11.26.17 Thanksgiving in Kyrgyzstan

While we were eating celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday, Danny and his fellow PCVs were teaching. Thanksgiving is an American holiday and hence not celebrated by the Kyrgyz. Nevertheless, Danny and other PCVs did celebrate Thanksgiving on Saturday instead. PCVs from the same area (Jalalabad region) gathered at a centrally located town, Tashkomur for their turkey and mash potatoes.

Chopping wood with the dullest axe

pyro 

PC: Gina Viner

Life in the slow lane

Danny tried calling home this week but the internet is very slow. Kyrgyzstan is still on 2G while we are spoiled here with 4G. All we can hear was 'Hi Mom'. FB messenger will have to do for now.

Danny has been adjusting to village life easily. After 3 years of sunny, so-cal warm weather, he surprisingly has adapted to colder weather. Temperature has been in the 50s during the day and 30s in the evening/nighttime.

While we will be celebrating Thanksgiving this week, Danny will be working. Thanksgiving is an  American holiday and is not celebrated in Kyrgyzstan. His work week varies from some days as short as 3 hours and other days as long as 7-8 hours. The students in each class varies from about 5-10. He is starting a music club in a nearby town named Kerben. The 'nearby town' is about an hour away.

In case you want to visit Danny in Kyrgyzstan - here are tips...

https://www.birdgehls.com/visiting-kyrgyzstan/

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7 Fathers - found

How many generations of fathers and grandfathers can you name? In Kyrgyzstan every child learns and memorize the seven generation back of father sand grandfathers.

Lucky for James, in 2001 the Yee Association put together a genealogy book that goes back 42 generations.Through these books, James and James' Dad were able to find the 7 fathers for Danny.

Drum roll ..... Here they are:

Birth Year/ Chinese Characters/ PinYin Pronunciation/ Cantonese Pronunciation

1770         道章     Dao Zhang (dough jeung)

1805       三中   San  Zhong (saum zhong) 

18..?      梓和  Zi He (gee wor)

18... ?      泳 礼  Yong Li (Wing Lie)

1900        永 发 Yong Fa (wing fot) 

1933       卓槐  Cheuk Wai 

1958       金熊   Jin Xiong (Gum  hung)

1996         震 龍   Zhen lung 

Danny's 7th father was born in 1770 and was the 35th generation. 

Weekend in Arslanbob 11/4-5/2017

Danny took the opportunity to meet up with fellow PCVs in the village of Arslanbob. He traveled from his village by taxi and then a marshrutka (public bus for about 5 hours before reaching his destination.

Arslanbob and surrounding area is about 2.5 hours north of Jalalabad City, and sits at about 1,600m elevation. 

Arslanbob, Kyrgyzstan is home to about 15,000 people, the largest walnut forest in the world and two waterfalls outside of town.

PC: Patrick Neenan

PC: Patrick Neenan

PC: Patrick Neenan

PC: Patrick Neenan

The jeep takes the hikers ¾ of the way up to the big waterfall. The last 30 minutes is straight up the side of the mountain, and largely along a trail that is made of loose rock and dust.

PC: Patrick Neenan

PC: Patrick Neenan

PC:Gina Viner

PC:Gina Viner

PC: Patrick Neenan

PC: Patrick Neenan

PC: Patrick Neenan

 Danny and his fellow PCVs spent the night in a Community based tourism guesthouse.Community based tourism (CBT) utilize local accommodation, food, music, art, crafts and traditions and gives travelers authentic visits inside homes, villages and heritages.

PC: Patrick Neenan

PC:Gina Viner

PC:Gina Viner

How many generations of fathers and grandfathers can you name?

In Kyrgyzstan every child learns and memorize seven generations back of their fathers and grandfathers. Danny has assigned James the task of researching the names of seven generations back. So far, Danny can just go back 2 generations on the Yee side. We are a bit more successful on the Chan side. Danny can go back 4 generations.

Life in Kyrgyzstan....

Host Dad in temporary location

 

10.28.17 - Home sweet home....

After about 81/2 hours, Danny arrived at his new home. We are happy to report that although internet is very bad (going in and out), we are able communicate via Facebook Messenger and/or email.

Danny's new family is very nice and is pretty wealthy in the village. They have their own Banya http://russian-bath.com/  and heat in the house. (Many homes in Kyrgyzstan are not insulated and does not have heat. In the wintertime, people wear multiple layers indoor to stay warm.) 

Host parents are farmers and have 6 children ranging from ages 22-9. So far, Danny has met the youngest and the oldest. One child is in Moscow and another is attending University in Bishkek (the capital).The family have many animals... sheep, cows, horses and a few dogs. Host dad also drives an Audi.

Danny's new home

A newly built house

The room has a heater.... that is a luxury 

22 Year old Host brother getting ready to make lunch

Hike up the hill ..... that is Danny's home below..

The long ride to the Jalal-abad olbast....10.28.17

The drive from Bishkek to Kok Kia (Chat, Aksy District, Jalal-abad Oblast) will take about 8-9 hours.

Scenic drive 'home'

  

 

10.27.17 Taking the OATH

Danny along with 44 PCV trainees took the oath and are sworn-in as official PCVs. The volunteers, aged between 21 and 47, represent 28 states - from Alaska to Hawaii and Maine will now move to their permanent location (a 2 year commitment).

PC: Peace Corp Kyrgyz Republic

Since the trip to his permanent location is long, Danny will  be spending the night in Bishkek. Instead of flying to OSH as earlier thought, he will take a 8-9 hour car ride with his teaching counterpart and the director of his school to his permanent location.

Tonight in Bishkek, Danny will have the luxury of a flushing toilet and an indoor shower (something he has been without since mid-August)

One of Danny's new purchases... a fur hat!