Blogs from Uzbekistan, Asia - page 27

My counterpart- Teaching is going really well. My counterpart has continued to prove herself to be not only one of the best teachers in the school but has really made my time here so far a bit more comfortable. Probably since she has had two other volunteers and they have helped her understand the little things that we do, say and feel that seem so odd to most Uzbeks. But beyond that, she is an awesome person, very inspiring (more later). The kids- The kids are great. I'm teaching 1 6th, 5th and 4th, 2 3rd, and 5 2nd forms (grades). The 6th form is an awesome group. Really smart kids and they want to learn. They are on the "English Track" which means they are a specialized group, focusing on English (4 classes a week). ... read more

And by this I mean... There is this weed that is some what sacred here in Uzbekistan. The name of it escapes me but people burn it for numerous reasons. Or hang it outside of doorways, which I would much rather prefer because this stuff has a horrible, horrible smell. I really like all these folksy ways the people here live by. I get a kick out of it and some of it I honestly buy into, there was medicine and ways of healing before modern medicine but this, this aint one of them. Its used allot out in the villages (lucky me), very traditional. Its used when people are sick in the home and to generally ward away sickness and evil spirits. And although my Opa is Russian, for some reason she totally is into ... read more

11:00 p.m., Wednesday night. Last night in SavHos. I'm sadder than I thought I would be. Or rather, I have tried not to give it too much thought. So Im really just rolling with it today. I just got my marching orders, "Visa, in hand. Tomorrow, 9 am, report to the main PC office and by 1 pm, we will have you on your way to Jizzakh." First thought, 'wow, Im really going.,' second thought, 'shit, gotta pack.' We have been waiting here, futzing around for the last week and a half waiting to get our g.d. Visas, wondering when and if, and I think that screwed a bunch of us up. A momentary hick-up in frame of mind. As of now, half of us have them, half are expected to get theirs later this week. ... read more

I am sitting in my room right now, overwhelmed by some of this weeks events. And it's Wednesday. I have to say, it didn't start off well. Navrous holiday was this week, Monday was the official holiday. It is the Persian New Year but mainly known as the first of spring (the kids also don't have school all this week yea, so it's spring break. Nothing new, same as in the states but it starts off with a bang of a shindig). So my family had a guest over for holiday dinner and he was to put it simply, an ass. This is a bit of a delicate subject to be treading on because, as with any other unfamiliar culture, its all very hard to understand if your not here experiencing it. In Uz drinking vodka ... read more

So this past Sunday I had a fantastic day. I made dinner for my family. But first, few of us played basketball in the A.M. against a local high school girls team. Man, that was quite a site. Poor Miquela, who played in high school herself and was damn good, had told her school that she and some other volunteers would play and on Friday a bunch of volunteers said the couldn't make it for sundays game, so the reserves stepped in (aka, the "I dont know how but if you need bodies, were there" troops). Imagine that old soviet blood, sweat and tears work ethic applied to 15U girls basketball and you got the team we played. For any of you who know me at all, I was not the worst player, so imagine our ... read more