Staying Strong

Why is this the most rewarding and hardest experience of my life. . .

(clears throat)

Rewarding

1) People I meet.

2) Language I am begginning to understand

3) Getting through a day

4) Learning about the culture

5) Patience. Patience. Patience. It has increased 10 fold already

6) My faith is stronger

Not Easy

1) Hearing about corruption in education system.

2) Electricity problems

3) No clean water

4) Diarehha

5) Being cold

6) Adjusting to work ethic

7) The food, and watching people eat unhealthy foods.

8) My hair falling out.

9) Realizing what the city on the hill is. . .

Updates

The weather has been cold lately. There was heavy snow fall a couple of days ago. Most has diminished by now. The weather is inconsistant like Oklahoma weather. People say that this is only the begginning of the cold weather. Well, of course, I know this, but how much colder than Oklahoma is my question. Electricity is on and off in most homes here. Although, I live in a building that the electrician lives in, so I have had no problems. I have a nice space heater, and my host sister has 2. So, it will be tolerable to live during the winter.

I thought Peace Corps drilling Bride Kidnapping stories into our heads was rather repetitive and over exagerated. I was wrong. I have finally encountered an experience from my sister's friend. She did not want to marry, and her family was forcing her to marry. So, it was very sad to watch her fall apart. I felt powerless, because there was absolutly nothing I could do. I sat in my room and tried to preoccupy myself with something to keep my mind on something besides her situation. There are many women who marry against their will here.


I am still adjusting to things here. It has only been 4 months. I cant wait until spring time. I want to go on treks to see the mountains and hot springs. I have a friend from Turkmenistan who works as a translator on treks through Alatoo which is north of Issykkul Lake and a little south of Kazakstan. So, I look forward to it.


I am still working on a nutrition book for my work. I am waiting to hear from Washington if we will recieve money for a Peer education program to teach about HIV/AIDS. Also, I am noticing my Russian is improving. I have been watching The Devil Wears Prada, Mean Girls, and Legally Blonde in Russian over and over. Narzina (my host sister) and our friend Mary(from Turkmenistan) love American clips. There are also a lot of popular songs from America that are played here. Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Linkin Park are common soundtracks to find in the magazines (stores).

Most people who talk to me want to go to America. One guy asked me if I would marry him and take him there. That was akward. I just kept saying I dont even know you! I try to tell people it is not exactly like the movies. Most American movies are about very rich people. My life is not that glamourous in America. Although, there are some nice comforts there.

Thanks for reading.

Carolyn

Adjustments

Guess what is new?? A new host family! Suprise. My third host family, since I have moved to Kyrgyzstan. My last family decided they did not want me to live with them anymore, because my host sister decided not to get married. So, I have a new living situation. This time I got to pick. It is with a girl who is my age named Narzina. Her birthday is September 13. (I got really excited when she told me this, I know someone with a birthday close to this day) Narzina is from Kazakstan and her family owns the apartment we are living in. She goes to the university and is studying english. So, we are able to communicate because she knows a little english I know a little Russian. I enjoy hanging out with her. It seems as if we have been inseperatable since I moved in. We have been cooking, going to the bazarre and magazines, going to cafes, watching movies, one night we drank a beer, and tonight we played dress up. So, I am enjoying this living situation more than the previous situations.

I went to my first real banya to bathe yesterday. It was kind of hard washing myself with 10 other people in the room. I have never been exposed to that many naked people at one time. Everyone acted as if it was normal, so I quickly became okay with it. I like the sauna room especially. I go in there to get really sweaty then wash off by pouring water buckets over me. Very relaxing. The water is warm.

I want to travel somewhere, but I cannot make up my mind. I am kind of waiting for later to see if any of my friends/family from America want to meet up. I would rather spend time with others somewhere they want to go than choose to go somewhere and go with noone or people I dont know. But I will try to talk someone into going to India, Russia, or Israel. I will see. . .

Work is going well. We are working on an Aids project for December 1. Also, I am writing a nutrition book for pregnant women from Kyrgyzstan. At the orphanage, I try to fight off the urge to want to adopt all of them. I catch myself thinking about it sometimes. Well, not all of them. . . Then I stop myself with thoughts of going to school, not having money, and needing to be 10 years older for emotional stability, and of course I am not married.

Hope all is well, and please feel free to comment.


Carolyn