New Village

New update! It's the same post but last time I forgot to put my zip code on my new address...its there now down at the bottom so, enjoy...

I writing you all from my new village, Internacionalnoye (or as most people here call it, Pervo Mai, The 1st of May), from the house of the computer teacher, Tukan, who runs an internet cafe out of his guest house. Needless to say this is quite convenient for me and this is already my second time to visit his house since I came to the village three days ago. Along with the village children who come to play video games, I will be his best customer I'm sure.

Pervo Mai is a small village about 15 kilometers outside of the county center Kant (which many of you know to be where I have been receiving mail during training). I can take a 10 com (25 cent) bus ride to Kant and then another 10 com bus from there to Bishkek every hour.

My new family is great, although I think I'll always be partial to my training family...there's a certain bond you form with people that you only communicate with through charades for 2 to 3 weeks. My new dad is actually the vice principal of the school and is considered the village artist. He sells his paintings in Bishkek and also painted all the murals in the school and also creates educational placards that he hangs in all the classrooms. He is extremely dedicated. As a young man he also played the drums, electric guitar, bass, mandolin, and komuz (national instrument of Kyrgyzstan). He was in a rock n' roll band and had long hair in the 70's (I saw pictures, he was pretty badass). My mom also works at the school and has very short hair dyed red. They have one little ten year old girl who might speak better English than me.

This brings me to my next topic, my new school. It is a public secondary school called Ak-Tilek and is well known for its highly motived students. It consistently sends many graduates to universities in Bishkek. All the students, from 5th to 10th grade, study English. And from what I have seen so far, they are extremely talented. Last night, one of the students came to my house and asked if I could help her because she had a test the next day (everyone here gets really excited when they hear a new American is in town). I tried to help her the best I could, but twice she corrected my grammar. I feel I have my work cut out for me. I need to brush up on my English, but I guess why ten year old sister can help me.

Also, I went to Kant today to open a bank account and everyone was speaking Russian. I knew that was the case in the north but now it seems a little frightening. I will begin studying Russian on my own immediately. Luckily, my friend Charlie who lives in the neighboring village of Yurevka is studying Russian so he may be able to guide me.

My new address is:
Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz Republic)
Chui Oblast
Issik-Ata Region
Internacionalnoye Village (Pervo Mai)
4 Karl Marx Street, 722142

You may begin sending mail there immediately.
No pictures have as yet been posted, but hopefully Ryan and Patrick are on it.
All is good in Central Asia right now and I have a banya tonight, so I'm pretty pumped.

Peace,
Rick