Sunday 5/8
What a great weekend it turned out to be. We were all bumming out about our hiking trip being canceled but ended up arranging our own fun with our first free saturday! The day started off with a great hour and a half run with my running buddy, bri guy! Squeezed in a little internet cafe time and got a sweet new nokia bar phone (yes it's an old school nokia and it's amazing! Never thought i'd own one again but they are all the rage here. So excited to have a phone that will work more than 25% of the time and will receive saftey and security messages!!)
After a short adventure in kant city my two friends and I walked the next village over, Luxenburg, to guest at one of the LCF's host houses. One of the language groups made AMAZING mexican fajitas!!
the fun of the afternoon did not stop there...went back into Kant to an amazing hidden cafe (with lazor lights once the sun goes down and covered patio seating around back) and danced the night away! The safe was definitely entertained by how much fun we were having dancing to michael jackson and pitbull (btw... pitbull is HUGE here. Kyrgyzstan loves him!). Cafe Keremet... we'll be back!

Tuesday 5/10
Tomorrow morning... permanent site visit! I'm so nervous to meet my new host family, my counter part and everyone else at the hospital that i'll be working with, and hoping my village is as awesome as my welcome packet makes it sound! Keeping my fingers crossed!
Today in honor of one of our k19's bdays (happy bday claire!!) a bunch of us went out for a quick bday toast and some amazing cheesy bread. Awesome find in counrty and really hoping we're able to find other places with it around the country. If not we'll have to visit this Georgian cafe a lot throughout or 2 years. It's pretty much the closest thing to motzerella sticks or anything in that category of comfort greasy foods haha (pleanty of oil and grease in the food here but not the same or even close!).

Sunday 5/15
I survived site visit! What a crazy adventure it was from start to finish! I have been placed with a Kyrgyz speaking family in very small and isolated kyrgyz speaking village. That was definitely one of the many factors that made the visit super overwhelming. My village is located right on the base of a mountain and has the most breath taking mountain views in pretty much every direction! The cooler mountain air was such a nice break from the heat in chui.
Throwing out some shot outs to some amazing k18 volunteers who helped me make my site visit go a lot better that it could have gone.
-Andrew... thank you for coming and being my translator with my host family and hospital director! Huge help and was great to get a tour and learn about the village.
-Akash... thank you so much for taking me into karakol city for the afternoon/ welcome get together and making sure I got back to my house safely!
-Kevin... thank you so much for hosting all of the new k19s near and in karakol city. Delicious food and it was great to meet almost everyone in the area.
The 6 hour drive back to bishkek was a lot more fun than the 6 hour drive to site. The east shore 4 (megan, john, matt, and I) shared a taxi and had a blast laughing about all of the crazy awkward moments of our visit. Including megs awesomely hilarious banya experience with her director and other teachers haha at least her rear is thoroughly clean now thanks to her new director hahaha. And for some cultural exchange... John's village slaughted a cow in his honor and then proceeded to have a water fight... welcome to kyrgyzstan enjoy some cow cheek. We all walked away with some great memories.
After being crammed in a cab for 6 hours after a stressful few days we decided, even though we were all super tired, to stop back at cafe keremet for a little before heading home for dinner with our families. A bunch of other volunteers stopped by and we got to laugh some more about awkward moments in country haha. Only in kyrgyzstan! Gotta love it!

Wednesday 5/18
What a week and it's not over yet. Lots and lots of meetings regarding the downfalls of my site placement... crossing my fingers something gets worked out stat!
Silver lining... it's bday week! Happy bday to steve, bob, and casey!
Had a great “only in Kyrgyzstan moment” during my morning run! Ran with almost 100 bulls (thankfully none of them started to charge or else that could have been bad) but it is probably the closet I will get to running with the bulls in Barcelona haha
Yesterday, the health volunteers went into Bishkek for a presentation/ training at the peace corps office! Love trips to the office! We also met our new k18 volunteer trainer... thanks for the baked goods (all of us really appreciate it! So tasty!)
I feel like a lot of my blog is dedicated to my love for food but anyways... while in Bishkek we got a taste of the closest thing to mcdonalds in country, “begamont”. The fries were super crispy and delicious. Ketchup is not the same in country. But the chicken cheese buger hit the spot for sure! Thanks to our health promotion program manager for treating us to lunch! Delish!

Sunday 5/22
I am seriously soooo full right now! The director of programming and training invited the Issyk-kul and naryn k19s to his gorgeous apt in Bishkek for a luncheon! It was super super delicious and all of us ate our weight and then some. It was seriously legit! (might have to go back next weekend and crash the Chui and Talas k19 luncheon haha jk)
After the luncheon, on our way to the marchutka stop, a bunch of us made a pit stop at Alato Square. As if looking American doesn't draw enough attention, we decided to join some local kids and splash around in the fountain! Not going to lie, it was a lot of fun and a great break from the summer heat!

Friday 5/27
Wow it's been a crazy busy but very productive week! Where to beign...
On Tuesday the all of the health volunteers had to teach a health lesson, on a topic of their choice, for 10 year olds. The real kicker... it had to be taught in the local language (aka I had to teach in Russian...ahhhh) it was def very nerve racking but all of us survived and did not get anything thrown at us haha. Now, I know that I can teach kids around the country about tooth brushing in russian! Hopefully, i'm able to learn more technical language so I can teach about other health topics for a potential secondary project!!! Even though it was super stressful, it was hands down a great experience that I'm glad I got before leaving for permanent site.
Speaking of permanent site... I got re- assigned to CHOLPON ATA, ISSYK KUL! I could not be more happy! So many K19s are jealous about the fact that i'm going to a post soviet resort city that has amazing resources and luxuries but they all plan on visiting and hanging out on the beach with me! I will miss being part of the East Shore 4 but i'll will visit them and the Karakol City cluster a lot. Life on the north shore is definitely going to be great, I've entered the posh corps haha.
On Thursday I got to call my family and give them the great news. Always nice to talk with them! They were also very enthusiastic about my new site and eager to come visit!
Thursday was also when I had to present my field work health project (but that was boring so I won't waste blog space on those details haha) Before our presentations we did get to have a mini health k19 party, thanks to our program manager for providing delicious chocolates and “little debbie wannabe” cake thingies.
This week, the k19s had our last PST (pre service training) disco. Sadly, since all of us are busy with projects and studying for our language exam, not a lot of people showed up. Silver lining, we had an awesome group that did show up and there was legit delicious cake!!
I had my language exam this morning... rocked it (sort of). Language is still shaky (normal considering i've only been speaking it for 2 months) but I got a level above where I need to be. Can't wait for the next exam in 6 months haha. So glad I don't have my exam on saturday like some people. Just get to look forward to a saturday of language and an interview with the country director.
Almost forgot to mention... we had a training on how to can and use a rice cooker. Now we can all survive the winter!!! It was very interesting and now I feel like I can actually eat well in country when I finally get to start cooking for myself at permanent site. So excited for the canning party with Lindsey (k18 who also lives in cholpon ata) and emma (who live in the village next to us... only a quick marchutka ride away!).

Count down to swear in...4 days!


FAVORITE MOMENTS IN COUNTRY (so far)...
 skipping rocks with matt on lake issyk-kul with matt on our way to permanent site visit
 sports days
 coming home after a morning run and my host mom asking me if it’s raining. I had to explain that it was not raining but that people get hot when they run so they get sweaty and gross.
 watching my first american movie in country
 helping my host sisters make manti
 watching my host mom and sisters make the lagman noodles (it's impressive)
 chi time with my host mom (these seem to be where my language break throughs happen)
 dancing at cafe keremet with a bunch of k19s
 “the box” in istanbul airport (didnt happen in kyrgyzstan but luke, aaron, and I laugh about it still)
 drooling over all the food we miss (esp that amazing italian dinner in phily)
 “running with the bulls”
 first solo marchutka trip (suprisinly I didn't get lost)
 getting a hot samsa and enjoying it in the shade of Kant park.
 The mountain view in the KR (going to miss my PST village)
 teaching in russian for the first time (yay!)
 signing autographs for 5th form students
 first trip to the peace corps office and the UN house!
 Issyk-kul and naryn oblast luncheon