Snow, snow, snow! And sooo much of it! I was starting to think that we weren’t going to have a white Christmas here in Chui because all last week was relatively warm, but I woke up this morning to a winter wonderland! I hate to say it, but it’s actually very beautiful. Freezing ass cold, but beautiful nonetheless.
School is out for the holidays as of this week. I’m slightly disappointed because I was just starting to get into the swing of things at my new school. I’m already excited for the clubs and projects I’m planning on starting in January so the break will give me time to prepare. I’m starting a film club with my students and it’s all they can talk about.
Esther and I had planned “E&A’s Most Spectacular 8 Days of Christmas” to help get us into the holiday spirit, but due to zero power/lights/water/etc…we were forced to cut it down to 4 days of holiday cheer. We just got power back today so we’re super pumped! We’ve been listening to non-stop Christmas music all day. We have cookies in the oven and we’re sipping hot chocolate. Tomorrow’s agenda includes making snowmen and quiche.
In other news…I started knitting. I know I know. Something I’m pretty sure at some point in my life I swore never to do. Shit happens. Anyways. I haven’t actually made anything yet…mostly because I’m teaching myself and thus far I suck at knitting. But I’m not a quitter! And I already swore to myself that by the end of my service I’ll have at least made a scarf or something….and I have to do something with the mass amounts of yarn I bought.
In case you were wondering about what it’s like to be living in Central Asia this time of year…well…it’s pretty uneventful. Mostly everything is just more difficult. Getting around is much more of a headache now then it has been. The roads are icy and people still drive like lunatics. Daylight hours are from 8:30am-5pm…which makes it impossible to get anything done. And you pretty much just stay inside all the time, huddled next to your Peace Corps issued space heater, wearing long underwear and dreaming about fresh produce.
Next week Esther and I are going to Karakol for New Years, and I can’t wait! It will be good to get out of Chui for a bit. I’ll try to write on here again soon, but I tend to suffer from chronic memory loss when it comes to this blog.
Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you all have a great holiday!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Homeless in Bishkek
So wow. It’s been nearly 2 months since I’ve written on here. Honestly, there just hasn’t been that much to write about. But alas – here we are.
Time for updates!
School started back in September. And wow… it’s never boring. Within my first week of school I broke up a fight in one of my 8th form classes where one male student was trying to strangle the other. Like I said, never boring. Teaching in Kyrgyzstan is nothing like teaching in America. There is no disciple for starters, and you practically have to bribe the kids to do their homework, and even that rarely works. Class-time isn’t sacred, and is often interrupted by various co-workers and bosses so that you can go take a shot in the director’s office. What can I say; we’re just keeping it classy in KG.
After about 5 months at my site (7 in country…feels like 7 years…) due to some rather serious "complications”, I had to move and am currently in the process of getting a site change. So currently I’m living out of a hotel in Bishkek and all of my things are in various boxes and bags at the Peace Corps office. It’s been a pretty stressful and frustrating situation but things are starting to look up. We’ve identified a new site in Kant, a mere 30-45mins away from Bishkek, and an actual town to boot. The school I would be working at is amazing. We're just waiting on the school director to find some housing options and then I’ll be set. I'm hoping to be all moved in to a new apartment by the end of this week but who knows...nothing in this country moves fast.
In other news, we successfully got through the elections this month (hurray!) and we even got to spend some quality time with our fellow PCVs up in the mountains outside Bishkek. .
I’m trying to think back on what else has happened in the past 2 months but everything just kind of blends together in a big, black abyss.
More updates to come as soon as I get settled at my new site (which will hopefully be before Jesus comes back).
Time for updates!
School started back in September. And wow… it’s never boring. Within my first week of school I broke up a fight in one of my 8th form classes where one male student was trying to strangle the other. Like I said, never boring. Teaching in Kyrgyzstan is nothing like teaching in America. There is no disciple for starters, and you practically have to bribe the kids to do their homework, and even that rarely works. Class-time isn’t sacred, and is often interrupted by various co-workers and bosses so that you can go take a shot in the director’s office. What can I say; we’re just keeping it classy in KG.
After about 5 months at my site (7 in country…feels like 7 years…) due to some rather serious "complications”, I had to move and am currently in the process of getting a site change. So currently I’m living out of a hotel in Bishkek and all of my things are in various boxes and bags at the Peace Corps office. It’s been a pretty stressful and frustrating situation but things are starting to look up. We’ve identified a new site in Kant, a mere 30-45mins away from Bishkek, and an actual town to boot. The school I would be working at is amazing. We're just waiting on the school director to find some housing options and then I’ll be set. I'm hoping to be all moved in to a new apartment by the end of this week but who knows...nothing in this country moves fast.
In other news, we successfully got through the elections this month (hurray!) and we even got to spend some quality time with our fellow PCVs up in the mountains outside Bishkek. .
I’m trying to think back on what else has happened in the past 2 months but everything just kind of blends together in a big, black abyss.
More updates to come as soon as I get settled at my new site (which will hopefully be before Jesus comes back).
Monday, August 23, 2010
updates...
I just returned from Lake Issyk-Kul (a.k.a. one of the most beautiful places on earth) where all volunteers from my class (holla 18s!) were gathered for In-Service Training. We stayed at a super nice hotel (get this…REAL showers! I know…luxurious) and just relaxed all week…
Just kidding about the relaxing part. Our week was chalk full of sessions and 6 hours of intense language every day. Still, it was great to see everyone and get out of Chui for a while. Plus I was able to load up my hard drive. I’m planning a James Bond marathon this winter. I want to conduct an in-depth analysis comparing Timothy Dalton and Sean Connery.
Before IST I worked at a summer camp with some other PCVs. This camp focused on life skills training for older students; how to make a resume, interviewing skills, study abroad opportunities, university life, etc. It was a big hit! молодец Kyle Kastler!
Now things are kicking into gear. School starts September 1st and this week I’m busy with lesson planning with my counterpart, Gula, and plotting out secondary projects.
I also just found out that I can’t move into my apartment until October 1st. Apparently my future landlady’s distant relatives will be staying there for the next month. Not gonna lie, I’m really disappointed. I’m more than ready for my own space. Anyways – nothing I can do about that.
There are some exciting things happening over here. I might be able to teach a class or two at a university in Bishkek in the spring, we have this AMAZING photography/film project underway headed by Gina, and I’m already starting to think about plans for after the Peace Corps (all I’m going to say about that is – Korea? Yes please!).
That's about it for now kids - much love!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Cancer has a cure.
There are some things that Kyrgyz people will tell you, repeatedly, that eventually you simply ignore. Interesting enough, most of them involve sickness and death.
For example, drinking cold beverages will surely cause you to catch a horrible sickness leading to your death. God forbid you use ice cubes.
Wearing flip-flops outside in the summertime when it is disgustingly hot will also lead to horrible sickness and death.
Not eating, despite whatever stomach aliments you may or may not have (including but not limited to vomiting, nausea, etc), naturally leads to sickness and death.
Sitting on any surface not covered by some sort of cushion or paper or blanket will lead to immediate sickness of the entire body. This includes sitting on an uncovered couch or bench.
If, however, you do contract some sort of illness there are a number of things that will be “suggested” to you that will surely cure anything from the common cold to cancer.
Number One: Vodka. Nothing that a few shots can’t take care of. [As I’ve been instructed, beer will not work, but vodka is a sure bet.]
Number Two: Chai. Of course, this seems perfectly reasonable, right? I’m glad you agree! Because you’re looking at, on average, about 7 cups a day. Opps, that’s when there’s nothing wrong with you. Feeling under the weather? Bump that up to 4 cups…per hour. [Chai cannot be replaced with any other beverage, including water.]
Number Three: Committing oneself to house arrest. Fresh air will surely cause you to take a turn for the worse. Why risk it? It will do nothing for you or your state of mind.
This leads me to my new personal favorite. A true gem.
Number Four: Garlic. Whole garlic. By itself.
I know what you’re thinking. “Anna, which one of these methods have you personally tested?”
In answer to your question… all of them. Yes friends, all of them.
The latest method, number four, is one that I’ve just recently had the privilege of discovering. My dear, sweet host mother took it upon herself to personally force-feed me garlic [2-3 cloves] to cure my sinus infection. At 8:00 in the morning.
In case you’re curious, I feel better already!
[This of course has nothing to do with the antibiotics I’ve been on for the past 4 days nor the decongestant.]
Garlic, the miracle drug. Cancer cells look out.
[Side note: To help with the aftertaste that will surely follow you for the rest of the day, I recommend alternating between brushing your teeth rigorously and rinsing with mouthwash in 20 minute intervals. Do this until you no longer smell the garlic when you speak.]
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Ode to Bishkek
Dear August,
I must say, I’ll really glad to see you. Although, I have no idea how you managed to sneak up on me like that! Seriously though, time is flying by over here.
Its been pretty hot in Chui the past week or so. Made slightly worse by a nasty sinus infection. It almost makes me wish for winter…almost. Despite the heat, I’m developing a heartfelt affection for Bishkek. I’m an hour away from the city but the drive is worth it. During my visits I usually always “discover” some restaurant or shop or part of town that I want to explore. I was introduced to my new favorite place…a legitimate coffee shop. Name? Coffee. Not very creative is it? Nonetheless, they actually serve cappuccinos. Amazing. My only complaint is that the prices are more on the American side, whereas my pay definitely remains in the Kyrgyz neighborhood. Oh well. I actually wrote a weekly “coffee treat” into my budget so I wouldn’t feel guilty.
As amazing and wonderful and magical as Bishkek is (or can be), I do have a few complainants.
First - why are there two voksals (bus stations)? And why are there 50 different names for them? Old, new, east, west…Jesus! Getting around is confusing enough, give me a break.
Second - the undergrounds. At some of the busier streets in Bishkek you have to cross the street through the underground. Tunnels run underneath the street and you go down the stairs and come up on the other side of the road. The underground is also like a mini bazaar. Vendors have set up shop and you can buy things like cheap jewelry or even underwear. The undergrounds are all quite strange to be honest. Not to mention pretty sketchy. Especially when it’s dark. When I’m in the city at night, I walk several blocks out of my way just to avoid using them.
I was almost mugged in the underground. Which might help explain my aversion to them. A few days ago I was in Bishkek for something or another. I was using the underground to cross the street. I was almost to the stairs when I felt a tug on my bag, which was hanging from my shoulder. I look over and what do you know – there is a grown man with his hand inside my purse! Thankfully, he ran off immediately. He didn’t manage to take anything, but he was probably only a few seconds away from having my phone and wallet. Moral of the story: avoid the undergrounds…and pay more attention.
Third – traffic. If I had 5com for every time some rude or crazy driver almost hit me, sometimes on purpose, I could afford to up my coffee treat to 3 times a week. On second thought…
Four – babies. This might seem like an odd complaint. Actually, it’s not really a complaint, more like a weird observation. There are a lot of babies here. I mean, babies are literally everywhere. It’s starting to freak me out just a little. I don’t hate babies; they just scare me. These mini humans don’t talk. They just cry. A lot. How do you know what they want? What are you suppose to do with them? You try being in a city where there is literally 10 babies at any given time within a 15-foot radius of you and tell me you wouldn’t have nightmares too.
Despite the insane drivers and confusing transportation system, Bishkek is a really neat city and the people are for the most part, extremely helpful and friendly. I’m still working on not getting lost but I feel like I’m almost to that point. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!
…Not the underground tunnels…I won’t be using those anymore. A different tunnel…one preferably above ground.
I must say, I’ll really glad to see you. Although, I have no idea how you managed to sneak up on me like that! Seriously though, time is flying by over here.
Its been pretty hot in Chui the past week or so. Made slightly worse by a nasty sinus infection. It almost makes me wish for winter…almost. Despite the heat, I’m developing a heartfelt affection for Bishkek. I’m an hour away from the city but the drive is worth it. During my visits I usually always “discover” some restaurant or shop or part of town that I want to explore. I was introduced to my new favorite place…a legitimate coffee shop. Name? Coffee. Not very creative is it? Nonetheless, they actually serve cappuccinos. Amazing. My only complaint is that the prices are more on the American side, whereas my pay definitely remains in the Kyrgyz neighborhood. Oh well. I actually wrote a weekly “coffee treat” into my budget so I wouldn’t feel guilty.
As amazing and wonderful and magical as Bishkek is (or can be), I do have a few complainants.
First - why are there two voksals (bus stations)? And why are there 50 different names for them? Old, new, east, west…Jesus! Getting around is confusing enough, give me a break.
Second - the undergrounds. At some of the busier streets in Bishkek you have to cross the street through the underground. Tunnels run underneath the street and you go down the stairs and come up on the other side of the road. The underground is also like a mini bazaar. Vendors have set up shop and you can buy things like cheap jewelry or even underwear. The undergrounds are all quite strange to be honest. Not to mention pretty sketchy. Especially when it’s dark. When I’m in the city at night, I walk several blocks out of my way just to avoid using them.
I was almost mugged in the underground. Which might help explain my aversion to them. A few days ago I was in Bishkek for something or another. I was using the underground to cross the street. I was almost to the stairs when I felt a tug on my bag, which was hanging from my shoulder. I look over and what do you know – there is a grown man with his hand inside my purse! Thankfully, he ran off immediately. He didn’t manage to take anything, but he was probably only a few seconds away from having my phone and wallet. Moral of the story: avoid the undergrounds…and pay more attention.
Third – traffic. If I had 5com for every time some rude or crazy driver almost hit me, sometimes on purpose, I could afford to up my coffee treat to 3 times a week. On second thought…
Four – babies. This might seem like an odd complaint. Actually, it’s not really a complaint, more like a weird observation. There are a lot of babies here. I mean, babies are literally everywhere. It’s starting to freak me out just a little. I don’t hate babies; they just scare me. These mini humans don’t talk. They just cry. A lot. How do you know what they want? What are you suppose to do with them? You try being in a city where there is literally 10 babies at any given time within a 15-foot radius of you and tell me you wouldn’t have nightmares too.
Despite the insane drivers and confusing transportation system, Bishkek is a really neat city and the people are for the most part, extremely helpful and friendly. I’m still working on not getting lost but I feel like I’m almost to that point. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!
…Not the underground tunnels…I won’t be using those anymore. A different tunnel…one preferably above ground.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
101 Things.
While I was in Issyk-Kul, Gina had a wonderful idea. This isn’t unusual, Gina has a lot of really amazing ideas. But this one is truly inspired! The idea is to write a list.
But not just any list.
A list of 101 Things in 27 Months. You see, Peace Corps service is 27 months – and I’m down by 4, so I have about 23 months of service left. But that’s beside the point. The idea is to make a list of 101 things – not just things, but actions, ideas, etc. Things that you want to accomplish. The deadline: by the end of our service, hence the 27 months.
SO! I have written said list and will of course share it with all of you. The point is not to simply cross things off but to motivate myself to experience as much as I possibly can during my time here. I honestly don’t know if its possible to do all these things but the point is, I’m going to try.
101 Things in 27 Months
1. Swim in Lake Issyk-Kul.
2. Camp in a tent.
3. Jar and make my own jam and preprava.
4. Go to Almaty.
5. Visit every oblast.
6. Live on my own.
7. Try bish barmauk.
8. Eat a sheep’s eyeball.
9. Read 50 books [maybe more]
10. Yoga 3 times a week.
11. Lose 10lbs.
12. Learn to make lagman.
13. Go to the National History Museum in Bishkek.
14. Go to the Philharmonic to see a concert.
15. Teach myself to cook.
16. Update my resume.
17. Run a successful photography & art camp/project.
18. Hike a mountain.
19. Buy a nice handmade scarf.
20. Take pictures in a field of sunflowers.
21. Write at least 3 grants.
22. Get my school textbooks [and maybe new blackboards]
23. Write a book/novel/short story.
24. Go out to dinner with a local friend.
25. Eat a meal and spend the night in a yurt.
26. Grow my hair out.
27. Host a dinner party.
28. Go to a Kyrgyz wedding.
29. Have a bonfire on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul.
30. Sit on a babooshuka’s lap on the marshuka
31. Learn to make curry.
32. Mend my own clothes [i.e. learn how to sew]
33. Go to Bishkek and NOT get lost for once.
34. Do to the Dour-Dour bazaar.
35. Collect local jewelry.
36. Milk a cow.
37. Ride a horse.
38. Try cummis.
39. Learn a Kyrgyz song.
40. Kill a bottle of vodka by myself without throwing up.
41. Christmas 2011! Travel somewhere amazing with Gina, Nahrae and Esther.
42. Have a travel plan for after PC.
43. Have a job lined up for after PC [and if not – extend]
44. Splurge on something at Zoom for my birthday [dress, makeup, whatever]
45. Curse someone in Russian.
46. Read a book in Russian.
47. Spend an entire month with no Internet.
48. Do a creative writing workshop.
49. Fast 1 day a month.
50. Wear dresses more. Own 6 dresses bought and made locally.
51. Jessica & Rita’s visit! [Istanbul?]
52. Hand write a letter to all my friends and family.
53. Learn all my student’s names.
54. Be given a Kyrgyz name.
55. Be a PCVT for 19s or 20s.
56. Learn to make cheese.
57. Picnic in a park somewhere in Bishkek.
58. Have a magical 22nd birthday.
59. Have a magical 23rd birthday.
60. Buy and wear headbands more often.
61. Have a snowball fight with kids from my village.
62. Watch and understand a Russian movie.
63. Ask someone for directions in Russian and understand where they tell me to go.
64. Go to a disco techa and dance the night away.
65. Learn a Kyrgyz dance.
66. Wear a headscarf all day.
67. Do a WID/GAD project.
68. Go to a party with my coworkers.
69. Buy a Kyrgyz pair of socks and gloves.
70. Outline a book.
71. Take pictures at Osh bazaar without getting mugged.
72. Go to the zoo in Bishkek.
73. Go to the underground gay club in Bishkek.
74. Give a gracious toast in Russian.
75. Eat at one of those gypsy camps/cafes on the side of the road.
76. Eat sushi in Bishkek as a treat.
77. Go to the Chocolatier in Bishkek.
78. Be a vegetarian at home.
79. Watch a movie with my students and have a good discussion afterwards.
80. Make an expat friend.
81. Stay close with Leyla. Visit once a month.
82. Buy a birthday present for my host sister [August 8th]
83. Make a pecan and/or apple pie for Thanksgiving.
84. Stay close with all my girls. Girl’s night once a month.
85. Make some sort of American food once a month [i.e. mac and cheese, cupcakes, etc.]
86. Spend New Years in Bishkek.
87. Hold a workshop for all my older students about going to university, resumes, time management.
88. Improve my counterpart’s English.
89. Make friends with my landlord and neighbors.
90. Get handed a small child while on the marshuka.
91. Teach my students a popular song in English [U2…Journey…?]
92. Try to get a tour of the human-rights-violating-ice-cream-factory with Gina so she can write a children’s book about it.
93. Eat at Gavia on one of the islands in the middle of the lake.
94. Go to the bazaar and only use Kyrgyz.
95. Devote 3 hours a week to studying Russian and/or Kyrgyz.
96. Find an alternative use for the Peace Corps issued mosquito net.
97. Get a cute Kyrgyz tea set.
98. Cumulate a nice collection of Kyrgyz music.
99. Go to that sketchy carnival in Bishkek.
100. Go ice-skating.
101. Call my great-grandparents once a month.
This blog will serve as sort of an accountability partner. I’ll keep it updated when a task is completed and hopefully, with a story to go along with it.
And in case you were wondering – I’ve already completed 2 tasks! #1)Swim in Lake Issyk-Kul and #30) Sit on a babooshuka’s lap on the marshuka. A babooshuka is a grandmother, and a marshuka is the public system of transportation around here, sort of like a van that gets crammed full of people. It happened during training. A cute little old woman with more wrinkles than hair on her head insisted I sit on her lap when the marshuka got too crowded. What was I suppose to do? Here, you do whatever old ladies tell you to do. It’s just the way it is.
4 months, in a nutshell.
Hello world.
I fear I must apologize. Four months into my service and this is the first time I’ve written anything on this blog. I could tell you how busy I’ve been, that I’ve simply not had the time. But that wouldn’t be entirely true. Honestly – I simply haven’t had the emotionally energy to spare by writing anything worth reading. But now I hope to rectify that. Starting now and beginning with a few highlights from the past four months here in Central Asia. Although it seems cruel to wrap up four months in such a short manner, considering all the experiences I've had, please bear with me.
The last time I wrote here I was preparing for my departure from the land of cable television and Starbucks to a new and distant land, one I knew precious little about. After brief stops in Philadelphia, JFK and a long layover in Istanbul, I arrived in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan with 69 other eager and somewhat naïve Peace Corps trainees. Over the past four months a lot has changed. Not just concerning Peace Corps or my personal outlook, but for this country. The Kyrgyzstan I’m writing you from now is much different from the one I experienced when I first arrived. We’re in a new Kyrgyzstan now. Another change was saying goodbye to many good friends. The K-18’s number has dropped to somewhere in the 50s. I have zero hard feelings for these amazing and talented people; I wish you all the best friends!
After a few days of being in country, we moved to villages about 30minutes outside of Bishkek and into the homes of host families. I lived with a truly wonderful family, and had a really great PST (Pre-Service Training) group along with two of the best language teachers, Ainura and Malika aja.
After only two weeks of being in Kyrgyzstan, there were some "changes". Still new to this country and trying to acclimate to a completely different…well, everything, this was obviously a stressful time for all of us. Given 30 minutes to pack 1 bag, all the trainees and a decent majority of the other volunteers were consolidated to a safe location. After a week we were allowed to return to our villages and our training picked up where it left off for the most part. Unfortunately I took a nasty infection with me and I spent more or less the next month fighting it off with a series of 4 different types of antibiotics.
Finally training came to an end. I was so relieved. I was more than ready to start being productive, to be on my own, to not have Peace Corps looking over my shoulder. So on June 3rd we were swore in as official Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) and later that afternoon I moved to my new site.
Now I live in a really, really, really small village. I’m still in Chui oblast, which is in the north of the country. Bishkek is to the west of me, only about an hour away by marshuka. Tokmok is to the east, about 10 minutes down the road and then there’s Kazakhstan to the north. I literally live on the border.
My village is an odd little place. Although, thankfully, it’s located right on the main road so it’s fairly easy for me to get around. The first time I met my school director she told me how excited she was that I was here and that she wanted me to get the school new furniture for a teacher’s conference room. What a great idea, I thought. Except for the small insignificant fact that the students don’t even have textbooks and all the blackboards are worthless. Priorities are an interesting concept in this country.
We had been at our sites for barely a week when suddenly, and without warning, there were some more "changes" in the south.
In the wake of what happened, we could do nothing but watch and pray. We were thankfully able to spend one afternoon loading a cargo plane full of rice, flour, potatoes, and clothing heading down to Osh. It was the only tangible thing we could do and it wasn’t enough. But we were happy to do it, ecstatic really. Despite the pilot pointing at me and passionately arguing that as a woman the only thing I was capable of doing was cooking and birthing children, we spend close to 5 hours hauling and lifting. Not a word of complaint left anyone’s mouth. After we finished that same pilot looked at me in amazed embarrassment and shook my hand.
Not long after that we were consolidated for a second time. I was so sure that at any moment we were going to get evacuated. The week passed slowly, but pass it did. We were allowed to return to our villages and resume work. The following weeks were tense. I think all of us were on edge, jumping at every phone call, waiting for something else to happen. But thus far it hasn’t, thank God.
Our group, the K-18’s, have been tried through the fire of stress that I literally cannot explain. It’s in this context that we lost so many PCVs. I seriously considered coming home. And I know that no one would have faulted me for it. But I just couldn’t. I need to be here. For now, this is where I belong. We simply cannot bear to give up on this country. Please don’t misinterpret what I’m trying to say. I’m not courageous or brave for staying – I’m quite simply too stubborn to leave.
About two weeks after leaving our 2nd consolidation, along with 3 fellow PCVs (Esther, Gina and Nahrae – you’re all amazing!) I headed to Issyk-Kul for 9 days in mid-July to work an English summer camp. It was exhausting in its own way but a lot of fun. I got an up close look at what it takes to run a camp in this country and let me just say…I’m scared. But! The lake is beautiful and I will most certainly be back many times. Plus we made some wonderful new friends in the Flex alumni.
I got back to my village last week. That brings us to today, an uneventful Sunday. Of course there is so much more to tell. Plans for the future, goals, stories, etc. But I felt it was important to spend some time revisiting the past four months. A lot has happened since I left America last March. And this is obviously a very interesting time to be living and working in Kyrgyzstan. Despite everything, despite it all, I’m committed to seeing this through. This is my home now.
Stay tuned.
Friday, March 5, 2010
And counting...
In 3 weeks I leave for Philadelphia for staging, and then on the 27th, we fly out from JFK for Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan! I can't believe how quickly everything is coming together. Just 3 weeks ago I had no idea where I was going or when. I figured I would still be here until June or July and that I would end up somewhere in Sub-Sahara Africa. But alas...things change and here we are.
I'm super stressed at this point..going a little crazy. There is still so much to do before I leave...so many people to say goodbye to, and not a whole lot of time to do it! I'll try to keep this as updated as possible, but I'm not making any promises.
love.
I'm super stressed at this point..going a little crazy. There is still so much to do before I leave...so many people to say goodbye to, and not a whole lot of time to do it! I'll try to keep this as updated as possible, but I'm not making any promises.
love.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)