Home Sweet Kyrgyzstan

Mostly Stupid Things I Will Miss About America

pcnomad — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 04:04:14 +0000

1. The seventh Harry Potter movie(s) (someone please send me a portkey to London so I can attend the premieres:))

2. Grande Iced Soy Mochas

3. Hanging out at coffee shops for hours trying to write the next great American novel (and failing miserably)

4. Easy access to everything

5. PBS documentaries

6. New episodes of the Office, Bones, Castle and the Big Bang Theory (ahhh, Sheldon)

7. The new Star Trek sequel

8. Heart attack-inducing breakfast sandwiches

9. Having my own place

10. And finally…my car!

Officially Unemployed…And Loving It!!!

pcnomad — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:42:55 +0000

Well, I am officially no longer a slave to the MAN! Friday was my last day, and since then I have never gotten so much done in my life (okay, in my life since I entered the 8-5 workforce). I know that everyone in America is obsessed with getting a job right now, and that I should count myself lucky for having ever gotten a good job in the first place. But I really don’t.

As a kid I always said that I wanted to grow up to be a starving artist, and I think I was onto something. I’ve never been into expensive things. I loathe fancy restaurants, over-priced clothes and anything that could be described as “bling.” I can live off of very little, so why not do it? And just to make sure I’ve got what it takes to live off of a less-than-full-time-job, I’m going to the Peace Corps (which is a full-time job, but doesn’t pay like one ). I hope to learn some valuable lessons about living on the cheap during my two years in K-Stan, so that when I get back I can take up my official new job as a starving artist/traveler/whatever I feel like being at the time.

Yes, I know, I sound like a hippy, but so be it. I’M FREE!!!

Who’s On First?

pcnomad — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:50:47 +0000

What did you say your name was?

So, I recently found out that my name (Kim or Ким) is the same as the word for “who” in Kyrgyz. What does that mean? Well, imagine I arrive at my host family’s house and they say, “What is your name?” (literally, your name who?). I’ll answer, “My name is Who.” They’ll say, “Who?” I’ll say, “Who!” And just like that we’ll descend into “Who’s On First” absurdity.

Rather than relive this Abbott and Costello classic, I’ve decided to go by a Russified/Kyrgyfied name once I get to Kyrgyzstan. That’s where you can help. What do you think my new name should be? Vote for your favorite on the poll below!

View This Poll

Work, Work, Work…

pcnomad — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 03:54:55 +0000

Since I got my invitation to serve in the Kyrgyz Republic, it hasn’t been all parties and hysteria. There’s also been some work. Here’s a breakdown of what I’ve been up to since I got the invite:

Call and accept invitation (as soon as I flipped through the necessary reading material and stopped freaking out )
Send off for Peace Corps passport and visa (plus take four passport photos) (within 5 days of invite)
Send aspiration statement and updated resume to country desk (within 10 days of invite)
Read through the rest of the invitation paperwork…freak out…and read some more
Make packing list…start ordering stuff like crazy from Amazon
Read everything I can find about Kyrgyzstan and start learning Kyrgyz and Russian
Send back homestay and TEFL questionnaires to country desk
Read TEFL pre-departure packet and send back the accompanying quiz
Give my resignation letter to my boss!!!
Count down the days until I leave for Kyrgyzstan (58 as of today)!!!

I’m Going to Kyrgyzstan!!!

pcnomad — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:29:01 +0000

Yes!!! I did not expect my invitation to be in the mail today, so I am completely freaking out! I just opened it like two minutes ago, and I am so excited I’m literally tingling. So, for all of you who’ve been following my blog, my destination will not be a big surprise. I’M GOING TO KYRGYZSTAN!!! And I will be a University Educator (yay!!! this is exactly what I was hoping to get!). Anyway, I will write more details later (once I’ve calmed down a bit), but I just had to post this

YAY!!! Invite’s in the mail!!!

pcnomad — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:59:56 +0000

I woke up this morning expecting absolutely no word from the Peace Corps (I mean, it’s Saturday!). And guess what??? I pulled up my email and got a surprise Application Status Update! I rushed to login to my toolkit, and this is what I found:

With some more digging, I found out that the invite was mailed yesterday (Jan. 8th!). Yes, yes, yes!!! I cannot explain how excited I am (hence the ridiculous amount of exclamation points!). Did I mention, yeah!!!

I guess the next step is to guess where I might be going and when. Honestly, I have no idea. As I’ve mentioned, I was nominated for Central Asia leaving late March 2010 (so, Kyrgyz Republic). But I’ve been reading on some blogs how that country is filling up fast. Also, I just sent my PO an email on Thursday letting her know that I’m willing to go anywhere in the world. So…that kind of leaves the door wide open. I was nominated for University English Teaching, but I’m also not sure I’ll get that. Who knows? Who cares? I’m going somewhere to do something and it’s going to be awesome!!!

Oh, and for you guys and gals out there who are waiting for updates, here’s a random tidbit. My last two status update emails have come at 4:00am. I’m not sure if this is always the case, but if so it might help relieve some of that checking-your -email-every-five-seconds-for-an-update-syndrome (of which I was, until recently, a sufferer).

Anyway, that’s all for now. I have to go read through the rest of the new info on my toolkit!

Where’s My Invite???

pcnomad — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:47:25 +0000

I’m trying to be patient, I really am, but I’m not superhuman! My placement review was completed on December 29th. From everything I’ve read, people usually get the update saying their invite is in the mail 2-3 days after completion of the placement review. It’s been 2-3 days! I know, I know, the New Year’s holiday probably held up some of the progress, but I’m dying here! So, what’s really holding up my invite? Here are some options:

Option 1: My placement officer is on vacation (totally possible, considering it’s the holidays)

Option 2: The country I was nominated for filled up (also possible, since I hear Kyrgyz Republic is going fast)

Option 3: This is just how long it takes, and I should stop freaking out (the most likely option)

Option 4: My placement officer has been replaced by an alien droid whose purpose in life is to torture me

So, if the Peace Corps Goddesses are listening, have mercy on a pathetic applicant! Some news, any news…please!!!

Application Status Update

pcnomad — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:32:51 +0000

Okay, I woke up this morning to one of those emails from the Peace Corps saying that your application status has been updated. After I got up off the floor, I rushed over to the PC website and logged in. Here’s what I found: I no longer have a legal hold on my account (yay!). Double yay, my placement review has been completed!

So, does that mean my invitation’s in the mail? I don’t think so. Here’s what it says by the status circle:

I’ve got a whole page of check marks, so it doesn’t look like they’re waiting for anything from me. But it also doesn’t look like my invite’s on the way (yet), because it still says the date I was nominated at the top of the screen (not the date my invitation was sent). Here’s hoping I find out something more today!!! (fingers crossed ).

My Waiting Cartoon

pcnomad — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:30:50 +0000

Okay, here’s my lame attempt at a cartoon showing what it feels like to wait for my Peace Corps invite. Yes, it is one of those I’ve-waited-so-long-I’ve-turned-into-a-skeleton cartoons. What can I say? I’ve been waiting for a loooong time And yes, this is pretty much what I really look like.

New Apartment Lease

pcnomad — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:47:27 +0000

Well, I signed a three month apartment lease (through March). Thank god I have an amazing landlord and she didn’t raise my rent. If I get the invitation for Kyrgyz Republic, this will work out perfectly. If not, I’ll just have to sign another short-term lease after March. Man, I have never looked forward to Mondays so much. The weekend is still amazing (don’t get me wrong), but it’s also like a black hole when I know for sure I won’t hear anything from the Peace Corps. I hope I hear something next week (or the next…or the next…).