Last Day as a Trainee

Well, finally I am going to become a Peace Corps Volunteer. Yes, for all of you who were not in the know, I have yet to actually start my service in the Peace Corps. As of when this was written, I have just been a lowly “Trainee,” who could not be trusted to leave his host family’s side. Alas, now I will be a full- fledged PCV and those three letters will follow my name for the rest of my life (until in about two years I get an extra “R” for “returned). Anyway, now that this big stage is done with, I thought it might be a good idea to review exactly what has happened in the past 11 weeks and some interesting notes to go along with them.

1. I have already completed 9.56% of my journey! With eleven weeks down and 104 (2 years X 52 weeks/year=104) to go, time is sure to fly by!

2. I now speak an “Intermediate Middle” level of Kyrgyz, something that fewer than 5 million people in the world say they have an ability to do. The only problem is that the other 5 million all speak much faster and better than I do.

3. We have lost a total of eleven people from invitation acceptance to swearing-in. 1 person never showed up in Philadelphia, one never got on the plane to come here, 8 left on their own accord, and one was administratively separated. 52 brave survivors will go on to save the world!

4. I have accumulated more stuff than I have used in country. A combination of birthday gifts (thank you everyone, by the way), Peace Corps literature, and Peace Corps issued Medical supplies, water filter, and heater have made my bags a little heavier on the way to Kochkor. It’s okay though, because I do not have a weight limit on bags this time and I have packed my backpack to its max. It was 50 pounds on the way here, it will be 65 (at least) on the way down.

5. I have not been a victim of any crime (yet, that I know of). I think that is a pretty good start, but one never knows. As our safety and security officer says, we must stay vigilant! That goes for all of you back in the USA as well! No measures work as well as a heightened state of alertness!

6. I am now incredibly comfortable in situations that would/should bother Americans. Foreign objects in food do not bother me in the least, nor does the idea of throwing a rock at a dog (if he gets to close. This is only for protection, not recreation, I promise). It is amazing what one can get used to if you give it enough time.

7. I have not thrown up in country (again, yet and not that I know of). I have not been nearly as sick as many other volunteers, but nobody has had anything too serious yet. I have had my share of long morning outhouse visits, but I think it is par for the course. The word is that there is a Peace Corps handshake that everyone will encounter before they leave. I will leave it to your imagination, but it involves the words “shitting” and “your pants.”

8. I have been to a wedding and gave a speech. Speaking in front of 200 people is pretty nerve-racking when you are fluent, let alone when simple future conjugation is the homework you skipped in order to go to the wedding anyway. The wedding was much fun. I have also been to a cow slaughtering and several of what are called “guestings,” when people just stop in to have a drink and some fried meat. Ramadan has slowed the trend, but I’m sure it will pick up soon.

9. My Language/Cultural Facilitator (also known as my language teacher/buddy) Temirlan was blessed with his first child on National Independence Day. I can’t remember the boy’s name, but everyone was very excited, even Temirlan. We made him promise to invite us to all the parties for the babe while we are in country. In Kyrgyzstan, I think there are roughly 934 parties for a child before he turns 5 (actually the number is 4 plus birthdays, but whatever). Anyway, it is an excuse to go to the Lake region.

10. I have made many friends, animals included. My fellow volunteers are really an amazing group of people. I also have some animals of which I have friendly relations. My family’s puppy, Bobeek, is a feisty a fun little guy and the cat, name Mishuk (Kyrgyz for “cat”) comes to sleep with me whenever he can. So far, the country seems pretty friendly.

11. I have read a lot of books (in order): The Catcher in the Rye, The Grapes of Wrath, The Pentateuch, Atlas Shrugged ,Moneyball, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, a few Kate Atkinson books, 4 Business Weeks, 2 The Economists, and 1 Rolling Stone. This does not include the couple hundred pages of The Wealth of Nations that I have struggled through, nor does it include the hours of reading my language textbook, which, believe me, should count for something!

Well, next post will be me as a volunteer and will probably come from sunny (for now) Kochkor village! Stay safe and cheer for the Diamondbacks. They need your help!