So I just passed the first big anniversary this week. July 7 marked my "one year in Kyrgyzstan" point. It´s crazy to think that it was only a year ago that I got off the plane in Bishkek and started this whole adventure. It´s also strange to think that it´s been a whole year -- time has been so strange that I can´t believe it either way. To celebrate this momentous occasion, I am in Spain. I´ve been here for about a week and a half, visiting with Aubrey, relaxing, and basking in the comfort of the first-world. This will be a nice break for me, getting me ready to start this second year. Everyone says that the second year flies by, so I´m sure before I know it, I´ll be back in America, with the lovely task of starting the next stage...
Spain has been amazing so far -- I´ve spent most of my time in Logroño, the capitol of the La Rioja region near the France border. It´s also the capitol of wine country, so I have been taking full advantage of that, the food, and the coffee. We´ve been hanging out with Aubrey´s friends, both Spanish and American, and having a great time. Aubrey works every morning, so I´ve spent a lot of time wandering on my own, which is fun. We had a party for the 4th at her friend Ben´s apartment, where we made sloppy joes and drank Budweiser. It doesn´t get much more American than that... She also took me to the town she lived in last year and a small town that is all about wine production. There are caves under the entire city to hold wine and we went on a tour of one of them.
We´re heading to Bilbao on Saturday, and I´m leaving for Kyrgyzstan on Sunday...
Otherwise the summer has been going great. The big visit from Mom and Dad went really well. They were troopers through my whole whirlwind tour of the country and even claim to have enjoyed themselves! It was great being able to see them and help them get closer to understanding what I´m doing now.
The rest of the summer will be more relaxing. Right after I get back from Spain, I´m working at a summer camp for 9th and 10th grade girls, then it´s back home for the month of August, which I plan on spending sweating and working on a grant with my counterpart.
I hope everyone is doing well!
Wish me luck on the next year...