Tag: Kyrgyzstan

Mile 26: Reflections From My COS Flight

Published on by Mark Jahnke2 Comments

Most of this post was written one year ago as I left Kyrgyzstan.

We touched down in Istanbul at about 9:30, and we all moved quickly to security, visas, and customs. One by one, as we cleared, each person, without realizing it, left our group, and I watched over my shoulder as the old man in the kalpak got his passport stamped and went off to his next destination.  I was alone, without anyone from Kyrgyzstan, for the first time in months, surrounded by travelers from all seven continents. Continue reading “Mile 26: Reflections From My COS Flight” →

Back In Batken Oblast

Published on by Mark Jahnke

On a hot Thursday one year ago, just over a week before I left Kyrgyzstan, I made a small piece of Peace Corps Kyrgyz Republic history: I became the first volunteer in nearly two decades to lead a project in Batken Oblast.  It doesn’t sound like a big deal if you don’t know Peace Corps Kyrgyzstan very well, so let me start from the beginning with an overview of what Batken is and why it’s so cool. Continue reading “Back In Batken Oblast” →

A Few Stunning Videos Of Kyrgyzstan

Published on by Mark Jahnke1 Comment

Kyrgyzstan has become a popular subject as of late for some amazing amateur and professional filmmakers who have accidentally or deliberately stumbled upon its splendor.  I’ve been wanting to share some of these for a while, in the hopes that they’ll spark more interest in visiting the region. Continue reading “A Few Stunning Videos Of Kyrgyzstan” →

The Russian Banya in Central Asia

Published on by Mark Jahnke

Across the world, people have come up with a variety of ways to keep clean, from the humble bucket bath familiar to Peace Corps Volunteers across Africa to fancy shower rooms and face masks of South Korea.  In Kyrgyzstan, many are surprised to learn that most locals have adopted the Russian banya, a type of sauna, as the bathing solution of choice.  But what exactly is a banya? Continue reading “The Russian Banya in Central Asia” →

Swarm Of Earthquakes Strikes Chong-Alay Region

Published on by Mark Jahnke

It didn’t make headlines internationally, but the Chong-Alay region that I’ve been doing so much work with has in the past week has experienced a swarm of 11 earthquakes above 4.5 magnitude (out of 16 total recorded).  The largest of these, around 5.9 magnitude according to USGS (initially reported as 7.0 by local authorities, now said to be 6.5) on May 3rd, was strong enough to evacuate some buildings in Osh, and several of the aftershocks have been up to 5.8 in magnitude.  Technically, they were centered in Tajikistan, but their heaviest impact has been felt here. They may not have made international headlines or even local headlines, but they have been devastating nonetheless.  I want to share with you a bit of what I’ve been able to learn about the situation. Continue reading “Swarm Of Earthquakes Strikes Chong-Alay Region” →

Chernobyl Liquidators and Kyrgyzstan: A Surprising Connection

Published on by Mark Jahnke2 Comments

One day not too long after moving to Osh, I was walking through a park next to our World War II memorial.  Off to the left and up a small path, we came to a second monument covered in names, but we weren’t quite sure what it was for.  Then we looked at the banners behind it and saw the unmistakeable image of Mil Mi-26 Halo helicopters hovering over the destroyed shell of Reactor 4 at Chernobyl.  But what was this monument to the Chernobyl liquidators doing here, in Osh, Kyrgyzstan over 2000 miles away? Continue reading “Chernobyl Liquidators and Kyrgyzstan: A Surprising Connection” →

Chingiz Aitmatov, the author of Jamila

Book Club and Movie Night: Jamila by Chingiz Aitmatov

Published on by Mark Jahnke1 Comment

Hey everyone! I’m super excited to announce a special exchange with my friend Colleen’s blog Prekrasno!  This week, I wrote a guest post on her *fantastic* blog about Jamila by Chingiz Aitmatov, his first significant work first published in 1958.
Continue reading “Book Club and Movie Night: Jamila by Chingiz Aitmatov” →

Statue of Alimbek Datka in Gulcho

Mile 24: Tying The Loose Ends

Published on by Mark Jahnke

It’s hard to believe it, but I only have one month left living in Kyrgyzstan. It’s been two years almost to the day since we landed at sunrise at the airport in Bishkek, and now my service is finally winding down with some good final memories, some bad ones, and a few special projects coming to a satisfying conclusion. Continue reading “Mile 24: Tying The Loose Ends” →

Winter in Chong-Alay

Published on by Mark Jahnke5 Comments

Last week, I got to return for probably the last time to my favorite rayon in Kyrgyzstan, the high and remote Chong-Alay region, which is the southernmost region in Kyrgyzstan.  As the crow flies, it’s only about 65 miles southwest of Osh (a 20-minute flight in the Soviet era), but thanks to the majestic Alay mountains, the drive is 300km and takes 5 hours on a good day.    It’s remote, but as I had learned from my previous visits, it’s one of the most welcoming and hard-working places in the country. Continue reading “Winter in Chong-Alay” →