Horsing Around

Saturday, May 24 2008
Aktobe

Hot Aktobe is almost a different city than snowed in Aktobe.  Parks are open, couples wander the streets, even past the 9:30 PM sunset, kids are playing football in any space where they can gather, and busses seem half-empty.  There may be just as many people on the buses as in the winter, but without the big coats, the crowd seems considerably diminished.  The outdoor cafes seem to be another sign of summer.  All around town, restaurants have set-up big tents and outdoor seating.  There’s no special summer beer here, but the hot fresh air with a side of shashlich makes even Kazakhstani beer taste good.

We started hippotherapy for disabled children this week.  We had one child, Yan, for our first week.  Next week, two other children will be joining us.  This is new to our organization and to my knowledge, the first for this type of program in Aktobe.  We have two trainers who have worked with disabled children and horse therapy programs in the past, a wonderfully calm horse, Boy, and excited volunteers, parents, and children.

I believe Yan has cerebral palsy.  He can’t stand alone and while he generally understand and respond to what occurs around him, he can’t speak.  When we first put him on the horse, he seemed very frightened.  His mother was on one side, I was on the other.  He laid on the horse, legs spread down on each side, but with his chest flat against the sadly pad (no saddle).  After a few moments, he relaxed, and we started to walk.

After about 15 minutes, we took a break.  Yan was tired.  So were his mother and I.  Meruert (my volunteer there) and I rode the horse for a few minutes during this pause.  After this break, Yan went back on for a second ride.  When he first got on, he sat up straight on the horse.  This position only lasted a few moments, but I think it’s really positive.  He rode for most of the time in his first position.  After another 15 minutes, we finished and went to the stables to see and feed the horses sugar.

Yan can move himself in his wheelchair by pushing his body.  While we were waiting for our taxi, Yan decided to take a trip.  We were sitting at the entrance to the facility.  There’s a trail that leads around toward the horses from this entrance but is out of site of the stables or arena.  Yan pushed himself backward toward where we were riding.  I think he’s looking forward to returning next week as well.

Pictures are available at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2388279&l=1103b&id=2200064.

While I was writing in the park, the below thought struck me:
A less positive and incredibly noticeable part of the warm weather is the smoking.  Smoking is huge here.  The memo that it kills you hasn’t really sunk in.  Cigarettes are cheap.  It happens.  I don’t like it.  But there are many reasons why there is a huge smoking program in this country.  What I don’t understand are the parents who smoke while holding their small children in their arms.  Where is the government, where is business, where are other family members, and where is personal sense?

Happy Memorial Day!

“I would like to invite you to dance”

The following article appeared in the Aktobe newspaper, “Diapazon” on May 29, 2008 (http://diapazon.kz/?nom=55&rub=28&news=1277).  The English translation and Russian original are below.

I would like to invite you to dance

The city continues selection for the gala concert “Two stars”. For the first time, Aktobe will see a dance with a wheelchair.

In the past, the room “D” told that the city will see an unprecedented competition. Artists at the Philharmonic will sing along with young talents from the orphanage and children with disabilities. The contest is called “Kos zhuldyz” ( “Two stars”). The gala concert, including unusual duets, will be held in June, yet it is thoroughly prepared. As “D” promised, in recent days a great deal was done behind the scenes to prepare the Philharmonic.

So, here on Saturday, a waltz was rehearsed. American Perry Teicher and our Victoria. Duet with singers of the Philharmonic that do not sing. This may be yet to come. In the meantime, they have a unique number – waltz in a wheelchair. Specifically, Perry Teicher – Peace Corps volunteer, and Ms. Vika, in our city knows almost everything. 15 years ago she was in an auto accident and has since been bound to a wheelchair. Despite this, she graduated from Institute and now teaches Kazakh language at her school. Gala Concert “Two stars” coincided with graduation for Viki in another institution – for law school, but the girl is sure: it is the whole deal.

With little rehearsal time, Vika prepares for the dancing and the exam; difficult but she will do it.

Music fills the room. Gallant Perry goes first, looks around, though he can not find someone. Then he see her. He finds Vika and they move together.  They begin to dance. That we have not yet seen. It is a touching dance, in which the guy circles his partner in a wheelchair, as in this waltz.

In the Kostanai ballroom dance contest, taking place on wheelchairs, Perry and I took first place.  You never heard of such dancing? Vika asked, noticing my bewilderment. There are sports and dances in wheelchairs. Our choreographer was also surprised, but she was glad to work with us and picked the music and helped with our movements.

I am not a very good dancer – laughs Perry, carefully choosing words of Russian. But, I love to dance. In Kostanai were 8 pairs, when I saw all of us after we danced, I understood: we won. I sent video from the competition to my friends in America. Some watched and cried.

Vika waited for this waltz for 15 years. The accident occurred just before her graduation party from school. Vika passed exams and went with friends to the nature outside of the city. A drunken driver closed all of her future. Graduates circling in the waltz at the graduation party, but Vika at that time had an operation, after which the doctor reported: “You can not walk”. All these 15 years, Vika was doing everything to prove: You can not walk, but you can LIVE.

This number at “Kos zhuldyz” will be out of the competition.

We decided to make it a decoration gala concert – said Kuralay Baimenova, chairwoman of the “Society  for the Protection of Paralyzed Citizens of Aktobe.“  Our pair will perform after all the vocal numbers. Citizens must see it.

Anyone who wants to support the draft “Kos zhuldyz” ( “Two stars”) and help young talents, call 95-44-77, 7017427635, 8-7015129311.

Я пригласить хочу на танец вас

В городе продолжается отбор для гала-концерта «Две звезды». На конкурсе актюбинцы впервые увидят вальс на коляске.

В прошлом номере «Д»  рассказывал, что в городе пройдет небывалый конкурс. Артисты филармонии будут петь вместе с юными дарованиями из детского дома и детьми-инвалидами. Конкурс называется «Кос жулдыз» («Две звезды»). Гала-концерт необычных дуэтов состоится в июне, пока же к нему тщательно готовятся. «Д», как и обещал, рассказывает, что в последние дни делалось за кулисами филармонии.

Итак, в субботу здесь репетировали вальс. Американец Перри Тайчер и наша Виктория Кваша. Дуэтом с певцами филармонии они не поют. Возможно, это еще впереди. Пока же у них своеобразный номер – вальс на коляске. Оговорюсь, Перри Тайчер – волонтер Корпуса Мира, ну а Вику в нашем городе знают почти все. 15 лет назад она попала в аварию и с тех пор прикована к коляске. Несмотря на это, девушка  окончила институт и сейчас преподает в соб­ственной репетиторской школе, где учит детей казахскому. Гала-концерт «Две звезды» совпал с госэкзаменами для Вики еще в одном институте – юридическом, но девушка уверена: она со всем справится.

– На репетицию мало времени, – сетует Вика. – Совместить танцы и подготовку к госам сложно, но я стараюсь.

Музыка Свиридова заполняет зал. Галантный Перри выходит первым, оглядывается вокруг,  будто не может кого-то найти. Потом находит. Он выводит на сцену Вику. Вернее, вывозит. Такого мы еще не видели. Трогательный танец, в котором парень кружит партнершу на коляске, как в настоящем вальсе.

– Придумала танец Полина Озерная,  – рассказывает Вика. – Весной в Костанае проходил конкурс бальных танцев на коляске, мы с Перри заняли на нем первое место. Вы никогда не слышали о таких танцах? – спрашивает Вика, заметив мое недоумение. – Есть и спортивные танцы на коляске. Для нашего хореографа это тоже было неожиданностью, но, подумав, она подобрала для нас и нужные движения, и музыку.

– Я не очень хороший танцор, – смеется Перри, тщательно подбирая русские слова. –  Но танцевать люблю. В Костанае выступали 8 пар, но когда я их увидел, понял: мы победим. Видео с конкурса я послал своим друзьям в Америку. Некоторые смотрели и плакали.

Этого вальса Вика ждала 15 лет. Авария с ней произошла  буквально перед выпускным балом в школе. Вика сдала экзамены и поехала с друзьями на природу. Пьяный водитель перечеркнул все ее будущее. Выпускники кружили в вальсе на выпускном балу, а Вике в это время делали операцию, после которой сообщили: «Ты не сможешь ходить». Все эти 15 лет Вика делает все, чтобы доказать: можно не ходить, но  можно ЖИТЬ.

Этот номер на «Кос жулдыз» будет вне конкурса.

– Мы решили сделать его украшением гала-концерта, – говорит Куралай Байменова, председатель общества парализованных граждан Актобе. – Наша пара выступит после всех вокальных номеров. Горожане должны это увидеть.

Все, кто хочет поддержать проект «Кос жулдыз» («Две звезды») и помочь молодым талантам, напоминаем, звоните по телефонам 95-44-77, 7017427635, 8-701512931

On the Street and at Home

Sunday, May 11 2008
Aktobe

The single most important element of talking with someone in their space becomes clear every time I have the opportunity of spending time with a disabled person here.  Walking around the city, especially around the bazaar and bus stops, you see lots of elderly people.  Often, they are moving along slowly, supporting themselves with a cane or leaning against the handrails down the steps.  Military veterans wear their decorations with pride – and a vast majority of the elderly seem to be veterans.  Most of the bazaar ladies are elderly.  Many sell seeds, the opportunity to step on a scale, and fresh fish, and most have as many wrinkles as a kilo of sunflower seeds.  Not all elderly are disabled, but a large number do eventually qualify for disability pensions or develop complications that require support.  But, I find myself not talking with the elderly on the street.  There’s nothing preventing me and very likely I’ll find myself interacting with a number of them at my office and have likely read their name on one of my many lists of disabled citizens in Aktobe.

It’s different when there’s a purpose.  I think it’s wrong how I’ve delineated actions, but when I’m visiting a disabled individual in their house with local volunteers, it’s for a specific reason.  I want to hear about my host, start to understand who they are and what they’ve gone through, and give them support; and also to support my local volunteers, to help them with any difficulties, and better understand their specific situation.  These goals don’t only need to be isolated to planned visits.  In many ways, I could just as easy start to talk to an elderly woman on the street, waiting for a bus together, as at her house over a cup of chai (or like today, beshpalmak).  The public nature of the street, however, feels too exposed to get to know someone.

Part of the feeling is a need for some aspect of privacy, both for language understanding and what we discussed.  Another part is the ability to relax at someone’s house that you don’t get on the street.  At someone’s house you see more of who they are and it helps me better understand the person.  Context is important; where do they live, how are they comfortable, what type of food do they serve.

Today, for example, I visited Roza.  Roza is a 62 year-old Kazakh woman who lives in a house alone in a section of town with very bad dirt (with a little rain, mud) streets, but not a bad part of town.  She moves around in a wheelchair but has limited mobility in her legs as well.  She has extreme arthritis and problems with her fingers and hands, such as the inability to use most of her fingers.  She also has vein problems, causing her to joke that it looks like she shoots-up regularly.

It sounds like she is a social center of her friends; one of her friends was over to help cook and another older woman stopped by during our meal.  Roza is educated, interesting, and funny.  She had studied to be an economist and accountant in Moscow, then completed institute in Almaty, and moved to Aktobe decades ago, got married, and worked here.  Her husband died over six years ago.  One daughter lives in Russia, another in Aktobe, and her son, who is 22, studies in Aktobe.  Her daughters and son have been sick recently.

She invited me to come over today, along with two of the medical students who have been visiting her for a few months now.  They made beshpalmak and then a full display of Kazakh desert items with chai.  Kazakh dessert choices are a mix of salty and sweet.  Most have lots of sugar, but one treat seems made of salt.  Roza has had a tough life but she’s optimistic.  She spoke openly about her problems, about her medical issues, about her letter writing to the local government about the road in her neighborhood and their response that there’s no money this year – maybe next year, about her life, and about the food.  I really enjoyed her company.  Her optimism masked many of the problems she faces but isn’t delusional – she is well aware of the problems but looks at them positively. She has a wheelchair but it’s not great quality.  She has food but I didn’t see any fresh fruit.  She receives free pills and gifts from the Akimat and our organization, but is dependent on friends and family to pick up those pills from the one pharmacy across town that provides them.  She has many friends but everyone is old and also may have mobility issues.  She is pithy but she can still be in pain.

There are many men and women like Roza here.  I know that my organization helps many of them, I know that many of my local volunteers are working with them, I also know that there are too many that are likely not getting any help, that are not as optimistic, and that are alone.  I know that sometimes finding these people may require the first step of reaching out on the street and listening.

Part of helping people is ensuring people in need know we are there to listen.  Another side is the comfort of the situation.  Our organization already has a large network of members, but there are always more people to reach and more to do to help – things my director realizes.  As the Volunteer Club expands, I hope we can reach more people, immediately providing more support and instilling the idea of caring for the disabled in students.  Another side is providing the option of volunteering as a quality alternative to sitting around watching TV – and encouraging people to think of and choose volunteering as more important and more fun.

This week, the medical students are holding their annual student-planned seminar, the topic: Working with the Disabled.  On Wednesday, we begin horse therapy for disabled children.  Tomorrow, I visit the factory site to get the final measurements to submit for renovation bids.  And Tuesday I have my English lessons in the morning and evening.  Sometime in there, we will also meet to plan our volunteer training and expanding and assisting our volunteer home visits.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Kazakhstani Chicken

Thursday, May 8, 2008
Aktobe

Days vary in productivity.  Yesterday (as it’s only 12:18 AM Thursday) was near the top of that sine curve.  I started the day with a few e-mails over freshly ground coffee at home.  I arrived at the office around ten.  On the way to work, a friend who we are working with to develop a hippotherapy program called to set-up a meeting at 10:15.  Shortly after I arrived at the office, he stopped by, picked me up and off we went into the steppe.

The stables and arena are located about 15 to 20 minutes outside the city.  While there are around five horses and two miniature horses, only one of the horses is good for the disabled children training.  Today was a big learning day.  While we’re trusting the trainers to handle the technical aspects of working with disabled children and horses, I have learned that you need to use specific horses – gentle, mellow, and responsive.  The first lesson will be next Wednesday.  The plan is two children for an hour.  After the first run, we’ll see if it works better to have more children, possibly up to four, in an hour block.  Along with the disabled child, will be one of his or her parents, the two trainers, and two volunteers.  Each hour will cost 2000 tenge, roughly $16.  My organization will be providing free transportation and paying for the therapy.

Pet the horses, took the back roads through the mountains, arrived at the office.  A TV station from Almaty was interviewing my organization’s director.  We had to be very quiet in the office.  If I understood correctly, the TV crew came up from Almaty to profile her.  They’ve been to the office the past few days, taped meetings with a number of disability activists, interviewed many of them, took pictures and video, and trailed three or four other disabled activists, as well as our director, to home, work, and other meetings.  They are here for a few more days then head back to Almaty.

I tried to be quiet while the interview was filming, but I wore the wrong pants for that task.  My quick-dry zip-offs make a whooshing sound when the legs rub together.  When I got up to get something from my bag, I first knocked my chair into the desk, then I had to waddle to my bag but still didn’t succeed in being koala silent.  The second attempt I did better.

After waddling, my director and I met to review our projects: the Volunteer Club, the Wheelchair Factory, and the horses.  And we talked about money.  Not my money, as I don’t get paid, but rather funding for the projects and the grant applications.  After our hour or so of talking, we went to lunch.  I’ve been wanting to go to our restaurant destination as I walk by it almost everyday but have never gone it.  It did not taste equal to the expectations.  We were rushed with only 25 minutes until our next stop, but the restaurant also had few choices despite a large menu.  Like many restaurants in Aktobe, there were also few people besides us – just the wait staff.

My omelet and coffee were very good.  From there, we headed to the opening of an art show at the Aktobe art museum.  The artist being honored is one of the most famous artists in the city and has some very pretty art.  The other PCVs were also there as the designer at one of their organizations is the student of this artist, so she invited all of us.  My director and I arrived just in time to make the middle of the ceremony.  Various guests made speeches about the artist and then the camera turned on my director, whom I was standing directly behind.  As she’s talking, a woman who had previously been standing next to me but left for a moment, runs back to behind my director and rather forcefully shoves me out of the way.  It seems it was very important for her to be in the background of the TV shot.  It felt like a bus, so everything was normal.

After meeting the artist, browsing the gallery, and taking lots of pictures, I went home.  On the way, I ran into the English teacher from Chaika with her baby grandson.  Wednesday was the “Day of the Protector’s of the Motherland”.  In the morning, there were a number of events around the war memorials around the city.  At the park where I met my colleague, people had placed roses on the WWII memorial.  There are lots of veterans here.

After spending around an hour at home, having a snack, unpacking, and relaxing, I walked over to a nearby park to meet a student for our weekly Spanish lessons.  Although I definitely do not speak the language fluently (a fact my student is well aware of), the lessons are fun and she’s having success.  It’s also helping me with Russian and Kazakh.  I find teaching a language helps me with the Russian, and a little Kazakh, grammar, as it forces me to think more deliberately about my language. My student speaks English very well, so I teach from English, but I try to mix in Russian as well.

Later today, I start with my Russian lesson at 9:00 AM.  Then, at 11:00 AM, I return to the factory site to do more measurements with an architect.  After that, we should have all the information to be able to submit the details to get a quote for the building repairs.  Then, at 16:00 is English Club.  Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are vacation days for the Friday holiday.

Happy Медведев Inaguration Day, as well.  As would be expected with the introduction of a new president, the event was plastered to Russian news stations.  Their electoral process resolved itself much quicker than ours.  U.S. election news oversees still gives more coverage to Obama and Clinton than McCan, but it seems that as the Democratic election continues, McCain is getting slightly more play on Russian TV.

I find it most difficult to sleep when I’m thinking about everything there is to do and when I’m excited about our projects.  Today was fun.  Not everyday can be like this, but with interesting and useful work and warm weather, it’s inspiring.

Faster Faster Faster!!

Sunday, May 4 2008
Aktobe

Kazakhstani holidays play games with your head. The First of May was on Thursday, same day as in the States. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were days off. Therefore, we then work on Sunday. But, schools and universities can only take Thursday off, and then students have classes on Friday and Saturday, with the day off on Sunday. Others may be on the other schedule or just take the entire time off, from Thursday through Sunday. Students and employees, however, may not know what schedule they are on until the day before.

Sunday work, however, seems not to accomplish anything. Work felt confused. Everyone went through the motions of a normal day, but it had that feeling that something was a little off; as if you went into Starbucks, ordered a Grande Latte and they hand it to you and say, “Here’s you Medium Coffee with milk”.

In celebration of the First of May, no longer the holiday of military parading Soviet times, but now a celebration of world friendship and community, our organization hosted wheelchair racing. There were around 50 disabled people, plus families and friends, and about 25 local volunteers. There were five races: two groups of men, two groups of women, and then co-ed who were pushed by someone. It was great and wheelchair racing is tough. Some of these men and women are amazing. They are all amazing, but the ones who were fast – they’re really good and it does not look easy. Some of our participants have raced in Kazakhstani-wide events and won.

Yan, who I’ve been visiting weekly with three local volunteers, also came along with his mother. Olga, one of the volunteers, raced with him, it was really cool for both of them. These events are really important – they bring the community together, and involving the volunteers is very important. Our organization talks about providing independent lifestyles for disabled individuals, one of the best ways to achieve that goal is for more people to understand that, for students to see disabled people as people, and for both groups to be comfortable working together and being friends.

After the races, we threw around an American football and Frisbees I brought. We started playing at the park where we were racing with a number of disabled people, local volunteers and children, other Americans, and a Dutch backpacker. We managed to only hit a few children and me with the Frisbee, and a few elderly and disabled people with the football. After a while, we decided to grab lunch. We walked to a pizza place. They didn’t have room for us. We went to a supermarket, bought food, and had a picnic where we started at the park.

Then, about half of us went to a park and tried to organize an Ultimate Frisbee game. It would have worked. Except, high heels increase the challenge beyond teaching people how to throw. We ended with 500 with the football – not as much running required, although pushing seemed mandatory.

This Friday is another holiday – the Anniversary of Winning World War II. That’s it for May, but I’m sure there will be more in June.