Daily life for now is 9-5, 6 days a week, language class plus more studying with 'mom' after school. In addition to living near cows and chickens, animal dung and flies are plentiful. The weather is still very warm (still in the high 80s low 90s) so the PCVs are sweating it out.
One of you asked - who empties the outhouse ...outhouse is moved to a new location. Old hole is buried. We'll just leave it at that .. no additional graphic needed 😫.
Week has ended with Danny acknowledging he's a coffee snob ...Folgers coffee will not do! We're sending coffee as well as Chinese tea. Apparently Kyrgyz tea is very dark and strong and the locals add jam to their tea.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYk39hMlT86/?taken-by=djamesyee😊
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Tiger Mom?
It's only been a few days and host Mom made Danny get a haircut.😊 😊 She got a Russian lady to do it so "it's not bad"!
Days are long as language class is from 9-5 daily. Then host Mom "makes me study with her after class everyday". 😊 😊 😊
BATHROOM - the toilet is outside of the house..... and so is the shower. Apparently, no knob to turn on/off water. Instead you have to pour water into the top.
A few photos taken by a fellow PCV
Days are long as language class is from 9-5 daily. Then host Mom "makes me study with her after class everyday". 😊 😊 😊
BATHROOM - the toilet is outside of the house..... and so is the shower. Apparently, no knob to turn on/off water. Instead you have to pour water into the top.
A few photos taken by a fellow PCV
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| PC: Matt Blumenthal |
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| PC: Matt Blumenthal |
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| PC: Matt Blumenthal |
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
We were planning a trip to Tanzania when we found out we need to change course and travel to a different continent. Thanks to spellcheck, we can spell Kyrgyzstan correctly. If you would like to learn more about Kyrgyzstan check out the following youtube videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV4GvVimtLI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssax0qktLyo
Wifi may be spotty but you can still contact Danny via FB, FB messenger and/or his 'outlook' email.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV4GvVimtLI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssax0qktLyo
Wifi may be spotty but you can still contact Danny via FB, FB messenger and/or his 'outlook' email.
Excerpt from PC Kyrgyz Republic FB Posted on 21.8.17
On Saturday, 19 August 2017, the United States Peace Corps in the Kyrgyz republic hosted the meeting with host families.
45 interns represent American diversity between the ages of 21 and 48, and from across America, from Alaska to Hawaii and Massachusetts.
This Host Family Matching Ceremony begins the eleven (11) weeks of intensive Kyrgyz language and cultural training before being assigned to their respective universities and secondary schools across the Kyrgyz Republic. Volunteers will meet their families from villages of Issyk Ata and Sokuluk Rayons. Living with these host families and adapting to Kyrgyz culture is the most important aspect of training to be a successful volunteer.
During the next two years, Volunteers will work with local English teachers in Kyrgyz Universities and secondary schools across Naryn, Issky-Kul, Chui, Talas, Osh and Jalalabad supporting the goals of its partner the Ministry of Education and Science. In addition, Volunteers work in their respective communities hosting English clubs and team-teaching supporting the development of improved methodologies and community projects.
Residents of the villages of Issyk-Ata and Sokuluk districts, where the trainees of the Peace Corps will be temporarily living for the next three months prepared a program with traditional songs and dances for the ceremony of meeting the interns of the Peace Corps with host families.
45 interns represent American diversity between the ages of 21 and 48, and from across America, from Alaska to Hawaii and Massachusetts.
This Host Family Matching Ceremony begins the eleven (11) weeks of intensive Kyrgyz language and cultural training before being assigned to their respective universities and secondary schools across the Kyrgyz Republic. Volunteers will meet their families from villages of Issyk Ata and Sokuluk Rayons. Living with these host families and adapting to Kyrgyz culture is the most important aspect of training to be a successful volunteer.
PC: Peace Corps Kyrgyz Republic
During the next two years, Volunteers will work with local English teachers in Kyrgyz Universities and secondary schools across Naryn, Issky-Kul, Chui, Talas, Osh and Jalalabad supporting the goals of its partner the Ministry of Education and Science. In addition, Volunteers work in their respective communities hosting English clubs and team-teaching supporting the development of improved methodologies and community projects.
Residents of the villages of Issyk-Ata and Sokuluk districts, where the trainees of the Peace Corps will be temporarily living for the next three months prepared a program with traditional songs and dances for the ceremony of meeting the interns of the Peace Corps with host families.
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| PC: Peace Corps Kyrgyz Republic |
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| PC: Peace Corps Kyrgyz Republic |
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| PC: Peace Corps Kyrgyz Republic |
Sunday, August 20, 2017
8/19/17 - Home to Chatkul
After 5 days in a 5-star hotel, Danny is excited to finally meet his training host family who will help him integrate into life in Kyrgyzstan and full immersion into the language. In additional to living with a non-english speaking family, Danny will be attending daily language classes. He and his fellow PCV (PC volunteer(s)) will have eleven weeks to prepare and pass the intermediate language test in order to move forward with service.
CHATKUL - Danny & 4 PCV (another guy and 3 girls) are assigned to the same village. Chatkul is a population of about 3,000 and approximately an hour drive on bumpy roads from Bishkek. While Chatkul is flat & mainly agricultural, Danny can see the mountains in a distant.
MOM & DAD - Danny's training parents are ages 65 & 60, retired, with 2 adult daughters and 2 elementary school grandchildren. None of them speak English. His Kyrgyz 'father' reminds Danny of 'gong gong' (Grandpa Chan) in physical appearance & the way he laughs. His Kyrgyz 'mom' is a great cook, making sure Danny is well feed. On his first night, he ate 2 dinner at home and one at another PCV's home.
LAUNDRY TIME! Unlike our modern day automatic washing machine, Danny is using a vintage 'washing machine' and must manually pour water into barrel. His 'dryer' is hanging clothes on the outside clothesline.
SIM CARD - Danny is able to purchase a sim card for $2.00 but has no idea how much data, minutes, etc he has. Instruction and information are all in Russian so his 2 Kyrgyz dictionaries are not much help.
SIM CARD - Danny is able to purchase a sim card for $2.00 but has no idea how much data, minutes, etc he has. Instruction and information are all in Russian so his 2 Kyrgyz dictionaries are not much help.
8/16/17 - Looks of a local
Finally some time to explore a bit of Bishkek -
The Kyrgyz are a Turkic-Mongol people and have Eurasian appearance. Apparently if you look Asian, you may be mistaken for a local. Danny was at the open market exchanging dollars for soms when Kyrgyz police stopped him. Peace Corp staffers accompanying the new PC volunteers explained that Danny was an American PC Volunteer which satisfied the police.
8/14/17 - 13 hours difference ...
Monday 5:36am (KGT)
Peace Corps Kyrgyz Republic FB feed has new post -
We found a picture of Danny and some of the new volunteers...
PC: Peace Corps Kyrgyz Republic
For the next 5 nights, Danny & his fellow trainees will be staying at Orion Hotel Bishkek - (the only 5-star hotel in the city) to get acclimated and complete all the necessary logistics (i.e. Rabies immunization)
PC: Peace Corps Kyrgyz Republic
PC: Peace Corps Kyrgyz Republic
For the next 5 nights, Danny & his fellow trainees will be staying at Orion Hotel Bishkek - (the only 5-star hotel in the city) to get acclimated and complete all the necessary logistics (i.e. Rabies immunization)
8/12/2017 - The long flight
Leaving the grounds of USA about an hour before the stroke of midnight on 8/12/17, Danny will arrive in Bishkek at 5:30 am on Monday, 8/14/17. The 5-hour layover in Istanbul warrants a well spent 39 Euros on the Turkish lounge in exchange for bottomless drinks and food.
PC: David Goldstone
8/11/2017 Staging Event
Dear Daniel,
The Peace Corps Staging Unit is looking forward to welcoming you to Washington, DC on August 11, 2017 for the Kyrgyz Republic staging event.
Danny & 44 PC trainees meet & spend the next day and a half getting to know one another with introductions and icebreaker activities. In the evening, they were invited to embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic for cocktail hour hosted by the Kyrgyz ambassador.
PC: Peace Corp Kyrgyz Republic
8/10/2017 Today is the day!
8/10/2017 4:30am alarm clock rings. Danny's adventure began with 2 checked luggages, a carry-on backpack and his guitar enroute to Washington DC for his PC (Peace Corp) staging event.
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