A 'Mystic' Waterfall and Getting Ready for the Trip Home to Kansas City

 Day 24: My first Saturday in Bishkek, I couldn’t manage transportation and was stuck at my apartment on a beautiful day. My last Saturday more than made up for it, starting at 8 a.m. and ending after 1 a.m. am. On Teachers Day, I first met Ala-too faculty and my first invitation was to hike with Nizira’s (faculty member) sister. It was such a kind offer, and I was excited as I had just learned I would not have work obligations on the weekend.

Nurmira wasn’t available until my second weekend, and I anxiously awaited our trip. Unfortunately, weather was cold and snowy, so we decided to postpone. I’m so glad we did! The hike was worth the wait.

First, Nurmira was a quick friend, and I enjoyed her company. She is an independent, modern woman with ambitions to travel and own a place in city center with a garden. Though in her early/mid 30s, she has chosen not to marry or have children yet, which she pointed out is unusual for Kyrgyz women. She credits her parents for letting her make her own choices in her life.

We talked the entire 40-minute drive to the mountains where we would hike. Also, unusual in Kyrgyz culture, she is a very physically active woman (hiking, skiing, gym, etc.). As she shared her activities, I was hoping I could keep up during our hike!

Numira was also very kind to point out sites along the way. There was a mountain resort with cabins and yurts, and a Soviet era Russian bath. The building was not very pretty, so I would never have recognized what it was.

We arrived at Sokuluk (Belogorka) Gorge at the same time as a small tour group. Though they started ahead of us, we quickly caught some of them. It was good they were there, because the place was new to both me and Nurmira. She knew we needed to cross a bridge, but didn’t know where it was. After walking about 20 minutes we ran into some women searching for their group. They were on the other side of the river already in a large open pasture.

We backtracked to find a “bridge” hanging precariously over rough water. It didn’t look entirely safe, so I admit I watched a few people cross as I considered my options. When a dog hopped across like it was no big deal, I decided it was probably ok. The bridge was pretty secure, but there were open spots where part of it had eroded, and some branches and wood covered places where the bridge tilted. I was glad it was a short crossing.

After a short climb, the path opened-up to gorgeous pastures with the mountains all around us. It was and easy trek along the river, mostly flat and open. Nurmira and I were able to talk as we walked. We learned quickly we had a similar pace which made the hike even more enjoyable. Estimates showed the hike to a waterfall as 5k (10K round trip). I’ve been fortunate that each of my hikes have been so different. Ala-Archa was a mountain climb with mostly rocky ascent and descent. Konchorek Canyon/ Boom Gorge was arid with impressive red rock formations.

This hike followed the water through open pastures and a few wooded areas. It was soothing to hear the mountain stream rushing as we walked. The tour group was spread out, so there were people with us through most of the first part of the hike. After a couple of hours, we emerged to a large pasture circled by a quiet stream. It was the perfect of example of calming nature, and we stopped to rest and take pictures for a while.

The tour group was slow, so we decided to continue forward on our own. We crossed the water again and the path became more narrow and wooded. We wanted to find the waterfall and thought following the water would lead us there. The path became more wooded as we walked along some rocks. We had snow in places and the water was rough. We ran into some Germans who told us we were past the waterfall and it was dried up. One was across the river and the other two recognized it was a dangerous place to cross.


 Nurmira and I walked along the river about an hour before deciding we should rest and have something to eat. She kindly shared her tea with raspberry jam and boiled eggs. Her lunch was much healthier than the prepackaged sandwich I brought.  As we walked back, we ran into someone we recognized from the tour. He told us he had visited the waterfall and we were about 1.5 kilometers past it. When we returned to the pasture, the tour group was still there resting and eating.

Nurmira told me they get dropped off for the day, so they wouldn’t head back to the city until close to 8 p.m. We had to cross the river again, and I’m embarrassed to admit I slipped on the easiest crossing and my ankle got wet. Fortunately, my boots were waterproof, so I was still comfortable. After asking a few more people, we headed up the mountain to look for the waterfall. We thought we might not find it again, but finally heard running water.

When we found the river, we still had to find the source and cross the water AGAIN. This crossing was a bit more challenging as the water moved quickly and there was some ice. Nurmira let me use one of her trekking poles, and it helped tremendously. Being able to plant the pole for balance gave me the confidence to finish the hike.

Since the tour group had already visited, we had time and space to appreciate the waterfall and ice formations. Nurmira calls it the ‘Mystic” waterfall because we weren’t sure it actually existed. After visiting the waterfall, we still had over two hours of hiking to get back to the car. I was glad it was easy, because we were able to talk as we walked, so the return went quickly. We estimated we hiked at least 13 kilometers with our venturing past the waterfall and backtracking. We walked past the bridge on the return too! We are not the most direct with our route. When we crossed the bridge the first time, there were several people crossing at the same time. This time we were the only people crossing, so it was a little easier.

The climb up from the river was NOT easy! We couldn’t find the path we took down, so we had to scale the mountain to get back up. When we finally got back to the car, we were dirty, tired and hungry. Nurmira suggested we stop at Supera on the way back. The complex has a few big yurts for parties, and several small ones for dining. I was excited to finally spend time in a yurt! It was decorated with traditional wool wall hangings and had a stove in the middle (though we didn’t need heat). We had a light dinner of borsaak, soup and tea. Perfect to get us home for evening activities.

Taalaigul invited me to Faiza, which is well-liked by locals for its traditional Kyrgyz foods. She ordered enough food for a family and only wanted soup for herself! The place had great Laghman, manty and salad. We also ordered kebabs and bread, but I was too full to even try them. We talked non-stop, so it was a long dinner.

Afterward, we took a walk and she showed me some of the sites. I recognized the Philharmonia from the ballet, and was glad to learn what some of the other beautiful buildings were. Taalaigul suggested coffee at a shop in the building where she works on Saturdays. She went to a training in the States, and when she returned she started a non-profit “think tank” to encourage evidence-based decisions in politics. The coffee shop was in a very modern area, and I loved the panda they made on my cappuccino.

Day 25: I was hoping to sleep in after the late night, but was wide awake by 7a.m. At least this allowed me to prepare my observations and recommendations for the next day. A little before noon, I got help with a taxi and headed to a café, to meet an American I met at Ala-too International University.

Ned was a visiting scholar from Kentucky to a different Kyrgyz university 14 years ago. He returned to the States for a short time, but has now been in Bishkek for 12 years. He has an interesting perspective on the city and the university after living there so long. He would have been a great resource to recommend cafes & bars if I had met him earlier. I was surprised at how modern his neighborhood was and how well the staff spoke English. Such a contrast from the soviet style apartments and tiny market in my neighborhood.

It was nice to connect with Ned for a couple of hours. It was raining when we finished, so Ned helped me get a taxi to a nearby mall. This was the only cab driver who tried to rip me off. Though we negotiated the price before driving, he didn’t want to give me my change. He also dropped me off a couple of intersections from the mall. I got my $, but was happy to get out of the taxi rather than fight with him about it.

The mall was crowded with teenagers since it was raining. I was looking for a few last-minute souvenirs to take home, but didn’t find much. I did find a huge play place for kids. It’s the one where Eliza’s nephew played all day before falling asleep on me driving to Eliza’s house.

I crossed the street to a different mall and was a bit surprised when I entered. It looks modern outside, but inside it resembles some of the older markets we’ve visited. The stores are open on the top, almost like giant cubicles. I was able to find some stores with traditional Kyrgyz clothing and other items, but wasn’t sure what I wanted.

Eliza was meeting me, so I waited for her opinion. She helped me choose some scarves, hats and a purse…shopping complete! Even in the malls, prices can be negotiated, so I’m sure Eliza could have gotten me a better deal if I’d been patient, but I was just happy to be done. We were waiting to meet Damira at a café, so we continued shopping. Eliza found some nice jewelry. After a couple of hours, we were wondering if our coffee/dinner was cancelled.

When we finally got in touch with her, we found out she had gone to Bublik where she thought we were meeting, but her phone was dead. She picked us up, and we all went together. I was again surprised by the modern coffee shop with American style Halloween decorations on the front. I also found it funny that I ended my day at the same place Ned suggested we start, Bublik.

I’m glad Ned and I decided to go somewhere else. Damira had spent the weekend with her in-laws making and freezing salsa with the last of this year’s tomatoes. I brought Jayhawk gear (hat and shirt) to Damira and Eliza to thank them for their kindness. Damira thought the hat was for her son, but she was immediately American looking when she wore it. She wanted to share some homemade raspberry jam with me, but we talked so much it was too late. Lucky for me we made plans to meet again.

It was late when I got back to the flat, so I was glad I did most of my work in the morning. I did a little more planning for my last day of work, and a little packing. Time is moving quickly these last few days.
We continued talking and soon it was after midnight. Taalaigul is bright and driven, so I could have talked to her all night. As it was, I didn’t get back to the apartment until after 1 a.m.


Day 26: Seems a little surreal this is my last full day in Kyrgyzstan. When I arrived, the days dragged at times as I learned how to adjust to Kyrgyzstan and Ala-Too University, especially when I didn’t have transportation. Now there are not enough hours to wrap things up and say good-bye.

Although I was up late again, I awoke early. This gave me a little time to organize and pack before I left for my last day at Ala-Too. Nurdin and Dinara were waiting in the international office when I arrived. Because this was described to me as a round table discussion, I prepared notes to guide my thoughts. Often there is miscommunication about expectations of my role, and this was no exception. Nurdin asked for my PowerPoint slides to load on the computer and I had to explain how I had prepared. Though he assured me it was “no problem.” I frantically transferred my notes to slides just in case. As I was preparing, Mariam arrived from the embassy. It was nice to see her supportive face. We were escorted to the round table where the rector, vice rector of science, and several deans were waiting. The vice rector of academic affairs joined a bit later. The vice rectors and some dean’s understand no or limited English, so Nurdin translated. I hope they will considering having some of their interpretation students at events like this in the future.

The rector introduced me and the event, and then handed the discussion over to me. I started by pointing out the many strengths I observed at Ala-Too, including the hardworking, talented faculty. I also asked them to share any strengths they wanted to add. Participants only shared their perspective when invited, so I was careful to encourage them throughout the discussion.

I pointed out some of the challenges I observed related to research, including heavy teaching loads, government requirements for 50-page theses, and the need for additional resources. With several decision-makers in the room, some faculty used this opportunity to voice their needs. I also encouraged solutions, like having different “tracks” so faculty could use their strengths related to teaching, research and/or service.

The faculty were quite receptive to this idea. The leadership explained some of the government requirements for teachers, which seemed in conflict with what I proposed. Some faculty, however, pointed out they were a private institution and could have more flexibility with government requirements. I think leadership will be challenged to consider new approaches.

Mariam had to leave, so we paused for the rector to present her a certificate. I was surprised to also be presented a certificate and a beautiful coat to thank me for my work. James had sent gifts for me to share too, but after two weeks, the package still hadn’t arrived.

As our discussion went longer than an hour, I asked if I could summarize my other recommendations. I had a few more suggestions for the institution, and some specific for students. The dean of medicine asked if they could only do one thing what I would suggest. I told him I think two changes would be reasonable: 1) collaborate with KUMC for distance education, and 2) pilot a “research track” with a two or three faculty. I saw leadership taking several notes, so I felt encouraged they will consider my and faculty suggestions to promote research at Ala-Too. It is a very good institution, and I’m impressed with their willingness to have open discussion and hear feedback. Considering less than 30 years ago, government regulated information and thinking, this was an impressive demonstration of how independence is changing education.

After the round table, I said good-bye to several faculty and staff, Including Dinara, who wrote the Fulbright Specialist proposal and coordinated my visit. Nurdin and Kyzzhibek had work to do, so Taalaigul took me to lunch in the faculty cafeteria. It was mid-term exam week, so the cafeteria was the busiest I had seen it.

Ned and Yulia joined us, and I was glad to have a chance to say good-bye to two faculty who showed me much kindness. Taalaigul and I had a lengthy lunch conversation and a big hug good-bye. She has a current Fulbright Scholar proposal submitted and is working on other proposals. She would be an asset at KUMC, so I hope she will consider opportunities with us.

Dinara had asked me for my notes from the round-table, so after lunch I cleaned them up to share. I noticed several faculty took notes individually, but no one took minutes for the group. I took detailed notes, so hopefully they can use them as minutes. I needed to send a student talk, sign medicine student certificates, and to close the WIFI account Nurdin had helped me open. I was frustrated when Nurdin told me I would need to go to the store where we opened the account to close it.

It took a few hours to wrap things up. Nurdin and I were invited to enjoy Turkish coffee again, which was a nice way to officially conclude my time on campus. Nurdin And Kyzzhibek helped me gather my things and get a taxi. Kyzzhibek had to run an errand for the office, so was happy to have her company for part of the ride. It was the first time I had been alone with her since our lunch and walk on campus my first week. I had taken pictures of Kyzzhibek that were used for the blog and hadn’t asked her permission. I shared that I was embarrassed about it and she assured me it was ok and sounded pleased some of her friends had seen it. She was gracious, and I was relieved to have closure. She gave me a warm hug, then I continued my ride to the apartment to pack.

I was meeting Eliza & Dimara for dinner, so I asked Eliza if she could help me with my WIFI situation. I didn’t have much time to pack before she arrived with her mother and son. I was glad to be able to say good-bye to them in person, as her mother was the first person to welcome me to her home! She also wanted to check out the apartment as they might rent it this summer for visitors. Too bad it was a mess! “American Boy”, Aiden, wanted to get down to explore, so I had fun distracting him with fist bumps as I talked to Eliza and her mom. I hope to stay in touch with her mom to support her dream of starting a psychology practice with Ala-Too students. It may take a while since Eliza’s dad still needs help after his stroke, but her mom has the energy of 10 people, so I think she will do it.

When they left, Eliza called about my WIFI. I’m so glad she did! The account will automatically expire in 2 months, so we didn’t need to go to the store. Eliza works in recruiting/HR, so she knows how to ask the right questions and be persistent to get an answer. We forgot to get her mom’s phone, so getting a taxi to the restaurant was a challenge AGAIN. We both said next time we visit Kyrgyzstan we would bring an old phone and use one of the free SIM cards they hand out at the airport. Not having a local number is a big barrier. Eliza called her mom to get us a cab, so thank goodness for family.

We circled around a bit to find the restaurant. Again, Eliza’s persistence and knowledge of the language was helpful. The taxi driver dropped us at the wrong Korean restaurant and it looked a little sketchy. She communicated with the driver who took us a little further to the right place. Dimara was running late, so we had an hour to talk about our families and career paths.

I was curious how she ended up in HR. She is American, so it is easy to forget she grew up under communism. She shared that she was in medical school when Kyrgyzstan gained independence, and the education system changed while she was studying. Admittance was based more on money than qualifications, and this was especially true for medical and law programs.

She decided to study language (English), with intent to become a teacher. She said studying English opened a lot of doors for her. I knew Eliza worked to help support her family while in school, but didn’t know she had changed her own career/education path as well. Her ability to speak English helped her get a job on an air force base. I was appalled to hear she earned only $50 per month when I’m sure American’s earned much more.
Her connections at the Air Force base led to civilian contract work in Afghanistan, where she lived inexpensively and sent most of her paycheck home to her family. She was there two years before moving to the United States. She started work translating documents and transitioned to HR. As she described her path, I could see how her warm personality and drive would be powerful in networking and creating opportunities. She hadn’t thought about it that way, but admitted she is good with people. She recently moved from Houston to Austin and was just thinking of returning to work after having Aiden when her father had his stroke. She has good connections, so I’m sure she’ll find a good job when she returns. Though I’m sorry her father’s stroke is what caused her to return to Kyrgyzstan, I’m glad she has been able to spend time with her mom and family while Aiden is young. I imagine it will be hard to leave her mom to return home.

Dimara arrived with her kids about an hour late, which is not unusual in Kyrgyzstan. Eliza and I had already ordered, so the food came soon after they arrived. Her kids are so cute and well behaved. They are also adventurous eaters, enjoying some of the spicy foods we ordered along with their sushi.

We shared family pictures, and the kids love pictures and videos of my dogs. I had already shared pictures of Grace, our golden retriever who passed away. When I saw Damira’s son in a Spiderman shirt, I thought to show them a picture of Ruedi, our St. Bernard puppy, in his Spiderman Halloween costume. They had just watched Beethoven and liked the video of Ruedi running around playing with his toys.

I’ve only met one person with an indoor pet (cat), as most stay outside and find their own food. Damira said no dog or cat in their apartment, but they’ve had fish and a hamster for the kids. At the end of dinner, Damira showed me the homemade raspberry jam she wanted me to bring home. It was packed in glass, so she got a funnel from the server to transfer it to an empty plastic bottle…clever! The jam is so good and I can’t wait to share it with people.

Eliza and I needed help getting a taxi again. Even native speakers with local numbers are challenged sometimes. Damira had to call twice for us and we still weren’t sure it was coming, so Eliza also called her mom. As we were calling, Damira’s daughter saw a taxi waiting … the first one we had called. We said our good-byes, and the kids were so cute saying good-bye in English. My time in Kyrgyzstan was more meaningful with Eliza & Damira welcoming me to their families. Hugging Eliza good-bye was bittersweet, though I’m sure I will see her again in the U.S.

When I got to the apartment, I still had about an hour of organizing and packing to do. I’m definitely leaving with more than when I arrived. I needed to pack carefully because Turkish Airlines & United have different rules. When I finally went to sleep, I had less than 5 hours before I would leave the apartment.

Day 27: Nurdin told me a taxi would pick me up at 4:30am, so I was up by 3:45 to get ready. I was showered and dressed, but still had wet hair when someone knocked on my door at 4:10. The apartment owners were there to tell me the taxi was waiting. I tried to communicate the pick-up time was 4:30 and I wasn’t ready, but they don’t understand English. I went back inside to dry my hair and then wrote down the time to show them.

When I opened the door, there were three young men waiting with the apartment owner. They are Ala-too students who translated for us. When the apartment owners understood, I very quickly finished packing and the young men carried my heavy bags downstairs. I thanked them and asked them why they were awake at 4 a.m., to which they quickly replied, “midterm exams.” The students take up to nine exams in one week, so no wonder I had heard footsteps above me at all hours the last few days.

They asked me what department I worked with, and were surprised I was on a project for all students and faculty. They were so helpful and polite. I wish I’d met them earlier. On the long drive to the airport, Nurdin called the driver twice to see if I was close. Nurdin asked to talk to me, which I found funny since I had no idea where the airport was or how long it would take. It was kind of him to get up early to say good-bye and be sure I safely departed. At the airport, the taxi driver couldn’t make change, so there was a bit of a wait. I was grateful Taailaigul had advised I arrive early and explained the check in process.

There is security to enter the airport, check in, passport control and more security. The signs and lines are confusing, and very few people speak English, so her advice was helpful. Unfortunately, Turkish Airlines would not check my bag all the way to Kansas City, so I knew my long travel would be complicated by checking and rechecking bags in Frankfurt and Washington D.C. I allowed plenty of time, so I had an hour to get coffee and spend the rest of my money before departing. I’m glad my last few days were busy, because it still hasn’t sunk in that I may not see people I’ve grown close too for a very long time.

Travel from Bishkek to Turkey went smoothly. When I arrived in Turkey, I was a little confused as it looked completely different from when I arrived. The airport was sparse and looked like it belonged in a developing country when I arrived, and now it was modern with lots of places for shopping and eating. Often arrivals and departures look different, so I didn’t think much of it. I was more concerned that I had no Turkish currency and couldn’t get food.

It wasn’t until later that I realized I had travelled through the BRAND NEW airport. It had only opened the day before. I wish I had been aware enough to take a picture. I was early to my departure gate and had time to relax before it got crowded. As the crowd grew, one man was very agitated with airline staff. A young (20ish) staff member and the man started yelling at one another. They were in each other faces and had to be forcefully separated. The man was slamming his passport on the desk and threw it and his tickets at the staff several times. Another passenger stepped between him and airline staff to de-escalate, but he kept returning.

Eventually he calmed down, but did not leave the area. I boarded early and was happy to have an empty middle seat beside me. However, the last person to board was the angry man and his family, and he sat right next to me. He was travelling with older relatives, so I’m guessing he was aggravated that he was not allowed into the pre-boarding area to help him. Fortunately, he was much calmer for the flight and there were no issues.

In Germany, I had exit the airport, collect my bag at baggage claim and check in again. There was passport control and security when I exited AND when I re-entered. Though the German’s are efficient and everything is in German (which I understand!) & English, the process still took over an hour. I’m dragging around 2 big bags, so that made it even harder. I had a long layover, so there was still time to have a pretzel and beer before my long flight to Washington D.C. I haven’t had beer in a LONG time, so it was a huge treat.

The flight to Washington D.C. was easy, and quiet so I slept a few hours. Good that I got a little rest, because the process when I arrived was grueling. I had to do the typical passport and customs, but because my flight to KC wasn’t until the next day, I also had to pick up my large suitcase again. There were two places for baggage claim, so I needed staff to direct me to where I could find mine. Communicating in English is such a luxury! I will never again take for granted how easy I have it as a native English speaker.

I had to pick up my bag in connecting flights even though I was departing the airport. I rechecked my bag through to KC so I wouldn’t have to drag it around. I’m glad I did because I had to walk/train back to arrival baggage area to get a shuttle to the hotel. It took about 45 minutes to get from the connection gates to arrivals, then even longer to find hotel shuttle pick-up. No complaints though. I’m thrilled to be back in the states, and the comforts of the hotel (warm enclosed shower, western toilet, soft bedding) reaffirmed that. Though I’ll only have a few hours of sleep, I know the rest will make my final flight home easier.

The First of Many Goodbyes

Day 23: This was my last full day for promoting research at Ala-Too International University. This morning, the International Office hosted a seminar, “The Role of International Relations Offices (IRO) in Promotion of Research and Development in Universities.” The office staff, particularly Dinara and Kyzjibek, did an amazing job preparing materials and setting up the room.

The rector, deputy director of the Department of Science at Ministry of Education and Science and the vice rector on science introduced the day. Each was scheduled to speak about 10 minutes, but the vice rector had a lot of information to share. I was grateful I had already met with him, as all the talks were in Russian. I remembered some of what he shared in our discussion about the Kyrgyz education system.

I was last speaker before the coffee break, so I provided a brief introduction about the importance of research in the United States and the role of international offices in supporting research. We had a quick coffee/tea break, also beautifully set up. After the break, I shared information about the Fulbright and State Department grants, emphasizing the Fulbright Specialist projects.

There were only two other talks in English, one about research/scholarship opportunities in Germany and another about international study opportunities in the Czech Republic. The information the shared was also applicable to Americans, so I appreciated the information. Some of the talks also had slides in English so I could learn a bit from them too.

 

The seminar was related to my Fulbright Specialist project, though I feel I had just a small part. At the conclusion there was a long statement about “America,” “Fulbright” and “Lisa Lawson,” but those were the only words I understood. After the seminar, we had lunch in the same room where we celebrated Teacher’s Day on my arrival. It seemed fitting to close the experience in the same way it began.

 

While I am excited to return home, I regret I am just now meeting people with disability and recreation connections. If I’d met some of these people earlier, I would have had the opportunity to visit autism centers and NGOs, adapted recreation centers, etc. Unfortunately, the invitations came too late. 

I spent the afternoon finalizing workshop materials to share with participants. On our last day, I asked the group to read an article ahead of time and shared information about how to critically analyze research. Our room was locked, so we moved to the seminar room, which worked well for a discussion-based workshop.

Unfortunately, despite announcing it each day and sending the article to organizers for distribution Monday and Thursday, only four participants had received it. We managed the discussion by projecting the article, but it would have been a much more valuable experience with the opportunity to read carefully before we met.

As always, the group was gracious and had excellent questions, not just about critically analyzing the article, but how to implement and grade a journal club experience with students. I’m impressed that the dedicated faculty attended about 10 hours of research training this week on top of the 18-20+ hours they teach (not including prep time). Participants received certificates signed by me, an embassy representative and university leader. It was fun to spend time handing them out and celebrating. 


On Monday, we will have a round table discussion to share ideas for continuing to promote research at Ala Too International University. I look forward to sharing my observations and hearing from some of the great people I’ve worked with this month.

At the end of the day, I was tired but needed some groceries. I had written a pick-up time and location “18:15 Globus” for my driver when he dropped me off. Globus is close to the university, so I walked and picked up a few things. I’ve been late every night this week, but tonight both the seminar and grocery shopping didn’t take as long as expected, so I let the driver’s daughter know I was done in case he was nearby. He was at the university!

Communication is challenging as always. He drove up to get me a few minutes later and pointed to the clock. So at least we communicated the time correctly. When we arrived at apartment, Mutarbek needed to communicate something to me, and he suggested Russian. I wish I’d known that earlier … it works so much better than Kyrgyz in Google translate! He wanted to let me know he will be away for a funeral and may not see me again.

That goodbye came earlier than expected. Though communication was a challenge for both of us, he was very patient with me as I tried out my new Kyrgyz words. Even when I pronounced them so poorly they were unrecognizable. He was a constant source of safety and security during my time here, and I regret I don’t have the words to tell him that. At least I could express my condolences through Google translate. I have had many good-byes today, and I know there are many more to come.

Finally a Chance to go Swimminmg

Day 21: I woke up happy to have clean cloths after successfully managing the washing machine twice! I’m working until lunch at the apartment again since the office is so cold. Temperatures will be in the 60s and 70s the rest of this week, so I’m hoping tomorrow will be more comfortable.

I prepared some materials for this Fulbright Specialist project before I left Kansas City, but I’m finding I need to revise a lot now that I know the culture and research knowledge here. I ran into Jon (K-State Fulbright Scholar) and the faculty member completing his Ph.D. at University of Kentucky. Though they were finished, they were gracious to keep me company while I ate. As I’m nearing the end of my project, it is strange that I’m just getting to know people and I’m already saying goodbye.

Jon and I talked about the different Fulbright programs. For his research, it is important to be in Central Asia and he is considering trying to extend his stay. If he can’t, I encouraged him to apply for the Fulbright Specialist roster so he might come back for a short-term project in the future. He has great connections, so it would be easy for him to match to a project. He is leaving for Karakol, so I won’t see him again before I leave. He was a huge help as I adjusted, so I hope we can connect back in Kansas.

In the afternoon, I presented my third topic for the faculty workshop – grant seeking and writing. I feel challenged to make the information relevant for diverse faculty (international relations, linguistics, pedagogy, psychology, engineering, medicine, etc.). We have a lot of resources for research and writing, so I am also careful to provide information about free and easy to access information. I’m grateful to the faculty who ask questions and provide feedback. I didn’t get back to the apartment until about 6:30 and spent the rest of the evening preparing for Thursday’s student talks and the faculty workshop.

Day 22: Finally, the weather is warming! The next few days will be in the 70’s. Now that I’ve been here over three weeks, I have worn nearly everything I packed. I have one shirt I haven’t worn because it was not warm enough for the cold, and it was very wrinkled. I packed a hair straightener, though I’m not sure why since I don’t use one at home. Fortunately, it made an excellent makeshift iron! Though I’m pretty sure no one cares if my shirt is ironed, I felt better knowing it was.

Since I’m leaving soon, my next few days are busy. This morning I talked to second-, third- and a few fourth-year psychology students about scholarly writing. I wish I had taught them earlier! Because autism is familiar to them, my examples were easy for them to grasp.

Also, psychology students are swimmers! I had two students share information about competitive swimming pools near the university. After a quick lunch break, I taught scholarly writing to English pedagogy students in the afternoon.

The faculty did not know I was at Ala-Too until the faculty workshops, so I was glad we were able to schedule. The faculty appreciated not only what I shared about scholarly writing, but also that I was a native English speaker. Though their students are learning to teach English, faculty are not native English speakers. They have EXCELLENT English skills, so I’m impressed that they still want this for their students.

After class, one of the students asked the best question I’ve heard so far. She asked, “If you were a student in this class and could ask the speaker (me) any question, what would it be?” I didn’t have to think long. I had just talked about using peer-reviewed journal articles instead of just books to guide their writing. I told her I would ask how to get those articles ... which is another talk I’ve been giving.

After class, the teachers invited me to tea. It was such a kind gesture and tea breaks are one of the things I’ve come to love about the culture here. Unfortunately, it was a quick break as I needed to meet a faculty member to review a proposal.

The workshop this afternoon was about Teaching and Motivating Students to Conduct Research. This one was tough as I believe teachers have different strategies and skills for motivating students. I made this talk interactive by sharing what the evidence suggests and asking what teachers do. It was a good forum for learning from each other. They are a diverse and busy faculty, so I don’t think they have much time to share ideas.

After the workshop, I checked in with Dinara to be sure I was ready for the seminar the next day. I also asked for help contacting the pool. The one the two the students shared only offered three-month and one-year passes, so they were not options for me. However, Dinara found me a place where I could get a one-day visitor’s pass.

Mutarbek drove me to the flat to change quickly and then he drove me to the pool. When I got there, communication was a challenge. Though Dinara had called ahead, there were several options to use the gym, pool, or both. The person helping me kept pointing to a price of 3500 som (over $50) and I knew that was way too much to swim once.

Google translate was NO help. I don’t think it is very accurate from English to Kyrgyz. Fortunately, someone saw me struggling and helped. She studied in the United States and was fluent in English. Even after she helped me pay ($5.75), I was nearly turned away again. At this pool you must have a swim cap (I did) and “slippers” for walking on the deck.

I offered to buy some, but they only had children’s sizes they refused to sell to me. I was finally offered some plastic baggies to put over my shoes so I could enter the pool area. Once in the pool area, I still had to navigate signs I couldn’t read. I waited until someone came out of the locker room so I would know which was men’s and women’s. Then I had to figure out the signs at the end of the lanes.

I finally just jumped in the one with the least swimmers. After more than a month it was GREAT to be in the pool. This was a very difficult pool for swim training. The buoys on the lane lines were small, so the water was very rough. There were no T’s painted on the wall (only on the bottom) so it was hard to know where to turn. The walls were high, so competitive butterfly and breaststroke turns were impossible. But the backstroke flags were most challenging. They should be placed 5 meters from the wall so the swimmer knows when to turn. These were placed just a couple of feet from the wall, so I hit the wall several times. I also had to navigate kids and slower swimmers, but it was worth it.

When I got out of the pool and tried to walk to the locker room with plastic baggies on my feet, I about wiped out! The deck felt soapy and it was like skating instead of walking. I wish I could have taken a picture, because I’m sure I looked ridiculous. I will appreciate my swim routine when I get home!

My Novelty as an American Visitor is Starting to Fade

Day 19: I’m back to work getting ready for the faculty workshops. I’m excited to be promoting research with faculty instead of students this week. I feel a little unsettled that I have seen none of the notifications about the workshop I’ll provide.

Faculty here tend to use WhatsApp (like texting) rather than official university email, even to share information with their students. I have been introduced as professor and an expert in public health, so I am guessing I’m prepared to introduce myself.

I’m noticing some changes now that I’ve been here awhile. The first week, I always had company for lunch. Today I found myself searching for company in the lunchroom. I asked to join two Americans (I think one is now a Kyrgyz citizen). They had been talking sports, but the conversation shifted to culture and politics. It was interesting to hear the male perspective of women’s roles in Kyrgyzstan I have observed.

We also talked about how the novelty of an American visitor decreases over time. That is likely why I need to make more effort to connect with people. The upside of my novelty decreasing, is I’m finding more quiet time to work. I need this time to adequately prepare for the workshop. The first workshop went well, with lots of questions afterward. I’m also getting more requests to review proposals, so it feels good to be contributing to Ala-Too’s research.

Day 20: My office is still FREEZING (colder than outside!), so I’ve been working at my warm apartment until lunch. Today my work is again focused on the workshop. For the first time, I had just a quick lunch alone.

 I was grateful for an invitation for Turkish coffee in the afternoon. I’ve never had it and found the thick, rich coffee a nice energizer. I’m always impressed by the detail invested in a coffee (or tea) break. The cups and saucers were beautiful and the homemade baked goods delicious.

 It was nice to have friendly conversation, and I learned more about the Turkish schools in Kyrgyz Republic and the challenges Turkish educators face. In the afternoon, I reviewed a problem statement for an application for an engineering program in Japan. The application requires faculty and professional collaboration, so the professional joined us. I’m finding there is great interest in studying outside Kyrgyz Republic to gain knowledge and skills that can be brought back to the country.

This application illustrated the problem of flooding as a natural disaster and the need for better water control. The work I review has good organization and strong arguments, but lacks citation and needs editing for grammar and English usage. I also notice I’m reviewing applications/proposals just days before they are due. I think this is partly because people are just meeting me, but also because time management is not emphasized here.

Day 21: I woke up happy to have clean cloths after successfully managing the washing machine twice! I’m working until lunch at the apartment again since the office is so cold. Temperatures will be in the 60s and 70s the rest of this week, so I’m hoping tomorrow will be more comfortable. I prepared some materials for this Fulbright Specialist project before I left Kansas City, but I’m finding I need to revise a lot now that I know the culture and research knowledge here.

Tales of Tall Towers, Yurts and Eagles!

The view from on top of the tower

Day 17: It is still cold, so my hiking trip was postponed. With the weekend free, I decided to take a guided trip to Issyk Kyl Lake, the world’s second-largest alpine lake. Because it never freezes, it is considered a “warm lake.” Nearly everyone I’ve met has suggested I visit the lake and surrounding area.

I was very fortunate my guide to Ala Archa, Alex, was able to arrange a trip on short notice. He couldn’t take me, so he sent his friend Bakyt, who is from Kyrgyzstan. Because it is a long (three- to- four-hour) trip, they arranged a few stops to break up the drive.
First, we visited Burana Tower, a minaret with religious and military significance from the Ninth to 11th centuries. Around the tower is an open-air museum with grave markers, petroglyphs, and stone tools from the area and time when the tower was prominent.


The integrity of the stones and tower were impressive given the age. Views from the top of the tower are beautiful, but the stairs are very steep and narrow. On the way back to the car, I stopped to listen to a mountain stream. One of my favorite things about this area is how many streams there are running through the mountains and city.

Next, we stopped for lunch at an area with a few roadside restaurants. After walking through several to talk to the cooks, Bakyt chose a table outside because they had the food he wanted me to try ready.

There were several stoves in front of the restaurants and Bakyt explained they were all making tea. We had a special bread made only in the area of Kyrgyzstan near Konchorek Canyon. We dipped the warm, buttery bread in a fresh cream mixture as we ate. I’m growing accustomed to eating from a shared plate, but Bakyt made a special request for an extra plate for me this meal. Around me, everyone else ate from shared plates or from a napkin. All the tables had baskets of boiled eggs in the middle. I had one with my bread and tea, making the perfect lunch before hiking.

While we ate, a large group came looking for tables. One of the men had a bottle of vodka and box of juice. Bakyt said they were headed to a party, and I gathered this was their “pre-party.” The tables were full, so the men sat on the floor at one table and the women at another tall table. They were boisterous, fun and I heard “American” several times. Bakyt helped us share a few words.

After lunch, we headed to Konchorek Canyon/Boom Gorge. The area was very different from Ala-Archa National Park, arid with dry brush on the trails. We walked along a mostly dry river bed much of the way. There were a few places we needed to climb to stay on the path, so I was grateful to have an experienced guide.

Bakyt is the only person I’ve hiked with that likes to keep a fast pace, which I prefer. Bakyt said it is typically a three-hour hike, but we finished in two. Though we walked briskly, there was plenty of time to take pictures of the beautiful red rock formations along the way. We were lucky the weather had warmed up and we had a beautiful, sunny day for hiking. We saw no other hikers, so it was very relaxing. It felt good to be moving briskly after sitting at a computer most of the week.

The drive to Issyk Kul Lake felt short after our hike. Little did I know we had a long way ahead to reach our accommodations for the night. We had a beautiful drive along the lake for about an hour. The pastures were full of cows, horses, sheep, and even one camel. The drive was slow in places as Bakyt navigated pot holes and animals in the road.

Eventually, we turned off the main road to meet the owner of the home where we would stay. It was growing dark and the home is in a remote area of the mountains that is difficult to find if you are not from the area. We left Bakyt’s car at a farm near the main road and rode the rest of the way with the Aitbek, the home owner. We had another half hour on a country dirt road driving 2-3 mph to avoid ruts and rocks.

The “guest house” where I stayed was the family home. Aitbek and his family moved out of their room for Bakyt, and I shared the living room with Anja, who was on volunteer work exchange from Poland. The family has a Yurt Camp on their property, but it is closed for the winter. The Yurt Camp has shower and bathroom (with Western toilet!), but it is also closed since the pipes can’t withstand the cold. I was told we would “use nature” instead.

The home itself has no indoor plumbing and is heated with a coal stove in the main room. The other rooms do not have heat, but have thick walls. Just outside the front door is a sink with mirror and grooming supplies. The water is heated on the stove and poured into a reservoir for hand washing and grooming.

When we arrived, the women were making beshbarmek, the traditional noodle dish with horsemeat I’ve had a few times. I was hungry and happy to help prepare the dish. Dinner was a traditional meal of horse meat, beshbarmak, salads, and breads. It was served in the family room where it was warm with seating on chairs and the floor surrounding a coffee table. It was a true family meal with grandma, both parents and two children inviting me, Bakyt and Anja to eat with them. The men were working to put the animals away, so they joined us after the meal had begun. Most of the conversation was in Kyrgyz, with Bakyt translating to English only when the family wanted to share information with me. It was a long meal (an hour and a half), and I was getting tired, especially since I could not engage in conversation. Afterward, I offered to help clean, but the hosts declined.

I sat with Grandma watching the Kyrgyz version of American Idol. Bakyt found it funny that she knew every modern pop star when he quizzed her. Around 10, I headed for bed in the VERY cold room I was sharing with Anja. I put on every piece of clothing I had with me and even with 2 pairs of socks needed to wrap a scarf around my feet. The bedding was more comfortable than in my apartment, and I shed some layers as I warmed up. Because there was no indoor bathroom, I was careful to have only a little tea with dinner.

 Even so, by 4:30 a.m. I had to make a trip outside. It was pitch black in the house, and I couldn’t find my phone to light the way, but I was able to make it out without waking anyone. When I opened the door to the clearest night I have ever seen, it felt like a gift rather than a burden to use the restroom outside. The stars were so bright and felt so close it was like I could touch them. It didn’t even feel that could when surrounded by such beauty. I wish I’d had my phone to attempt a picture, but I’m sure it wouldn’t capture what I was seeing.

Day 18: The next morning, I woke with the animals. I could hear the cows and another loud persistent sound that I guessed to be eagles. It was very cold, so I kept on the clothes I slept in and added some layers.

Breakfast was eggs, horse
meat, breads, jams, and some of the fruits and nuts from the night before. It was nice that we all ate together again. After breakfast, the Aitbek changed to traditional dress to show us how he trains his eagles for hunting. I was disappointed I missed the show they put on for tourists the night before, but this was much better! He and his son, Saladin, went out to prepare the animals for training.

Aitbek is a fourth generation eagle hunter, and Saladin is the fifth generation of his family learning the tradition. With Saladin on horseback and his father carrying the eagle, we walked away from the farm so the eagle would not be tempted to attack the domestic animals. The eagle’s eyes were covered to save his energy for hunting. I was surprised at how loud and insistent the eagle’s vocalizations were. The hunter explained that for the first five years eagles call for their mothers, even if they are in the wild. He also explained that eagles are either incubated, hatched and trained from birth, or captured in the wild and trained for hunting. A good eagle, with a brave heart will hunt for 10-15 years before being released. They can live many more years, the hunter said up to age 50.

Most hunting eagles are female as they are bigger and more aggressive hunters than male eagles. As the bird trained, it was apparent he had a strong bond with the hunter. Training included being placed on a rock and coming when called, attacking a fox pelt drug behind a horse, and hunting a live rabbit.

Training only takes place when the eagle needs to eat, and if the eagle eats a whole rabbit it will not eat again for three days. The eagle is trained to guard the prey until the hunter gives a command to release it or eat. While I didn’t love watching a rabbit killed, I appreciate it is a natural food chain and the training allows the family to keep an important tradition alive for future generations.

I observed a strong connection and between the eagle and hunter, as well as respect for all the animals. After training, I got to hold the eagle and found it to be quite heavy (10-13 pounds). We took turns holding the eagle and taking pictures. All this took place with a stunning backdrop of snowy mountains and Issyk Kul Lake in the distance.

After eagle training, I sat with grandma as we waited to return to town. Because of my background in therapy, people often ask me health questions. I noticed the night before Grandma was short of breath and had a deep cough. She has symptoms of COPD or emphysema and seems very uncomfortable at times. Through Bakyt and Anja we talked about some treatments available in the United States. There is very little access to health care in the remote villages, so it makes me sad that grandma is uncomfortable and her health is unlikely to improve.

Aitbek drove us to pick up Bakyt’s car. Anja, Saladin and his falcon rode with us. Aitbek and Saladin said eagle and falcon hunting help keep things interesting during the long winter. Saladin’s falcon had been captured just 10 days before and was already calm for the drive and quite well trained for hunting.

Our next stop was to visit a yurt builder. His work area was all outdoors and he showed me the equipment and process for creating the yurt’s wood frame. He steams the wood in a long metal container so it is pliable, then bends it into shape. He then shaves the bark to clean it and paints it red. Traditionally they used the red earth to color the wood, but now the wood is painted.

He also showed me how cow hide connects the wood to create the accordion framework for the yurt’s perimeter. He builds the frame, but relies on another craftsman for the handmade felt. He had a couple of examples of wool felt for me to feel. Inside, his wife demonstrated how to weave the bands that bind and decorate the yurt. She used a traditional loom to create a decorative interior band. She was also very patient to teach me the art.

It took us about 20 minutes to weave 3 inches of the band. Though I know she is much quicker alone, she must spend as much time weaving as her husband does creating the frame. There were 2 stacks of yurt bands/trim each about 3-4 feet high for one yurt, and she wasn’t done! I also got to help strap together the frame of a yurt replica they use to educate guests. Though I was a bit disappointed I didn’t get to see a full-size yurt, I was impressed with the time and skill invested in creating one. After the demonstration, Bakyt needed directions to the lake, and the yurt builder drew the best route on the dirt road. No internet or cell connection for Google Maps here!

We had a brief stop to the lake to take some pictures. The water felt like it was in the low 60’s and was very calm. I would love to swim in it! The air temperature was still chilly (40s-50s), so I would need some warm clothes and a hot drink when I got out. Maybe next time!

 Issyk Kul apples are known to be the best Kyrgyzstan, so Bakyt stopped to buy some for his family. I took a few pictures of the typical homes, barns and animals while he was making his purchase. The area is very pretty. We resumed our trip home and I took a few pictures of the pastures filled with cows, horses, sheep, and even a camel.

   Again, we ran into many animals in the road making our return through the country slow. When we reached the highway, it still felt slow as Bakyt carefully obeyed the speed limit. There were a lot of police along the way flagging down motorists and issuing tickets. Bakyt made a comment that he wouldn’t mind if the money went to the government, but he didn’t appreciate the luxury cars and large homes of the police. He is not the first to imply corruption in the government.

About halfway, we stopped for lunch at a modern roadside cafeteria. Bakyt pointed out a separate room for drivers who get free meals when they stop with tour groups. I noticed this is one of the few places with a ramp for accessibility, but it is very steep and would still be a challenge for people with mobility challenges. Of course, I took a picture for my OT colleagues.

 After lunch we still had a long drive, so I dozed a bit. I woke up when we checked the tires. Fortunately, no problems on the way back to Bishkek. I’m glad I woke up because our drive took us along the Kazakhstan border. I was able to see two check points for border crossing, and barbed wire along the river that divides the two countries. As we neared Bishkek, the first thing I could see were the large smokestacks of an energy plant. This is the first time I noticed the pollution as the view of the mountains was hazy from the smoke.

I was happy to return to my apartment for internet and a nice warm shower. I was especially proud to conquer the washing machine. After a fun weekend, I am ready to get back to work.

More Lecture Prep and More Shopping

Day 16: So far, I have given 10 student lectures (4 scholarly writing, 3 Evidence-based practice/finding evidence, 2 research design, 1 autism), with one more evidence-based practice talk scheduled for psychology students next week.

Currently I’m working on adapting the evidence-based practice and scholarly writing talks for faculty. I also need to prepare talks on grant seeking/writing and teaching and motivating students to conduct research.

My final workshop will be a journal club format to critically appraise evidence. A lot of preparation ahead, but I am excited to present to faculty. I stayed at my apartment, thinking it would be quieter, but it is under construction so it is loud from morning until very late. I have heat and headphones, so I can get work done, and it is nice to give my driver a break.

In the afternoon, Eliza and I went shopping again – this time for curtains and rugs! The fabrics are amazing and you can get complete window dressings (sheers, drapes, tie backs, etc.), for $40-$80. There were some incredible, decorative sheers for less than $4. There were so many choices it was impossible for Eliza to choose.

We spent several hours comparing before deciding to take pictures and get her mother’s opinion. We were going to take a tea break to warm up (it was freezing and everything is outside!), but shops were closing, and we still wanted to see rugs. There were beautiful Asian and Turkish rugs of all sizes and qualities. I saw some gorgeous, big rugs I would love to bring home for my living room. Unfortunately, they won’t fit in the luggage, so I settled for a smaller remnant.

Eliza found a nice big rug for her mom’s home. We still had some shopping to do, so it was funny to drag the giant rug along with us. When we got cold, we had a nice dinner of laghman, kebab, samsa and tea. With Eliza, I enjoy the conversation even more than the food.

Neither of us have local phone numbers to use an app or call directly, so getting a taxi back was challenging. Eliza had her mom’s extra phone (not a smart phone) and called home to have her parents arrange a taxi. It never arrived, so I was grateful to be with a native speaker who easily found alternate transportation.