Day
2: The father of one of the international office staff is driving me around
during my stay. He picked me up and delivered me to Ala-Too International
University. I spent the morning with the Director of International Programs,
Nurdin Kaparov, planning the talks/workshops I will give during my stay.
It was
National Teacher Day, so I was introduced to the faculty as part of the
celebration. The prime minister of education was at the
event and we had a celebratory lunch after.
I met
several of the Deans to learn their preferences and schedule talks. All are
friendly and welcoming and grateful to have me speak to their faculty and
students. A highlight for me was meeting the medical faculty. They have
developed a program to meet both Kyrgyz and Turkish standards and anticipate
their students will be qualified to take US board exams. They have admitted
only three classes so far, so have taught less than three years of their six-year
curriculum. I toured their classrooms and interacted with students. I regret I
did not take photos as they have quite modern equipment.
They have started
construction on a hospital that connects to the education classrooms. Their vision is to be a hospital of choice for Kyrgyz people and a
medical tourism destination for others. I will give talks about research and
autism to medical students and faculty. AIU has a desirable distance education
program, and I was invited to continue teaching remotely upon my return. At the
end of the work day, around 6:00, then Nurdin took me to exchange money, get Wi-Fi and eat. Wi-Fi is a challenge. We
went to two stores before purchasing a wingle (like a hot spot).
It took nearly
an hour to set it up with all the security settings on the computer. Everyone
was patient and helpful as it was VERY difficult for the tech support to
navigate the English instructions on my computer.
I was proud that I was able
to do some of the troubleshooting myself, thanks to Tim Hunt’s guidance over
the years. We had dinner at Kentucky Fried Chicken, which is apparently very
popular in Asia. The place was packed with no where to sit. I can’t remember
the last time I had KFC in the states, so I can’t compare.
I was grateful for
assistance navigating the grocery store. Many things are familiar or obvious,
but determining milk from yogurt drink and differences between brands is
challenging. The grocery was very modern and well stocked and included a liquor
section. I asked about liquor laws and learned drinking is well accepted.
Nurdin encouraged me to try Kyrgyz Congac, but I stuck with wine from Kyrgyz
instead. When I returned to the flat, military marched by again around 9. I
learned military service is required for 1 year. I think the soldiers must be
staying across from me as they train.
No comments:
Post a Comment