Just got back from the city. It was calm. My friends and I went out drinking. They told me their stories of last night. One of my student's  windows got smashed last night because some people weren't happy that they were filming things on video.

Early this morning I had to drag myself to work after staying up half the night thinking that "marodery" (rioters) were headed in our direction after reading stuff on http://diesel.elcat.kg. Nothing happened. Things were pretty calm here. But, it was a little worrying for a bit. Called work this morning, one of the more responsible faculty member was already at school -- that was my cue that I need to get there as soon as possible.

So... I drove there, picked up our office manager on our way there. Saw some soldiers in their riot gear, and then as I tried to park my car, three soldiers ran over and started creating problems...as if I look or act like Rioter Number One of Bishkek City. They asked me all kinds of questions, asked me for my papers, how I dented my car, etc...I told them that my students were waiting for me and that instead of being positive about people showing up at work and trying to be normal about things, these people wanted to enforce their masculinity because a Girl was driving a car to work. That seems to piss the police off a lot. For a while they stopped me three times on my way to work and three times on my way home. I try to belive that we are friends at this point.

There were surprisingly a lot of students who showed up to the first class. Then a couple of us went to have lunch at Pitt Stop and it seemed like nothing had happened the night before, even though I spent most of the night on the phone talking to my parents, friends, and students. I only had 1 student for my second class, so I cancelled it. Went home and picked up some shashlik at cafe 11(Odzinatsotaye) in the evening. There were so many people. It sure looked like they were 
having fun. I wonder what it is that makes people pretend nothing happened last night.It even
feels shameful to admit that I was scared.

Later, I went out to meet some friends at Cafe Parnas on Belinka Street.
People were really partying, telling each other stories of last night, repeating words spoken by
opposition leaders as if they were movie lines. Most people do not believe that these crazy things are over. No one seems to know what to expect. But, people are hopeful, going about their business as best as they can. I am so confused by local politics that I have given up trying to analyze these things...

Tomorrow I have to go to the American Studies Symposium at MUK (International University in Kyrgyzstan). I am not presenting anything, but my students are. Then there's the "Latin Party at Metro Pub;" will try to enjoy that too...since most of my co-workers and students will be attending.

I keep reading about the Virginia Tech shooting. It's sad that the fact that the shooter was Korean is being stressed so much in the media. This shooting is tragic.

love you all,

s

Revolution Part III

School got closed down again till Monday. Anxiously awaiting Revolution Part III

I recently returned from a trip to Paris and Brussels. Seeing my family and Koala was amazing. I loved every single day of my trip. Koala was on New York time and I was on Bishkek time, but we had fun nevertheless. I tried to understand why I hated living in Paris when I went to college there. I was sad to leave the beautiful city. Brussels was mellow and all about family. Mishka and the family went for a few walks together. She is such a smart, loyal, and beautiful dog. I wish Nanooki and Mishu would finally meet.

The coffee at a cafe at Le Bon Marche department store was surprisingly the best coffee I've had, maybe not counting places in Brazil.

I am now back in Bishkek, and it's springtime here. I am starting to feel like I have a limited amount of hours of teaching left in me. The other day I had a dream about hiding from students.

My new fun project (The Bishkek Lagman Survey) is sampling lagman (kyrgyz noodle dish) at as many different places as possible. I will publish my important findings soon. But so far Chaihana at Dordoi Plaza is number one.

One Day in February

So, I know there have been no updates. I've been kind of busy=) trying to combine an active social life with responsibilities at work.

Today is my first day to relax in a while. So, here are some pictures of the day when my friend and I went to Apsheron shashlik specialty cafe and then to the mountains in Ala-Archa nature reserve. That was a perfect day. Chicken shashlik @ Apsheron is my new obsession. It was delicious and I got to hear strange songs performed by afternoon drunks.

Look, the time is 3:33!
My shadow on the snow in Ala-Archa nature reserve.
Ice-capped stones.

Nanooki on the Kitchen Floor

My Favorite

5 AM in Bishkek

Lost luggage, dizziness, and slight reverse culture shock are what I am experiencing right now.

Listening to Junior Boys. Drinking milk Rooibos tea.

Lufthansa promised that my stuff will be back at their Hyatt office in the morning! I really need that favorite pair of jeans and books for school.

The weather is not as cold as I thought it would be. Yes, there is a grayish presence of what once was snow, but otherwise you definitely don't have to dress tundra-style anymore.

Seeing Things

Last night I had one of those classic themed dreams when I discovered that I had lice. I didn't lose composure in the dream and of course killed all the lice. Then I read stuff online about what it could mean, frustration, sickness, etc. Nice!

Yesterday I saw "Children of Men" with Koala. It was pretty good. This was after a full day of walking around the city by myself and blowing a load of cash on comic books. In the evening I looked through Kevin Huizenga's "Curses." It was good, a little philosophical, but I liked the fade out endings of the shorter pieces. Then I decided I had the flu and passed out.

Today, post-dream lice experience I woke up, read American, Central Asian, Russian, and Kyrgyz news sites, listened to a couple tracks of Burial (I am liking that dark and oily dubstep sound), got ready for reality. I still need to get a coffee and buy a plane ticket back to Bishkek. I looked at some ticket prices on Kayak.com and there are a couple of flights to London and then from there to Almaty, Kazakhstan on Air Astana. For some reason every time I clicked on Air Astana it said "Trans-Atlantic 911" and as you can imagine that did not inspire me to buy this ticket. What does that mean?

Also, the other day I walked outside onto 14th Street and all these people stood and looked up to the sky. Me too I looked up to the sky and saw a small airplane writing stuff in the air. It seemed like the small airplane was having fun, but being me all I could read was "help" or at least I wasn't patient enough to see the rest, and walked into the entrails of the subway system.

Another thought I had about New York is that I see a lot less crazy people than like a year ago. Where did they all go? Did they add a new wing to Bellevue?

2006: Where We Used to Meet

Wonderful, beautiful, comforting friends, thank you for making New York my home! I feel like a native abnormality again...

Last night I think I must've been in a most un-new yearly mood, but somehow it made sense. I was cranky, unsociable, but at home. I came back to 14th Street and watched a Dario Argento horror flick until I passed out. Perfect!

Earlier today we had Korean New Year's dumpling and rice cake soup and then went to Lulu's house where we all played the Wii. Now I really want to get one of those things to get me through the rest of Bishkek winter.

I am ordering books right now for the next semester. I sure have a lot of scanning ahead of me. But, I am definitely revitalized and ready to teach some more freaky things. It's crazy how much I miss AUCA right now.

I gotta watch "Woman on the Beach" now, the new Hong Sang Soo movie now. Bye for now.