December 17, 2009
Today was my last day of work as a United States Peace Corps volunteer in Turkmenistan.
It definitely hasn’t hit me yet…I knew it was my last English class today, I gave my address to all my students and we hugged and ate cake and took pictures, but it doesn’t quite feel like the end.
Maybe because I’m sticking around for a few extra weeks after my end of service December 23. Maybe when I get in the taxi on January 14 I’ll start freaking out. It’s quite possible.
I can’t believe I did it. Seriously…I can’t believe I did this. I can’t believe I spent 27 months in this country and I’m still alive and well.
I end my Peace Corps experience with the ability to fully communicate in Russian and Turkmen, ten pounds lighter in size, but a hundred pounds heavier in experience.
I end my Peace Corps experience with more parasites than I have ever had in my life, but with less severances than I had before.
I end my Peace Corps experience with a foggy view of the future, but a beautiful picture of my past.
I end Peace Corps a whole lot stronger, with a hell of a wider outlook on life, and a massive Russian pop music collection.
I’m trying to remember the person I was when I left Washington D.C. on October 1, 2007 and it’s hard. It feels like it was a decade ago. I look at photos and see the clothes I wore and how short my hair was and I think wow that’s so weird. I think of my daily activities in the month before I left the US and it’s not comparable to my daily activities here.
It’s just weird.
I end Peace Corps a little freaked out, but I have three more weeks in this desert community to figure it all out.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Vampires!
December 9, 2009
Awhile back some amazing friends of mine sent me the Twilight series, which I quickly discovered is a huge phenomenon in the United States, as the second movie, “New Moon” just came out. I went through the entire book series in about a week and a half and they were quickly sought after (and still are) by other volunteers as well.
But when my students found out that I had all four books it became an obsession.
Classroom chatter erupted with Edward and Bella and how hot he was in the movie and on and on and on.
“Enough!” I yelled at them one day. “The story doesn’t even get interesting until book four when she becomes a vampire, anyway!”
“WHY DID YOU TELL US THAT!!!!!!” they screamed.
“Oops!” I laughed. “Sorry guys, back to work.”
“That was soooooo mean!” they glared at me.
To say they’re obsessed is quite the understatement. When we play around with names someone is always Edward and Bella. Examples in class go back to Edward and Bella. One student even requested I please download some Twilight photos when I go into the city to use the internet.
They seriously can’t get enough.
But yesterday was definitely the kicker.
“Angela, do vampires really exist?” one student asked me. “Maral says they do.”
I looked behind her to see Maral quietly laughing.
“Of course they do! You didn’t know that?” I said.
“What? No…I don’t believe you,” she said.
“Vampires exist everywhere! It’s common knowledge, Jeren.”
“Really?”
“YES! Vampires have existed for thousands of years and will continue to do so. I can’t believe you didn’t know this!”
“But how can it be true?” she asked with wide eyes.
“Vampires are EVERYWHERE. Especially in Turkmeni-“ I couldn’t hold it in any longer and the laugh erupted from inside of me.
“YOU’RE LYING! I KNEW IT!” she yelled.
“I’m sorry!” I laughed. “It was just too good I couldn’t help it.”
Anyone interested in making some vampire-obsessed teenagers smile? Send a copy of “New Moon” to Yoloten. Movie theaters don’t exist out here, but pirated DVDs are always welcome.
Awhile back some amazing friends of mine sent me the Twilight series, which I quickly discovered is a huge phenomenon in the United States, as the second movie, “New Moon” just came out. I went through the entire book series in about a week and a half and they were quickly sought after (and still are) by other volunteers as well.
But when my students found out that I had all four books it became an obsession.
Classroom chatter erupted with Edward and Bella and how hot he was in the movie and on and on and on.
“Enough!” I yelled at them one day. “The story doesn’t even get interesting until book four when she becomes a vampire, anyway!”
“WHY DID YOU TELL US THAT!!!!!!” they screamed.
“Oops!” I laughed. “Sorry guys, back to work.”
“That was soooooo mean!” they glared at me.
To say they’re obsessed is quite the understatement. When we play around with names someone is always Edward and Bella. Examples in class go back to Edward and Bella. One student even requested I please download some Twilight photos when I go into the city to use the internet.
They seriously can’t get enough.
But yesterday was definitely the kicker.
“Angela, do vampires really exist?” one student asked me. “Maral says they do.”
I looked behind her to see Maral quietly laughing.
“Of course they do! You didn’t know that?” I said.
“What? No…I don’t believe you,” she said.
“Vampires exist everywhere! It’s common knowledge, Jeren.”
“Really?”
“YES! Vampires have existed for thousands of years and will continue to do so. I can’t believe you didn’t know this!”
“But how can it be true?” she asked with wide eyes.
“Vampires are EVERYWHERE. Especially in Turkmeni-“ I couldn’t hold it in any longer and the laugh erupted from inside of me.
“YOU’RE LYING! I KNEW IT!” she yelled.
“I’m sorry!” I laughed. “It was just too good I couldn’t help it.”
Anyone interested in making some vampire-obsessed teenagers smile? Send a copy of “New Moon” to Yoloten. Movie theaters don’t exist out here, but pirated DVDs are always welcome.
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Two Weeks
I officially have two more weeks as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkmenistan. I arrive in Ashgabat December 20 to begin three days of paperwork and exit interviews and then...the world is mine.
Sitting in class the other day one of my students said, "Angela, what will happen if you leave?"
I couldn't stop laughing. "What do you mean 'IF', Jeren? I can't STAY here. I have to go home."
I made pumpkin pie for my students on Thanksgiving and once again the subject of me leaving was brought up.
"You made this yourself?" one girl asked.
I told her I did.
"See, you can cook! Just stay here and be a gelin!"
I immediately started laughing. "What a GREAT IDEA! Why have I never thought of that before? I could just get married!"
If I had a dollar for every marraige proposal I've received in this country I would never have to work again.
Sitting in class the other day one of my students said, "Angela, what will happen if you leave?"
I couldn't stop laughing. "What do you mean 'IF', Jeren? I can't STAY here. I have to go home."
I made pumpkin pie for my students on Thanksgiving and once again the subject of me leaving was brought up.
"You made this yourself?" one girl asked.
I told her I did.
"See, you can cook! Just stay here and be a gelin!"
I immediately started laughing. "What a GREAT IDEA! Why have I never thought of that before? I could just get married!"
If I had a dollar for every marraige proposal I've received in this country I would never have to work again.
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