I’ve reached the part of my service where things are becoming “the last…”. While my return to America is far from a light at the end of a tunnel (and I don’t want it to be quite yet), but my time here is feeling more finite now. This week marked my last Kyrgyz Independence Day (August 31) and my last first day of school (September 1).
It’s strange to watch such a young country celebrate its independence. There were signs all around town saying “Kyrgyzstan 18 years”. I’m older than the country I live in! Coming from America, that just feels strange for me… It’s also odd to watch the celebrations coming from the only country that voted to stay in the Soviet Union 18 (19?) years ago. Does that mean that Kyrgyzstan is now the Soviet Union? Sounds impressive. The celebrations are very Kyrgyz… The main street was blocked off near the park in town, and different organizations set up yurts around the park and the square near it. There were families eating and wandering around the whole area, enjoying the festivities and the last day of summer for the children.
The next day was the annual “first bell” ceremony. Students, teachers, and administrators gathered, as we did in the spring for the “last bell”, in a big circle. The 2nd -10th grades were already lined up around the edges of the circle. Then the 11th grade processed in, celebrating the beginning of their last year. They were followed by the 1st grade, celebrating their first first day of school. There were speeches and processing; the 11th grade classes gave the 1st graders presents (notebooks mostly), then an 11th grade boy carried a 1st grade girl on his shoulder while she rang a bell. They were followed by the Kyrgyz flag, and then the 11th form walked the 1st grade to their classrooms. This was followed by a brief period of chaos, and then homeroom meetings. After the ceremony, I was swarmed by some of my favorite girls from last year (now in 10th grade), which reminded me of how much I like them and got me very excited for the new year. They were very excited to hear that I had pushed for the club I promised them last year. One day a week, I will have “girls’ club” for the older girls just to hang out, answer their questions, talk, watch movies. It will be pretty much whatever they want, with no lesson planning or official work from any of us. They’re also very excited to work for the ACCELS (a US program that sends high schoolers to America for a year of high school) test that is in a few weeks. It’s a really selective program, but I hope some of my students at least make it past the first few rounds of elimination.
The next few weeks will be confusing and frustrating, since the schedule isn’t even written yet and no one knows what’s going on. By October, we should be settled better into a routine that we may even stick to for a month or so. Like much of working in Kyrgyzstan, this month will benefit from the mantra we’ve developed: “embrace the chaos”.
Otherwise, things have been going as usual. I finished three seasons of Alf, made myself a dress (completely sewn by hand!), read three books, and did god knows what else to make it through the doldrums of summer with my sanity intact. I’m definitely excited to have school starting and order in my life again.








So Mom may be the only one to understand just how glorious this is, but I can now take a (brief) hot shower and refrigerate my food at the same time! Double outlets are pretty impressive.

Happy Independence Day, Kyrgyzstan!

Yeah, that's a McDonald's umbrella. It appears to be Chinese or something. The people under it will take your picture, but have no McDonald's to offer.

The best way to show your Kyrgyz pride? Tie an American flag bandana around your kid's head.

Yurts set up along the street to celebrate...

Boys playing a favorite game involving the throwing of sheep's knees. Fights usually break out pretty fast. The police were there to watch.

Another celebratory yurt

The fountain in the middle of the city. If you look closely, you'll see naked or nude colored underwear-clad boys swimming and sunning themselves.

The top of the flag pole at my school's first bell ceremony is the soviet hammer, sickle, and star. It's obviously more than 18 years old. I don't think anyone else notices how funny these things are.