Kochkor bound!

Written by Jonathan on 9/5

Waking up with a massive hangover and more beef in my belly than is considered rational or responsible, I set off to go to Kant for our weekly Hub Day and then to Bishkek, where I would meet my new family. Thank God there were ten hours for recovery between waking and meeting. After a struggle to get a cab into town, our medical and cultural lessons went as normal and then we packed on the bus for Bishkek.
We met the US Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan before meeting our families. We were all threatened pretty harshly about saying anything out of order and I think we all toed the line. She was a very bright lady and very articulate. She seemed excited to have us here, even saying she wanted to do Peace Corps after she retired. Sometimes people go a little too far in their compliments. Still, it was the first time I ever meet someone who had diplomatic immunity. I wanted to ask her if she ever felt like using the privilege, but I was afraid that would be considered rude. Still, you have to wonder what you would do if you had the option to break the law without legal ramifications.
All of us from the Narin and Issik-Kul oblasts went into one room filled with all of our families. One thought ran through my mind: welcome to the people you will spend the next two years of your life with. We went through a simple matching ceremony and I was the last to get a family. I was nervous that no one showed up, but my new Ata was there and very friendly. We talked for a little bit (as much as I could) and then I met my village mates to do a little strategic planning for the upcoming weekend.
Lorenzo is a TEFL (teaching) volunteer from Tucson. Pretty remarkable that two people from Arizona end up in the same little Kyrgyz village. Staying along the I-8 path, Vanessa is also a TEFL from San Diego. She is Filipino, so everyone here assumes she is Kyrgyz. That may work to her advantages in some ways, but I am a bit concerned about it in others. Erin is a health education volunteer who lives three houses down from me. She is from Connecticut, but went to school in North Carolina. We all graduated from college this past year, save Vanessa who is a year older. I don’t say this too often, but I really think I am with a pretty extraordinary group of people. That and they’re pretty fun to hang out with, so that helps, too. Tomorrow, I will be able to tell all about my new home.