April 9, 2009
Thomas and I have already come up with a few things that we anticipate missing severely in the next few months (or maybe now)! If anyone wants to send us any of the items listed below... we would love you .... forever!
If you don't have our address, just email us and we'll email it back to you!
Peanut Butter (Preferably smart balance brand)
dry mixes (cakes mix, muffin mix, scone mix, cookie mix, etc.)
Twilight book #3 and #4 (they will be out in paperback in May)
Oreos or Chips Ahoy
Scotch Tape
Chalk (for a black board)
coffee (mystic blend- good earth grounds)
We started technical training this week. Today I got to sit in on two classes in a nearby school. I observed a 5th grade math class and a 5th grade history class. It wasn't so different from an American class. The students here dress up more for school. Almost all of the girls wear skirts. Some of the boys even wear suits. There is a lot less peer to peer interaction in the lessons. For the most part the students only speak if the teacher asks a question.
We had Hub Day yesterday! Hub Day is when all of the trainees (there are now 59 of us) and our language teachers and all of the staff meet together. We go over rules, cultural norms, medical info, etc. We have Hub Day once a week and we all look forward to it because otherwise we only see the 8 other volunteers in our village.
Oh and now for the big news..........
We got a CELL PHONE!!!! WAHOOO!! I'm going to email out the number after this post! But if for some reason you don't get it, just let me know and I'll email it to you (it might be a while untill I can get to the internet again). We can't really call the US because it costs A LOT and we get a very small living allowance. BUT if you call us it is free for us to talk to you... all incoming calls are free! Just remember there is a 10 hour difference. We are 10 hours ahead of you! We also have classes everyday until five. So the best times to call are monday-saturday 6am-8am (Florida time) and Sunday 6pm-6am (Florida time). Sorry for the crappy schedule but the Peace Corps has our schedules packed!
I hope all of you will call often because I miss my friends and family! I can't wait to tell you everything!!
Tricia: I have some funny stories for you! I have been dying not being able to laugh with you.
Dooder: There is no such thing as dooder day food here! So I can't even have a pretend dooder day!
Bill: I want you to come visit soon so you can see my village and meet my family and use my outhouse!!!
Momma: You should call me on your way to work! (depending on the time ofcourse!)
Saturday, April 11, 2009
I am a native already
April 6, 2009
It has been five days since I last updated you all and it already feels like a lifetime ago. On wednesday we moved in with our AWESOME host family in their small village. There are 8 other volunteers in our village with us. We split up everyday into 2 groups for language classes, then we all have lunch together, alternating host homes everyday. In our host family we have a mom, dad, a 20 year old brother and a five year old sister. Our family is so nice. They have housed 2 Peace Corps volunteers before so they understand concepts like privacy and "alone time". They are very accomodating! They gave us the biggest room in the house. It's bigger than our bedroom in our old apartment.
Our little sister is so cute. She makes everything a little less awkard! She is so talkative (even though we don't understand her!) and she loves to teach me dances!
Sometimes when I walk outside, I feel like I've stepped into an issue of National Geographic. It's so beautiful and natural. There are no big buildings, very little concrete. We live in a small farming village so there are lots of fields and farm animals. In the distance we can see snow capped mountains. It's amazing. The people are beautiful too. They are so graceful and gracious.
Last night Thomas and I got to banya for the first time! A banya is the equivalent of an american steam room. Most of the homes here do not have in door plumbing. We are lucky because our family has a bathtub with running cold water. But it is used for washing your hands, brushing your teeth and maybe rinsing off. In Kyrgyzstan a banya is used to bathe in and get VERY clean. Basically the way it works is there are two seperate rooms. The first room is not heated. You go in to this room and get undressed and leave all of your clean clothes. Then you walk into the second room where there is a hot pipe that flows into a huge vat of water. This creates the steam and the hot water for bathing. There is another bucket with cold water and a third that is empty. You mix hot and cold water in the empty bucket until it is the right temperature and then you pour it over yourself to bathe. After not bathing for five days it felt FANTASTIC!! Our family does not have a banya so we used the neighbors! Everyone uses the banya on the same day because otherwise it would be a waste of water and heat. So last night the neighbors used the banya first, then Thomas and I used the banya and then our family.
The only thing here that is a bit difficult to get used to is the outhouse. Having a flushing toilet is a luxury that most families don't have. I really miss it! I have started to get very strong leg muscles from squatting so often. So far none of the volunteers in our village have had any intestinal problems. Lucky us!
It's hard to explain how much things have changed for us. Today we had the day off and we got together with the other 8 volunteers and were talking about how different things are. It's only been five days but the way of life here already feels very normal. It's very strange. In some ways life is better here in our little village, than in the US. Everyone in the village knows each other. Most homes don't even have locks on the front doors. The kids still play outside all day! Everything is very family oriented. Families do everything together and they really look out for each other. The host families in our village are very protective of us. On Friday we had a half day of school so our host brother invited all of the volunteers in our class over for tea. Well one of the volunteers didn't tell his host family so they all went out looking for him.
Thomas and I have a cellphone now and we will be emailing the number to everyone. If you get it feel free to forward it to anyone that did not. If you call us it will be free for us to talk to you. But it is very expensive for us to call the US so we probably won't unless there is an emergency. But feel free to call us, just remember there is a 12 hour difference!
I will be in the city every wednesday and will be able to use the internet then (I hope) so hopefully next wednesday I can post pictures of my village and host family so you can see just how amazing it all is!
I love and miss you all!
It has been five days since I last updated you all and it already feels like a lifetime ago. On wednesday we moved in with our AWESOME host family in their small village. There are 8 other volunteers in our village with us. We split up everyday into 2 groups for language classes, then we all have lunch together, alternating host homes everyday. In our host family we have a mom, dad, a 20 year old brother and a five year old sister. Our family is so nice. They have housed 2 Peace Corps volunteers before so they understand concepts like privacy and "alone time". They are very accomodating! They gave us the biggest room in the house. It's bigger than our bedroom in our old apartment.
Our little sister is so cute. She makes everything a little less awkard! She is so talkative (even though we don't understand her!) and she loves to teach me dances!
Sometimes when I walk outside, I feel like I've stepped into an issue of National Geographic. It's so beautiful and natural. There are no big buildings, very little concrete. We live in a small farming village so there are lots of fields and farm animals. In the distance we can see snow capped mountains. It's amazing. The people are beautiful too. They are so graceful and gracious.
Last night Thomas and I got to banya for the first time! A banya is the equivalent of an american steam room. Most of the homes here do not have in door plumbing. We are lucky because our family has a bathtub with running cold water. But it is used for washing your hands, brushing your teeth and maybe rinsing off. In Kyrgyzstan a banya is used to bathe in and get VERY clean. Basically the way it works is there are two seperate rooms. The first room is not heated. You go in to this room and get undressed and leave all of your clean clothes. Then you walk into the second room where there is a hot pipe that flows into a huge vat of water. This creates the steam and the hot water for bathing. There is another bucket with cold water and a third that is empty. You mix hot and cold water in the empty bucket until it is the right temperature and then you pour it over yourself to bathe. After not bathing for five days it felt FANTASTIC!! Our family does not have a banya so we used the neighbors! Everyone uses the banya on the same day because otherwise it would be a waste of water and heat. So last night the neighbors used the banya first, then Thomas and I used the banya and then our family.
The only thing here that is a bit difficult to get used to is the outhouse. Having a flushing toilet is a luxury that most families don't have. I really miss it! I have started to get very strong leg muscles from squatting so often. So far none of the volunteers in our village have had any intestinal problems. Lucky us!
It's hard to explain how much things have changed for us. Today we had the day off and we got together with the other 8 volunteers and were talking about how different things are. It's only been five days but the way of life here already feels very normal. It's very strange. In some ways life is better here in our little village, than in the US. Everyone in the village knows each other. Most homes don't even have locks on the front doors. The kids still play outside all day! Everything is very family oriented. Families do everything together and they really look out for each other. The host families in our village are very protective of us. On Friday we had a half day of school so our host brother invited all of the volunteers in our class over for tea. Well one of the volunteers didn't tell his host family so they all went out looking for him.
Thomas and I have a cellphone now and we will be emailing the number to everyone. If you get it feel free to forward it to anyone that did not. If you call us it will be free for us to talk to you. But it is very expensive for us to call the US so we probably won't unless there is an emergency. But feel free to call us, just remember there is a 12 hour difference!
I will be in the city every wednesday and will be able to use the internet then (I hope) so hopefully next wednesday I can post pictures of my village and host family so you can see just how amazing it all is!
I love and miss you all!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
We are here.
We have arrived in Kyrgyzstan!
First things: We have been doing 10-12 hour days of training and tonight we move in with our host families. It has been a lot of work so far, good work, and we expect a very busy next few months as well as we keep training for 6 days a week. The country is amazingly beautiful. Right outside our hotel is this snow-capped mountain range that is quite a sight, especially since there is nothing of the sort in Florida.
Interesting notes for our readers:
-The TP here is stretchy and gauze like. Somewhat rough but not to bad. It is brown and you don't flush it. Ever. You put it in a waste basket or bucket next to the toilet or outhouse hole.
-The Kyrgyzstani people drink tea (chai) with every meal. This has actually been quite good and all the volunteers have been very pleased with this arrangement.
-We had spaghetti for breakfast this morning. Odd... Even the trainers were surprised by this.
-The morning beverage to go with tea is some sort of sour yogurt drink. (I can't remember the name.) It is good with three spoonfuls of sugar. But not otherwise. I think Thomas and I are the only ones that actually really really like it though.
Our teacher and trainer is great and we are both having a really fun time. We are safe and enjoying ourselves here and learning a lot. Hopefully we will have more opportunity to call others and speak with you all soon. We will be getting a cell phone sometime soon.
Bye.
First things: We have been doing 10-12 hour days of training and tonight we move in with our host families. It has been a lot of work so far, good work, and we expect a very busy next few months as well as we keep training for 6 days a week. The country is amazingly beautiful. Right outside our hotel is this snow-capped mountain range that is quite a sight, especially since there is nothing of the sort in Florida.
Interesting notes for our readers:
-The TP here is stretchy and gauze like. Somewhat rough but not to bad. It is brown and you don't flush it. Ever. You put it in a waste basket or bucket next to the toilet or outhouse hole.
-The Kyrgyzstani people drink tea (chai) with every meal. This has actually been quite good and all the volunteers have been very pleased with this arrangement.
-We had spaghetti for breakfast this morning. Odd... Even the trainers were surprised by this.
-The morning beverage to go with tea is some sort of sour yogurt drink. (I can't remember the name.) It is good with three spoonfuls of sugar. But not otherwise. I think Thomas and I are the only ones that actually really really like it though.
Our teacher and trainer is great and we are both having a really fun time. We are safe and enjoying ourselves here and learning a lot. Hopefully we will have more opportunity to call others and speak with you all soon. We will be getting a cell phone sometime soon.
Bye.
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