Rollin'

Autumn has arrived in Toktogul. Leaves are turning yellow, the evenings are crisp and cool, and I’ve been eating apples by the bucketload. People are busy with school, with the harvests and the many parties and celebrations that go along with the harvests. And, at long last, I’m busy too.

The Kyrgyz word for summer is jai, which literally means “slow” and certainly described my life for much of the past few months. Everyone—Peace Corps staff, other volunteers, my host family, my work counterparts—told me to chill out over the summer, to rest, to meet people, improve my language, read a few books, get extra sleep. And I did, repressing the ultra-American/Seifert part of me that likes to have 80 things on my plate and move at 100 mph at all times.

Now though, as kyz (just means “autumn.” No cool double meaning) rolls in, things are picking up for me, and I’m excited. I’m forming a “Youth Health Educator” group, and spent much of the past week visiting local schools to recruit students. Two high school students from each of the four schools in Toktogul have been selected be in my group. We’ll identify pressing health issues for youth here, create lessons and activities to implement in the local schools. My eight students are stellar; we have our first meeting on Monday and I can’t wait.

I’m also teaching four hours of English club per week at a local high school. I constantly get requests to teach English and I mostly agreed to do the club in hopes that some of the haranguement would subsist. But yesterday was my first club, and it felt so good to be back in the classroom. It made me miss my days teaching at good ole Marshall High School last winter! My students are very sweet, and I think that forming relationships with them will help me integrate here. Plus, I plan to have a health bent to many of my English lessons and activities. So how’s that for, as the Kyrgyz say, “killing one rabbit with two bullets”?

Other news is that I’ve moved. No more IKEA palace, no more shower, no more sweet little Malika luring me out to play with her by telling me it’s dinner time (she’s smart, that one, and I fell for it every time). The grandmother in my previous host family fell ill and had to move in, along with other relatives to care for her, and they couldn’t host me anymore. I understood, and now I’m living with another host family. They are great, too—my host “parents” are only 25 and 26; they have an infant son and their 11-year-old nephew lives with them as well.

I really like my new place. Because my hosts are about my age, our relationship is very relaxed. They’re very interested in learning about American culture, and teaching me about theirs. I feel very comfortable in my new space, and have been doing a lot of cooking, which has been great. PLUS, they have a banya, my most favorite way to sweat it out and get clean.

That’s about the update, friends. The weather's changed here, things are rolling along, and overall life is ever so good. Hoping you’re all well, and sending my love.