The Amazing Adventures of Kyrgyzstan and Col

Chapter Five: For Real

September 22, 2005
9:25 P.M. Kegety, Kyrgyzstan

I’m sitting here, in my 5-room house in the village of Kegeti, typing on my brand new Mac computer. Something about this just doesn’t seem right. Some have. Others have not.

Oh, and I'm listening to Nickel Creek’s “Nickel Creek” album right now.

It’s Day Three here in Kegeti, and I couldn’t be happier. Technically, I’ve been gone for 9 days, but most of that was traveling. The land is beautiful, the mountains enormous and the people generous.

Last night my host brothers amused me by letting me watch their neighborhood judo club and play ping-pong. Who would have thought the Kyrgyz people like ping-pong? My younger brother, Zalkar, beat me at a mad game of chess last night before dinner, which we ate at 10.

I got really sick my first night here, woke up at 10, thinking it was the new day, and couldn’t hold my vomit in, so ended up puking in my plastic toiletry bag. In order to dispense of the blackberry jam vomit, I had to carry it through the house, show my hose sister (who I had only met two hours beforehand) and run outside to do it all over again. I got sick about 5 more times that night, but today I felt great.

Until after lunch.

For the past week, we have been learning about the Kyrgyz culture, language and how to teach. I must admit, I was a bit nervous knowing that I would have to teach a bunch of kids English, but after today’s lessons, I feel ready, and it’s only the third day.

It hit me today how important education really is. I know I’m teaching English and most of the students will grow up, take over the family farm and only use their English the next time a Peace Corps volunteer comes parading through their village, but that’s not the point. Jeff, our PST (pre-service training) coordinator, told us today about all his experiences teaching overseas. He just said this one sentence, and I don’t really remember it verbatim, but he took this kid aside who was being a troublemaker and not taking school seriously, approached him and said, “Why don’t you want to better yourself?”

And it’s really that simple.

Education is bettering oneself. You may not be the brightest crayon in the box or even use the education you learn in one class, but taking something and pouring yourself into it molds you. Education is a means to an end. It is structure that so many lack. It provides role models to emulate. It demands excellence, but doesn’t turn its back if excellence isn’t reached.

If I can make these kids (who, BTW, I just found out are ages 11-15) feel better about themselves about anything even once, then I’ll be happy.

Really, I’m lost. I’m confused. I’m clueless, but I’m excited about what lies ahead. These next three months are preparation for the next two years, so I’m going to use this time to prepare and assimilate into the native culture.

Without even trying, tonight my host mother invited me “Guesting” with some of her friends from the neighborhood. This is when a bunch of people get together to eat a meal, cheer over Vodka (or in my case, two sips of red wine), and friendship and Kyrgyz culture. When I walked out of our house with Apa (host mother), I didn’t know where we were going, but I just went along. We got to a house, after I got stared at by every person we passed along the stone and cow dung covered road, I took off my shoes before entering and walked into a room with 10 other Kyrgyz women staring and smiling back at me, insisting that I sit at the head of the table and shove my face with bread and tea. Thank God two of my LCFs (Language and Cross-Cultural instructors) were there who can speak English, who would translate to me that the women were praising me for me being me. I guess. I don’t know. Twenty minutes later, we left and that was that. Free food. Pakmat [Rakmat] (Thank you).

OK, my counter top water distiller needs attendance. In the words of Dave Matthews, “Don’t drink the water.” It’ll get you sick and then send you outside to your favorite tree to throw up all night. I know from experience, it you know what I mean. Eh? Eh?

posted by C @ 3:16 PM