I don't have tons of time but I wanted to put up a quick post letting everyone know that I've made it safely and am having a blast so far! Kyrgyzstan is incredibly beautiful! There is tons to update on such as my wonderful host family, funny cultural moments, and of course the out houses- totally not bad...well some of them.
I also have some pictures that I will attempt to upload on here next time we have access. But as always internet access time is limited and we are already reaching that limit (how does is go so fast!!??) So my plan is to write these blogs ahead of time that way I can just copy and paste them...so stay tuned!!!
Love and miss you all and I am "patiently" waiting for some letters....don't fail me!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, adieu!
Well it's finally arrived! My countdown clock has expired, I've said most of my goodbyes, and my bags are packed.
After a short staging in Philadelphia, we'll all be boarding a bus to JFK that will then take us to our new home for the next 27 months. By Monday the 28th we'll be in Kyrgyzstan and by that following Wednesday i'll be moving in with my host family for the rest of training....totally wild and mind blowing.
I've been told that we may not have access to a phone or internet once we get there, so as the saying goes "no news is good news."
So ready or not Kyrgyzstan, here I come!
After a short staging in Philadelphia, we'll all be boarding a bus to JFK that will then take us to our new home for the next 27 months. By Monday the 28th we'll be in Kyrgyzstan and by that following Wednesday i'll be moving in with my host family for the rest of training....totally wild and mind blowing.
I've been told that we may not have access to a phone or internet once we get there, so as the saying goes "no news is good news."
So ready or not Kyrgyzstan, here I come!
Address During Training
During my training, the Peace Corps has rented a post office box that way we can receive letters and packages. I've heard that this post office has had problems with people busting into packages so some of the tips that i've been given are as follows...
1) don't send anything of high value during this training period- Not sure I'll be needing anything of "high value" but if you plan on sending me a diamond encrusted watch i'd hold off
2) for the packages that you do send, cover all the edges in tape, making it harder for the people to get into it- so if you have a kid, give him/her a roll of tape and go crazy. I also saw that someone said to put a bunch of Islamic cresents all over the tape (sometimes I wonder if people tell you this as a joke, but to ensure that peanut butter and oreos make it here, draw away!) So here's what one looks like...
3)They've also said to write "air mail" or "par avion" on letters and packages...
4) When I get a change I'll make up a list of things that would be great to get as a care package, but for now your letters would greatly encouraged and appreciated!
So here is the address, the best bet would be to copy and paste then print this out and attach it to whatever you're sending...unless you want to attempt to write it out, which I think could be very entertaining but not sure it'd ever get to me
Kyrgyzstan Кыргызстан
722140, Kant City ин. 722140, г. Кант
97 Lenina Street, RUPS ул. Ленина 97, РУПС
Mailbox #22 аб. ящик № 22
Melissa Clark Melissa Clark
I'll only be at this address for about 11 weeks and then i'll get a permantent address that i'll use for the rest of my time. I'll be sure to get out that address as soon as I have it.
And if you didn't get a chance to get my your address yet, you can send me an email that way I have it clarkms21@gmail.com
Thanks!
1) don't send anything of high value during this training period- Not sure I'll be needing anything of "high value" but if you plan on sending me a diamond encrusted watch i'd hold off
2) for the packages that you do send, cover all the edges in tape, making it harder for the people to get into it- so if you have a kid, give him/her a roll of tape and go crazy. I also saw that someone said to put a bunch of Islamic cresents all over the tape (sometimes I wonder if people tell you this as a joke, but to ensure that peanut butter and oreos make it here, draw away!) So here's what one looks like...
3)They've also said to write "air mail" or "par avion" on letters and packages...
4) When I get a change I'll make up a list of things that would be great to get as a care package, but for now your letters would greatly encouraged and appreciated!
So here is the address, the best bet would be to copy and paste then print this out and attach it to whatever you're sending...unless you want to attempt to write it out, which I think could be very entertaining but not sure it'd ever get to me
Kyrgyzstan Кыргызстан
722140, Kant City ин. 722140, г. Кант
97 Lenina Street, RUPS ул. Ленина 97, РУПС
Mailbox #22 аб. ящик № 22
Melissa Clark Melissa Clark
I'll only be at this address for about 11 weeks and then i'll get a permantent address that i'll use for the rest of my time. I'll be sure to get out that address as soon as I have it.
And if you didn't get a chance to get my your address yet, you can send me an email that way I have it clarkms21@gmail.com
Thanks!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Holy cow Batman, only 24 more days!!!
Definition of Mind-blowing- Producing hallucinatory effects, intensely affecting the mind or emotions.
Definition of Adventure- An exciting or unusual experience; it may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome.
Put those together...PARTY OVERLOAD!!! With only 24 days left I'm 92% excited and 8% freaking out/nervous. I have no idea where I'll be living, who I'll be living with, what my job will be...basically the only thing I do know is that I know nothing. Just yesterday I made my reservations for a one way flight outta here. And in my best Joey Lawrence voice "WHOA!" I wonder if there will be a Kyrgyz equivalent for that???
Definition of Adventure- An exciting or unusual experience; it may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome.
Put those together...PARTY OVERLOAD!!! With only 24 days left I'm 92% excited and 8% freaking out/nervous. I have no idea where I'll be living, who I'll be living with, what my job will be...basically the only thing I do know is that I know nothing. Just yesterday I made my reservations for a one way flight outta here. And in my best Joey Lawrence voice "WHOA!" I wonder if there will be a Kyrgyz equivalent for that???
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Countdown continues, 52 days left!!!
Only 52 days left and lots to do! The most important being learning as much Kyrgyz and Russian as I can. In order for one to accomplish this, its vital to master the cyrillic alphabet. And seriously, it' no joke. Shit's tuff! It's a mixture of symbols and letters and i'm not even sure what else, a challenge for sure.
On a different note, I found this awesome picture of a Kyrgyz man wearing a traditional hat made of felt. I find these hats fabulous and you can bet that some of you will be getting these as Christmas gifts! And I FULLY expect you to wear them. Everywhere.
And ladies don't think I forgot about you...
Seriously wonderful aren't they!?! Hopefully I'm being culturally sensitive but I really really want one of these! I'm not sure if these are only for elders in the community but you can bet i'll be finding that out ASAP! Hopefully the next time you see one of these toppers, it'll be with a picture of me!
On a different note, I found this awesome picture of a Kyrgyz man wearing a traditional hat made of felt. I find these hats fabulous and you can bet that some of you will be getting these as Christmas gifts! And I FULLY expect you to wear them. Everywhere.
And ladies don't think I forgot about you...
Seriously wonderful aren't they!?! Hopefully I'm being culturally sensitive but I really really want one of these! I'm not sure if these are only for elders in the community but you can bet i'll be finding that out ASAP! Hopefully the next time you see one of these toppers, it'll be with a picture of me!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Can it really be 2011?!
New Year's Day… now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. - Mark Twain
The holidays have come and gone and i just don't know why they have to pass so quickly! I wasn't planning on making any New Year's resolution this year but one of my best friends decided to make one for me, "Don't get fat in Crackistan." No that is not even close to how you say or spell Kyrgyzstan but she refuses to call it by any other name (that's you ash). But being the great friend that she is, she has also taken to reading as much info as she can about my future home/adventure. And we read that women tend to gain around 20 pounds, hence her resolution for me. I say, bring on the fried bread, butter, and lambs head. Better to keep me warm come those winter months!
I didn't really plan on blogging about the future aventure until it actually got closer but OMG it's getting closer! We've hit the 78 days left mark and while it seems like alot of days, I know it'll fly by. Half the time I still feel like I'm not actually going. The process for me seemed to take so long and there is so much waiting, it seems like i'm still not sure if it's all going to happen...but it is, and thankgoodness! So now that the holidays are over most of my focus will be on getting ready. I've bought a couple books, have been researching online, attemping and faililng to learn the cyrillic alphabet, and been reading other PCV blogs. I'm not sure all this reading is a good or bad thing...it's certainly helping me to feel more prepared but I also don't want it to spring any expectations...but now i'm addicted to the information and I can't just quit cold turkey!
So here are some interesting facts I've found about K-Stan...
1)Chinese and Muslim sources of the 7th–12th centuries AD describe the early Kyrgyz as red-haired with white skin and blue eyes...this is no longer the case but could you imagine if it were?! Mom wouldn't have to worry so much about me sticking out, hellloooo redheads!! <3
2)Illegal, but still practiced, is the tradition of bride kidnapping...yikes!
3)The 40-rayed yellow sun in the center of the flag represents 40 warriors of the mythical hero Manas...go trivia question!
4)Very popular, as in all of Central Asia, is Ulak Tartysh, a team game resembling a cross between polo and rugby in which two teams of riders wrestle for possession of the headless carcass of a goat, which they attempt to deliver across the opposition's goal line, or into the opposition's goal: a big tub or a circle marked on the ground.....while this makes my animal loving heart just cry, I still hope I get to see this. I mean we are suppose to fully experience the culture right? RIGHT?
Is it March yet?!?
The holidays have come and gone and i just don't know why they have to pass so quickly! I wasn't planning on making any New Year's resolution this year but one of my best friends decided to make one for me, "Don't get fat in Crackistan." No that is not even close to how you say or spell Kyrgyzstan but she refuses to call it by any other name (that's you ash). But being the great friend that she is, she has also taken to reading as much info as she can about my future home/adventure. And we read that women tend to gain around 20 pounds, hence her resolution for me. I say, bring on the fried bread, butter, and lambs head. Better to keep me warm come those winter months!
I didn't really plan on blogging about the future aventure until it actually got closer but OMG it's getting closer! We've hit the 78 days left mark and while it seems like alot of days, I know it'll fly by. Half the time I still feel like I'm not actually going. The process for me seemed to take so long and there is so much waiting, it seems like i'm still not sure if it's all going to happen...but it is, and thankgoodness! So now that the holidays are over most of my focus will be on getting ready. I've bought a couple books, have been researching online, attemping and faililng to learn the cyrillic alphabet, and been reading other PCV blogs. I'm not sure all this reading is a good or bad thing...it's certainly helping me to feel more prepared but I also don't want it to spring any expectations...but now i'm addicted to the information and I can't just quit cold turkey!
So here are some interesting facts I've found about K-Stan...
1)Chinese and Muslim sources of the 7th–12th centuries AD describe the early Kyrgyz as red-haired with white skin and blue eyes...this is no longer the case but could you imagine if it were?! Mom wouldn't have to worry so much about me sticking out, hellloooo redheads!! <3
2)Illegal, but still practiced, is the tradition of bride kidnapping...yikes!
3)The 40-rayed yellow sun in the center of the flag represents 40 warriors of the mythical hero Manas...go trivia question!
4)Very popular, as in all of Central Asia, is Ulak Tartysh, a team game resembling a cross between polo and rugby in which two teams of riders wrestle for possession of the headless carcass of a goat, which they attempt to deliver across the opposition's goal line, or into the opposition's goal: a big tub or a circle marked on the ground.....while this makes my animal loving heart just cry, I still hope I get to see this. I mean we are suppose to fully experience the culture right? RIGHT?
Is it March yet?!?
Friday, December 3, 2010
That's right kids, I'm headed to KYRGYZSTAN!!
It's already clear to me that I'm totally horrible at keeping this blog deal up-to-date, so if this is any indication to what will happen when i'm over there, you all can expect to see about one blog per month, and that may be pushing it! I'll make it a new years resoultion to improve the 'ol communication skills.
But since my first/last post, i've accepted my invitation to serve! Kartwheels all around! I will be leaving March 25, 2011 to serve the Kyrgyz Republic as a Health Educator. Since accepting my position, i've been busy getting all the required and time sensitive requirments sent out. Even though I already have a passport, we are required to get a "no-fee" passport. Not totally sure what the difference will be but I don't have to pay for it, score! I also just sent out my aspiration statement and a resume. It will help give our counterparts in Kyrgyzstan an idea of who we are since they don't know anything about us at. And now that all that is done I'm busy inhaling every piece of information I can about the place that I will be spending 27 months of my life in. So far, it looks just absolutely beautiful. From what i've read, it appears that about 80-90% of the region is covered by the Tian Shan mountains, very stoked about that. And it's also going to be cold. Very cold. Luckily for me I'm a mid-west gal and I love the cold. When I originally got my nomination it was for South America and I was worried that I was going to need a truck load of sunblock, but i'll be trading that in for a warmer jacket and boots!
I've also been busy attempting to learn the cyrillic alphabet. It's a little mind blowing and overwhelming but i'm pretty pumped. I"m hoping to have that down by the time I leave since the PC says that if you've got that down, you're in good shape. So stay tuned for that progress.
So until March you will find me busy trying to learn everything I can about my future home, but I'll also be busy spending as much time as I can with family and friends before I go. And first on the list, Nashvegas NYE baby!
But since my first/last post, i've accepted my invitation to serve! Kartwheels all around! I will be leaving March 25, 2011 to serve the Kyrgyz Republic as a Health Educator. Since accepting my position, i've been busy getting all the required and time sensitive requirments sent out. Even though I already have a passport, we are required to get a "no-fee" passport. Not totally sure what the difference will be but I don't have to pay for it, score! I also just sent out my aspiration statement and a resume. It will help give our counterparts in Kyrgyzstan an idea of who we are since they don't know anything about us at. And now that all that is done I'm busy inhaling every piece of information I can about the place that I will be spending 27 months of my life in. So far, it looks just absolutely beautiful. From what i've read, it appears that about 80-90% of the region is covered by the Tian Shan mountains, very stoked about that. And it's also going to be cold. Very cold. Luckily for me I'm a mid-west gal and I love the cold. When I originally got my nomination it was for South America and I was worried that I was going to need a truck load of sunblock, but i'll be trading that in for a warmer jacket and boots!
I've also been busy attempting to learn the cyrillic alphabet. It's a little mind blowing and overwhelming but i'm pretty pumped. I"m hoping to have that down by the time I leave since the PC says that if you've got that down, you're in good shape. So stay tuned for that progress.
So until March you will find me busy trying to learn everything I can about my future home, but I'll also be busy spending as much time as I can with family and friends before I go. And first on the list, Nashvegas NYE baby!
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