Okay….So I’ve been in KSTAN two months now! I am finally able to say that I’ve completed training. It has been quite a hectic and busy two months, let me tell you. This past week has been the craziest at all. On Monday and Tuesday we had our normal language classes. On Wednesday we all found out where we will be placed in the country, on Thursday we had our big health projects and on Friday my language group took our language exams. The feelings are those you all felt in your college years during finals week…except worse! I know, it’s hard to imagine but the stress was high!

I’m sure you are all wondering where I am going. In a previous post I listed all the characteristics of each oblast. The Peace Corps had a really neat system set up to tell everyone where they are going. When we got to hub site there was a huge map of Kyrgyzstan drawn out. The different oblasts were all outline and in each oblast were little hats with the oblast name on it. In the middle of the morning all the trainees and volunteers (they came to welcome us!) surrounded the chalk country. The health program manager started out by calling out our names and telling us where we were going. I was so shocked to learn where I was going…and the answer is….NARYN!! Yes! Ladies and gentlemen, I will be living right in the mountains. I had absolutely no idea I would be placed here. They do not place many health volunteers in this oblast and I didn’t think I had a chance of going. There are 11 other volunteers besides myself going. There is a girl from my language group going as well – and she’s another health volunteer! We are so excited. I am lucky because she is really outdoorsy and is ready to can food and make granola. Everyone seems pretty cool and we are all stoked to get to our site. The elevation is about 1,000 feet, so not very high, but still in the mountains! I will be in a large town which is what I wanted. Next-my job-I will be working at a nursing school! I know it sounds weird since I am not a nurse nor do I have that type of medical background. However, I will be working with the youth department. This is an amazing assignment and I am so excited and ready to get started! There is another health volunteer where I am and apparently she already has work waiting for me… In my village 3 trainees were placed in Issykul, 3 in Talas and then the 3 of us in Naryn. Everyone, for the most part, is excited about their site and what lies ahead.

Secondly, we had our final health projects on Thursday. Joanna and I did our health project on how to stop a bloody nose and clean a cut. We created a health lesson and then gave it to a group of children at an orphanage. The kids really liked our project. In most part this is because we used ketchup for blood. They thought it was hilarious when I put it all over my nose and pretended I had a bloody nose. When we asked them what the problem was one little boy shouted, ‘There’s ketchup on your nose!’ It was really funny.

I finished off the day by going to a four hour peer support training. There were 7 of us chosen to be peer support volunteers. The easiest way to describe this is the eight of us will be mentors to the rest of the volunteers while in the Peace Corps. Volunteers who are in need of support will call one of us 7 and talk to us about what is going on. I’m sure you all get the idea…

Lastly, Friday morning, I had my big language exam. This is the exam to measure our progress and where our language is at the end of training. For almost two weeks I was working with my language instructor and just chatting with her in Kyrgyz. This really helped my performance and I scored and intermediate high. I am very proud of myself! The tests normally last 20 minutes but you all know me. My test lasted 45 because I was talking so much. Go figure. The rest of my group waited until after lunch to take their LPI because they were all in warden training! Each oblast has people who are in charge of relaying important messages and holding onto medications. Therefore, it was I and my LCF for the rest of the day after I finished my test. We decided to head to Bishkek for a lesson! I learned words about transportation and was able to experience more of the city. We ate at a delicious Chinese restaurant where we had spicy garlic bamboo chicken and an eggplant dish. Yes Mom, I chose the eggplant dish. I’ve had it twice now it’s probably one of my favorite foods I have ever eaten. It has a sweet and spicy soy sauce covering sautéed eggplant. Delicious. After Bishkek I headed to Kant to meet up with fellow trainees where we celebrated finishing our LPI’s. A hangout we often frequent is a Georgian restaurant where they make cheese bread. As we cannot find cheese very often nor can afford it, this dish is quite a delicacy. We meet a group of Russian pilots sitting next to us and ended up sharing several bottles of vodka. It was quite a cultural experience and a very fun time.

Things are going well over on this side of the world. I am very excited to get to my site and get settled in. The last time I lived in the same location for two years was in high school. It should be interesting staying put in the middle of the mountains for two years. Let’s see how it goes! Once again I appreciate and LOVE emails from you all. It’s nice for me to share what’s going on over here and I would really love to get updates from you all. Remember, I don’t really know too much about what’s going on over there so updates are nice.

Next week is another big week as well. We meet our counterparts, get sworn in and head to our permanent sites. I will try and update you all in the next week or so after everything is done and over with. ALSO – tomorrow, my language group and I are headed to Bishkek to try out the brand new Mexican restaurant. I know many of you are wondering…yes there are margaritas and yes I’m going to drink them. Stay in touch.

Love you all,
Johanna