The purpose of this blog, as I intend it, is to provide a dynamic resource through which others can learn about Kyrgyzstan, especially prior to arrival. My own experience speaks to the need for such a site. Accepted into the AUCA-Bard Program with the personal goal of broadening my knowledge Russian, I searched the internet relentlessly for a resource which could give me a modicum of information on and a proper idea of life in Bishkek. This search was nearly fruitless.
Regardless of why you are traveling to Bishkek - whether, like me, you are a student or you are coming here for work-, you will find something surprising. Given that most of what I had read about Kyrgyzstan addressed its difficulties with security, ethnic conflict, and Islamism, I was extremely apprehensive about traveling to Bishkek. Having spent a significant amount of time here already (I arrived in late August of 2012), my fears never materialized and have vanished almost entirely. No responsible traveler should fear a sojourn in Bishkek, and I hope the additional information I provide via this blog can assuage the anxieties of the reluctant tourist, expat or student.
Additionally, I hope to provide information that can ease one's transition to life in Kyrgyzstan, such as links to resources for the Russian and Kyrgyz languages. A significant interest of mine is the Dungan minority in Kyrgyzstan and their language, about which I will post frequently as, to date, few resources addressing this group exist in English.
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| A photo of me (far left) and other participants in the fall 2012 AUCA-Bard Program at Ala-Archa National Park, approximately a one hour's drive south of Bishkek. |
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