valerie

July 31, 2024 - drawing on a fence at President Park in Cholpon Ata

graffiti style pelican in black paint on a fence made of large gray bricks

July 30, 2024 - hot spring pools in Cholpon Ata. Each pool had a slightly different temperature, ranging from extremely cold to extremely hot

8 circular pools of slightly different sizes and shades of blue

July 29, 2024 - stopped during a driving excursion in the mountains near Cholpon Ata

blue sky and green mountains

July 28, 2024 - Lake Issyk-Kul. Cholpon Ata, Kyrgyzstan

lake with barely visible mountains in the distance

July 27, 2024 - back of the guesthouse hotel where I am staying for the next few days! Cholpon Ata, Kyrgyzstan

side view of the back of a two-floor house with a gray brick walkway on the right

July 26, 2024 - felt rugs drying on the fence outside of my school

teal-painted fence with two large felt rugs hanging to dry

July 25, 2024 - day trip to Lake Issyk-Kul with my host family yesterday. Balykchy, Kyrgyzstan

lake water with mountains in the background

July 24, 2024 - helped my family make manti the other day by putting the formed manti into the steamers. I apparently did a bad job of this because we had to squeeze a lot onto each steamer layer 😂

formed and filled manti (dumplings) in a metal steamer layer

July 23, 2024 - sprinkler in the small garden in front of my host family’s house. They water these plants a lot (including in the middle of the day, when most Americans would say it’s not a good use of water) and then I remembered that it’s quite dry here

small orange and blue sprinkler in a small vegetable garden connected to a green hose

July 22, 2024 - it’s jam preparation season! Here is cherry jam sitting to cool

large blue bowl of cherry jam, including whole cherries

July 21, 2024 - if your name is Tom, know that you are loved by someone in Kyrgyzstan (but not me 😅). Ormon Khan Park, Kyrgyzstan

concrete barrier with "I love you Tom! (heart)" graffiti in now faded green paint

July 20, 2024 - when I went hiking about a week ago with friends who came to visit, we found this small hole/cave

small hole in rock / cave

July 19, 2024 - sports field in my village. I came here yesterday because it’s one of the only places in my villages with benches. Unfortunately, the road where I took the photo from is very busy, with cars driving from the village to the fields and back, so I didn’t stay long

small football (soccer) field with a tall fence all around it, new wooden benches along one side of the field. small mountains visible in the background on the left

July 18, 2024 - a container with sand (and trash) at my school to put out fires. Does anyone have this at their schools? There was at least one fire extinguisher above this. My boyfriend said the sand is in case the fire extinguisher doesn’t work..

tin container painted red with sand and some trash (a bottle cap and some plastic wrap) inside

July 17, 2024 - (unripe) sea buckthorn. It grows in the mountains around here. Hopefully they are ready to eat by late August 😁

plant with small yellow-green berries

July 16, 2024 - walking up to the entrance of an old salt mine. Chong Tuz, Kyrgyzstan

dirt road in small brown mountains with a lot of white patches (salt)

July 15, 2024 - yesterday’s hike

view from the top of a small mountain looking down at a river, dirt car tracks, and other mountains

July 14, 2024 - stadium at Ormon Khan Park. The park and stadium opened last year, and I’m surprised at the state of the stadium, particularly the bleachers with grass growing between the rows. It looks neglected or abandoned to me…if you’re going to build something, why not have people use it?

empty stadium with grass growing in between bleacher rows

July 13, 2024 - yesterday’s picnic lunch. I went with my host mom, sister and cousin to pick weeds in a family friend’s potato field

lunch on two pieces of cardboard on grass: bread, pot with potatoes and cabbage cooked in sauce, croissants, and bottled tea

July 12, 2024 - with such dry winters, it’s been really surprising to see how much it rains here in summer. and the weather changes very quickly. at least there are some perks to the rain 🌈

double rainbow over a dirt road lined with some trees

July 11, 2024 - a magpie at my window a couple days ago

magpie holding on to a wall with its feet outside a window

July 10, 2024 - finally went on a run yesterday morning for the first time in almost 2 months

sunrise with purple and orange clouds

July 9, 2024 - yesterday’s hay delivery

blue truck with a large pile of hay bales (which are taller than the cabin of the truck) fastened to the truck

July 8, 2024 - lots of pigeons on our roof yesterday morning

top part of a yellow house and red roof with about 35 pigeons on it against a blue sky

July 7, 2024 - road to the mountains. taken on a walk yesterday

dirt road in the middle of a green field in the direction of mountains