#57: Issykkul and Naryn

During the last four days I spent a lot of time on the road between Bishkek and Issykkul with friends and Bishkek and Naryn with colleagues. On weekends, Boris+Asyla, Meder+Elya, and me spend a very relaxing time at Meder's bungalow. Jumped into the cold water of the lake, got some tan (although I burned by back a bit and it is itching now), and visited the Georgievskiy Gorge. On Monday, left to Naryn on a work trip and met journalists from Kochkor and Naryn. Ate a lot of meat and drink fresh kymyz. Two interns joined me on the trip. Returned with a project in mind to start in Naryn.

I am hoping to travel to Osh and Batken at the end of May.

#56: Wonderwall*

Today is gonna be the day
That they're gonna throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you gotta do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now

Backbeat the word was on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I'm sure you've heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don't believe that anybody feels
The way I do about you now

And all the roads we have to walk along are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I would
Like to say to you
But I don't know how

Because maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me?
And after all
You're my wonderwall
* by Oasis

#55: Going to Astana, Think Again!

Thinking of going to Astana, think again. Astana, as many other town in the region, is being affected by sand storms. Here is a picture of yesterday's sand storm that killed at least 2 people.
By the way, Russia's Channel 1 is advertising "elite" housing in Astana. Come to Bishkek. We don't get these sand storms and you can see stars at night, unlike in Almaty.

#54: Rethinking Life and Quarterlife Crisis

Is there such a thing as "Quarterlife Crisis" (QLC)?

Characteristics of this crisis are:
- feeling "not good enough" because one can't find a job that is at his/her academic/intellectual level
- frustration with relationships, the working world, and finding a suitable job or career
- confusion of identity
- insecurity regarding the near future
- insecurity regarding present accomplishments
- re-evaluation of close interpersonal relationships
- disappointment with one's job
- nostalgia for university or college life
- tendency to hold stronger opinions
- boredom with social interactions
- financially-rooted stress
- loneliness
- desire to have children
- a sense that everyone is, somehow, doing better than you (source: Wikipedia)

I won't specify which of these characteristics applies to me at this point, but many of them do. Here is some more reading on the topic.

#53: Graduate School - Part 2

So far I found a couple of interesting programs for Master in International Business (MIB).
- Master in International Business at the London School of Business and Finance
- Master of International Business at Tufts University

Please let me know if you know any other schools with scholarship/assistanship/other aid possibilities.

#52: Graduate School?

As this is the fourth year since I graduated AUCA, I am feeling that I need to go back to school to learn more to be able to do more. However, the more I am thinkg about it, the more I am faced with one challenge: What do I want to study in a grad school? I have a BA in Political Science/International Relations and four years of experience in media issues/PR in international organizations in Bishkek.

Do I want to continue the same path (IR/Pol.Sci) or study something new? The reasoning behind studying "something new" is that I want to come back to Kyrgyzstan and Kyrgyzstan needs people with specific technical skills (management, finance, investment, marketing, etc.) to be able to development.

Another option was to go to China for a language course for a year, but at the same time to get a chance to look into "inner me" and find what I really want to do. However, this question has to do with what I want to do in the future, 10 or 15 years from now.

#51: Another Wall?

The U.S. government wants to build a wall in Baghdad separating Shia and Sunni neighborhoods. In a world that has survived the Berlin Wall, a symbol of artificial division, countries and world leaders should oppose such barriers. The Israeli government is errecting a "security barrier" around the West Bank perpetuating the occupation of certain territories. The wall in Baghdad will just deepen and exhibit the Shia-Sunni division and reinforce the image of Americans as occupiers, which will delay resolution of the conflict in Iraq.

#50: Kyrgyz Politics

I don't want the Kyrgyz President, Kurmanbek Bakiev, to be removed until 2010, but I also don't want him to persecute his political opponents - he made a lot of promises after the March events that he has not fulfilled.

After what it seemed to the authorities as a victory on April 19, Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security (former KGB) is now arresting and interrogating opposition leaders who don't have the state immunity, that is those not in the parliament. Just like ex-president Akaev, Bakiev decided to do an unthoughtful thing - confiscate opposition newspapers.

Bakiev, work! Don't arrest!

This picture belongs to morrire and shows today's Bishkek clear off all the opposition yurts and tents.

P.S. The only good thing that will come out of all these events is that both the government lead by Kurmanbek Bakiev and the opposition led by Feliks Kulov will discredit themselves in the eyes of the population, necessitating emergence of younger and newer faces in the government.

#49: Does Kyrgyzstan Pose Threat to U.S. Security?

Watch the movie till the end...

#48: Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine

Azattyk Radio (RFE/RL Kyrgyz Service) features two headline stories on its website. Differences in Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine are striking, at least in the number of demonstrators - maximum 15 000 people in Bishkek and 700 000 people in Kiev.

#47: Jokes about Kyrgyz People

Today the Kyrgyz opposition started a big demonstration against President Bakiev. You can read about them various sources, just click on the links in my blogroll. However, this week I received one joke from 10 different people. It describes well Kyrgyz people's current state of being:

Авиалайнер падает в океан. Выжили только трое - француз, русский и кыргыз, и попадают они на "необитаемый остров", где живет более 20 лет Робинзон Крузо. Он всех вытащил из воды и когда те пришли в себя говорит. "Короче, ребята, у меня нет никаких желаний кормить, ухаживать и прочее, я вам даю все инструменты, необходимые для строительства дома и т.д." и выделил им всем одинаковые земельные участки. проходит определенное время, и Крузо становится интересно, как они там поживают, чем дышат и решил навестить их. Идет значит и видит француза, тот построил красивый особняк, виноградную плантацию развел, разные копченности сделал, вино и т.д. дальше идет, видит, избушка, картофельное поле, разные соления и русский там че то мутит. дальше пошел, к кыргызу. идет значит, на его участке абсолютно ничего нет, никаких построений и на берегу, какая то толпа недовольная, кричат, орут, скандируют и т.д... Тот такой не понял, подходит и видит, по центру стоит КЫРГЫЗ а вокруг него попуасы, и наш орет - КРУЗО КЕТСИН! КРУЗО КЕТСИН......

However, my #1 joke of all times about Kyrgyz is this:

В магазине продают 3 мозга - японский, французский и кыргызский. Приходит клиент и спрашивает у продавца почему японский мозг самый дешевый - всего 500 баксов, а французский - 1000 баксов, а кыргызский - самый дорогой и стоит 2000 баксов. Продавец отвечает: "Ну, ведь, масловый, никогда не использованный".

#46: Raduga Bungalow

Here is a promo ad for the Raduga Bungalow. I am really looking forward to summer.

#45: Code of Conduct for Blogger?

The Guardian came out with an article, about how two bloggers - "Tim O'Reilly, inventor of the phrase Web 2.0 to describe the next generation of interactive communications, and Jimmy Wales, founder of the communal encyclopaedia Wikipedia" - tried to introduce a code of conduct in the blogosphere.

I am against this mainly because blogs were created as a revolt against mainstream media (which is already trying to make it into the blogosphere). Blogs is an alternative forum, where participants can be sure they will not be persecuted for what they write, therefore anonymity, against which the new code is speaking, is a very important feature of blogs.

#44: Nooruz and more

Today when I was waiting in line for my propiska (Soviet-era registration), I overheard a dialogue between an ethnic Kyrgyz policeman and an ethnic Russian technician both working in Leninskiy Passport Department. The policeman, in his early 30s, complained that the technician, in late 50s, blocked the passage as he was fixing something. Then the policeman out of nowhere says "You should respect me today. It is our New Year," meaning Nooruz. The technician responds by saying "It is my holiday, too." However, the policeman makes even more laughable and unbelievably stupid statement. He says "Our new year is Nooruz. Your [meaning ethnic Russian] new year is January 1st."

Unfortunately, over 80 years of living side by side most of the ethnic Russians and ethnic Kyrgyz in Kyrgyzstan continue living in two different dimensions - culturally, politically, and socially. To this day, most Russian landlords would not rent apartments to non-Russians. Moreover, they would advertise their apartments in newspapers with a racist note "only for Europeans," meaning whites, as opposed to “innostrantsy” or foreigners. Both Russians and Kyrgyz (and Uzbeks for that matter) regularly discriminate each other based on ethnicity. Some of it based on believes of racial superiority. Each ethnic group has derogatory name for each other. Kyrgyz call Russians “jün bash,” which literally means “woolhead,” and Russians call Kyrgyz (or Central Asians in general) “churka,” a derivative of “cherniy,” which is black in Russian.

#43: Latin Kîrgîz

I came accross a proposed Kazakh alphabet in Latin, which reminds me of the necessity for the Kyrgyz language to switching back to Latin script.

The year I came back from the U.S., I had a T-shirt with names of exchange students printed on the back. My late grandfather, who was then 70, could read them because when he went to school in 30s he was taught the Kyrgyz in Latin script. I was really suprised at that moment. Kyrgyz language was initially written in Arabic script up untill 1929, when the Soviet introduced the Latin. However, in 1940 a Cyrillic script was adopted for the Kyrgyz language.

The Latin script could help the Kyrgyz language to develop independently from the Russian, by introducing Kyrgyz words to replace Russian words used frequently in Kyrgyz. However, the question whether Kyrgyzstan can afford or not such an expensive undertaking is another issue.

Jaşasîn Kîrgîz tili!!!

#42: First day at work

My first working day at a new place is over. I have great impressions so far: interesting colleagues, good assistants, understanding supervisors, and the location of my office, which is one block away from my house. Another advantage of this place is that now I can have lunch in any of the hundreds of cafes downtown. In general, I enjoyed my first day. Had important meetings and talked about organizing one event. Already received a lot info on several other events. Have to plan a trip to the regions. It is always better to start a new job with a big task, instead of taking off slowly.

Well, my new job is very much similar to my previous one. However, the difference between them is like being a small fish in a big ocean and being a big fish in a small pond.

I have to remind that the views and opinions expressed in this blog are my own and do not represent those of my family, friends, employer, or any other person.

Good luck to all.

#41: Childhood items...

Items in this picture - from pins with young Lenin's picture to ninja or Rambo stickers - are all from my childhood. In late 80s and early 90s, when perestroika was going wrong and borders are opening, Kyrgyzstan, as other former Soviet republics, were being flooded with new Western things. Those were the days!!! I wonder if I have any these things lost in some warehouse or kladovka.

#40: Jibbing in Kyrgyzstan

Definition of jibbing: A playful sub-style of freestyle snowboarding that uses all kinds of obstacles such as trees, stumps, rails, etc. Jibbing can also be synonymous with "goofing around" on a snowboard; doing small technical tricks in a playful manner.

Federation of Extreme Sports in Kyrgyzstan organized a jibbfest. I was not there, but Elena Skochilo, a good photographer was and took really great pictures from the event.

I want to go to Karakol!!!

Report #39: Snowboarding in Kyrgyzstan (Part 2)

In search of snow colleagues and I drove to Orlovka (70km east of Bishkek), but after seeing torn-to-mud slopes, we turned around and returned to Bishkek. At 1pm we decided to give it a try at Oruusay, the highest skiing place around Bishkek. Luckily after 4 hours of driving in vain we found snow. A lot of snow.

The video below is me. Come to Kyrgyzstan!!!

Report #38: Younger Me

I found a picture of myself from 1999, when i was 17. It was my first experience in elections monitoring. So far I have done at least 5 of them.

Report #37: Apocalypto

... is a great movie. I will add it to my list of favorite movies (Shawshank Redemption, American History X, etc.). Yesterday Boris&Asyla, Meder&Eleonora, Nadya, Lena, and I went to Oktyabr to see the movie. It is another Gibsonesque movie similar to The Passion of the Christ. I could say many good things about the movie, but I am still under a strong impression from the movie and I need some time to digest it. Although anthropologists have found many inaccuracies and colonial depictions of the "uncivilized" people in the movie.


Also had a training for first responders in case of a chemical attack. Here is a picture of me in a mask.

Talk...

... to your loved ones. Always!

Report #36: Steretypical Faces in Russia

I received this “fact sheet” of stereotypical faces reportedly used by the police in Russia. From my experience with and observations of the militsia in Moscow, I suspect that they really have a similar fact sheet.

Report #35: Snowboarding in Kyrgyzstan

On weekends I went snowboarding again, but this time with a camera. I took some pictures. Not much snow, but it was enough to enjoy a perfect day.

This everyone who went on the trip. It was an interesting group of skiers, snowboarder, and butt-riders.

The chairlift taking us to the top of the world.

Report #34

Starting my life from a blank page.