61 Days

Wednesday, January 20 2010

13:33

Today is the 61st day I’ve been out of Kazakhstan and my 3rd day out of Central Asia.  All parts of the trip have been amazing, particularly in thinking about how many people I’ve met, how many climates I’ve jumped through, and how generally smooth it has been.

Tajikistan

Our first stop was Tajikistan.  With two friends, we flew from Almaty to Dushanbe and then went up into the Pamir Mountains.  From the relative tropics of Dushanbe, we hit the minimal to no visibility of the Pamir Highway on one lane gravel roads that serve as the main transit route for huge trucks from China to Tajikistan, only a few meters from Afghanistan and a straight drop into the river dividing the countries.  Daytime on this route is fun, but since it’s often a 14 hour drive, during the Winter you can’t avoid traveling at night, and in our jeep, the lights started to go out while trucks were coming toward us and we were on the river side.  Fortunately, the driver got the lights on before the truck reached us.  The lights lasted for about 5 minutes, then flicked back off.  After an hour of this, you start to ignore the fact that you can’t see.  There’s no need to even shut your eyes since it’s absolute darkness anyways.  You know the river is somewhere nearby and as long as you stay dry, you know you’re okay.

Khorog, the capital of the Pamirs, is an educated city nestled in a mountain valley.  There’s a great deal of poverty and a huge level of unemployment, but the people were incredibly friendly.  After a day of delirious laying in bed and near the toilet from a bad apple, we met our driver and continued on through the Pamir Highway.  The driver, Aleishai, had a small Niva, my new favorite car.  This Russian jeep always looks like it’s going to fall apart.  But, when it breaks – as it did in the middle of the night in the middle of the mountains – a fix is always relatively easily possible.  After a stop for tea and a new engine belt in the mountains, we made it to Bulenkol, a village of around 200, near a beautiful mountain lake.  Tajik yak makes a great midnight meal.  The near universal phrase we heard from everyone from the moment we arrived in Tajikistan was, “Come back in the Spring and Summer, it’s warm and prettier then”.  In Bulenkol we found out why.  The lake is amazing in the Winter, but the 3 km hike starts to get a little chilly by the end of it.  Despite this, I wouldn’t trade our winter hike for a summer holiday anywhere on my travels.

The next day, we continued down the road another couple hundred kilometers to Murgab.  Murgab may have once been a city of factories, slight ethnic diversity (with its majority Kyrgyz population), and a friendly community for tourists, but when we were there the city was simply frozen.  All of the guesthouses were either closed or their one available room was busy due to only having one pechka (heater).  It seems the city received the message that we wanted an official greeting party, since when we went to the bazaar to find a place to stay, three military people surrounded the car, demanded our passports, and provided a nice introduction to Murgab hospitality.  After extraditing ourselves from that reception (with the help of a friend of theirs who drew their attention away), we again had an unsuccessful search.  As a last option, we went to the ACTED office.  One of their employees (who like everyone who works in the near deserted building, hasn’t been paid for at least a few months since ACTED stopped funding a program that was supposed to be sustainable but didn’t last) has a guesthouse and invited us to stay there, as long as we didn’t mind staying in the same room as some German guests.  The place worked out great and these GTZ guys were wonderful, as was the owner.  The next day we planned on camel trekking.  We learned, however, that camels (or at least their owners) don’t like winter, and were scattered around the mountain side.  Instead of driving another 60 km and waiting a day to possibly find the camels, we returned to Khorog and spent a few more days in the mountain capital.

The main problem with our return from Murgab was a lack of money.  Despite a huge investment from the Aga Khan Foundation, in regard to tourism as well as social investment, the banking system in Khorog is not as expansive as the mountains.  Coupled with the holiday, we had a financial crisis.  Between Meghan and I, we had enough money to either go to the Afghan bazaar or return to Dushanbe.  Since it was Saturday, the banks would be closed on Sunday.  But, we really wanted to go to this Afghan market and our driver clearly wanted to take us, as we had agreed to the night before.  When we met him in the morning, we shared our predicament.  Many people had said the banks would be open in the morning, until lunch, so we figured there would be no problem getting the money.  We were wrong.  Fortunately, our driver knew how to break into a bank.

He called a friend – or cousin – who works at the bank.  While we were waiting, another friend of his was walking by (we were standing in front of the only bank where our ATM cards had worked a few days before, and which also happens to be located next to a police station), and they decided to try to get the bank open.  Meghan and I are trying to look unassuming while Aleishai and his friend go through a back alley to what must be the back entrance to the bank.  After about 5 minutes, we cross to the other side of the street, by the Niva, to avoid standing right next to the police officers outside the station.  After another 10 minutes, our driver walks out the front door of the bank.  At least 5 bank staff are inside, waiting for us.  They turned on the ATM machine.  It started fine but even after 10 minutes, wouldn’t let us withdraw money.  They take us to another bank branch, down the street.  This branch has no ATM machine, but a card reader that they say should allow us to directly withdraw from a MasterCard.  Meghan is the only one with a MasterCard, so we run her card through the machine 3 or 4 times.  They can’t get any money out.  We go back to the other bank for one more try.  The ATM works.

Every Saturday, there’s an open bazaar between the Tajik and Afghan borders that requires crossing into a neutral zone between the countries, with no visa needed.  The Saturday we were there was Kurban Eid, a holiday that many thought would entail all bazaars being closed.  We decided to risk it  Driving with Aleishai, we went to the Afghan border.  The bazaar was closed so we couldn’t cross.  But, the Tajik border guards were very friendly – and bored – agreeing to a small photo session, and even smiling for the pictures.

Some pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/pteicher/

A Very Delayed Day 1 (Dushanbe, Tajikistan)

The last 28 days I have been traveling around two countries in Central Asia: Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.  The trip has been amazing in many ways and very cold at parts.  Winter is beautiful here, but tourists are not common.  The first response to meeting anyone - in a taxi, at the bazaar, in a guest house, while riding hourses – is “Come back in the summer, it’s beautiful then.”  I’m sure it’s true, but it’s been very nice being the only tourists in a city and mountain roads, being practically alone on mountain trails, and having lakeside gazebos to ourselves.

Tomorrow, we cross the border into Uzbekistan from Kyrgyzstan to enter my third post-Peace Corps country.  Appropriately, below is the first update on my travels.  I’m only 28 days behind.  At some point I’ll catch-up to the present.  I anticipate minimal Internet access the next few weeks, but please send e-mails and I’ll reply when I can.

Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Years.

–

Tuesday, December 1 2009

Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Prior to arriving in Tajikistan, I had very little idea about the country, outside of the general impression of poverty that sticks to its name whenever you hear its name in Central Asia.  We flew into Dushanbe from Almaty on Friday, November 20 on SCAT Airlines.  I flew with this company once before, when my family visited Kazakhstan in July 2008.  The quality has not changed in this time.  The flight still felt like the name sounds.  Fortunately, registration and boarding was much calmer than the pushing that categorized the Kazakhstani boarding process.

In the airport, we were joined by a large collection of what appeared to be Afghan migrant workers flying home.  There was nothing abnormal about this, except the Kazakh men standing in front of the group, giving directions to the clearly confused and non-Russian and Kazakh speaking group.  This group, however, did not fly to Tajikistan with us but likely left on the flight to Kabul soon after.

Although we were assigned seats on our flights, these numbers and letters are more loose suggestions that are completely ignored.  It was a 30-person propellor plane where passengers took their seats on a first-come, first-serve basis.  We flew over the mountains, left the cold of Almaty and arrived in what seemed like the Tajik tropics.  The weather was much too hot for our heavy winter jackets, providing a nice first impression of Tajikistan, at least until we reached the door of the airport and customs processing.

Our arrival coincided with at least one other international flight.  There were no Customs lines, simply Customs globs.  People surged forward, moved a few meters, surged again, stopped, then pushed up in tiny steps.  Fortunately, the daughter of my former Russian tutor’s good friend (from her Russian teaching time in Angola) works at the Dushanbe airport, met us and expedited our Customs process.  Three minutes later, on the other side of the globs, we were waiting for our luggage.  The international terminal has two luggage carrousels, neither of which are labeled with their flight.  The four of us jumped between carrousels, eventually found our luggage, dragged it past the always-present Central Asian baggage check men, and searched for our acquaintance whom we had arranged to meet us at the airport.

There had been a miscommunication about AM and PM.  Since this acquaintance had the keys to the apartment we planned to stay in, we took a taxi to a guest house where an Almaty friend works with the owner.  The taxi driver, however, initially took us to another hotel as we were deciding where to go, at which point we directed him to the new location.  He didn’t know where the guest house was, so we called.  He misunderstood the directions.  After about 10 minutes in the car, we arrive at the big gates of the guest house, about a ten minute walk from the Dushanbe Tsum (The Former Soviet Union everything store). The taxi driver, flummoxed that he stopped for 10 seconds at the first hotel and then drove an extra two kilometers, insisted on raising his price.  In the end, we split the difference, paying a little extra but not close to the additional 30 somoni he demanded.

This first taxi experience was not representative of Tajikistan taxis overall.  Dushanbe has multiple public transportation options.  Since central Dushanbe is walkable, within the center, transportation is rarely an issue.  As we found when we went to the JDC office, however, when you go to the microregions, the city expands.  Fortunately, in a city of only 80,000 people, even the furthest microregion is not that far.

Option 1: the bus – specific routes, lots of space for people, standing and sitting, runs from the morning through evening, 1 somoni.

Option 2: numbered Chinese marshutkas – fits around 10 passengers, set routes (although somewhat confusing as to go outside the Center, the same number seems to lead to different destinations), also morning to evening, 1 or 2 somoni.

Option 3: numbered shared taxis – set routes (same as the marshutkas), less people so greater comfort, quicker, morning to evening, 2 somoni.

Option 4: official taxi – call ahead, arrange pick-up and destination, anytime, at least 10 somoni.

Option 5: freelance street taxi – pick-up a taxi on the street (often with the “Taxi” sign, no implication that it’s a registered taxi, only that they want people to know they’ll take passengers), negotiate up-front, short trips, 5 somoni, longer trips minimum 10 somoni, to the microregions 15 somoni.  You pay by trip, not by the number of people.  Trips to/from the airport from the Center should cost between 10 and 15 somoni.

Tajikistan is much less expensive than Kazakhstan.  Our last night in Tajikistan, we went to a nice Steak House in central Dushanbe.  My juicy, properly cooked steak cost $10.  At a comparable restaurant in Almaty, the steak would be at least $30.  The cost differential is even more pronounced outside of Dushanbe.  In Khojand, the second largest city in the country and the capital of the most prosperous region, our dinners cost around $3 for a substantial meal of rabbit.

In addition to requiring less money, people in Tajikistan have change.  Kazakhstan is still working on this aspect of the open market.  Taxi drivers, kiosks, and proper stores all often have a small bills deficit in Kazakhstan.  Fortunately, this problem has not migrated south.  We paid for 5 somoni items with a 100 somoni bill – there was change with no argument.

Dushanbe

We shed our winter clothes and headed to meet our intended airport acquaintance, Patrick.  Joining me in Tajikistan have been two friends, Steffen – who teaches English in Aktobe and is doing research on Central Asia – and Meghan, who works at the Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia in Almaty.  Both Steffen and Meghan found a contact in Dushanbe independent of the other – Kim.  Kim is on the same fellowship on which Steffen previously held in another country.  Kim also works at the Eurasia Foundation in Dushanbe.  None of us knew that this Kim was the same person and Kim did not know that she was in touch with two people of the same travel group.  Fortunately for us, Kim was a wonderful hostess and let us crash at her apartment in the center of Dushanbe when we first arrived and throughout our time in Dushanbe.

Dushanbe’s buildings are beautiful.  The hulking Soviet buildings still occupy a number of blocks, but your focus invariably falls onto the more numerous three to four story brightly colored buildings.  These are also Soviet era, but in a much more relaxed style.

Compared to Almaty, the city feels and looks like a provincial regional capital.  The buildings are all low, there are no glass megaliths, and I have not seen one traffic jam.  There are very few hulking Soviet-era buildings (although a number of apartment buildings line Rudaki, the main street).  Rather, the city has a large collection of bright structures that look to be out of a colonial period.

All three of us arrived left Kazakhstan horribly sick.  Swine flu is not funny, but most of our jokes revolved around our possible fevers, painful coughs, and the need to look healthy until we cleared Customs.  My going away party the Thursday night before may have contributed to this feeling, as well.  In Dushanbe, the warm weather cleared my head, but the cough and weariness persisted.  We thought an elixir could be the Ecuadorian/Mexican restaurant for lunch.  Particularly as Kazakhstan has no good Mexican food, as soon as we dropped our luggage at the apartment, we dashed to the best Latin American food in Central Asia.  Surprisingly, we were not disappointed.  Unfortunately, we were all still worn out.

Все Актобе

2 года и 3 месяца закончились. Теперь я вернувшийся волонтер Корпуса мира, за исключением путешествия по Центральной Азии в течение четырех месяцев, и возвращение в Америку только в марте 2010 года. Мое официальное закрытие службы в Алматы было таким как я ожидал: документы, несколько встреч, а затем – я завершил службу в Корпусе Мира.
Последние дни в Актобе были более значимыми днями. Подготовка к отъезду началась около недели, полторы назад, когда я начал раскладывать мои вещи вокруг – те, что я оставляю в Актобе, вещи которые отправляю домой, и сопровождающие меня по крайней мере в Алматы. Затем началось прощание. “Золотое сердце” 3, Английский клуб Хеллоуин, вечерний Шаббат по пятницам, вечеринка “Helloween”, вечер кино с волонтерами в Мегацентре Актобе. После этого, приближение отъезда казалось нереальным.

Мои два года в Актобе были удивительными и отъезд переживался очень трудно. Я плакал, плакал мои друзья – особенно в последние два дня. Но, как сказала моя мама, когда мы говорили по телефону за день до моего отъезда: “Лучше, когда ты печалишься о чем-то, тогда понимаешь, что у тебя есть связь с друзьями и то, что ты сделал здесь”. 3 ноября я устроил прощальную вечеринку, собрав моих ближайших друзей. Несколько моих друзей спланировали эту ночь – они сделали удивительную работу. На следующий день наша организация организовала мероприятие с моими коллегами и волонтерами клуба «Д.А.Р.».

Я должен был вылететь на следующий день, 5 ноября, в 10:30 утра. В 6:30 утра, мне позвонили из “Эйр Астана” и сообщили что мой рейс откладывается по крайней мере до 16:30. затем отложили рейс еще на час. Я вернулся домой чтобы поспать и через несколько часов уточнил время отправления. Полет был перенесен на 18:30 вечера. Четверг был трудным. Я был готов к отъезду утром, но еще не был полностью готов оставить моих друзей. Дополнительный день в городе добавил дополнительный стресс. Я хотел увидеть всех снова, но я уже попрощался. День затянулся. Я был готов попрощаться в аэропорту, но не был готов пройти через долгие прощания. Несколько друзей навестили меня дома, и так прошел день. Мы отправились в аэропорт около 17.00. Через пять минут после того, как мы туда добрались, время прибытия вновь было  скорректировано – в 21:30 вечера. Пришли другие друзья чтобы попрощаться. Мы ждали, играли в Мафию. Время вылета опять передвинули на 22:40 вечера. Поскольку я не живу недалеко от аэропорта, пятеро из нас вернулись ко мне домой на ужин. Около 21:30 вечера, мы отправляемся обратно в аэропорт, поскольку время вылета не изменилось и прошел регистрацию и началась посадка. Я приехал в Алма-Ату около 3 утра.

Люди говорят, много красивых вещей, когда вы уезжаете и эмоции на пределе. Слезы текут, как только вы посмотрите на лицо человека, который также находится на грани слез. Легко думать обо всем хорошем, раз и забыть о тяжелые времена, времена мы ссорились, упущенные шансы, те возможности, которые не использовали. Я могу учиться на опыте трудных времен, но было столько позитивного, что всего два года, проведенные в Актобе останутся ярким событием в моей жизни.

Я сказал моим друзьям, что я вернусь. Это хорошая фраза и простой способ смягчить вину, когда чувствуете, что вы расстаетесь с людьми. Если вы говорите, что еще вернетесь, то расставаться не так сложно. Это не обязательно должно быть правдой. Это жизнь и вы никогда не знаете, как все сложится, но я вполне планирую  увидеть моих друзей снова, чтобы увидеть успехи моей организации, что они сделали что-то большее. Когда я уезжал мы улыбались, даже сквозь слезы. Я хочу, чтобы все улыбнулись снова.

Для всех, кто был со мной два года, еще раз благодарю вас за ваши мысли, идеи и поддержку.

Каждому в Актобе, благодарю Вас за то, что изменили мою жизнь за то, что сделали меня лучше, как человека, учили меня, и за совершенные великие дела. До скорого.

Left Aktobe

7 November 2009
Almaty

2 years and 3 months is over.  I’m now a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, except for the “still living in Kazakhstan and traveling around Central Asia for four months” and only returning to America in March 2010.  My official Close of Service in Almaty was anti-climatic: paperwork, a few meetings, and then – I completed my Peace Corps service.

The last few days in Aktobe were the more meaningful days.  Preparation for leaving started about a week and a half before, when I began to lay my stuff around the upstairs – leaving a lot in Aktobe, shipping home, and accompanying me at least to Almaty.  Then, the goodbyes started.  Golden Heart 3, English Club Halloween, Friday evening Shabbat, “Helloween” Party, MegaCenter Movie Night with volunteers.  After that, the vicinity of leaving seemed surreal.

My two years in Aktobe have been amazing and leaving was very difficult.  I cried, my friends cried – especially the last two days when it was a sunrise away.  But, as my mom  said when we spoke on the phone the day before I left, “It’s better when you can be sad about something.  Then you know there’s a connection with the people and meaning in the time you were there.”  On November 3, I threw a “Poka Perry Party”, gathering some of my closest friends together for a thank you and goodbye event.  A few of my friends planned the night – they did an amazing job.  The next day my organization organized an event with my colleagues and Volunteer Club: D.A.R. to send me off.

I was supposed to fly out the next day, November 5, at 10:30 in the morning.  At 6:30 AM, I received a call from Air Astana, my flight wouldn’t be leaving until at least 4:30 in the afternoon.  Then, another call adjusting the time to 3:30 PM.  I went back to sleep and checked the departure time a few hours later.  The flight was pushed back to 6:30 PM.  Thursday was difficult.  I was ready to leave Aktobe in the morning, but still not fully ready to leave my friends.  Having an entire extra day in the city added extra stress.  I wanted to see everyone again but I had already said goodbye.  The day dragged on.  I was ready to say goodbye at the airport, but not to go through it again in the office, at Black and Brown, at Mega.  A few friends stopped by my house, said hi, and really made my day.  We went to the airport around 5.  Five minutes after we get there, the arrival time is again adjusted – to 9:30 PM.  Friends are already coming to say goodbye.  We wait, see everyone, play Mafia.  The time is pushed back to 10:40 PM.  Air Astana gives us food vouchers.  Since I don’t live far from the airport, the five us of left go back to my house for dinner.  Around 9:30 PM, we head back to the airport, the plane is still scheduled “on time”, and I board.  I arrived in Almaty around 3 AM.

People say a lot of nice things when you’re leaving and emotions are on edge.  Tears flow as soon as you look at someone’s face who is also on the brink of tears.  It’s easy to think about all the good times and forget about the tough times, the times we argued, the chances we didn’t take, the programs that didn’t get off the ground, the opportunities that weren’t achieved.  I can learn from the difficult times, but there were so many more positive experiences that the whole two years is a bright spot in my life.

I told my friends, I’d be back.  It’s a nice statement and an easy way to assuage guilt when it feels like you’re abandoning people and a cause.  If you can say you’re coming back, then it’s not such a difficult departure.  It doesn’t have to be not true.  Life happens and you never know what situations will come up, but I fully plan to see my friends again, to see the many successes that my organization will find, and to do more than just remember the good times, but to keep the friendships and savor the experiences with those who made them together.  When I left, we were smiling, even if through tears.  I want to smile with everyone again.

To everyone who has followed my two years, thank you again for your thoughts, ideas, and support.

To everyone in Aktobe, thank you for changing my life, making me a better person, teaching me, and doing great things.  Talk soon.  

У них золотые сердца

Как приготовить салат при помощи зубочисток и поверить в себя, показали инвалиды на очередном фестивале «Золотое сердце-3».

На прошлой неделе общество по защите парализованных граждан Актобе вновь организовало для своих подопечных праздник. В гостинице «Актобе» прошел ежегодный фестиваль «Золотое сердце-3». На праздник приехали дети с ограниченными возможностями из города и районов области. Два дня дети-инвалиды и их близкие были окружены вниманием и заботой работников общества и студентов-волонтеров. Девушки участвовали в конкурсе по приготовлению салатов и сервировке стола. Ребята показывали свои способности в лепке из глины. Первоначально на конкурсы отводилось по 20 минут, но конкурсанты так увлеклись, что его продлили до двух часов. За это время на столах появилось такое разнообразие оригинальных и вкусных блюд, что позавидовать мог даже кулинар. В ход пошли не только овощи и экзотические фрукты, но даже зубочистки. Пока дети показывали свои таланты, с родителями в это время общались опытные психологи.

– Дети, которые не умеют ходить, на фестивале пели песни, другие участники пробовали себя в танцах, – рассказывает исполнительный директор общества Гульмира Сражова. – Возраст конкурсантов ограничивался 25-ю годами. На празднике были и физически здоровые молодые люди, которые учились общаться со своими сверстниками с ограниченными  возможностями. Мы хотим, чтобы дети-инвалиды поверили в себя и поняли, что недуг – это не повод опускать руки. Есть масса возможностей реализовать свои способности. Главное – поверить в себя, это мы и пытаемся внушить своим детям.

Юрий Гейст

http://diapazon.kz/2009/10/29/u-nikh-zolotye-serdca.html

More pictures of Золотое Сердце 3: http://picasaweb.google.com/pteicher/3

Победим недуг талантом

Закончился конкурс для детей-инвалидов «Кала мен бала». 90 участников получили подарки, проигравших нет.

В прошлый четверг Общество защиты парализованных граждан Актобе устроило праздник для детей-инвалидов в гостинице «Космос». На мероприятии чествовали участников конкурса «Кала мен бала».

– Конкурс проходил 9 месяцев, в три этапа, – рассказывает исполнительный директор общества Гульмира Сражова. – Дети писали сочинения, рисовали картины и демонстрировали музыкальные номера. Цель конкурса – повышение самооценки детей с ограниченными возможностями и выявление их творческих способностей. Также мы хотели, чтобы общественность обратила внимание на семьи, где воспитываются дети-инвалиды.

За время проекта участники по-настоящему раскрыли свои таланты и показали, что, несмотря на физическую ограниченность, они ни в чем не уступают своим физически здоровым сверстникам. Инвалиды на колясках танцевали вальс и зажигательное латино, девочка с нарушениями слуха не хуже профессионала «зажигала» под индий­ские мелодии.
Всего в проекте участвовало 90 детей, без подарков не остался никто. Начинающим дарованиям подарили MP-3 плееры, сотовые телефоны, цифровые фотоаппараты, а после награждения их ждал праздничный стол.

Юрий Гейст

http://diapazon.kz/2009/10/22/pobedim-nedug-talantom.html

See also: http://www.avestnik.kz/?p=2761 (Актобе Вестник)

27 Days

9 October 2009
Aktobe

So soon.  I’m truly overwhelmed about leaving.  Now that I can easily count the number of weekends and the numbers of days until I depart Aktobe, it’s strange.  Every conversation has something to do with my departure or future plans.  Usually this theme is directly addressed.  Sometimes, it’s approached in a more roundabout manner; asking when I’ll be back, talking about other PCVs who didn’t write, trying to figure out plans for the next few weeks.

It’s not a question of not being ready to leave.  I’m ready to leave.  I’ll miss my friends, my family, my coworkers, and my job immensely.  But, like any stage in life, something comes next and I’m looking forward to the next opportunity.  I have faith I’ll make it back to Aktobe and Kazakhstan in the future, the question is when and for what.  That decision will come later.

Today was also Kaz-21 Site Announcement.  We found out the new PCV to follow me:  Aaron and his wife, Dawn, will come to Aktobe at the beginning of November.  Aaron will be working at my organization and Dawn at a local school.  I met them in Almaty and they’re both wonderful; I have no doubt that they will both be great volunteers and bring their own perspectives and energy to the work (their blog: http://followthedawn.blogspot.com/).  My confidence in them doesn’t detract from the brink of closure that accompanies the news.  For the next three weeks, my focus will be on a few projects (Golden Heart 3, Kazakhstan Volunteer Network, and leaving) and preparation for Aaron.

The idea of preparation is great.  The daily work of it is draining.  It requires contemplating the past two years, thinking about saying goodbye to my friends, and focusing on next steps.  This goodbye is much more melancholy than was my departure to Kazakhstan for Peace Corps.  In Michigan and then in Washington, D.C., it was clear I’ll have a good opportunity to see my family and friends again.  In Aktobe and later Almaty, the opportunity to see my friends and family after I leave the country on November 20 is not as sure.  I hope, however, that I see them soon and that the distance and time zones don’t stop our talking.  Two years is a short-time in the big picture, but it has been an intense and wonderful time that has had a very strong impact on me.

For those interested in reading the “Kazakhstan Volunteer Handbook”, please go to this link to view online or download: http://www.scribd.com/doc/19492259/Kazakhstan-Volunteer-Handbook

Thank you again for following my travels.  After Kazakhstan, I’ll be spending four weeks around Central Asia in the middle of winter.

My current schedule (pending visa approvals and likely some slight date changes) is the following.  If you’ll also be in Central Asia at this time, be in touch:

Nov 20 – Dec 5: Tajikistan
Dec 5 – Dec 19: Kyrgyzstan
Dec 19 – Jan 9: Uzbekistan
Jan 9 – Jan 23: Turkmenistan
Jan 23 – Feb 6: Azerbaijan
Feb 6 – Feb 20: Georgia
Feb 20 – March 10: Armenia

Урок по-американски

Четверг, 17 сентября 2009 / 10 просм., 3 сегодня

«Молодежный ресурсный центр» – проект под таким названием стартовал в Актюбинской области недавно. Его куратором выступило  молодежное крыло партии «Нур Отан»  «Жас Отан» и городской отдел внутренней политики. В рамках проекта проводятся тренинги для руководителей молодежных НПО, фокус-группы и т.д.  На прошедшей неделе в офисе НДП «Нур Отан» тренинг провел известный в городе волонтер из США Перри Тэйчер.

Американский гость поведал присутствующим о том, как работают молодежные организации у него на родине.  В своем выступлении он отметил, что некоторые проблемы молодежных организаций в США и Казахстане схожи.

- Без должного финансирования любой организации приходится сложно. Потому что одним из стимулов для людей является материальная заинтересованность, – констатировал Перри Тэйчер.

Западный волонтер рассказал также местным молодежным лидерам о принципах построения работы молодежных организаций.

В свою очередь актюбинские НПО-шники, отвечая на вопросы ведущего тренинга, поделились своим мнением о существующих проблемах. По их словам, можно работать и с минимальным финансированием, но для этого нужно иметь команду, сплоченную общей идеей. В частности, участники тренинга считают, что в нашей стране еще не до конца использованы возможности Интернета, где многие рекламные акции можно провести, не используя больших денег. При этом стороны сошлись в том, что государству и частному бизнесу необходимо стимулировать молодых граждан на их большую активность. Была отмечена и такая тенденция: большинство молодежных лидеров и их окружение хотят получить сиюминутный результат, и если он не достигается, то некоторые просто бросают начатое дело.

- Наша молодежь  быстро загорается какой-нибудь идеей и также быстро, к сожалению, перегорает, особенно если на первоначальной стадии у нее что-нибудь не получается. И именно для недопущения подобного мы проводим обучение руководителей молодежных НПО, – делится своим мнением председатель областного филиала МК «Жас Отан» Асель Булекова.

Всего же, по ее словам, жасотановцами ожидается проведение еще нескольких семинаров-тренингов с участием молодых активистов местных НПО.

Асхат Калжанов

http://www.avestnik.kz/?p=2006

Kazakhstan Volunteer Handbook

The Kazakhstan Volunteer Handbook is finally on-line!  Read it, use it, and pass it on!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/19492259/Kazakhstan-Volunteer-Handbook

Thanks!

Trying Not To Count

Saturday, 22 August 2009
Aktobe

For most of service, Peace Corps jokes tend to revolve around one of a selected number of topics: (1) politics; (2) the country in which you’re serving; or (3) volunteer relationships.  Then, as the time before COS (Close of Service) shrinks, themes change.  We start talking about the next group of volunteers (who landed yesterday in Almaty) or what we’re doing next.  For many of us, that “doing next” part takes an immediate focus, as a good number of volunteers have already left, to start grad school or work back in the States or in Kazakhstan.  For those of us who are slightly more relaxed with our plans, the “doing next” feels more like the steppe.  The idea of starting “next” blurs into what we’re doing now, but in order to get there, you have to start moving.

I’ve arrived in Kazakhstan almost exactly two years ago (minus a few days).

My last update was 7 July 2009.  The summer since then has been great.  I spent about 10 days in Spain with my family.  I eat well here, but the food and Georgian and Moldavian wine does not compare to daily Spanish food and sangria.  After Spain, I returned to Aktobe for about a busy week.  Following the end of July Aktobe-sprint, I traveled to Pavlodar for the wedding of Maher, one of my Peace Corps friends.  Out of the seven PCVs in our PST language group – two have married Kazakhstani girls, and one has married her American boyfriend.  That leaves three of us.  I stopped in Astana on the way – caught up with some friends.

Near the Pyramid (which I have still not had the chance to see the inside of), two new buildings have been built: the new Central Stadium (an oval) and the Palace of Independence (a parallelogram).  It’s becoming a very geometric quarter of the city.

Maher’s wedding was beautiful.  One of the most exciting parts was when we walked along the waterfront, let the doves fly free, and then opened the champagne.  It’s Russian tradition to break a glass for good luck.  Our group of around 10 Americans and a few Kazakhstanis are standing, about to pour the champagne, and a few police officers walk by.  They don’t say anything, but stand only a short distance away, clearly watching us.  Lots of weddings are going on in this area, but they stand close to us.  We pour the champagne into the many plastic glasses, then the bride and groom take the one real glass and throw in on the ground.  That’s when the police officers approach us.  The bride’s grandmother insisted on picking up the shards of glass herself – even as the rest of us were also helping, and trying to get her to not worry about it.  Then, we left, had a few more photostops, then on to the party.

From Pavlodar, I flew to Almaty.  I’ve been spoiled by Aktobe’s new airport.  Pavlodar’s airport has not yet been renovated for many years.  All of the ticketing was done by hand, not electronic like the other Kazakhstani airports I’ve been in have transitioned.  We walked across the tarmac to the plane.  No bus, no connection to the airport, only our feet.  It was a short walk, but surprising after the other, more modern KZ airports.

Our “Kazakhstan Volunteer Handbook” is finished, available on-line (http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/1612825/Volunteer%20Handbook%20Kazakhstan.pdf) and in print form.

Also in Almaty was the second annual trip bringing 19 American students (this year from NYU) to volunteer with 20 Kazakhstani students, sponsored by the JDC.  It was really interesting helping with the trip for the second year.  I knew, generally, what to expect.  I had seen the poverty and poor living conditions that so many elderly in Almaty experience.  And, I could see the lack of any change from the previous year.  The situation is pretty much the same as a year ago.  But, I had a better perspective on what we were doing.  I could relate it better to the situation in Aktobe and place it in a broader context of Kazakhstani life.  It was a really good trip and I think all of the participants gained a lot and definitely contributed a great deal to the people they worked with directly and the Jewish community in Almaty.

After the trip, I came back to Aktobe.  We’ve opened up the massage room for disabled people, along with the medical center, in our office.  Additionally, we’re getting ready to start the “Knowledge is Power” program, to provide basic education for disabled children in the city and villages.  We’re planning the third “Golden Heart” and searching for around $14,000 to hold the event.  This one will be two nights at one of the hotels in the city.  25 older disabled children, their parents, and 25 volunteers; with the goal of holding a conversation and activities focused on providing skills and knowledge for the young people with disabilities for what comes next.  We’re planning this event for full partnership between the disabled participants and volunteers – with the idea that they can work together to affect change, not in a caregiver relationship, but on a relationship of equality.  Examining this concept and making it a fun and useful event for all participants is the baseline goal.

I’m going to be very sad to leave.  Fortunately, even though it’s a short amount of time, there are a few more months.

Best,
Perry