tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28799508153593531212024-03-13T08:29:02.524-07:00Jonathan's Kyrgyz AdventureThe Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this journal are my own. They do not represent those of the Peace Corps and/or the United States Government.Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-48755770829635587322008-06-06T22:53:00.002-07:002008-06-06T23:17:40.360-07:00Community Based Tourism and My Newest Job<br />As strange as it may seem, I actually work in the tourism industry here in Kyrgyzstan. My organization, Altyn Kol, makes shirdaks (felt carpets) and other handicrafts to sell to tourists so they can remember their trip to the “Switzerland of Central Asia” (I’ve heard it more than one place, so it must be true. And now it’s on the internet, so it is doubly true). In addition to my formal role in the industry, to quote Sly and the Family Stone, “It’s a Family Affair.”<br />My family works for an organization called Community Based Tourism (CBT). CBT’s business plan is quite simple: use local people to provide the tourism services necessary to attract people to the region. A nonprofit organization, CBT gives 82% of the money it earns directly to its service providers. Kochkorites provide housing, transportation, guided tours, and food to those who come through the area. My family fits into all of these areas: our house is a guesthouse; my brother Nurdin drives people to beautiful Lake Song Kol; my brother Azamat takes tourists on treks through the area mountains; and my mom cooks for anyone who stays with us.<br />Funny enough, I have picked up a job myself: translator. I never quite realized the ubiquity of the English language until I came to Kyrgyzstan. No matter where the tourists are from, at least one of them speaks more than respectable English. Since my host brother Azamat is still in Bishkek finishing his first year of university, I have become the family’s resident English speaker. The tourists enjoy having a fluent speaker in the house, but I don’t think they quite realize I don’t exactly how to translate their needs into Kyrgyz. I usually just do whatever it is they need done.<br />I do admit that the one thing that one learns first in this language environment is how to express needs, especially simple ones like hunger and thirst, likes and dislikes, and how to gather simple information. Since these are the primary concerns of most tourists, I seem like a natural, dare I say fluent translator. Little do they know, if they asked almost any question outside of the three aforementioned categories, I would probably just have to lie to them.<br />So far, we have had some really interesting guests (we call them “konoktor” instead of “tourist-ter” so they don’t know we are talking about them). Our first big group of the year was actually a group employed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_rover">Land Rover </a>to drive from London to Singapore. They were a pretty cool group of Brits, I must say. We’ve had a couple of French tourists and Erin’s family has had people from America, Slovakia, and, believe it or not, Kyrgyzstan. From what the CBT director tells us, most of the tourists that stay in Kochkor are from France. I guess I should start polishing up French!Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-77247637638247861862008-06-06T22:53:00.001-07:002008-06-06T23:07:28.484-07:00The Political RaceI’ve avoided writing about the whole US political situation for several reasons. First of all, I don’t really know a whole lot about exactly what is going on over there. Most of my information comes third hand from volunteers or it is translated from Russian into Kyrgyz and then I attempt to understand it. Second, half the reason I joined the Peace Corps was to avoid this whole election cycle and, from what it sounds like, I made the right decision. Third, I’m sure Peace Corps will use this article against me at some point in the future, regardless of what I actually write.<br />With Sen. Obama apparently wrapping up the Democratic nomination, I figured now would be a good time to talk about what exactly it is people over here think about the whole process in the United States. To be sure, the Democratic primaries received the lion’s share of the press here. The thing that fascinated most Kyrgyz people I talked to was that either a woman or a black man was going to be President (the whole idea of primaries is a little lost on the people here. Sen. John McCain obviously could keep our remarkable string of 43 straight white old guys alive.). Though it is a bit strange that it is the first thing someone will mention during the discussion, the Kyrgyz people seem extremely open to the idea. One gentleman told me he liked Clinton because Margaret Thatcher brought down Communism and set the Kyrgyz Republic free from the Soviets (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_the_soviet_union">a bit revisionist</a>, but interesting).<br />So, now the stage is set for a McCain-Obama showdown. Most people here have never heard of Sen. McCain, but I think that will change. The Russian news does about ten minutes worth of U.S. news every week, so as the campaign heats up, I’m sure they will be introduced to the man. I am interested to see what kind of light they shine on Sen. McCain. He has been very tough on Russia in the past and the press here is anything but objective. <br />For those of you interested, through a very unscientific poll, I would estimate that Obama would carry all of PC-Kyrgyzstan’s electoral votes with a District of Colombia-like 90%. I am just happy that I get to participate in a system where my vote doesn’t matter, since my place of residence (Arizona) made up its mind who to vote for roughly four months ago. And yet life goes on.Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-78828352030434168422008-06-06T22:53:00.000-07:002008-06-06T22:59:14.920-07:00Summer: The anti-inspirationThough I know that summer does not officially start for a couple more weeks, things have taken on the tale tell signs of that glorious time of year here in Kochkor. The children are out of school and bugging me to know end (seriously, when I find the teacher who taught them the word “money,” I might do something very un-Peace Corpsesque). Tourists have started passing through town, asking questions that make one feel proud to live here (“Are there any flush toilets around here?”) and at the same time tired of the tourists themselves (“I don’t understand why they don’t just spend some money and build toilets.”). Best of all, the days have gotten much longer and the weather much nicer. My days are filled with sunshine and warm breezes. I don’t even mind all the newly appearing bugs.<br />With all that said, all I want to do is sit outside and read a book. The grass is so green I just have to lay in it while eating raspberries (we have them, but they are pricy). The last thing I want to do is go to work, be trapped in some building, trying to convince my co-workers that my ideas might actually help them. I never believed in that whole “Spring Fever” idea until now. I don’t know how many more 4 hour work days I can handle in this beautiful weather and its only going to get worse. <br />In about a week our summer interns will be arriving from Naryn and for some crazy reason I have committed myself to full, eight hour work days with these four young ladies. I still have no idea what exactly I was thinking, but I am regretting it already. In all seriousness, I am excited about their arrival. I am terribly anxious to be doing something truly productive at work. Being eye candy just gets old after a while.<br />With all of this talk, I would like to wish everyone who reads this a safe summer season. From what I hear, nobody will be driving anywhere due to gas prices, but remember that safety is just as important at home as it is on the road. As an end note, I would like to have some comments posted about this year’s “annoying summer song that you cannot get out of your head.” I believe last year’s was “Umbrella” by Rihanna (spelling?). Year before, I’m pretty sure Shakira won with “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hips_don%27t_lie">Hips Don’t Lie</a>” (An awesome song. I tried to convince my brother Nurdin, age 22, that I would be marrying Shakira upon my completion of service. The reason he didn’t believe me? I don’t speak Spanish). Things don’t always translate straight over here, so I’m interested to hear what you guys are being tortured with over there.Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-90106642346340854152008-05-27T01:47:00.000-07:002008-12-09T05:30:24.347-08:00Buildin’ a Yurt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SDvMdABkKOI/AAAAAAAAAIc/LiRgnskNIdc/s1600-h/DSCF1476.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SDvMdABkKOI/AAAAAAAAAIc/LiRgnskNIdc/s200/DSCF1476.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204978592951576802" border="0" /></a><br /> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The yurt is the traditional housing for the nomadic peoples of Central Asia.<span style=""> </span>In ancient times, the Kyrgyz would move with their flocks from pasture to pasture and they needed a mobile dwelling that would not only keep them warm during the harsh winters, but would be easy </span><span lang="EN-US">to set up and take down with regularity.<span style=""> </span>There felt and wood construct</span><span lang="EN-US">ion materials are all readily available in the mountains and it requires no tools whatsoever.<span style=""> </span>They are actually a fascinating feat of engineering.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Soviet-occupation led to a decline, but not an elimination of, yurt usage.<span style=""> </span>People moved into urban areas (often against their will) and there was less need for moveable dwellings.<span style=""> </span>The yurt is still used commonly today for people who take their flocks out to summer pasture (known as “jailoo”) or for tourism purposes.<span style=""> </span>My family uses it for the latter in the summer.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Last week we built our family yurt and it was just as much fun as someone who doesn’t speak the language fluently can have on a construction site.<span style=""> </span>The first step is to build the circular base of the yurt which eventually becomes the walls of the dwelling.<span style=""> </span>The next, and most entertaining, part of</span><span lang="EN-US"> the construction process is the raising of the “tunduk”(pictured).<span style=""> </span>The tunduk is raised by hoisting it up with a chopped down tree and then placing support beams into it and then securing them to the circular base.<span style=""> </span>The resu</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SDvPrgBkKPI/AAAAAAAAAIk/b9DFGbkddc8/s1600-h/DSCF1479.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SDvPrgBkKPI/AAAAAAAAAIk/b9DFGbkddc8/s200/DSCF1479.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204982140594563314" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN-US">lting structure forms the frame of the yurt (pictured).</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Once the frame is built the yurt is wrapped in a series of thic</span><span lang="EN-US">k felt blankets that serve as protection from the wind and the cold.<span style=""> </span>The final step requires placing one final blanket on top of the tunduk that can be removed to let the sun in, let smoke out, and keep the inside protected from the rain.<span style=""> </span>The tunduk is considered to be a almost holy part of Kyrgyz tradition.<span style=""> </span>The tunduk is so important that it is actually the center of the Kyrgyz Republic’s flag.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Anyway, the event was fun.<span style=""> </span>It took five grown men and a boy over six hours to complete the project and it was interesting to say the least.<span style=""> </span>I discovered that whenever a dad, anywhere, builds something, he is require</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SDvPsABkKQI/AAAAAAAAAIs/iR6A1PNyk6I/s1600-h/DSCF1486.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SDvPsABkKQI/AAAAAAAAAIs/iR6A1PNyk6I/s200/DSCF1486.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204982149184497922" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN-US">d to use an insane amount of swear words in order to make it work.<span style=""> </span>It appears that some things are the same in every country.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">So, our family has not completely moved into the yurt, but we do spend most of our time inside.<span style=""> </span>We ran a couple of electrical cords into the yurt so we have a TV and even a light.<span style=""> </span>We eat dinner there every night and my two host brothers sleep inside of it now.<span style=""> </span>All part of livin’ the dream. </span></p>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-55137231128884527412008-05-27T01:46:00.000-07:002008-05-27T01:47:28.935-07:00Bob Dylan won a freakin' Pulitzer!<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Judging from the fact that my only sponsor (and I use that word lightly) is Manas Petroleum, I assume that most of my readership is of the age that they not only know Bob Dylan, but know a little bit about his heyday from personal experience.<span style=""> </span>Even my 18-25 year old demographic should know a thing or two about America’s Greatest Living Poet (according to me) from some of the awesome albums he has put out in the past few years.<span style=""> </span>If you haven’t bought <i style="">Modern Times</i>, you seriously need to, no matter what your taste in music.<span style=""> </span>It even has a song from a Victoria’s Secret commercial in it!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Long story short, I love Bob Dylan and apparently so does the Columbia University School of Journalism, who recently awarded him the Pulitzer Prize for his “profound impact on popular music and American culture.”<span style=""> </span>He is the first rock artist to receive such an honor.<span style=""> </span>According to Sig Gissler, the administrator of the program, “He has had a great impact on both music and culture.<span style=""> </span>His compositions have a powerful poetic quality to them that I think helped set him apart.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Not really much else to say about it.<span style=""> </span>I just want everybody to know how awesome Bob Dylan is and you should all go out and buy a couple of his albums.<span style=""> </span>Immediately.</span></p>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-89322765510623388222008-05-27T01:45:00.001-07:002008-05-27T01:45:39.972-07:00The End of English Classes...<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Some of you may know that Erin and I have been teaching English classes here in beautiful Kochkor for about six months now.<span style=""> </span>I have to admit that it has been a godsend:<span style=""> </span>I am pretty sure I would have succumb to boredom if I didn’t have a full 5 hours of teaching every week during the winter months.<span style=""> </span>If you include lesson planning and walking to the class, it consumed almost 12 hours a week.<span style=""> </span>It doesn’t seem like much, but I needed the little escape during those brutal months.<span style=""> </span>I probably couldn’t have made it without them.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The class started simply, with a couple of drivers for Community Based Tourism (CBT), a nonprofit organization that gives tours and guesthouses to tourists visiting the area.<span style=""> </span>They also happened to be all related to my director, which is probably how the class came about in the first place.<span style=""> </span>It wasn’t too long before we started branching out and by the end of January we had expanded to over ten students in our beginner class and five in our advanced.<span style=""> </span>Though many of the faces would change each week, we had a solid core group that came regularly and enjoyed our innovative teaching style (like no yelling or reading from a book).<span style=""> </span>That group remained pretty consistent until about mid-April.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Then the spring came.<span style=""> </span>People all of a sudden had gardens to plant, errands to run, and tourists to drive and they could not fit our little ol’ class into the schedule.<span style=""> </span>After a month or so of smaller classes, we decided to put the lessons on a break until the other side of summer, allowing people to go about their summer rituals in peace.<span style=""> </span>We only hope that we made a difference.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">What did we teach, you ask?<span style=""> </span>Nothing to complicated, though I will admit I learned more about English in teaching than I ever did in studying.<span style=""> </span>We went over a lot of common phrases to help the drivers work with tourists on a basic level (“Do you need…?”) and eventually got to the point where students could handle verbs in present, simple past, simple future, and present continuous (I am running) with some amount of confidence.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I must admit that English is an incredibly complicated language and I never realized how much so until now.<span style=""> </span>Word order is so incredibly important that it can completely change the meaning of a sentence (“I <i style="">just</i> ate a sandwich” vs. “I ate <i style="">just </i>a sandwich” are two completely different sentences!).<span style=""> </span>It took a lot of discipline to consistently use the same tense and word order when giving examples.<span style=""> </span>I did get better at it toward the end, though I am far from a pedagogical master.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In the final analysis, it was well worth the effort.<span style=""> </span>Three of our students took us to lunch after our last class, which was unexpected and well received.<span style=""> </span>I truly hope that most of them will come back to our class when we start up again in September. </span></p>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-51779466813390877732008-05-27T01:27:00.000-07:002008-12-09T05:30:24.587-08:00Introducing Dwight K. Schrute…<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I want to start off by thanking everyone who submitted names for our family’s newest member, the baby cow pictured below.<span style=""> </span>The interest not only let me know whether anybody was actually reading this thing besides my immediate family members, and gave me some great ideas for the naming of the calf.<span style=""> </span>I figured I would give a small cross-section of the names and explain why I liked them.<span style=""> </span>If your entry is not listed, it isn’t because I didn’t like it.<span style=""> </span>Results may vary from culturally insensitive to way too hard to explain to my host family in Kyrgyz (though I do admit the winner has been difficult to get across).</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Fifth-Jagerbek (Heeyong Wang).<span style=""> </span>Though I admit it was very tempting to name the calf in the same fashion as every other man in this country (really, not an exaggeration wit</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SDvJIwBkKNI/AAAAAAAAAIU/mlQPcFJvN40/s1600-h/DSCF1495.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SDvJIwBkKNI/AAAAAAAAAIU/mlQPcFJvN40/s200/DSCF1495.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204974946524342482" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN-US">h the “bek” thing), I couldn’t handle confronting my new friend on a daily basis when all he would do is remind me of that delicious black liqueur of my youth (early 20’s, mostly).<span style=""> </span>The other large problem centered on a nickname and I couldn’t handle just calling him “bek.” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Fourth-Billy (Catherine O’Neill).<span style=""> </span>I have to admit that the shout out to the alma mater was pretty tempting.<span style=""> </span>I do admit I miss my Blue Jays quite terribly.<span style=""> </span>I might have even gotten a picture in the <i style="">Creightonian </i>Magazine, assuming I was selling the cow in order to raise money for some new building or fountain or some crap.<span style=""> </span>In the end, Billy is a girl and our calf is a boy, so I had to rule it out.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Third-Booger (Catherine O’Neill).<span style=""> </span>This one made it up this far just because of the conversation I had with my host brother Aziz about boogers.<span style=""> </span>Apparently, Kyrgyz doesn’t have a word for booger or at least Aziz didn’t want to admit to it.<span style=""> </span><i style="">Snot</i> is “chymkyryk.”<span style=""> </span>We decided that possibly <i style="">hard snot</i> would have to do (katuu chymkyryk, for those keeping score at home).<span style=""> </span>Neither of us had the guts to ask our mother (a Kyrgyz language teacher) what the possible word could be, so we abandoned the plan.<span style=""> </span>I think “Booger” definitely got his vote though.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Second-Pork Chop (Auntie Inee).<span style=""> </span>A few reasons for this one being so high.<span style=""> </span>First, the fact that it is a cow named “Pork Chop” is quite lovely.<span style=""> </span>Second, there are about a million nicknames that I could run with: Porkie, Chopie, PoCho (my favorite), Sir Chops-a-lot, Hammy, GWAS (Great With Apple Sauce).<span style=""> </span>I was really close to going with this name, but two things kept me from it: they don’t eat pork here (Muslims abstain) and my host parents would think I was an idiot and feel the need to explain that beef comes from cows, not pork.<span style=""> </span>It just wasn’t worth the conversation that I knew would entail. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">First-McNugget (Catherine’s Roommate, Kristen).<span style=""> </span>There are two things I enjoy more than almost anything on Earth: Bob Dylan and making fun of Irish people.<span style=""> </span>This name had plenty of the second, but I couldn’t find any Dylan references to “nuggets.”<span style=""> </span>If I had (and believe me I tried), this probably would have won out.<span style=""> </span>Kristen, if you want to do the leg work, I only have about 15 Dylan albums and I think there are probably another 20 or so out there.<span style=""> </span>If you find the maestro talkin’ ‘bout nuggets, let me know and I will reconsider the voting.<span style=""> </span>(<i style="">Ed. Note</i>: Just in case any Irish people are reading this, I have no problem with Ireland and all my dislike for things Irish comes from personal contact with people of Irish lineage [they know who they are].<span style=""> </span>Seriously, when are people going to figure out that Ireland isn’t that cool?<span style=""> </span>What have they done since Joyce?<span style=""> </span>I guess at least they aren’t the poorest country in the EU anymore.<span style=""> </span>Congrats.)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Winner- Dwight K. Schrute (Erin McFee).<span style=""> </span>A few of you may have no idea what this is in reference to, so I will take the opportunity to extrapolate upon the greatest television show of our generation, <i style="">The Office</i>.<span style=""> </span>Dwight is not the main character of the show, but he plays a vital role in almost every episode.<span style=""> </span>I would compare him to something of a Kramer (from <i style="">Seinfeld</i>).<span style=""> </span>He is physical in his comedy and provides the gut-busting moments that have made <i style="">The Office</i> an object of my obsession in Kyrgyzstan.<span style=""> </span>I would probably speak way better Kyrgyz if I spent a little less time watching <i style="">The Office </i>DVDs (thanks Mom!) and a little more time talking to people.<span style=""> </span>Anyway, Dwight is a bit of a cult icon in our village of 3 Americans and I can think of no better reason to bestow his name upon the calf.<span style=""> </span>That, and Erin might get mad if I don’t.</span></p>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-57612797931903885732008-05-21T22:46:00.000-07:002008-05-21T22:51:23.747-07:00So, life is a bit busyWell, spring is here and life is busy in Kochkor. My family and I have been working hard to get all that winter malaise out of the house and make it a happy place again.<br />With all that in mind, I would like to appologize for not writing more blog entries. All this yurt building, seminar and internship planning, and general availability of things to do has kept me away from the computer. I hope you all understand.<br />All of the above things above and more will be written about shortly, as soon as I have a chance. This week should be a good one, since all the women at work are working hard for our upcoming sales exhibition. Please, keep reading.<br /><br />On a side note, some lucky readers will be receiving a small surprise in the mail soon. Good luck!Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-54340676460376667352008-05-19T23:39:00.000-07:002008-05-21T22:53:23.839-07:00Shirdaks!<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">As most of you know, I work for a handicraft’s cooperative here in Kyrgyzstan which focuses primarily on the creation of shirdaks.<span style=""> </span>I realized the other day when I was going through my previous blog entries that I have yet to dedicate an entire post to shirdaks and that such a travesty cannot stand uncorrected.<span style=""> </span>Thus, get excited to enter the fascinating world of felt!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Shirdaks are, simply put, felt rugs and are perhaps the oldest and most traditional craft still produced in Kyrgyzstan.<span style=""> </span>Due to the large number of sheep and a nomadic heritage that is not conducive to cotton growing, felt is the primary material used in traditional handicrafts within the country.<span style=""> </span>Felt, which is made out of compacted sheep’s wool, is the primary ingredient in any real shirdak.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">But how are they made, you ask?<span style=""> </span>The process is quite simple, really.<span style=""> </span>Once the sheep has been shaved and its wool pressed into felt (and possibly dyed), the master cuts it into an ornate pattern and then sows the design onto a larger, uncut piece of felt.<span style=""> </span>After several hours of intense sowing and intricate stitching, a border is usually added to give some balance and depth to the piece.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Shirdaks come in all shapes and sizes. Originally, they were designed to cover the floor of the “yurt,” or portable home of the nomadic Kyrgyz.<span style=""> </span>“Sadushkas” are roughly 50cm x 50cm (20x20 in) and are designed as seat covers.<span style=""> </span>Giant, room size shirdaks can be up to 10m<sup>2</sup>.<span style=""> </span>I have one in my room that is roughly 3m<sup>2</sup>.<span style=""> </span>The felt design allowed for maximum heat storage during the cold winters of the old times.<span style=""> </span>Today, they are more for decoration, but still hold a sacred place in the hearts of the Kyrgyz people.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">And now the sales pitch:<span style=""> </span>Where can you get one of these amazing items?<span style=""> </span>Well, the best, most authentic shirdaks money can buy are for sale through my host organization, Altyn Kol (literally translated as “Golden Hands”).<span style=""> </span>All of our shirdaks are made of 100% wool and are handmade by women in Kyrgyzstan.<span style=""> </span>Roughly 70% of the sale price goes directly to the artisan, significantly higher than Fair Trade prices.<span style=""> </span>If you are interested, click <a href="http://www.altynkol.narod.ru">here</a> to learn more and see what exactly you are missing.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Alright, got that done.<span style=""> </span>I have to admit I have learned more about sowing and the processes involved in felt production than I ever thought possible.<span style=""> </span>I remember when I joined Peace Corps they said I would learn practical skills that would make me extremely competitive in the current job market.<span style=""> </span>I just hope carpet making is as big in the US as it is here.<span style=""> </span></span></p>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-47230640650770068812008-05-08T04:07:00.000-07:002008-05-08T04:09:24.356-07:0010 Month Update<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Hopefully, by the time I get this posted, I will have been in the ol’ Kyrgyz Republic for 10 months!<span style=""> </span>Hard to imagine that it has almost been a year.<span style=""> </span>I can’t say the time has flown by (I actually think it might have been frozen for a little while during the summer), but it does seem that time is keeping on, as it usually does.<span style=""> </span>I have now experienced every season in country, though I still have quite a bit of spring left to enjoy before the death grip of summer comes back around.<span style=""> </span>As always, here is a run of how things are going:</span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphbullet1.gif" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">I have successfully completed 39.13% (45 of 115 weeks), so basically 2/5 done.<span style=""> </span>It seems odd to put it in such terms, but that’s the way it is.<span style=""> </span>Seriously, you guys need to get this economy turned around or I will stay another year.<span style=""> </span>I’ll do it, too.<span style=""> </span>You know how people are when they get those cushy government jobs…</span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphbullet2.gif" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">I haven’t taken another language test, but I can assure you that I am easily within the top 0.008% of Kyrgyz speakers in the world (assuming 6.2 billion people worldwide and 5 million Kyrgyz people).<span style=""> </span>The biggest problem, however, is that I am definitely in the bottom most percentile in my village, except for that one Russian guy who refuses to learn Kyrgyz and is quite proud of the fact.</span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphbullet2.gif" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">We have not had much of a loss of volunteers since the last bi-monthly report.<span style=""> </span>As far as my group goes, we have only lost one person in the last two months.<span style=""> </span>If I do my math right, that should bring us to an even 40.</span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphbullet2.gif" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">I bought a huge Peace Corps shirdak last month.<span style=""> </span>If I remember, I will put a picture on the page.<span style=""> </span>Outside of that, no major purchases of any interest.<span style=""> </span>We got a pay raise last month of a whopping 40 som ($1.11), since Peace Corps found it necessary to differentiating the pay between those in villages and those in cities.<span style=""> </span>So now, not only do the people in the cities actually have a choice of what they can buy, they can actually afford it now too.</span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphbullet2.gif" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Still have not been the victim of a crime, but I am staying vigilant.<span style=""> </span>If I remember my training correctly, this is the time of service it is most likely to happen, since I am getting comfortable in my site and not being as careful about things.</span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphbullet2.gif" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">My family is down to 3 cows, 2 sheep and 2 lambs.<span style=""> </span>Our cat went missing and is presumed dead.<span style=""> </span>I think that means I can get a chick now, though Peace Corps says I shouldn’t because of “bird flu.”<span style=""> </span>All off our sheep went to pasture, except for one that is pregnant and another that is milking the two lambs.<span style=""> </span>It is starting to get a little lonely, I must admit.</span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphbullet2.gif" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">My not throwing up in country streak has come to a terrible end.<span style=""> </span>I don’t want to alarm anyone, but I want to remind everyone to remember not to mix alcohol and any kind of medication.<span style=""> </span>I didn’t do it on purpose, but I don’t think I will ever make that mistake again.</span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphbullet2.gif" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Holidays have been aplenty this April and May.<span style=""> </span>Noroos was at the end of March and was alright.<span style=""> </span>I was in Bishkek at the time, so I might have missed some of the fun.<span style=""> </span>May 1 is International Workers’ Day; May 5 Constitution Day; and May 9 is Victory Day.<span style=""> </span>Needless to say, I won’t get any work done until about June, so I guess I should give up on that front.</span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphbullet2.gif" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">I guess my luster is starting to wear off.<span style=""> </span>Proposals for “daughter meeting” have dramatically fallen off.<span style=""> </span>Maybe my strategy of telling people how I am actually not rich is starting to backfire.<span style=""> </span>Now people have started asking about what I plan to do when I go back to America.<span style=""> </span>When you really look at the question from their perspective, my status has changed from “I want him to marry my daughter” to “when is this guy leaving”?<span style=""> </span>I guess that is what happens when people really get to know you</span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphbullet3.gif" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">I am still reading quite a bit, though not nearly at the level I was during the winter.<span style=""> </span>An increase in my ability to communicate and to walk outdoors has dramatically reduced my time/desire for reading.<span style=""> </span>As mentioned in a previous entry, I read a Chingiz Aitmatov book and enjoyed it.<span style=""> </span><i style="">Tender is the Night</i> by F. Scott Fitzgerald was really good.<span style=""> </span>Currently reading a book on the history of the Soviet Union and <i style="">Jude the Obscure</i>.<span style=""> </span>I really love endings where everybody dies, I guess.<span style=""> </span>Having <i style="">The Office</i> Season 2 sent to me has not helped in inspiring me to read either.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">On an unrelated note, say thank you to all of your teachers and people you know that are teachers.<span style=""> </span>National Teachers Appreciation Week is this week (May 6-12).<span style=""> </span>Sam, you are the only professional teacher that I know, so I guess I will say “I appreciate you” because there is no way I could do what you do.<span style=""> </span>Seriously, little kids are gross.</span></p>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-37847648137015237112008-05-04T22:04:00.000-07:002008-12-09T05:30:24.910-08:00Issky Kul<div>Lake Issyk Köl (“hot lake” in Kyrgyz) is considered to be the “pearl” of the Kyrgyz landscape. A salt water lake located in the country’s northeastern section, it is constantly a topic of discussion among Kyrgyz people. The “hot” part of the name comes from the fact that the lake never freezes, due to the saltiness of the water and geothermal springs located within the lakebed. In Kyrgyz, it is often referred to as just “Köl” since it is the only lake that matters (to some). One of the first questions that someone will ask me is whether I have been there yet or not. It is assumed that I will go or that I have been and Kyrgyz people often have a hard time believing I have been in country ten months and have yet to see the mighty Köl.<br />Legend has it the salty, warm lake was created out of love. In ancient times, the king of a particular tribe held a traditional matching ceremony for his daughter. The ceremony’s main event was a horse game in which suitors had to kiss the daughter in order to win her hand. The daughter could make the task difficult for men she did not like, easier for those who she did. A young shepherd entered the contest and the daughter put up little resistance to his pursuit. However, when the kind found out that the daughter was to marry a common shepherd (and not the prince from another tribe as he had hoped), he was furious and arranged a marriage with royalty of another tribe.<br />The day of the wedding came soon afterwards. The girl was so distraught over the loss of her love that she started crying. The crying didn’t stop and eventually salty, warm wa<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SB6WLKdt-HI/AAAAAAAAAIM/rSs8dhX-33k/s1600-h/004.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196756138563860594" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SB6WLKdt-HI/AAAAAAAAAIM/rSs8dhX-33k/s200/004.JPG" border="0" /></a>ter began pouring out of her eyes at an incredible rate and eventually the flood washed away the entire wedding party, including the bride and left only a lake in its place. The shepherd, meanwhile, was watching the ceremony from afar and saw his love transform herself into a lake. In order to ensure that he could always be near and watch over her, he turned himself into the mountains that surround the lake.<br />The area on the lake’s north shore is the most developed in the country (not including Bishkek). Most of the property is foreign owned and developed and include world class health facilities that, if you can afford it, are home to breath taking views and western amenities. Most of the Kyrgyz and Kazakh elite have homes in this area that they use for summer vacations, including President Bakiev who also has a small yacht in the lake. Prices are not exactly American, but they are definitely higher than in just about any other region in the country.<br />This last weekend I visited the village of Cholpon Ata (star’s father) to see this lake for myself (and see my friend Brian who is stationed there). I do admit that I was impressed. It is a beautiful area and, while it is certainly far from western standards, it is certainly much more advanced from an infrastructure perspective. The beaches are not the white sands of Hawaii, but are comfortable. The water is an amazingly crystal blue that takes a little while to believe in. It isn’t tourist season yet, so I was able to enjoy the area without the hustle and bustle I am assured places a stranglehold on the area in July and August…And shit was really, really expensive.</div><div><em>Note: The picture above is not from Issyk Kul, but from right here in Kochkor. I just figured this blog needed a picture. Those are my site mates Erin and Vanessa.</em></div>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-51235786965620142752008-05-04T22:00:00.001-07:002008-05-04T22:03:40.752-07:00Money, Money, MoneyThe second most popular topic among Kyrgyz people (family and marriage are first) is how expensive everything is. Almost every conversation I have with people centers on the cost of things. If I ever get to the point in a conversation where I really don’t know what to talk about, I just mention how expensive bread (or gas or carrots or apartments in Bishkek) and people instantly become excited to talk with me about it. Making fun of the Chinese is about the only other solid conversation topic.<br />For the most part, I believe this is just a cultural thing, partially an economic thing. <br />From an observational perspective, it is somewhat noticeable that prices are going up. A taxi ride to Bishkek used to cost 200 som and sometimes even 180 was possible if you know how to negotiate. Now it is at least 250 and sometimes worse. Other items have gone up as well. Bread was 4 som for a small loaf, now it is 9. The other obvious measure is the exchange rate. The dollar has actually gained value against the som since I entered the country (from 34 som/dollar in July 2007 to 36.5/dollar currently). The fall of the dollar in the last year is well documented and the fact that the som is losing value against currency that is in such a freefall surely shows that something is amiss. <br />I have a few theories as to why this is the fact. The first is simple supply side economics. Worldwide, commodities have been tremendously expensive due to a combination of shortages (wheat) and increased demand (oil, corn). These commodities, while affecting the lives of people in wealthier nations, have a tremendous impact on the purchasing power of people in Kyrgyzstan. A vast majority of a Kyrgyz family’s budget centers on food. With all the food prices going up due to external factors (not to mention that most food is imported, adding transport costs), Kyrgyz families simply have to spend more to get the same thing they used to buy.<br />Second, I believe there has been plenty of economic mismanagement to help foster this inflation. First, the country is crippled with a massive foreign debt, not to mention a current account balance (basically the difference in exports and imports) that is incredibly negative. Though small in absolute terms, as a percentage the balance is far more negative than the US’s (though legitimate numbers are difficult to come by). These two acting in unison can easily bring a currency to its knees (see Dollar, US, 2008), making imports (i.e. almost everything consumed here) more expensive. Most economies have the ability to adapt to such a circumstance. The United States will shift production to more consumer goods in the medium term. The Kyrgyz Republic does not have this ability.<br />My last belief is one of conjecture solely, since data is not available, though anecdotal evidence is common. The money supply in the country is expanding. Any person, let alone any economist, who has ever heard of Milton Friedman can tell you that an increase in the money supply, while good for the economy in the short run can increase inflationary pressures. Though not as easy to track here as in the US (Federal interest rates pretty much explain the US’s), it is something to note that the availability of crisp, new 1000 som bills is quite prevalent, while at the same time small bills (ones, fives, tens, twenties) are becoming worn and difficult to obtain in any case. A country with a huge foreign debt would do well to “service” the debt through inflation (i.e. borrow 10 som when it buys two loaves of bread and pay it back when it only buys one). Though this has almost never worked for the country that attempts to do it, it is tried often by countries that need to pay off debt.<br />In the end, don’t worry about Jonathan. I am being taken care of by the Peace Corps, though my “salary” doesn’t buy what it used to. I have to start living a little more like a Spartan and a little less like an American. Maybe that isn’t bad advice in any situation, my fellow Americans. <br /><br />On an unrelated note, I would like to thank Kairatbek, a devoted reader, for pointing out that the former President of Kyrgyzstan is Akayev, not Arkiev as published. It is nice to know that I have people keeping me in line.Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-53638875398988760862008-05-04T21:27:00.000-07:002008-05-04T22:00:27.403-07:00Koy Soy!So, we eat a lot of sheep here. Words cannot describe what exactly a Koy Soy (sheep slaughtering) is really like, so I have put together a little video to give you an idea. Don't worry, there is no footage of blood splattering everywhere or anything like that. Enjoy.<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyqt7PsSQINCsNAHffIIVdijZjsLk7tV1Pq7Lh5rLkyUzArCGDArexxLpYGYr-CU5h34cMA1KhDYqjCltiJvQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-38883292251390210192008-04-29T22:21:00.000-07:002008-04-29T22:22:04.691-07:00Chingiz AitmatovIf you were asked to name one Kyrgyz person, most of you would naturally say President Bakiev, the borderline dictator of Kyrgyzstan. Others would mention former President Arkiev, who was forced out of the country in a bloodless coup in 2005. Still others would mention Manas, the fictional folk hero about which the world’s longest poem is written (about 250,000 lines or 16 of The Iliad for reference). Again still others would take the simpler route of saying, “Jonathan’s host mother” or something along those lines. In all of these cases, you would of course be right.<br />But the most famous of all Kyrgyz people is Chingiz Aitmatov, the writer and philosopher. The Kyrgyz freakin’ love this guy, no joke. His two major works are The White Ship, which is about an old Kyrgyz legend set in a remote village and The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years. Though he was a Kyrgyz man, all his writings were in Russian. This year will include his eightieth birthday and has been declared the Year of Chingiz Aitmatov. The guy is like John Lennon and John Updike rolled into one. Easily bigger than The Beatles here.<br />I recently read The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years and enjoyed it thoroughly (in English, just in case anybody thought my Kyrgyz was at that level). The story was written in 1980 during Soviet occupation of Central Asia and centers on the tale of a man who lives on the Kazakh steppe who must burry his best friend who has recently died. The story takes place over one day, but his thoughts stretch out for decades before and after the actual event (hence the title). The translation I read was not particularly well written (it is choppy in places), but the political and social subtext is obvious to anyone who understands the smallest bit of Soviet history. Aitmatov managed to squeeze many of these un-Soviet themes through the use of ancient tales from Central Asia. The book is masterfully constructed. The names are a little hard to pronounce, but I usually just give them American names and that makes the reading easier.<br />Anyway, my host mother discovered I was reading the book and we had a quite extended conversation about how awesome Mr. Aitmatov is. It should be noted that she is a Kyrgyz language teacher. The longest conversation I have had with any Kyrgyz person on any subject was right then and there on the couch about Chingiz Aitmatov. I have been instructed that I must read the remainder of his works before I leave Kyrgyzstan, because only then can I understand this place.<br />So, I just wanted to give a shout out to Chingiz Aitmatov and suggest that anyone who is interested in some good Soviet-era literature, check him out. You don’t have to know anything about Kyrgyzstan (The Day is actually set in Kazakhstan) to enjoy it. Then, when you are at a dinner party, you can impress all your friends with your knowledge of Central Asian writers.Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-23442493031313741642008-04-29T22:16:00.000-07:002008-04-29T22:20:49.546-07:00No Real TitleI have noticed that I tend to have a “theme” behind each posting. My original idea in creating this blog was to keep people back home aware of my current situation, to share my experience, and to make a little ad revenue from the advertisement in the corner (8 cents per click-through, just to let you know. This format seems to work, since I don’t get too many complaints. It is the most popular Kochkor-based blog on the web, unless Erin’s is somehow doing better than mine. Either way, it is definitely in the top two at worst.<br />I don’t really have much of topic to discuss, so I guess I will just talk about what is going on here right now. First and most important, spring has finally arrived. The trees are blooming, the grass is green, and dogs are humping everything in sight. It is truly a wonderful time of year in Kochkor. With the warm weather, I have noticed that I am more active as well. I don’t mind walking to someone’s office for a meeting. I also have started going on walks just for the fun of it. Who would have thunk it?<br />Today especially is a great day because I have finished my Small Projects Assistance (SPA) proposal to fund the Ak Sakaldar Sotu conference that I am organizing for September (read related article for more info). The proposal is 13 pages long, which is not especially large by any stretch, but it was extremely difficult to complete. First of all, it is an application for US Federal dollars, so it has a lot of asinine requirements (and by asinine I mean wonderful, just in case anybody from USAID is reading this). Second, gathering information in Kyrgyzstan is a pain in the ass. Nobody will give you a straight answer, no matter how you phrase a question. Luckily, I have an awesome counterpart named Ak Jol working with me on the project and he knows how to get things done. Lastly, we have to constantly write in “Peace Corps speech,” using all the taglines that we have learned from various trainings over the past 10 months: sustainable, community driven, monitoring and evaluation, and priority.<br />I will say, however, that the best part of my proposal is the name: Kalpaks Optional!. Kalpaks are the traditional Kyrgyz hats that the old men around here wear. I guess it really isn’t that funny if you don’t know what a kalpak is. Actually, it really isn’t funny even if you do know what a kalpak is. I am still a firm believer of the power of titles. And it has an exclamation point in it. I can’t think of a single bad movie, book, or album that has an exclamation point in it. Ipso facto, everything with an exclamation point in it is awesome. You know what book didn’t have an exclamation point? Mein Kampf and we all know what happened with that.<br />What a terrible way to end a blog entry.Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-3900450589988238052008-04-24T02:01:00.001-07:002008-12-09T05:30:25.198-08:00This Really Cool Thing<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SBBOPSEa0JI/AAAAAAAAAIE/mwQ0hwGkYkI/s1600-h/100_0176.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192736394813558930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SBBOPSEa0JI/AAAAAAAAAIE/mwQ0hwGkYkI/s400/100_0176.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>One of our buyers came into the store last week. Besides the fact that she is the best looking Kyrgyz girl I have ever seen, she showed me this really cool picture (shown). This was displayed in the National Art Museum in Bishkek. In case it is hard to tell, it is a tree represented by a shirdak for the leaves and a tree stump as the trunk. It is a really cool piece of art, I think.</div>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-11979918433838582512008-04-24T02:01:00.000-07:002008-04-24T02:02:56.567-07:00Me, the Older BrotherI had never been an older brother until I moved to Kyrgyzstan. Certainly, I had dealt with my share (believe me, one is enough), but I had never been in that “first among peers” position. I can’t say I ever wanted the extra attention and responsibility that comes along with being the elder, but now that I have attained it, I am enjoying it. In Kochkor, I have three younger brothers. I you include the younger brother and sister I have in my training village of Kenesh, I actually have 5 younger siblings. If you add up all those siblings, I have almost three and a half years of “older brothering” under my belt. With that in mind, I thought I would compare myself to the one older brother I know in a few select categories. Justin, I’m sorry.<br />1. Looks. I think we really know who wins here. Mom once summed it up nicely by saying, “Jonathan got the looks and Justin got born first.” Advantage: Jonathan<br />2. Smarts. They are really going to be disappointed when they find out I am not nearly as smart as they think I am. Right now, I think the younglings assume language is the reason I don’t seem so clever. Little do they know, it is my lack of cleverness that makes that so. Still…Advantage: Jonathan<br />3. Car. The “Fun Justy” that he had in high school is kinda like an ugly cousin: the family can make fun of it, but we will fight anyone who mentions a bad word about her. That and Peace Corps regulations don’t allow me to own or operate a motor vehicle. Advantage: Justin<br />4. Willingness to help. Well, I’m in the Peace Corps, so I think I win by default. He never flew half way around the world for me. Just saying. Advantage: Jonathan<br />5. Mastery of common language. This one I have to give to Justin. Though he did grow up during the 80’s, he has a pretty solid grip on English. Most of my conversations don’t get much past “Who farted?” with my brothers here. (“Kim usurdu?” in Kyrgyz, for those interested). Advantage: Justin<br />6. Willingness to read younger sibling’s blog. Though none of the youngsters here have blogs, I’m pretty sure I would go out of my way to read them if they had them, even with the poor internet accessibility. Justin’s younger brother has a blog and I’m pretty sure Justin doesn’t read it, hence the entire article devoted to making fun of him. Advantage(in more ways than one): Jonathan<br />7. Job. While in high school, Justin worked at fast food places. I really could not think of a better place for an older brother to work until he got the gig at the bowling alley. Currently, I work at a sowing cooperative that primarily makes carpets. Thrilling, I know. Advantage: Justin<br />8. Providing of nieces/nephews. Admittedly, I am behind the curve here, but just slightly. I could catch up by the end of service, but that probably wouldn’t be in anybody’s best interests. And Justin’s kids are fuckin’ awesome. I think that is really Sam’s fault, but I guess it gets at least partial credit. Advantage: Justin<br />9. Cool factor. Seriously, if you have ever met Justin, don’t even bother reading the rest of this segment. Even leaving that aside, I’m a freakin’ Peace Corps volunteer. That’s gotta put me pretty high on the cool list. Advantage: Jonathan<br />As you can see, it was a close race, but I squeak out a 5-4 victory. I’m sure the gap will widen as I gain more experience. He has a pretty substantial lead in that category, but it wasn’t enough here. By the way, if anybody wants to make fun of Justin, whether you know him or not, feel free to post things about him on the message board. Just don’t make fun of his mom. That wouldn’t be cool.Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-54626989935341833312008-04-20T22:38:00.002-07:002008-04-20T22:40:03.180-07:00Born a Ramblin' ManIf you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? I am sure there are very few people who would say Kyrgyzstan, including your humble author (and I actually like it here). The reason I ask is for a simple reason: I cannot stop thinking about where I am going to travel after I finish serving in the Peace Corps. On one fine day in September 2009, I am going to be given $6,000 and the cash equivalent of an airline ticket from Bishkek to Phoenix. After that, it is completely up to me what happens.<br />Now, I do have to save a few grand for “re-adjustment” to the United States. It will probably take a while to get a job and I’m sure the ol’ family will get tired of Jonathan after a while. I figure I will have $3,500 to get from Kochkor to Yuma, Arizona.<br />The big advantage of Kyrgyzstan is that whether I head east or west, I am heading home. Kochkor lies between the 75 and 76E longitudinal lines and 41 and 42N latitudinal line. If I stay on this side of the equator, I am 180 degrees away from Casper, Wyoming going west and 180 degrees from Eugene, Oregon going east. Either way, I end up in the (relatively) northwestern United States.<br />My first trip will be to India. I’m not sure why, but I really have a desire to see the subcontinent. I have heard so many positive things about it that I think I have to go. I will travel around and “do” India. After that, however, I am completely open to suggestion. Flying from Delhi, I can be to Europe or almost anywhere in the Pacific in one flight. I could go to Australia and New Zealand or Berlin and London. Tough call. <br />I could also go somewhere else and that is why I am writing about it now. I want to know what you think. If you have been on this side of the world, let me know what you think is worth doing? I have no time commitments (though I should be home for Thanksgiving, for Mom’s sake), but money is an object, though my living standards allow me to live comfortably on little. Respond to the blog or email me directly. These are the pictures you are going to have to look at when I get back, so you may as well want to see what is in them.<br />This question is open ended, so feel free to take time in responding. I speak decent English, moderate Kyrgyz, and functional German, but would be willing to pick up something else in order to travel to somewhere exotic. Also, if you have a couch that I could sleep on in the area you suggest, it would be greatly appreciated.Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-9190493016378124922008-04-20T22:38:00.001-07:002008-04-20T22:38:41.026-07:00That's EntertainmentI often wonder what exactly I would be doing in the United States at this very moment. Not so much about where I would be working or going to school or living or anything like that. I don’t really like to think about serious things. My thoughts tend to gravitate toward what I would be doing on a sunny, Sunday afternoon in April with no commitments or what I would do between when I get home from work and when I go to bed. We take for granted a lot of the things we have access to in our comfortable US lives.<br />Downtime is a problem for a lot of volunteers because we have so much of it. Previously, I would not consider it free time when I went to basketball games or movies. That time was spoken for, though it certainly was leisure. Here, since events like such are not nearly as accessible, I have more free and unaccounted for time in which to occupy myself. I would say in a common weekday, I have four to five hours of time to use up. The weekends are generally even freer than that, with up to ten hours of nothing planned, though every other weekend is usually travelling (which is planned and accounted for). <br />So what does a body do? My main distractions are media in their normal forms. I watch movies on my computer; usually at least one full-length feature film’s worth a day. I read vociferously. I read now more than I did in college, which might explained why I didn’t graduate with honors. I write in a journal and for the blog, both of which are not written in as often as they should be. Sometimes I just stare at the wall, thinking. It is scary to admit that, but it is true, which might be scarier still.<br />On the weekends, I usually go for a walk around the neighborhood or even into the omnipresent mountains. A good hike of five to six hours can really put a dent into a day. Shopping is often such an adventure that I will go merely for something to do rather than necessity. I occasionally play computer games like Free Cell (54% win rate) or my electronic Sudoku if needed, but I try to avoid anything too unproductive.<br />Beyond any doubt though, daydreaming has become an absolutely awesome distraction for me. It is so much fun and time can slip away so quickly when lost in your thoughts. I think about life after Peace Corps and where I will visit next month and what to do with my monthly living allowance when it comes. Ever since I have hung my world map on the wall, I have had an excellent opportunity to just drift away in thought as I try to memorize all the countries of West Africa or figure out what they speak in Singapore (it is English, right?). The better question might be how I will handle being back in America when I don’t have so much “free” time.Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-45772892074187406082008-04-20T22:30:00.000-07:002008-12-09T05:30:25.352-08:00Name that Cow!<div>Well, it has been over nine months in country and that means a few things. First, since no one has told me they have given birth to a child of mine, which means I am in the clear on that count. More importantly for the blog, however, is that people are probably getting bored and have stopped bothering with the site. I can’t say that I blame them. Sometimes I find my own entries extremely uninspired and lacking that needed pizzazz.<br />They say the only way to get out of a funk is to do something different and that is exactly what I am going to do. I have better access to regular internet now that a computer with a satellite connection has been hooked up. I can thus actually access blogger, put up pictures, and create links to pages of interest. All of this will take more work, but I re<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SAwnq1veiSI/AAAAAAAAAH8/jK_ahpA-j5U/s1600-h/DSCF1397.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191568087385540898" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/SAwnq1veiSI/AAAAAAAAAH8/jK_ahpA-j5U/s320/DSCF1397.JPG" border="0" /></a>ally do need my ads to start making more money. It sounds like the economy is not doing too well over there.<br />In addition, I am starting a contest that will have real impact on the lives of over a half dozen people in my village and possibly even around the country. The contest is related to the cow pictured here. I am asking my faithful readers to name this cow. Submissions can be Kyrgyz or American names. A combination of the two would be acceptable. Judges will look for creativity, suitability, and humor in the names.<br />A little background on the calf is needed. This calf was born less than three weeks ago and still has no name. His mother has shown no interest in naming him, even after several requests by yours truly. The mother’s name is Stupid Cow. We have another cow, besides the mother and calf. Her name is Herbert. It isn’t ironic or anything, I just didn’t look close enough before naming her, but it works.<br />Preference will be given to attempts at Kyrgyz names, which will be explained now. It is common that Kyrgyz people name their children after certain characteristics or objects that they admire. My oldest brother is named Akylbek, meaning “the strength of intelligence.” Girls commonly have “gul” (flower) added to the end of their names, while boys have “bek” (strength). If you have an object or characteristic that you always wanted to name an animal, now is your chance!<br />Submission can be made by replying to this post, sending me an email directly, or calling. I would give you a set date that these are due, but I have a feeling that would only backfire on what may be my complete disaster of a blog. So, good luck and get those entries in!</div>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-8907978901415119882008-04-07T22:24:00.000-07:002008-04-07T22:32:15.365-07:00Ak Sakaldar SotuI just want to start off by saying two things. First, the video I have posted has absolutely nothing to do with what I am writing about. I just discovered I have a movie making feature on my laptop and I am going to start using it and now that I have a decent internet connection, I will try and put up more videos, if anybody still reads this thing, anyway. Second, I really don’t have any problem with old people, rega<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzRJ1Q82tMaryOLJU1J-Sm1EBjXHt0pAlRVT0nu29uyp-DGd1qQPwvodL8VhsL8U-BxjusWrCqeeyiwfQj9kw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>rdless of what the next few paragraphs might lead one to believe. I think old people can be or do anything they want to be or do when they grow up.<br />Kyrgyzstan is a land of tradition. Unscathed by wrath of war, religion, and technology, it has become a society that is struggling to merge the old and the new. The skyscrapers of Bishkek clash with yurts right next door. One of the places that this striking dichotomy can be seen is, strangely enough, in the legal system. All lawyer jokes aside (even the one about the penguin and gonorrhea), Kyrgyzstan is having a serious problem bringing its traditional legal system up to date with the demands of a modern, market economy.<br />The tradition that can be said to be the microcosm of Kyrgyzstan’s growing pains is the Ak Sakaldar Cotu. Literally translated it means “White Beard’s Court” (I guess that requires some explaining. “Ak Sakal” or white beard is a respected term given to elderly men). This court is used primarily in rural villages where access to professional legal service, either public or private, is extremely limited. In the system, villages select an old sage to help settle legal disputes among members of the community. Usually the judge is elected, though sometimes successors are handpicked. Often these “judges” have absolutely no legal training or knowledge, though they do have legitimate power in the Kyrgyz judicial system.<br />The problems that can arise are pretty obvious from the start: How does this judge know the law? What happens if he makes a mistake? How can you be a judge when you are related to everyone in the village? These are all excellent questions and that is the heart of what Peace Corps would refer to as my “Secondary Project.”<br />Along with a local lawyer friend named Ak Jol, I am organizing a training session for these men to help them understand the intricacies of Kyrgyz law, or at least all that can be taught in a three day seminar. In addition to state and county judges, I will be having legal experts from Bishkek coming to speak about important issues facing the Ak Sakaldar Sotu court and how to make the system better. We are also setting up a small resource center (a couple of books at the most) in each one of the rayon’s (think county) eleven government offices. With any luck, these wise, old men will have a little knowledge next time they enter a court/living room to make their judgements.Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-54404626265211479422008-04-05T07:45:00.000-07:002008-04-05T07:50:50.396-07:00Spring!!<p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well, faithful blog reader(s), spring has finally sprung here in Kochkor and it is amazing. I don’t think I have ever enjoyed the end of that cold thing we call winter as much as I have this season. The winter is a point of pride for the Kyrgyz. Though they hate the cold like you cannot imagine, they are quite proud of their ability to withstand everything that is thrown at them from late November to late March. A few cultural and personal observations now that I have 6 months without ice on my windows:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 42pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Kyrgyz fear the cold. It isn’t a respect thing, it is a fear thing. Winter here is more like Darth Vader than a season. It is constantly the topic of conversation in households and among strangers. My family routinely questioned me about the warmth of my room and strongly encouraged that I use my Peace Corps issued heater, even though it cost them money. I admit that I usually fell asleep right next to it.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 42pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Consumption or exposure leads to illness. This is not a winter only thing, but it was at the center of many discussions. When I first arrived at site, I got had a bit of a stomach issue for a few days. The first question to deduce the cause of my sickness was whether I had drank anything cold, since that is the natural progression of such things. During Pre-Service Training, I had a headache one day (it was routinely above 100 degrees and we had no air conditioning) and my host mother knew it was because my shower the previous day at not been hot enough. Sitting on the ground is believed to cause infertility in women, since it can make their eggs freeze.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 42pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is the conveniences of America that make the winters seem less harsh. The winter here really was not that bad. I would argue that Nebraska winters are actually colder and harsher. The reason it felt so terrible was the lack of central heating, the power constantly turning off, and never being able to truly escape the cold. Walking to work in near 0 degree weather is not especially fun, but that is the only choice one has. Waking up and your breath being the first thing you see is not a motivator for the rest of the day.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 42pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I ate things that kept me warm. Animal fat is considered a natural cure to being cold here. I was told on a regular basis that eating it would keep me warm. On a practical note, however, we did eat a lot of soups at extremely high temperatures and I do have to admit that they would definitely warm you up. One cannot underestimate the value of a hot bowl of borscht or cup of tea in the dead of winter. On a related note, I was fed a glass of bozo (a carbonated wheat drink which is delicious) everyday to help me from having to go to the bathroom as often, thus saving me exposure to the cold of the outhouse.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 42pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We didn’t have much snow. Kochkor is known for not having much snow, though we actually received record amounts of it this year (almost 5 inches). I am perfectly fine with not having much snow, since it turns the dirt roads into nothing but mud when it melts. The lack of snow did make it seem colder than it actually was, but I will gladly take the tradeoff. Clean shoes are an important thing.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 42pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I seriously ate only 7 different things all winter: meat/fat, potatoes, noodles, carrots, cabbage, beats, and turnips. I guess I had the occasional apple and candy from home, but really that was my diet. It really makes you appreciate the variety in your diet that you have back in America. I couldn’t find a tomato at any price in February. I guess I’ve grown used to it now.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But now it’s all over. Spring is here, vegetables are in the market place, and I no longer sleep in a sleeping bag under a quilt next to my heater. I am really looking forward to this spring more than I think any spring I have ever experienced. It is really interesting how the whole “going without” thing can make you appreciate the little things life offers you. Like fruit.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-28476301906423572942008-04-04T00:42:00.000-07:002008-04-04T01:06:24.288-07:00What your tax dollars are buying...For the first six months of service, I have to admit that I really didn't do much. That isn't just me being modest or anything. I really didn't have much to do. The country shuts down for the most part during the winter and since I work with an organization that is primarily tourism based, I really didn't have much of a job.<br />The tide is changing, however, and now I have plenty on my plate. I figured I would run through a few of my activities:<br /><br /><ul><li>I have started an internship program with my host organization to help relieve our summer time staffing shortage and help give college age women an opportunity to see how a real, woman-run business in Kyrgyzstan operates. It is a lot of work so far, but I think the planning will work out to everyone's benefit. If anything, at least I get to wear a tie when I have meetings with the university director.</li><li>I have (with the help of my counterpart Dinara) restructured the company's inventory and sales tracking system, which were two of the biggest problems the sales side of the organization had. By simply creating two new binders to keep track of things coming in and things going, I have helped make Dinara's life much less stressful and our inventory and payment systems more accurate. Hopefully it will last.</li><li>I am working on a coupon program throughout the village to increase the visability of Altyn Kol as a place to buy quality, hand made shirdaks. Coupons are not a common thing here, but people seem to be pretty open to the idea.</li><li>I am in the planning stages of a Rayon (country) wide judge training seminar to take place in September. Why do judges need training? It takes to long to explain, but they do and I am helping to create a resource center for rural citizens and judges to help make justice a little more real in Kyrgyzstan.</li><li>I teach English classes twice a week to a class of about 10 students, most of which work in the tourism field and a functional level of English can dramatically impact their earning potential. It also helps me tremendously with my Kyrgyz, which is coming along slowly.</li><li>I am working with an organization called LARC (Legal Assistance for Rural Citizens) to help build organizational capacity through various means.</li></ul><p>So, as you can see, I am actually doing something now and it is great. I am far from being done as a volunteer, but I am starting to see some of the benefits from my "wait and see" mentality of the first 6 months. I have a little bit of that "volunteer high" at the moment and I can only hope that it continues through the next 18 months.</p>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-47355800254748229552008-03-28T22:02:00.000-07:002008-03-28T22:12:48.577-07:00PDMI am in Bishkek this weekend after finishing a week long Project and Design Management Workshop hosted by Peace Corps and your Federal Tax dollars. So, I would like to thank all of you who supported our little get together. It is greatly appreciated.<br />The workshop was a great success. I brought a community member from Kochkor and we designed a judge training workshop throughout the week, instantly applying what we had learned earlier in the day. All we need to do now is trick a few people into giving us some money and we basically will have saved the world. All in a day's work.<br />Nothing else too exciting to report. I did learn a lot of Kyrgyz while doing this seminar and I actually stumbled across something that has become my new outlook on life: in the Kyrgyz language, excited and nervous are the same word. From now on, I plan to approach life from that very same perspective: nervous is just a different kind of excited and should be treated as such. I didn't want to get too philosophical, but I thought I should share that insight. <br />Good luck with your tournament brackets. Georgetown losing hurt me pretty bad.Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879950815359353121.post-12947412794988142512008-03-21T20:15:00.001-07:002008-12-09T05:30:26.318-08:00Seeing the Sights in Historic Osh<div><div><div><div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180399740210256946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/R-R6HeXCHDI/AAAAAAAAAHM/n-XUnJQ_22Q/s320/DSCF1292.JPG" border="0" />It may be hard to believe, but we did do a little more that just work during our time in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osh">Osh</a>. Even though the city was basically torn down by the Soviets, it still retains much of its 3000 year old charm. Though there aren't a ton of things that will have tourists lined up for miles, it has its share of cool things to do.</div><p>First, we toured Osh Technical University with our fellow volunteer Ed. The school itself was not terribly impressive, but it was interesting to see the Soviet approach to education. OshTU was one of the last Soviet universities built before the fall. They must be doing something right because I saw a supply and demand schedule on one of the chalk boards. The professor did mislabel the X-axis (it should<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/R-R6_eXCHEI/AAAAAAAAAHU/RDqDlqBcn6I/s1600-h/DSCF1311.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180400702282931266" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/R-R6_eXCHEI/AAAAAAAAAHU/RDqDlqBcn6I/s320/DSCF1311.JPG" border="0" /></a> be Qd, not Q), but all in all it seemed like the new what they were doing.<br />The next stop on our journey was the Osh outdoor bazaar. Some people have told me that it is the largest outdoor market in Central Asia. It is large and it is outdoors, but I'm not sure about the title. It seems to me that larger cities (Tashkent, Samarqand) would have larger ones, but maybe they have made the transition to indoor markets. Either way, they had all these colorful fruits that I have not seen since September. I was taking pictures of bananas! I ended up buying some Uzgen rice for my host family, which is supposed to be awesome and unavailable in Naryn. I would guess that we walked for 2 hours in the bazaar a<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/R-R-HOXCHGI/AAAAAAAAAHk/hLUtIhlN0uk/s1600-h/DSCF1328.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180404133961800802" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/R-R-HOXCHGI/AAAAAAAAAHk/hLUtIhlN0uk/s200/DSCF1328.JPG" border="0" /></a>nd didn't buy very much. That should tell you about the size of what we were walking through.</p><p>We walked through the city park which was filled with really scary Soviet-era park rides. I don't think pictures or words can accurately describe how freaky these things were. Next, we walked to the park near the city center. Usually this wouldn't be worth mentioning, but then we saw a camel. He was the saddest creatur<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/R-R9jOXCHFI/AAAAAAAAAHc/52qE6NrMOK0/s1600-h/DSCF1340.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180403515486510162" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 260px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 178px" height="178" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/R-R9jOXCHFI/AAAAAAAAAHc/52qE6NrMOK0/s320/DSCF1340.JPG" width="296" border="0" /></a>e in the world. If a camel somehow ended up tied to a tree in an American park, he would at least be supervised by someone or someone would be interested in it. Nobody was interested. There were several children playing in the park, but nobody cared out the poor camel. We named him Simon.The Lenin statue was the next stop and it was awesome. Again, this one was claimed to be the largest of Lenin in Central Asia, but this time I think they might just be telling the truth. It was freakin' massive. It certainly did not disapp<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/R-R_RuXCHHI/AAAAAAAAAHs/yAsYCyIVuC8/s1600-h/DSCF1342.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180405413862055026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/R-R_RuXCHHI/AAAAAAAAAHs/yAsYCyIVuC8/s200/DSCF1342.JPG" border="0" /></a>oint. One of the Osh volunteers who is organizing a kite flying program in the city square is planning on tying a kite to his raised hand. We can only hope.</p><br /><p>Last on the stop was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulayman_Mountain">Mount Sulayman</a>, the third holiest site in Islam (again, according to locals). The city of Osh lies in a large valley and then this giant mount jumps up into the sky. It is certainly an interesting geographical phenom<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/R-SBK-XCHII/AAAAAAAAAH0/NA1iCtCcnZw/s1600-h/DSCF1353.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180407496921193602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NBzX3ApEMMA/R-SBK-XCHII/AAAAAAAAAH0/NA1iCtCcnZw/s200/DSCF1353.JPG" border="0" /></a>enon. On the top is a small mosque built in 1510 and a "fertility slide" that granted those who slid down healthy babies. The problem for me, however, was that no one told me what the slide was before I went up, so I slid down it a couple of times for fun. Apparently, I was supposed to slide down 7 times in order to gain fertility and healthy children. I guess I will get one or the other. I really hope I don't have mongaloid children.</p></div></div></div></div>Jonathan Baashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191547962006284960noreply@blogger.com1