My wisdom teeth are coming in and they have started to hurt me. A lot. I do NOT want to go to a dentist here for many reasons. 1) I don't want to end up with gold teeth. 2) I have lots of cavities AND need 4 wisdom teeth out, and probably can't afford all that, even if it is super cheap compared to America. 3) I can't take off from work so I'd have no time to recover. 4)I hate dentists full stop. 5) Kyrgyz healthcare in general. 6) I don't know any dental vocabulary in Russian. 7) My dentist at home said that my teeth are impacted and my mouth is small that it will be a very difficult operation for even the best American surgeon.
So it would be a disaster all around, but I don't know where I would get better care. Istanbul? Mike said that Hungary has good cheap dentistry, so maybe I can wait until September or so and pop into Europe from Turkey? Who knows. Blah.
Mike and I are leaving on a week's holiday on Saturday and going around Issyk-Kul. Hopefully Friday night we're going to see our friends' band playing. Then there's only one month left of teaching, which makes me sad! I love all my students now and I feel like I'm really getting into teaching. Hopefully we can find jobs in Istanbul that are as good as this one!
Winter is back again. It's gloomy and cold. I really want to get out of Bishkek!
Our boss is taking us to Issyk-Kul the 3rd weekend in May as a going away celebration, which should be great fun. Not sure yet where...
Crazy that I've been here 7.5 months! Where has the time gone?!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Updates!
Well, it's been ages since I've written. There is just really so much nothing going on here that I haven't bothered.
Spring appears to have come and gone. It's been cold, dreary, and rainy for the past 4 or 5 days, and I'm back to teaching in mittens and sweaters since the heat was turned off by the government at the end of March.
In a week and a half we have a much needed holiday, and Mike, Kole and I are taking a trip around Lake Issyk-Kul. No cemented plans on where exactly we're going to stop, but we're hopefully going to find a yurt to stay in, and drink some fermented mare's milk finally.
My friend from college, Jon, and his family are coming to Kyrgyzstan in a few weeks! They are actually coming to visit some friends in Osh, but they're going to spend a few hours or maybe a day with me in Bishkek, so that will be great! A friendly face from home, a cute kid to play with, AND someone to talk linguistics with! Woo!
Nooruz holiday came and went. It is one of the biggest holidays celebrated in Central Asia, so Mike and I went to the main square to watch the celebratory festivities. It was actually not all that interesting. We drank symolok, which is the national Nooruz drink. It's wheat and sugar mush basically. Not too great.
There was a performance in the main square of children waving pom-poms, children dancing traditional dances, people dressed like animals dancing... and President Bakiev gave a speech. It was the first time I had ever seen a President actually in the flesh with my own eyes. He was a long way away and I didn't understand anything he was saying, but it was still cool to take pictures of a real President! But other than that, not much happened for the holiday.
Mike and I bought travelling backpacks at the bazaar. Now the problem will be when it comes time to pack, as I really do have a lot of stuff. I came here with 2 suitcases, 50 lbs each. And now I'll be leaving with just one measly backpack. What to do what to do!
Now that I only have less than 7 weeks in Kyrgyzstan, I'm starting to really like the place! My students this month are really great, weather (had been) getting better, and the leaves are out! I guess once it gets to be 40 degrees Celsius I'll be glad to be leaving.
Mike lost or had his camera stolen, so he'll have to buy another before we head to the Pamirs!
We've decided 100% that we are going to Istanbul in August, and we're planning on just showing up and getting a job once we get there, but we're still applying online in the off-chance we get something before we arrive.
Mike has been my roommate now for a few weeks, and we have a nice living room where we can hang out, watch TV, and socialize with the few friends we have here.
Well, this has been mundane, but an update of some sort I guess is better than nothing. In a few weeks there'll be lots to tell because we'll have been on a week holiday!
Happy Belated Easter to everyone.
Spring appears to have come and gone. It's been cold, dreary, and rainy for the past 4 or 5 days, and I'm back to teaching in mittens and sweaters since the heat was turned off by the government at the end of March.
In a week and a half we have a much needed holiday, and Mike, Kole and I are taking a trip around Lake Issyk-Kul. No cemented plans on where exactly we're going to stop, but we're hopefully going to find a yurt to stay in, and drink some fermented mare's milk finally.
My friend from college, Jon, and his family are coming to Kyrgyzstan in a few weeks! They are actually coming to visit some friends in Osh, but they're going to spend a few hours or maybe a day with me in Bishkek, so that will be great! A friendly face from home, a cute kid to play with, AND someone to talk linguistics with! Woo!
Nooruz holiday came and went. It is one of the biggest holidays celebrated in Central Asia, so Mike and I went to the main square to watch the celebratory festivities. It was actually not all that interesting. We drank symolok, which is the national Nooruz drink. It's wheat and sugar mush basically. Not too great.
There was a performance in the main square of children waving pom-poms, children dancing traditional dances, people dressed like animals dancing... and President Bakiev gave a speech. It was the first time I had ever seen a President actually in the flesh with my own eyes. He was a long way away and I didn't understand anything he was saying, but it was still cool to take pictures of a real President! But other than that, not much happened for the holiday.
Mike and I bought travelling backpacks at the bazaar. Now the problem will be when it comes time to pack, as I really do have a lot of stuff. I came here with 2 suitcases, 50 lbs each. And now I'll be leaving with just one measly backpack. What to do what to do!
Now that I only have less than 7 weeks in Kyrgyzstan, I'm starting to really like the place! My students this month are really great, weather (had been) getting better, and the leaves are out! I guess once it gets to be 40 degrees Celsius I'll be glad to be leaving.
Mike lost or had his camera stolen, so he'll have to buy another before we head to the Pamirs!
We've decided 100% that we are going to Istanbul in August, and we're planning on just showing up and getting a job once we get there, but we're still applying online in the off-chance we get something before we arrive.
Mike has been my roommate now for a few weeks, and we have a nice living room where we can hang out, watch TV, and socialize with the few friends we have here.
Well, this has been mundane, but an update of some sort I guess is better than nothing. In a few weeks there'll be lots to tell because we'll have been on a week holiday!
Happy Belated Easter to everyone.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Hair Cut
I got a haircut last week, just a trim, and it turned out just as I wanted, even though I realized I had absolutely no haircutting vocabulary in Russian. I just mimed everything and it was fine.
The space bar doesn't work well at this computer so that's all for now. This afternoon a bunch of teachers are going to play some basketball! Finally some exercise :)
Spring is here to stay, leaves are out and it's warm!
The space bar doesn't work well at this computer so that's all for now. This afternoon a bunch of teachers are going to play some basketball! Finally some exercise :)
Spring is here to stay, leaves are out and it's warm!
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