It has been almost 6 months since I left Central Asia, so I've had a lot of time to process my thoughts and put on some rose-coloured glasses. If being nostalgic was a resume-worthy skill, I would have employers tripping over each other to hire me, but unfortunately it's not. Life in Central Asia was not always easy and at the end of May I was ready to get the heck out of there, but I had some amazing experiences too.
Things I miss:
Frequent weekend trips away to small villages with beautiful scenery and traditional ways of life
Lagman and plov, staple foods of Central Asia, when done well (the greasy/fatty/bony versions don't make this list)
Old men in hats, be it a kalpak or an Uzbek skull cap
The gritty sound of Kyrgyz coming from round babushkas with a full set of gold teeth
Being able to cheaply buy everything under the sun at Osh Bazar
Having students with conversational English to chat with
The starry night sky over Lake Issyk-Kul
Soviet cars
Eating on a tapchan
Yurts
Buying tea by the pot for less than a dollar
Flat-rate taxis
Speaking Russian
Being connected to local culture
4-day work weeks and 14:30 starts
A 30-second commute to work
Soviet blocks
Outdoor activities/festivals like Ulak-tartysh (dead sheep/goat polo) and eagle hunting
Crisp fall weather with the smell of wood/charcoal stove smoke in the air
Donkeys, donkeys, and more donkeys
Knowing that everything I saw, did, or ate was interesting and exotic to people back home who had no knowledge Kyrgyzstan
Now, this doesn't mean I'm going to pack up and head back to Bishkek on the next plane, but I have been able to look beyond the negative memories that stuck firmly in my mind last spring as reasons for wanting to leave. I think I can finally keep the good times close to my heart without forgetting the bad memories and creating a perfect nostalgic Kyrgyzstan. I hope to return to Central Asia one day, but I'll make sure it's not to Bishkek in winter.
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