go to the computer center anymore with students, for safety’s sake. I will have to leave Talas earlier too. Winter curfew begins.
We have a guest at our house, and Keshimjan and Azimkan went somewhere tonight. Melice, the 24 year old relative who works here, made dinner, and served it to our guest and to me. I’m sure it hurts him to have to cook for me, but I don’t really want to take up the daughter-in-law role.
I started listening to Christmas music. I know I’m big time cheating, it just feels like advent.
Another quiet day. I planned lessons, made my Mirbek’s-interview-preparation plan, washed my clothing and hung it out to freeze dry, and cleaned my room. Have I told you that the standard broom is homemade from dry grass? Old ladies sell them at the bazaar. This is one of those things that could very easily upgraded into, say, brooms with handles so you wouldn’t have to sweep with your back bent over, but everyone seems to be happy with the crippling grass broom. So I clean my carpet with my grass broom.
I forgot to tell you about my second trip to IREX. I went last week with students to that computer center again. Instead of it being a two-day event, it was only one whole day, so we could save the bus fares. We left the center at five o’clock, and got to the bus station by 5:30, but there was nothing to take us home, no marshrukas (vans), no taxis. So we had to wait for the 8:00 Bishkek bus! It was rather dreadful. Now that it gets dark at 5, there aren’t as many transportation options. It wouldn’t have been fun to be in that situation by myself, but it wasn’t great to have twelve 16 year olds under my supervision, either. I won’t tell you about all the drunks and sketchy people we kept company with… plus, when we finally left, the bus driver decided to save gas for the first stretch, so we actually didn’t arrive in Ming Bulak until 9:30. Two of the girls live an hour’s walk from the school, so I was worried about them. It all ended well. One of the eleventh grade boys took charge and organized who would walk whom home. I was impressed by everyone’s maturity in the situation. It was a lesson. I don’t think I can go to the computer center anymore with students, for safety’s sake. I will have to leave Talas earlier too. Winter curfew begins.
We have a guest at our house, and Keshimjan and Azimkan went somewhere tonight. Melice, the 24 year old relative who works here, made dinner, and served it to our guest and to me. I’m sure it hurts him to have to cook for me, but I don’t really want to take up the daughter-in-law role.
I started listening to Christmas music. I know I’m big time cheating, it just feels like advent.
November 8, 2003
I have the most wonderful and scary news! My splendid brilliant deserving student Mirbek has passed into the third and final round of the ACCELS study abroad competition. Nate called Megan’s house last night with the news. Four of Megan’s students made it to the final round, too, but even though I know they are deserving too I want so want Mirbek to make it. I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about what a potential opportunity this is for Mirbek. The news is scary, too, because the closer we get to actually getting Mirbek to America, the higher the stakes and the greater the disappointment potential. On the way home from Pokrovka, I stopped at Mirbek’s house to give him the good news. His house is very poor. It looks like it has maybe two rooms in it, and it is one of the houses made of mud. I think I’ve told you before that his father tends to drink (I’ve heard). Mirbek practically danced when I told him he made it to the third round. He couldn’t contain himself. He said “I am very happy.” Major understatement. I’m trying to be as calm as possible and not show how much I share his excitement, but I don’t know if I’ll recover from the disappointment if he doesn’t make it. Essengul was happy and moved to hear the news when I told her, especially because she knows that Mirbek’s family will not be able to send him to university in Bishkek, so this is literally his golden opportunity. I’ve never witnessed something like this, such a mix of good intentions and innocence and willingness to work to get to a dream. OH, I hope I hope I hope I hope. And I’m afraid for him. That he won’t make it and will be utterly crushed, and that he will make it, and that America will be too much for him. The loss of family and community ties, how cruel high school can be… but that is all after another bridge.
The final round is an interview, basically a personality test. It will be in 2 weeks. Accels estimates that 40 kids will go from Kyrygzstan. In Talas Oblast, 10 kids made it to the final round. I’m not sure how many will go from our Oblast, but I assume somewhere between 2 and 6. So the chances are not impossible. We are going to practice interview skills, everyday and I hope to get Megan and Colin to give pretend interviews for practice.
I went with Megan to her local banya yesterday. I had not had a proper banya in 2 months, I’d just been bucket bathing. I used a pumice stone on all body parts, and skin basically crumbled off me. Gross, huh. So maybe the bucket bath isn’t as sufficient as I thought. I had a nice time at Megan’s.
Snow is falling steadily, the first real snow of the winter. It’s sad and gray. The early darkness makes it harder to feel that this isn’t exile. But all is well. I’m looking forward to going to Bishkek at the end of the month. We are trying to start work on our camp for next year. We want it to be an overnight camp, so it will be much more work and planning.
I have the most wonderful and scary news! My splendid brilliant deserving student Mirbek has passed into the third and final round of the ACCELS study abroad competition. Nate called Megan’s house last night with the news. Four of Megan’s students made it to the final round, too, but even though I know they are deserving too I want so want Mirbek to make it. I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about what a potential opportunity this is for Mirbek. The news is scary, too, because the closer we get to actually getting Mirbek to America, the higher the stakes and the greater the disappointment potential. On the way home from Pokrovka, I stopped at Mirbek’s house to give him the good news. His house is very poor. It looks like it has maybe two rooms in it, and it is one of the houses made of mud. I think I’ve told you before that his father tends to drink (I’ve heard). Mirbek practically danced when I told him he made it to the third round. He couldn’t contain himself. He said “I am very happy.” Major understatement. I’m trying to be as calm as possible and not show how much I share his excitement, but I don’t know if I’ll recover from the disappointment if he doesn’t make it. Essengul was happy and moved to hear the news when I told her, especially because she knows that Mirbek’s family will not be able to send him to university in Bishkek, so this is literally his golden opportunity. I’ve never witnessed something like this, such a mix of good intentions and innocence and willingness to work to get to a dream. OH, I hope I hope I hope I hope. And I’m afraid for him. That he won’t make it and will be utterly crushed, and that he will make it, and that America will be too much for him. The loss of family and community ties, how cruel high school can be… but that is all after another bridge.
The final round is an interview, basically a personality test. It will be in 2 weeks. Accels estimates that 40 kids will go from Kyrygzstan. In Talas Oblast, 10 kids made it to the final round. I’m not sure how many will go from our Oblast, but I assume somewhere between 2 and 6. So the chances are not impossible. We are going to practice interview skills, everyday and I hope to get Megan and Colin to give pretend interviews for practice.
I went with Megan to her local banya yesterday. I had not had a proper banya in 2 months, I’d just been bucket bathing. I used a pumice stone on all body parts, and skin basically crumbled off me. Gross, huh. So maybe the bucket bath isn’t as sufficient as I thought. I had a nice time at Megan’s.
Snow is falling steadily, the first real snow of the winter. It’s sad and gray. The early darkness makes it harder to feel that this isn’t exile. But all is well. I’m looking forward to going to Bishkek at the end of the month. We are trying to start work on our camp for next year. We want it to be an overnight camp, so it will be much more work and planning.
