Convincing the Fish

May 2, 2007

12:00 PM


Imagine trying to convince a fish that beyond the tank where she was born there is a world full of water and other aquatic species. She may nod, listen, even pretend to understand what you are saying; but in the end, she has not known or seen any other life than the one she lives. Even with the best of descriptions, words painted with imagery and emotion that would make a heart shiver, she will still see the “other life” as one of fiction and wonder. There is a small chance that her imagination may get the best of her and she may start to believe the stories you tell her of the life beyond her aquarium. Inevitably, though, the world around her will convince her that what she has always known and always seen is her life, and the one you describe, can never be obtainable for her.

This is my job, in a nut shell.

I had a brief conversation with the director of my school today and it was staggering the amount of problems we discussed within the village and at out school. The actual of amount of problems we discussed was not the issue, though; what got me was how many problems seemed to have very simple solutions. But if there is anything I have learned since living in my village, it is that no problems are simple, no matter how small they may seem.

Example # 1: Male teachers getting drunk/drinking at school, sometimes before classes.

On the surface the solution to this problem seems simple, just fire the teachers. Just tell the teachers that if they are caught drinking in school they will lose their job. Under the surface lie endless layers of well cemented cultural bedrock. In short, firing teachers is just not an option. There is not a nation full of college graduates every summer looking for village teaching jobs. My school is lucky to have the teachers they have (especially for the salaries they have). So throw out the option of firing teachers. Another issue to deal with here is that, sadly, vodka has always been a part of the lives. It is not odd to them, nor is it to the students who seem them, for them to drink after classes in one of the classrooms. Some teachers even come into class smelling of vodka. This would cause an outrage in America and inevitably ruin the career of any teacher. Here in Kyrgyzstan, this is life.

Example # 2: Students and teachers frequently coming late to class or not even coming to class at all.

In a village, this is as common as the sun rising. It is inevitable in a village where farming provides sustenance and life. Sometimes the choice between going to classes or working at home involves making no choices. It’s a no brainer. Tending to the farm, working hard to uphold a household, taking care of family, and trying to live comfortably are all very noble acts in the lives of my teachers. The problem is that giving a hundred percent to all of these actions many times leads to forgoing school duties on some days (for male and female teachers and students). To miss a few classes (sometimes a few days a week) does not have the effect on my fellow villagers as it would have to many students and teachers back home. It is a different life.

Example # 3: A “college student” approach to a lot of work.

What I mean by this is the tendency of college students to focus on school work and their social life and will more often than not forgo things like cooking and cleaning. Combine the laziness in some aspects of life with a procrastination and lack of planning for others and you are left with a dangerous (but working) approach to life for four years. Transferring this to the Kyrgyz lifestyle, the most prominent point to go after would be the lack of planning and procrastination.
It is a well known fact that the Kyrgyz are thrifty. I have seen ladders made from the branches of trees in a matter of hours, fences constructed from fallen branches, and engines rebuilt with a screw driver. The problem is that a lot of this thriftiness comes about because a lack of planning. Sure, it is cheaper to make a ladder than buy one. But it would have also been smarter to make/buy a very good quality ladder that will last rather than making a ladder with a three-week shelf life. Taking the time to fill an entire (NO WAY, IMPOSSIBLE!) gas tank up or change the oil of a car once every few months would remove the need to rebuild an engine.
Recently, Amy and I spent a few days in my yard making a small garden with my host family. They were amazed at the amount of work we put into preparation. Preparation for the dirt, layout plans, and seed placement all took careful planning and work. Coincidently, about a week before my host parents had also planted some seeds into our yard. The funny part is, though, (and what we all laughed at and called “the Kyrgyz way”) was that they simply stuck a shovel into a random patch of dirt in the yard, tossed some seeds in, and threw the dirt back on top.
Sure, the garden is just a small example, but it holds so much meaning and parallel to life here. The idea of getting something done quickly and with, sometimes, as little work as possible is a problem that infiltrates life here. This is idea can be transferred to school and teaching methodologies, the local government and our lack of running water, or the tourism industry and it’s steady decline over that past few years.

These are all issues that we, volunteers, are here to essentially help improve upon. As I stated in the beginning though, we a trying to convince the fish a different life exists. I am working with teachers at school and my host family with the hope my time here can have a positive effect for change. I am trying to transfer my planning skills (PC LINGO!) to the people I work with and have grown to love. I have another year and a half or so to try and cause change. Lets hope the fish is willing to cooperate.



May 6, 2007

7:15 AM

Ok, I will write this in very simple and matter of fact way (though I believe this may require a grand explanation). Very simply stated, I am engaged to Amy Ortega. Our courtship period was brief, but the world that changed within both our souls has had a heavy impact. There was no plan as of a week ago for our engagement to take place. Sometimes life just slightly nudges you along in the direction you are supposed to be going. In this particular case, it was meant to be asked and we are now engaged.

The big moment happened like such:

Me: “Amy, will you marry me?”

Amy: “Yes.”

Me: “I love you.”

Amy: “And I love you.”

Simple (HA!) as that. If you want/need more than what I have written, email me, I will gladly provide you with more details. For now, that is all I have to say.


May 11, 2007

7:15 AM

Convince the Fish

Inside I can see her eyes;
she keeps skimming
the glass walls.
Nothing has ever changed and
she hasn’t the knowledge to
like or dislike this fact.
Her food comes on schedule,
her habitat’s dirt removed
by the hands of ownership.
I talk to her once in a while,
ask her questions.
She responds with kisses
and blinks.
Which I know are her means
of affirming happiness.
I sometimes ask about
her loneliness, her solitude.
She always responds with a
swim-by her best friend:
the Deep-Sea Diver.
Does she ever dream?