Wednesday, December 17, 2008
teacher trainer
today was a breakthrough. pretty much the last 3 months have been a struggle of figuring out my role in the classroom and the university. i was hired as a teacher trainer but find i am teaching more than i am training. i guess it's just frusterating because i understand my education background and the knowledge i am capable of passing forward. today saltinat, my program mamager, came and observed my classes and talked to the teachers. she pretty much said everything i have been feeling and everything is going to shift in the spring. i wil be working with english education majors and passing on methodology to teachers. yes, it's getting even better every day.
Monday, December 15, 2008
trust the universe
last night i went and met up with a kazak peace corps volunteer in town. it was interesting listening to her perspective, what she is dealing with, how different our services are. one thing we had in common is we were both english teachers and confused on if we were appreciated by the locals. constantly i ask: do people want me here? am i making an impact? am i helping anyone? i left the conversation frusterdated and confused about my service.
i took a big sigh and caught a cab back to my apartment. when i gave the address a familiar voice answered back. he turned around and it was one of my english club students. the rest of the cab ride was him telling me how much he appreciated me and what he has learned. it was this wonderful moment where i just needed someone to say thank you. sometimes you just have to trust the universe.
i took a big sigh and caught a cab back to my apartment. when i gave the address a familiar voice answered back. he turned around and it was one of my english club students. the rest of the cab ride was him telling me how much he appreciated me and what he has learned. it was this wonderful moment where i just needed someone to say thank you. sometimes you just have to trust the universe.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
recession
hearing about the recession in america is a really difficult idea for me to grasp. i understand that it's hard for americans to go from a lot to not that much but in reality americans have so much more than other people in the world.
people here are malnurished, surviving on mostly bread and potatoes, struggle to pay their bills, don't have a bank account because there is never money at the end of the month, and continually just scrape by.
i don't know... this is a hard one for me to process.
people here are malnurished, surviving on mostly bread and potatoes, struggle to pay their bills, don't have a bank account because there is never money at the end of the month, and continually just scrape by.
i don't know... this is a hard one for me to process.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
did you ever get the feeling..
did you ever get the feeling that something was wrong? not with you but with someone close to you? i don't know... i woke up this morning and felt like the world had shifted. maybe i just ate too much apple pie yesterday but something inside of me feels like something happened. this is a weird feeling in itself but it's even weirder when you are half a world away and not sure if you are just going crazy.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
a battle with besh barmak
yesterday i went to a party out in the village with venera, the teacher i work with at the university. i spent most of the day hanging out with her niece who is a university student who wanted to take me horse back riding. while riding up and out into the mounatins, i took this deep breath and just laughed out loud.
when we walked back into the house i was ushered into the baby room where i was surrounded by 7 children under the age of 4 and 3 adult women. there was this huge bowl plopped down in front of me with the traditional kyrgyz dish "besh barmak". Beshbark translated is five fingers, meaning that you eat by scooping your hands into a community bowl and devour everything in sight. this is my first time really gettting the full besh barmark experience which would have been enough cultural experience except now i am taking this on with 7 snotty children sticking their hands in, slobbering all over themselves and then going back for more. ah, i haven't fully explained the contents of besh barmark. it's a bunch of noodles and the innards of a sheep boiled up and tossed together for a great kyrgyz treat. small chilren sucking and smacking on intestines and sheep brains like bubble gum was just enough for this american to loose her apetite.
when we walked back into the house i was ushered into the baby room where i was surrounded by 7 children under the age of 4 and 3 adult women. there was this huge bowl plopped down in front of me with the traditional kyrgyz dish "besh barmak". Beshbark translated is five fingers, meaning that you eat by scooping your hands into a community bowl and devour everything in sight. this is my first time really gettting the full besh barmark experience which would have been enough cultural experience except now i am taking this on with 7 snotty children sticking their hands in, slobbering all over themselves and then going back for more. ah, i haven't fully explained the contents of besh barmark. it's a bunch of noodles and the innards of a sheep boiled up and tossed together for a great kyrgyz treat. small chilren sucking and smacking on intestines and sheep brains like bubble gum was just enough for this american to loose her apetite.
Friday, November 14, 2008
no heat
well, it's november 15th and there is no heat in the university. i was teaching today and i could see my breath in the classroom. officially there will be no classes for january and february but even still... how do you expect students to learn if they are too cold to hold a pencil? i don't know. it's just hard to understand. obviously, all people who work in the buildings are sick and we try to move forward to teach and learn. but seriously, all i want to do is curl up under a warm blanket and take a nap.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
it's not where you're from but where you're at
The past weekend I made my way to Bishkek to meet with Brock and enjoy the city. I felt like a fish out of water: staring up at the big buildings, taking in the fast pace of city life, almost getting taken out by multiple marchutkas throughout the weekend. I would say my favorite part was just spending time with the people I care about. I remember back in the day Becca telling me, "Katie, it's not where you are but who you're with that matters" and I am starting to finally understand what she was talking about. Being in that moment, enjoying every piece of the day, not worrying about where to travel or what will happen next.... just LIVING. That is what I want from every day. That is being alive.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Traditional Kyrgyz Dress
Here is a picture from culture day. This was the day I was bride kidnapped. So here is me on the left, my amazing Kyrgyz teacher, and Ginger... my best bud during PST.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
how to contact me
Kyrgyzstan
Issyk Kol
Karakol
Posta 20
Katie Guthro
or my phone # is 996550434856 when you call, it sounds like a busy call but just let it busy signal away. it's actually the kyrgyz ring. my parents have said that it's actually not that expensive to call. miss you!!
understanding
I kind of forgot about this whole blogging thing but i am back on track.
Eating an apple... but soon apples will be too explensive to buy. I remember a a story from my writing class in college where the author described her mom eating an apple: standing over the sink, savoring each bite, only leaving the seeds. I remember wondering, why? What did she live in her life to savor an apple with such intensity? And soon it will be winter in Kyrgyzstan... and there will be no apples. So I am starting to understand.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
ISSYK KUL OR BUST!
Eight months ago I decided I wanted to join Peace Corps. Before it was a big dream but in December I decided to make it a reality. I asked, what do I want? What job and location would make me happy? After working with middle school and high school students I knew the next step would be taking on university classes. High school teaching fit me and I loved what I took away from the experience but there were some pieces that did not suite me… what if college is a better fit for my teaching style? The idea of working with highly skilled and motivated students makes me inspired and that sort of energy is contagious. As far as location: honestly, I couldn’t think of a better place for me than Tahoe. How can you beat the beautiful, clear, blue lake and the mountains reflecting in the still water? The hiking? The skiing? It’s a place that has what I love. When I drove out of California with my car packed to the brim, I realized I could possibly never live in a place like that again. Tahoe wasn’t wrong for me, I loved it there… but it wasn’t right either… perfect but not perfect for me. You know what I mean? Anyway…
Wednesday I was given my permanent assignment and I cannot think of a better placement. Peace Corps directors drew a huge map of Kyrgyzstan on the pavement and had all 60 of us stand on the edge and take a look at the country we will serve. Gazing at the big blue blob in the north-east corner I crossed my fingers and made a final wish for mountains, water, and a university. please, please, let me be with what I love. I breathed a sigh of relief when my name was announced and I skipped across the country to join my new sight mates around a new but familiar home.
I will be working in the English department at a university on Lake Issyk Kul. The school is about 4,500 students with 50 teachers in the English department. My job consists of bringing English fluency into the classroom, teaching grammar, new teaching methods, running an English club, setting up teacher seminars, and giving English support to teachers when needed. As for the great outdoors: I will be 30 minutes from the local ski resort along with plenty of hiking right out my backyard. When I asked about the skiing, a PCV that is on his way out told me he left his telemark setup for me to pick up when I get to my new home. The lake is 30 minutes away, up to 65 feet of clarity and doesn’t freeze in the winter… from a small amount of salt content, not depth. (Did I mention it’s warm?) It’s the second largest alpine lake in the world and it’s my new playground.
Sometimes I doubt myself, sometimes I wonder if what I decided on was the right choice. But not this time. Not at all.
Wednesday I was given my permanent assignment and I cannot think of a better placement. Peace Corps directors drew a huge map of Kyrgyzstan on the pavement and had all 60 of us stand on the edge and take a look at the country we will serve. Gazing at the big blue blob in the north-east corner I crossed my fingers and made a final wish for mountains, water, and a university. please, please, let me be with what I love. I breathed a sigh of relief when my name was announced and I skipped across the country to join my new sight mates around a new but familiar home.
I will be working in the English department at a university on Lake Issyk Kul. The school is about 4,500 students with 50 teachers in the English department. My job consists of bringing English fluency into the classroom, teaching grammar, new teaching methods, running an English club, setting up teacher seminars, and giving English support to teachers when needed. As for the great outdoors: I will be 30 minutes from the local ski resort along with plenty of hiking right out my backyard. When I asked about the skiing, a PCV that is on his way out told me he left his telemark setup for me to pick up when I get to my new home. The lake is 30 minutes away, up to 65 feet of clarity and doesn’t freeze in the winter… from a small amount of salt content, not depth. (Did I mention it’s warm?) It’s the second largest alpine lake in the world and it’s my new playground.
Sometimes I doubt myself, sometimes I wonder if what I decided on was the right choice. But not this time. Not at all.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
two months in and i begin to write
I’m finally starting to feel normal here… like before it was just too overwhelming to write down or even put into words. I want to write down everything that seems strange before it feels like everyday life. I want to make sure I can capture what everything is like in Kyrgyzstan and hope that it gives you a better understanding. Have you looked at a map to see where Kyrgyzstan is? Have you seen the pictures of mountains and rivers? All those pictures online don’t really capture it… when I get my camera to download I’m not sure if anything I take will do it justice.
Everyday I wake up and see the mountains extending up into the sky. There are the layers of rolling hills, bigger mountains behind, and then jutting snowcapped peaks. It’s especially beautiful at night when the sun sets on each layer and creates a mix of pinky, red hills. Right now, I am living with a mom and daughter in a one-bedroom house. Everything is very basic, no machines except for a stove and iron, limited electricity at night, and no running water.
I think the biggest adjustment for me is using an outhouse every day. Even more so is that everyone here uses the squatting toilet. If I had a dollar for the amount of times I have peed on my feet… ah, so that’s been a tough one. I’ve been told the outhouse and excrement is especially rough in the wintertime. Apparently, it’s youngest son’s responsibility to knock down the frozen poop pile when it gets stacked too high in the john. I was reassured they use a stick to get the job done… so that’s the one pro I can find in the situation.
Showering is another thing that is a bit difficult without running water. At this point in the summer I am taking bucket baths and loving it. Who knew you really only need half a bucket of water to get clean? In the winter the family banyas, which is similar to a sauna. It is basically a small room with a stove and slatted floorboards. The stove is stoked with buckets of water on the stove, once the room and water heat up the women or men will come in to enjoy warming up, talking, and bathing. It can be an hour or two hour process and more of a ritual. We actually had something very similar in McCarthy, AK and I’m looking forward to taking advantage of the banya in the winter months.
Kyrgyz food is lots of soup and lots of starch, somewhat reminding me of eating in Germany. I’m adjusting to eating left over dinner for breakfast every morning with 3 to 4 cups of tea pushed at me by my host mom. The Kyrgyz culture makes sure that you are well fed and happy with a full stomach. One of the first sayings I learned was “toy dum” which means, “I’m full.” This was purely for survival reasons because without it my host mom may have tried feeding me until my stomach exploded. Noodles, bread and potatoes are the staples with great local fruits and veggies that are in season… I have never tasted such juicy melon or ripe tomatoes. I’ve started to eat tomatoes like an apple and just can’t get enough. Sounds like the winter is going to be limited and I will have to start getting used to cabbage, potatoes, wintergreens and pickles. Tahoe helped me learn the ways of good soups and stews so hopefully I will be all right. Ah Allison… wish I still had my crockpot.
Winter sounds like it’s going to be intense. Before I came I kept reminding myself that the winters in New England are equally as cold. The longer I am here the more I realize that yes, the weather is similar to what I have lived in, but with limited or no electricity it will make for a cold, cold winter. Hope I brought enough long underwear.
As for other pieces of life, I still have one more month of PCT (Peace Corps. Training) before I can more to my permanent site. The days consist of language in the morning and job or culture training in the afternoons. Honestly, I am slow to extremely slow at learning the Kyrgyz language. Language is not my strong suit in anyway so I am not completely shocked that I’m having a hard time. I know it will come… living here two years it has to come eventually, but it’s just difficult and frustrating while I stutter over a word I KNOW I have learn five times already. Patience is a virtue for me and my fabulous Kyrgyz language teacher.
As for my village, there are wonderful people who live in town and ask me how I am every day on the street. They are kind and patient, knowing I am just learning their language and adjusting to their way of life. Little kids will run down the road, screech to a halt at my feet, and say hello until their face is blue. We say hello back and forth a few times, point at things to exchange Kyrgyz, Russian, and English words for a tree or shoelace and then move on with the day. They are helping me to stay motivated and stay excited about 4 hours of language class every morning.
You know, at first life here felt so different and now it’s starting to feel like the norm. It just amazes me how fast we can all adjust to a new way of living and kind of push aside what your way of living used to be. Does that make sense? I guess what I mean is, everything strange will soon be my normal… so what will my past normal be? iiiiiinteresting.
Everyday I wake up and see the mountains extending up into the sky. There are the layers of rolling hills, bigger mountains behind, and then jutting snowcapped peaks. It’s especially beautiful at night when the sun sets on each layer and creates a mix of pinky, red hills. Right now, I am living with a mom and daughter in a one-bedroom house. Everything is very basic, no machines except for a stove and iron, limited electricity at night, and no running water.
I think the biggest adjustment for me is using an outhouse every day. Even more so is that everyone here uses the squatting toilet. If I had a dollar for the amount of times I have peed on my feet… ah, so that’s been a tough one. I’ve been told the outhouse and excrement is especially rough in the wintertime. Apparently, it’s youngest son’s responsibility to knock down the frozen poop pile when it gets stacked too high in the john. I was reassured they use a stick to get the job done… so that’s the one pro I can find in the situation.
Showering is another thing that is a bit difficult without running water. At this point in the summer I am taking bucket baths and loving it. Who knew you really only need half a bucket of water to get clean? In the winter the family banyas, which is similar to a sauna. It is basically a small room with a stove and slatted floorboards. The stove is stoked with buckets of water on the stove, once the room and water heat up the women or men will come in to enjoy warming up, talking, and bathing. It can be an hour or two hour process and more of a ritual. We actually had something very similar in McCarthy, AK and I’m looking forward to taking advantage of the banya in the winter months.
Kyrgyz food is lots of soup and lots of starch, somewhat reminding me of eating in Germany. I’m adjusting to eating left over dinner for breakfast every morning with 3 to 4 cups of tea pushed at me by my host mom. The Kyrgyz culture makes sure that you are well fed and happy with a full stomach. One of the first sayings I learned was “toy dum” which means, “I’m full.” This was purely for survival reasons because without it my host mom may have tried feeding me until my stomach exploded. Noodles, bread and potatoes are the staples with great local fruits and veggies that are in season… I have never tasted such juicy melon or ripe tomatoes. I’ve started to eat tomatoes like an apple and just can’t get enough. Sounds like the winter is going to be limited and I will have to start getting used to cabbage, potatoes, wintergreens and pickles. Tahoe helped me learn the ways of good soups and stews so hopefully I will be all right. Ah Allison… wish I still had my crockpot.
Winter sounds like it’s going to be intense. Before I came I kept reminding myself that the winters in New England are equally as cold. The longer I am here the more I realize that yes, the weather is similar to what I have lived in, but with limited or no electricity it will make for a cold, cold winter. Hope I brought enough long underwear.
As for other pieces of life, I still have one more month of PCT (Peace Corps. Training) before I can more to my permanent site. The days consist of language in the morning and job or culture training in the afternoons. Honestly, I am slow to extremely slow at learning the Kyrgyz language. Language is not my strong suit in anyway so I am not completely shocked that I’m having a hard time. I know it will come… living here two years it has to come eventually, but it’s just difficult and frustrating while I stutter over a word I KNOW I have learn five times already. Patience is a virtue for me and my fabulous Kyrgyz language teacher.
As for my village, there are wonderful people who live in town and ask me how I am every day on the street. They are kind and patient, knowing I am just learning their language and adjusting to their way of life. Little kids will run down the road, screech to a halt at my feet, and say hello until their face is blue. We say hello back and forth a few times, point at things to exchange Kyrgyz, Russian, and English words for a tree or shoelace and then move on with the day. They are helping me to stay motivated and stay excited about 4 hours of language class every morning.
You know, at first life here felt so different and now it’s starting to feel like the norm. It just amazes me how fast we can all adjust to a new way of living and kind of push aside what your way of living used to be. Does that make sense? I guess what I mean is, everything strange will soon be my normal… so what will my past normal be? iiiiiinteresting.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Cell Phone Number
Each day is getting better and I'm starting to understand what's going on around here. We are planning a skit for peace corps. culture day and I'm officially the chosen one to be "bridenapped" demonstrating the local culture. I will post some pictures of the extravaganza.
I finally got a cell phone. Here's the #.... 011996550434856. I can text for pretty cheap, all you have to do is call your cell phone company and tell them you want to make internationally calls. Hope to hear from you all soon!!
ps it hit 112 last week. this weather is craaazy.
I finally got a cell phone. Here's the #.... 011996550434856. I can text for pretty cheap, all you have to do is call your cell phone company and tell them you want to make internationally calls. Hope to hear from you all soon!!
ps it hit 112 last week. this weather is craaazy.
Monday, July 28, 2008
almost a month in to living in country. whoa, it's amazing how fast the time has gone. i can say that it's getting better... the beginning was rough with adjusting to so many new things. let me see if i can cover the "adjustment phase"
1. not knowing what's going on most of the time
2. being physically ill for four days from new country bacteria... i found out the bonus is you get sick AGAIN when returning to the US in two years
3. trying to fit into a new family
4. adjusting to the weather being extremely hot and no fans
5. no more flushing tiolets/running water
6. limited electricity
7. learning Kyrgyz
1. not knowing what's going on most of the time
2. being physically ill for four days from new country bacteria... i found out the bonus is you get sick AGAIN when returning to the US in two years
3. trying to fit into a new family
4. adjusting to the weather being extremely hot and no fans
5. no more flushing tiolets/running water
6. limited electricity
7. learning Kyrgyz
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
it's hard to process all of this and write about it
It is hard to believe that I have been away for two weeks. I have been wandering around with people talking gibberish and all I can do it smile and shrug. How fast life changes from being well establish in a career, social network, and family to allllllllllllllll discombobulated. But I signed up for this... right?
My days consist of my host mom, Fatima, saying things I don't understand and then acting them out. I really apprecaite her efforts and now can say, "duck water." This is tough, it's supposed to be tough, just taking it day by day.
oh... i watched my neighbor kill a goat yesterday. that was the first being i have ever seen die.
My days consist of my host mom, Fatima, saying things I don't understand and then acting them out. I really apprecaite her efforts and now can say, "duck water." This is tough, it's supposed to be tough, just taking it day by day.
oh... i watched my neighbor kill a goat yesterday. that was the first being i have ever seen die.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Address
Here is my address until mid-September. The easiest way to send anything is to just cut and past this label (English and Kyrgyz) to the envelope. It's all happening!!
KYRGYZSTAN
722140 Kant City
Lenina 97, RUPS
P.O. Box 22
ATTN: Katie Guthro
Кыргызстан
722140 г. Кант
ул. Ленина 97, РУПС
а/я 22
KYRGYZSTAN
722140 Kant City
Lenina 97, RUPS
P.O. Box 22
ATTN: Katie Guthro
Кыргызстан
722140 г. Кант
ул. Ленина 97, РУПС
а/я 22
home sweet home
I am here because of these two people. My parents give me strength and constant encouragement to take risks and grow. Can't get much better than that. Aren't they good looking folks?
Being home in New Hampshire, people I have not seen in a long time have come out to wish me luck and root me on. It once again reinforces how many incredible people are in my life. The weekend was full on family, love, and advice. A family friend came over tonight to give me a hug and corrected me one last time on my grammar. Yes, I am an English teacher ... no, I'm not perfect... yes, I will try to keep my rules straight.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
a week to go...
Phew. A four day road trip across America... Guthro style. What a trip. Never did I imagine that I could pull into New Hampshire with such a better understanding of my mom. It was this ceremonial point where I drove away from New Hampshire three years ago with a friend (actually drove away twice... yeah Jess and Tom) and returned with family.
On that note, I am leaving again but this time with a bigger plan than to ski powder. Well, I am hoping for that too but those are details to be figued out once I find a partner in crime and I can speak Russian. (whoa... Kyrgyz Republic is 90% mountains? yeahhhhhhhhhh)
Kyrgyzstan... actually Kyrgyz Republic. (Pronounced Krrrr gzzzz) Departure date is July 3rd and I am starting to get mentally ready for this. Deep breaths. Deeeeep breaths. I know it's going to be something bigger than myself and that's why I want to go do this.
Everything in my life has lead up to this decision. From two weeks each year at Camp Huckins to being released in Europe to travel with my West High School German class to a midnight flight to Japan... all has lead up to this moment. That makes me smile.
On that note, I am leaving again but this time with a bigger plan than to ski powder. Well, I am hoping for that too but those are details to be figued out once I find a partner in crime and I can speak Russian. (whoa... Kyrgyz Republic is 90% mountains? yeahhhhhhhhhh)
Kyrgyzstan... actually Kyrgyz Republic. (Pronounced Krrrr gzzzz) Departure date is July 3rd and I am starting to get mentally ready for this. Deep breaths. Deeeeep breaths. I know it's going to be something bigger than myself and that's why I want to go do this.
Everything in my life has lead up to this decision. From two weeks each year at Camp Huckins to being released in Europe to travel with my West High School German class to a midnight flight to Japan... all has lead up to this moment. That makes me smile.
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