Kyrgyz Proverb: 5 hands are not the same

Hello to All!
I hope this posting finds you all in high spirits. As in the United States, it is springtime here! I have been told that it is abnormally cold for spring here. However, I am finding it quite pleasant! It is so refreshing to see flowers blooming and green, green grass. Another beauty that I have been able to see has been condensation above the mountains. For a few days the mountains will not be visible (which is a bummer), but then it snows and the mountains appear more exuberant than ever! It is definitely worth two days of non-visible mountains for the beauty after a snowfall.

Well, I have two weeks of training left. All the trainees have much on their mind. First, on Wednesday, we will get our site placements! Everybody is anxiously awaiting where we will be and whom we will be with for the next two years. Unfortunately, only four people will be placed in the Osh Oblast versus the 25 originally planned. Many trainees are bummed but it’s always good to remember safety first. The site placement takes a couple hours and is a big ceremony. Current volunteers from every oblast come to welcome their new mates. I have been told over and over that they are just excited as we are! The directors and managers will all get together on Monday and go over every individual trainee. In collaboration, they determine where the best placement for each volunteer will be.
Secondly, on Thursday, we will have our health lesson in a neighboring village school. I have not talked much about health thus far so I think it’s time to give a brief overview. Because we will all be placed in different health facilities, our weekly training is very broad. However, it is essential to being a good volunteer. We have worked on proper facilitation, health problems in Kyrgyzstan, health care system in Kyrgyzstan, how to manage a classroom, visiting organizations in Bishkek and more. We also have weekly community assignments where we talk with people in our community about health issues. Some of these assignments include mapping out our communities, talking with youth about health issues and visiting medical facilities. We have covered a variety of subjects that will meet everybody’s need.

Joanna and I are doing our health lesson on basic first aid concerns with young children. Our topics include how to stop nosebleeds, bandage cuts, wrap breaks and heat exhaustion. We will be giving the lesson in the local language. Luckily, one of our trainers will be with us to help!

Thirdly, on Friday, we will have our first LPI test. This test will measure our language proficiency thus far. We have to meet a certain criteria, intermediate low. If this is not met we will get tutors when we get to our village. However, I am planning to get a tutor regardless. We are all very stressed about this test. The LPI is important because after Peace Corps, some may use their fluent language to for future job opportunities. I just try and remind myself not to worry and that the language will come, bit by bit. My concern/desire is being able to speak when I get to my site. Language is so important and plays a huge role in service.
I will write another blog in a week or two when everything hectic has finished. The week after our language test we have our swearing in, meet our counterparts and have seminars that will help us when we get to our site. I am so excited for this week!

The trainee’s in Kengesh have been blessed to be in our village. Everybody has treated us so kind and we are welcomed wherever we go. Last week I went to a ‘toy’ with my family. This toy, or party, was for a 60th birthday. There were at least 50-70 people there with a DJ, dancing and a TON of food. Vodka and wine was being served constantly. I refrained from drinking except an ‘ostee’ with wine. An ostee is just touching the liquor or food and have a small sample to be polite. This toy was big and fun!

We also had culture day last weekend. For this day each language group had to prepare a local food, cultural skits and a talent of some sort. We prepared ‘kattima’ which was delicious. It is dough rolled out, with a ton of oil and a mixture of eggs, onions and ju-sai. For our skit we acted out a baby’s first steps and the introduction of a kaylin in a family. A baby’s first steps is when the parents release the baby out into the world to start walking. The parents tie the baby’s feet and then kids from the family run up and cut the rope. The kids then take a hold of the toddler and introduce them into their world.

The introduction of a kaylin is a huge event. A kaylin is a new wife, or to be wife. She will now take on all the responsibilities that a mother would. This includes all the cleaning, cooking, dishes and washing. The kaylin is introduced by the mother tying a white scarf around her head. She is then welcomed, given words of encouragement and often gifts. A funny story to go along with this: a couple weeks ago a girl in my training group went to a party where they introduce and welcome the kaylin. Since our language skills are still developing, this trainee didn’t know what exactly was going on. instead of tying the scarf on the kaylin, she tied it on herself! Everybody started laughing and she didn’t know what was going on. they explained to her that she was supposed to tie the scarf on the kaylin! The trainee then started saying, ‘I am not a kaylin! I am not a kaylin!’ It is a hilarious story and she will never live it down.

We have switched our language group instructors and now everyone in our group is female. We are having such a blast. The topic of our conversation is so fun and girly! I will be sad to end PST but I am grateful for the friends I have made.
I’m not quite sure about the political situation in Kyrgyzstan but for all of you that are wondering…I AM COMPLETELY SAFE!! I am not in any danger nor will I be throughout my service. Speaking of safety, a man from the US Embassy came to speak with us all yesterday! It was quite interesting and I learned a lot about crime in Kyrgyzstan and how to stay safe.

As always I enjoy hearing from everybody in the states. An email puts a smile on my face all the time. I also appreciate your humor and would like more of it! I hope this post filled some need of what’s going on over in Central Asia. I am doing the best I can!

Love always,
Johanna