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!

10.23.17 - Getting ready for the next stage

After 9 weeks of training, Danny and his fellow PCVs are getting ready for the next stage. This week the PVCs will travel back to Bishkek and meet with their teaching counterparts. The PCVs will be spending the week with their teaching counterparts planning the English language program.

Danny's counterpart does not understand English well so Danny is speaking a lot of Kyrgyz.

Danny will be packing up on Thursday.  He leaves his training parents and village on Friday morning and head to back to Bishkek. Danny along with his fellow PCVs will be sworn in as official Peace Corp Volunteers (PCVs). After the swearing in ceremony, Danny will board a flight to Osh, the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan, and then another 7 hour drive to his permanent location.

Flight from Bishkek to Osh

Approximate location

We are not sure the driving route to Danny's permanent location as his village is so small that it is not even a map.

10.22.2017 - Big mystery of packages via USPS

We are striking out in sending packages to Kyrgyzstan, batting 0 for 2. Our first packaged left Santa Clara, CA on Aug 31st and last scan in NYC on Sept 5th and has yet to be seen!

After 2 weeks of waiting, we filed a claim for package #1 and had to wait another 2 weeks for USPS to determine the package is stolen. Fortunately, the $140.00 postage and $200 value were refunded.

Our second package left and scanned at SFO on Oct 10th. After a week with no further movement on package #2, we filed another claim and  will hopefully get the refund for the $136 postage and the $150 value for the package contents

What's in the box?

Box #1 - tea, coffee, shoes, sweater, belt

Box #2 - tea, coffee, belt, gummy bears, seaweed, wipes...

We'll try a private carrier next .... a bit more expensive but we may have better luck!

10.10.17 - New Video - Not for the weak heart

A sheep is slaughtered....


https://www.instagram.com/p/BaFtzgrl5cJ/?taken-by=djamesyee



🐑

10.6 - Today is the day....

Today is the day that Danny finds out where he will be permanently located for the next 2 years.


And at 5:30am this morning (6:30pm in Kyrgyzstan), he excitedly FB message his sister to let her know that he will be in Kok Kia (Chat), some remote village that you would not even find on a map! Exactly what he wanted! He may not have any internet so communication may be far and few.

Kyrgyzstan is divided into 7 regions also known as oblasts. Danny will be in the Jalalabab Region which is the western part of the country closer to the Uzbekistan  border. Within the Jalalabab Region, there are 7 raions (aka districts). Kok Kia (Chat) is one of the villages in the Aksy District. The Aksy District comprises of 1 town and about 68 villages in 11 rural communities (aiyl okmotus).


Danny will be stationed in one of the most remote villages ....The last census in 2009 show a population of 299 for Chat (aka Kok Kia). Chat is south of "Sary Chelek Biosphere Reserve" National Park .....

Google Map - Chat (red dot)

PC: Алексей Б

In about 2 weeks, Danny will be moving to his permanent location. Danny's school is very small and has a total of 100 students and he will probably be teaching all the students at the school. 

Danny's soon to be school - PC: Joseph McCleary

PC: Joseph McCleary

River Behind the school - PC: Joseph McCleary

PC: Joseph McCleary

😊