An email from my friend, an American who works for an NGO in Bishkek:
Hello all,
Things are fairly quiet in the city and we were "de-consolidated" yesterday which means we were allowed to go back to our own apartments.
After getting back to my own apartment, I took my first shower since Wednesday (they had showers at our "safe house" but I figured the revolution was a good excuse to skip a few days). It seems a little strange to do anything normal during these un-normal times but after my shower I got a haircut (where they proceeded to wash my hair two more times). Then I went grocery shopping (at the shopping center which wasn't looted) because I had left all my boiled eggs, ramen noodle bowls and canned corn at the safe house. The store where I went grocery shopping had been badly looted in the 2005 revolution, really fortified itself afterwards and survived this round. Lesson well learned.
After shopping I did the wash which means right now I'm wearing my "gym" clothes. When I first arrived in Bishkek last November I bought a heavy coat, two dress shirts, a pair of work pants and two pairs of socks. I alternate the dress shirts and socks. My next purchase was a pair of "office" slippers. This prompted someone in my office to comment that I don't seem to care about what I wear. He was wondering if it was a personal or cultural thing.
Since I don't have a camera, here are some links to articles with pictures. The picture in this article is the "mall" where I usually (or should I say "used to"?) go to lunch:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8610691.stm
It is also the mall where I (used to) get holes in my clothes sewed. I have so far brought in a jacket, pants and a sweater. When I brought in my socks, though, they said no and told me just to buy a new pair. When I told my co-worker what happened she took out a needle and some thread and sewed them on the spot (she first asked if the socks were clean and then added that I should get married so my wife could sew my socks).
This article has a map of Bishkek (I've also attached a copy with my edits) where you can see my old apartment:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8608440.stm
I read another article referring to the protests as the Easter Revolution which is a little funny since Kyrgyzstan is a Muslim country. Someone in my office suggested that I move up my trip to Bangkok but after reading the news today I'm not so sure that's a good idea either?
Hello all,
Things are fairly quiet in the city and we were "de-consolidated" yesterday which means we were allowed to go back to our own apartments.
After getting back to my own apartment, I took my first shower since Wednesday (they had showers at our "safe house" but I figured the revolution was a good excuse to skip a few days). It seems a little strange to do anything normal during these un-normal times but after my shower I got a haircut (where they proceeded to wash my hair two more times). Then I went grocery shopping (at the shopping center which wasn't looted) because I had left all my boiled eggs, ramen noodle bowls and canned corn at the safe house. The store where I went grocery shopping had been badly looted in the 2005 revolution, really fortified itself afterwards and survived this round. Lesson well learned.
After shopping I did the wash which means right now I'm wearing my "gym" clothes. When I first arrived in Bishkek last November I bought a heavy coat, two dress shirts, a pair of work pants and two pairs of socks. I alternate the dress shirts and socks. My next purchase was a pair of "office" slippers. This prompted someone in my office to comment that I don't seem to care about what I wear. He was wondering if it was a personal or cultural thing.
Since I don't have a camera, here are some links to articles with pictures. The picture in this article is the "mall" where I usually (or should I say "used to"?) go to lunch:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8610691.stm
It is also the mall where I (used to) get holes in my clothes sewed. I have so far brought in a jacket, pants and a sweater. When I brought in my socks, though, they said no and told me just to buy a new pair. When I told my co-worker what happened she took out a needle and some thread and sewed them on the spot (she first asked if the socks were clean and then added that I should get married so my wife could sew my socks).
This article has a map of Bishkek (I've also attached a copy with my edits) where you can see my old apartment:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8608440.stm
I read another article referring to the protests as the Easter Revolution which is a little funny since Kyrgyzstan is a Muslim country. Someone in my office suggested that I move up my trip to Bangkok but after reading the news today I'm not so sure that's a good idea either?
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