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.

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.  

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

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

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!

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

7 July 2009
Aktobe

The times between writing tend to be very busy.  The last few months have been filled with a series of projects that have been relatively continuous between planning and implementation; layered on top of each other.  I have lots of stories.  As I’ll be home in under a year, I am looking forward to sharing them.  I’ve been trying to write the “next” e-mail for a few months now.  I sit down and I think about what has happened since the last update and I’m not sure what to write.  Each day is busy.  As I’ve mentioned, our new office is a huge improvement over the location we were in when I first arrived.  We’re settled into our rooms and desks.  We have enough chairs and tables for our big volunteer club meetings, a white board, a nice book collection that people browse while waiting to meet with someone or are just bored, a solid collection of board games, an exercise ball gifted by a team of physical and occupational therapists who came to work with our disabled children for a week, and the computers are set-up – though still without Internet.

There are lots of stories – that make each day, but the big events are the projects.  Especially over the last few months, I’ve been focused on a number of projects, including the following:

Wheelchair Factory

We’ve started construction.  The place looks nothing like the building when I first saw it.  In place of the low-hanging, moldy ceiling is a smooth, concrete ceiling.  The narrow hallways have been widened by knocking down walls and combining small, dark rooms into spaces where someone would like to spend their time.  The old windows let less light in than a closed door – the new windows make it seem almost outside.  There’s still a lot of construction to go, but our crew anticipates finishing in August.  Then – we begin the next step – training.

Golden Heart II

In early June, we held the the second in what we hope to be a series of camps for disabled children in Aktobe.  The first “Golden Heart” was last November at a nice hotel in Aktobe for disabled children and their parents, supported by volunteers from our volunteer club.  This second “Golden Heart” was at a beautiful retreat outside of the city.  25 disabled children and their parents or siblings, along with 20 volunteers spent two days at the camp.  Along with the bon fire, horseback riding, darts, and disco, the team of physical and occupational therapists attended the camp and worked individually with many of the participants.  The PT/OT team had three people from the Netherlands and one from England.  Two of them, Nathan and Corrine, have been living in Southern Kazakhstan (in different places) for over two years and more than one year, respectively, while the other two, Evelien and Hanna, came to Kazakhstan for a few months to specifically work with those needing therapy around the country.  All of them were great and opened my eyes to the need of well-trained occupational and physical therapists in Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan Volunteer Handbook

The handbook on “developing volunteer organizations in Kazakhstan” is finished.  What started as group work from our Volunteer Development Seminar in Almaty in March, continued with team work around the country, led to an editing trip to Almaty, and concluded with Internet editing is ready to be printed.  We will be distributing the handbook around Kazakhstan and on-line.

Tres Hombers Party: Soviet Style

A few weeks ago, my friends and I in Aktobe organized our third “Tres Hombres” charity party.  This one was again a comedy show, with an assortment of other acts, including an amazing choir, balalaika and cello players, and a fashion show.  We had around 180 people in attendance.  Unlike the last party, I did a comedy skit at this one.  I was an American “expert” who came to a Soviet collective farm.  Unfortunately, my translator didn’t know English.  Each guest received a Pioneer tie and a shot of samogan.  “Pioneers” were the state-sponsored Soviet youth group for school-aged (grades three till seven) children.  Samogan is Soviet vodka moonshine.  We decorated the room with huge banners of funny revisions of old Soviet posters, along with the Soviet leaders.  A local Soviet-themed restaurant also provided a “Red Corner” with old Soviet decorations, along with the assistance of two of their waitresses.  They were very helpful, as they knew how to tie the ties for each guest.

The money from the last party went to a number of projects helping disabled children.  We helped purchased a rehabilitation suit for a child with cerebral palsy, sponsored a women’s day party for disabled girls, supported the first “Golden Heart”, bought holiday presents, and purchased adjustable tables specially designed for individuals in wheelchairs.  Money from this party will again be focused on needs in Aktobe, possibly including disabled children and a home for orphan babies and young children.

Hippotherapy

Our hippotherapy program with disabled children has been great.  We’re at a new location, with an excellent trainer, involving more children than last year, and focusing more on therapy than just putting the child on the horse and riding.  Also, we’re working with an American hippotherapy stable, “Healing Horses”, who has helped design our training regimens and has been providing a lot of help in moving forward and expanding the project this year.

It’s very strange that I only have a few more months here.  I’ve been comfortable here for a while, but in the last few months (mainly in the time I haven’t written an update e-mail), Aktobe feels very much like home.  Part of that is due to the weather.  Walking outside at 9:30 PM when it’s still light outside, sitting in a cafe, and seeing other people relaxing at the fountain makes it more fun.  But, it’s also work going well and enjoying what I am doing.  I’m very sad to leave and am preferring not to focus on my departure yet.  But, I’m also looking forward to what I’ll be doing next.

Golden Heart II: http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/2#
Pizza Party: http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/PizzaParty21May09#
Wheelchair Racing: http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/WheelchairRacing#
PT/OT: http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/OperationMercyTrainings#
OZPG 10th Anniversary Celebration: http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/OZPG10thAnniversaryCelebration#
Hippotherapy: http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/HippotherapyDay1#; http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/HippotherapyDay2#; http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/HippotherapyDay3#; http://picasaweb.google.com/treshombresaktobe/HippotherapyDay4#

Tres Hombres Party:
Blog: www.treshombresaktobe.blogspot.com
Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/treshombresaktobe/xvyzWK#

Monday, April 20 2009
Aktobe

The repeated attempts to relive winter are very tiring.  We have a term for the “second coming of Winter” – that roughly 10 days at the beginning of April where the weather pretends its main goal is to pretend it’s purgatory; snow, cold winds, and chilly rain – beskunak.  The term is in reference to a story of teenagers who went to celebrate in the steppe under clear skies, then the weather turned and they froze to death.  Beskunak is supposed to be a once-a-year occurrence.  One that just ended allowing us to play frisbee and American football in beautiful Spring skies yesterday.  I dismissed the rumors of returning snow.  Then, today the weather seems to have re-charted its course.  The snow has disappeared, the wind has arisen, and I hear more rumors of snow again, which are easy to believe now that dark clouds have engulfed the sky.

Life has been busier than the changes of weather.  For most of the past few months I have been traveling.  I was in Almaty for two weeks, holding a seminar on Volunteer Organization Development for organizations from across Kazakhstan and then I spent a week in India on vacation.  Back in Aktobe, we’re beginning construction on the wheelchair factory as soon as the weather settles down and Volunteer Club is continuously attracting more interest and volunteers; two of my coworkers will be spending about 10 days in America through a U.S. State Department program, “Open World”, for disability activists, frisbee and American football Sundays has begun, and English Club and Movie Club are fun, with both old participants and new students attending.

Winters provide a great deal of thinking time, especially when winter is in the middle of April.  It feels very strange that in November my service in Kazakhstan is finished.  There’s a great deal of more time before then and a lot to do, outside of specifically preparing for the next Peace Corps Volunteer who will work at my site – but it’s already easy to feel the pull to finish.  I’m not ready to leave, however.  I’m really enjoying my work and as the weather eventually chooses to transition into a sustained warmth, more opportunities will come together.  People emerge from the walls as the sun breaks through the clouds.

The day after I returned from India, we had a Seder for the first night of Passover.  Like last year, Ya’akov hosted the event.  This year, however, there were around 19 attendees, over double from last year.  We also had a new leader for the Seder, an Israeli man who is in Aktobe on business.  The group at the Seder was all male and mainly middle aged (40s-50s), with around six older men, and a few of us in our 20s.  The Seder started off very formal, but when we got to the Passover story, it quickly switched into interesting discussions.  We ended around 12:30 AM – an outstanding Seder.

For pictures, see http://picasaweb.google.com/pteicher/.