Bishkek

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Hello everyone! Happy belated Canada Day to all and happy early Fourth of July to sundry 😊 I did nothing for Canada Day, which is very sad, but I did tell everyone I know that it was Canada's national day and made their lives that much better for the information.

So, I have been here a week and a half. The culture shock is finally finished with (no crazy emotional roller coasters at the moment), although I still miss home etc. But I am now able to generally find my way around the city and am enjoying the food and all the new experiences, so that's good. I'm going to do 2 posts today because I have lots of pictures, and because Ala Archa National Park really deserves its own post.

So, to catch up. I am now taking Russian lessons every day with my own personal tutor, Anar, of whom I have no photos. And I'm teaching Monday, Wednesday, Friday for about 6 hours at the American School (run by Kyrgyz people). Apparently there is also a Canadian School in Bishkek (and a London School, and probably many others) but I didn't know about that one before I
Kyrgyz national museum
signed my contract so I can't work there. I have had one day of classes so far, and thank goodness it's only conversational English because if not I would have been sunk. As it was, I don't think the elementary class was too impressed with my Russian language and English teaching skills. Ah well, live and learn (how to teach, in this case).

So, the pics for this post. The first, very dark one, is the outside of my apartment (Nazgul's apartment) with a few children playing outside. Then comes the Kyrgyz National Museum and someone walking in the fountain; in higher than 40 degree C weather, I was about ready to join him!

The next pictures are from the Osh Bazaar, a huge outdoor market with some buildings as well. I'm so glad that Nazgul took me as I'd have gotten lost. I probably will get lost when I go back. You can buy anything there; I've included pictures of the national Kyrgyz bread (I love it!), fresh fruit, spices (the smells there are so interesting and mixed), nuts and dried fruit (I got a special price for my hazelnuts and dried apples, or so the man
getting cooled down... wish I was
told me, everyone wanted me to try everything, I guess they think that I have money to spare), about 20 different kinds of rice, the meat market and the fat that they sell by itself, and the honey. I loved the honey, and had never had so many different kinds of honey! Fresh, old, from different places... 😊

And then there's Nazgul and myself in her apartment. She is washing the Russian fish, and then removed the caviar (which has its own picture). So I had the caviar right out of the fish. And then we ate the fish raw. Apparently it has already been prepared (I think it might be Russian salt herring or something), but still, I felt it was deserving of its own picture. It actually didn't taste that bad.

And lastly, there's the picture of the kids in the car after swimming; Djika, Altinai and Asad (Nazgul's nieces and her son). We had lots of fun in the public swimming pool, except that this time the water was freezing so we didn't stay in long.

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Comments

[Ashwati]

Hello darling! The pictures are all fabulous and it sounds like you're settling in and having a great time. I'm jealous. The country looks gorgeous!