Site Visit

      Peace Corps Training does many things to prepare us PCT’s to go out on our own into the wild blue yonder of Kazakhstan.  And wild blue it is as we learn about bride-knappings and camels on the steppe.  Anyway, the latest attempt to integrate us, was a site visit to current volunters (PCV’c).  For me, this meant spending three days with PCT Emily, observing the life of PCV Echo in Mankent, the little Uzbekistan of Kazakhstan.

            Our adventure began as we exited the train while it rolled away from the Mankent train station.  After the train has made it’s stop and begun to roll away from the platform:  Conductress: “This isn’t Shimkent, it’s Mankent.” Emily: “We want Aksukent.” “Mankent and Aksukent are the same thing, let’s get off!”  I say, hoping that the info my teacher gave me was correct, and hoping that Kazakh trains don’t pick up speed too fast.  We jumped onto the raised concrete divide between tracks and looked forwards and backwards for anyone on the platform who looked American.  We didn’t have to wait long as we found a tall (in Kazakh terms) kinky-culred brunette in sweat-pant capris–American located–and we wound through alleyways for about fifteen minutes till we got to her apartment.

            That night our first big Uzbek event took place, a wedding complete with food, music, Uzbek horns, Uzbek dancing, speeches to the bride and groom and several invitations for the next days festivities.  “How many days are American weddings?” “What! only one!” 

            At the college we visited we were promptly invited to another wedding and asked multiple times by both students and staff if we were married, do you have a boyfriend? Is it true that American boyfriends and girlfriends sometimes live together before marrying?  The importance of marriage and family was apparent at every turn.

            Perhaps the biggest impression on me was made at a Kazakh Gymnasia school.  The English teachers had heard the day before that two PCT’s were in town and they promptly prepared a concert for us–complete with costumes, music, and a speech by the school director–to be held in a full auditorium.  For the festivities, Emily and I were seated at a table in front of the full auditorium like a judges panel  After watching a play, a song about My Lucky Chickens, and a cappella version of “I Can See Clearly Now,” Emily and I, were asked to introduce ourselves.  Public Speaking 101.  My Name Is… I am From… (and by the way, no one knows where Wisconsin is “Oh near Colorado right?” “I visited there when I was in Virginia.”).  After we finished our introductions we opened the floor for questions from the students.  The auditorium full of quietly seated Kazakh children began to pulsate with energy as hands bobbed up and down, along with heads and legs, and finally students standing up in the aisles waiving hands in the air to practice their English on a native US citizen.  Of course we were asked again whether we were married…or had a boyfriend…or had any children.  No, no and no.

            After our presentation was over, and the many students who had stayed to talk to us had trickled down to an almost manageable few, two English teachers hustled us out of the auditorium and into the cafeteria, quite the feat as children continued saying “good-bye” and “hello” all through the hallway.  We were assured into a sectioned off teacher’s dining area of the cafeteria, and the partitions were adjusted to make sure that the students turned paparazzi would not intrude on their guests.  Here we were treated to lamb dumpling soup, chai, and russian potato-cakes. Emily and I were still full from the tea with candy, cookies and meat pastries we had been hosted to before the presentation.  The staff chatted with us about our families, our stay, and our marital status, and then told us again how they hoped to have a PCV come to their school, and would we come? and of course we were invited to their houses for chai when we do come back.

            Similar questions were posed to us at the other schools we visited, sometimes by teachers, and other times by students.  Emily and I were impressed at every turn by students eagerness to learn, and the work of their teachers to help them do so.  At the same time, the two of us hold no control over where we go or what schools will receive PCV’s so at the moment it is for us to hope and pray that the schools will receive the aid they want, and for a site placement with students and teachers as eager and welcoming as we met in Mankent and the surrounding areas.