valerie
February 24, 2023 - vaccination room, in Kyrgyz (эмдөө = vaccination; бөлмө = room)
Was here for a medical test (all is fine), and gotta return for results next week
February 23, 2023 - weird to have been in Bishkek long enough to notice changes like these new buses that replaced a fleet of old, run-down ones. They even have USB ports on the grab bars/poles (but didn’t test). super nice, but admittedly I will miss the charm of the old buses
February 20, 2023 - what I understand to be the current Russian equivalent of Coca-Cola. Tastes like Pepsi
February 19, 2023 - пастила боярышник ромбик, or ‘hawthorn fruit paste flavored diamonds’. So good and addicting
February 18, 2023 - takeaway borscht from a popular restaurant. This is only the second or third time I’ve eaten borscht. (I also added smetana after I took the picture, so the broth turned a lighter color)
February 17, 2023 - had to buy a new kettle and was reading the ‘English’ instructions for fun. My favorite lines:
Safety #1: “Keep away from their kids” (whose kids?!)
Safety #2: “If (the kettle) is out of line, do not use, and contact your local dealer”
February 16, 2023 - my friend has been giving me Russian lessons from her friend’s office in a strange building. This sign was in the stairwell. Interestingly it’s in Kyrgyz and English but doesn’t have Russian? It says not to use phones on the stairs
February 13, 2023 - one of my adult students has friends in America and recently received a package from them with American snacks in it. She gifted me these which I had never tried before. They were surprisingly good, although I prefer salty/buttery popcorn to sweet popcorn
February 12, 2023 - bought dragonfruit at the bazaar yesterday. I wouldn’t say dragonfruit is rare, but it is uncommon and expensive. I haven’t eaten any in a long time and it was better than I remembered
February 8, 2023 - went to a super small zoo but saw some pretty cute animals like this meerkat. Also saw one of the workers who takes care of the animals interact with them and she seemed sweet and sensitive, so that seems promising for their experience of captivity
February 5, 2023 - left a friend’s apartment today to find 5 buckets of water and cleaning supplies in the elevator like someone had been cleaning?
February 4, 2023 - Tess of the D’Urbevilles and Chingiz Aitmatov (red books on the shelf below) in a bookstore
