Visa granted (and yes, it's a "normal" visa), all vaccinations stabbed into my arms, job successfully quit, and I've nearly finished packing. Still got a lot to do before I leave this evening, so I probably won't post any more today.... and then future posting depends on internet access in Kyrgyzstan.
Stay tuned for more excitment. Or news, at least.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
Fun with German doctors and nurses.
Today was a little more eventful.
I finally posted my contract, signed and completed, to accept my new job with Carrot&Bush in London when I return to Europe in November. I've realised that the money I've been promised in Kyrgyzstan is actually better than what C&B have offered me in London, once you take living costs into consideration. Apparently, if I perform well, I might be asked to stay on for longer in Bishkek at an improved salary. It's something to think about.
Another journey overseas, another saga with doctors and vaccinations. In the UK they provide you with a list of vaccinations you need for your chosen destination, and most of those
vaccinations are free too. Not here in Germany. Oh no. There's a charge just for them telling you what you're going to need. "Is there a charge for you to tell me that there's going to be a charge? No? Well, I'll get the list of jabs I need from the UK, then."
Not good enough for German doctors.
They will only administer what they deem necessary, not what my own research indicates. "But this list is from your own Foreign Office's department for necessary vaccinations when travelling to Kyrgyzstan," I protested in vain. So I have to pay for them to confirm my research is correct. And of course I have to pay for most of the jabs. And for them to administer the jabs. Thieving sausage-eaters.
They did suggest that I ask my company to pay for the vaccines, but I can't see Carrot&Bush doing that unless it complied with company directive #45264/1/1/05.
The good news is I am already immunised against Hepatitis A and B for life. This is especially good news: when I asked the doctor how much those jabs cost, she
told me it was too much for one person to pay. So all I need is Diphtheria, Typhus and Tetanus. I'm not sure what the first two are for, but I learned once that Tetanus is something you need if somebody stabs you in the back during a French lesson.
Anyway, Diphtheria and Tetanus jabs have been added to the puncture wounds in my left arm, and after going to the Pharmacist to order the Typhus shot myself (I can't believe I had to go and order it myself), I'm due to be jabbed with that tomorrow morning. I will then be charged for the pleasure of being jabbed, for the cost of the vaccination, and for the "consultation fee" of asking the German doctor to confirm that yes, I need the jabs I thought I did.
I've also been emailed a few photos from the school I'll be teaching in, which you may have noticed dotted around on this post. It's an American-language school, hence the American flag beside the Kyrgyz flag in the picture above. It remains to be seen how they will react to my British English. I should probably refrain from mentioning that American is simply a sub-dialect for
idiots who can't speak or, like, spell properly. When in Bishkek, do as the Bishkekians do...
I finally posted my contract, signed and completed, to accept my new job with Carrot&Bush in London when I return to Europe in November. I've realised that the money I've been promised in Kyrgyzstan is actually better than what C&B have offered me in London, once you take living costs into consideration. Apparently, if I perform well, I might be asked to stay on for longer in Bishkek at an improved salary. It's something to think about.
Another journey overseas, another saga with doctors and vaccinations. In the UK they provide you with a list of vaccinations you need for your chosen destination, and most of those
vaccinations are free too. Not here in Germany. Oh no. There's a charge just for them telling you what you're going to need. "Is there a charge for you to tell me that there's going to be a charge? No? Well, I'll get the list of jabs I need from the UK, then."Not good enough for German doctors.
They will only administer what they deem necessary, not what my own research indicates. "But this list is from your own Foreign Office's department for necessary vaccinations when travelling to Kyrgyzstan," I protested in vain. So I have to pay for them to confirm my research is correct. And of course I have to pay for most of the jabs. And for them to administer the jabs. Thieving sausage-eaters.They did suggest that I ask my company to pay for the vaccines, but I can't see Carrot&Bush doing that unless it complied with company directive #45264/1/1/05.
The good news is I am already immunised against Hepatitis A and B for life. This is especially good news: when I asked the doctor how much those jabs cost, she
told me it was too much for one person to pay. So all I need is Diphtheria, Typhus and Tetanus. I'm not sure what the first two are for, but I learned once that Tetanus is something you need if somebody stabs you in the back during a French lesson.Anyway, Diphtheria and Tetanus jabs have been added to the puncture wounds in my left arm, and after going to the Pharmacist to order the Typhus shot myself (I can't believe I had to go and order it myself), I'm due to be jabbed with that tomorrow morning. I will then be charged for the pleasure of being jabbed, for the cost of the vaccination, and for the "consultation fee" of asking the German doctor to confirm that yes, I need the jabs I thought I did.
I've also been emailed a few photos from the school I'll be teaching in, which you may have noticed dotted around on this post. It's an American-language school, hence the American flag beside the Kyrgyz flag in the picture above. It remains to be seen how they will react to my British English. I should probably refrain from mentioning that American is simply a sub-dialect for
idiots who can't speak or, like, spell properly. When in Bishkek, do as the Bishkekians do...I've not idea what to make of this photo though: a man holding a nappy, and a poster of the United States of America on the wall behind him. Any ideas?
Slow progress...
Not much to report from the weekend. Do you really expect me to write an entertaining account of my efforts to plan what I need to pack? I went shopping for exciting items such as shampoo and plasters. I carefully selected an assortment of T-shirts to take with me. I still need to buy toilet paper - I never really got used to cleaning my bottom with cold water and my left hand in Pakistan, and although I know I can do it if necessary, given the choice I'd prefer to keep my fingers clean and pink. The problem with packing is that I really have no idea of what to expect out there. 
The highlight of the weekend for me was Saturday afternoon: Everton beating Spurs 2-0 away from home, and with only 10 men. That puts Everton up to joint 2nd place, ahead of Chelski.
True, that doesn't have much to do with Kyrgyzstan. But it does have much to do with me, so it gets a mention on my blog.
As I said, progress was slow, and there's not so much to report from the weekend. Elsewhere, the debate continues as to whether or not Kyrgyzstan is a safe destination, and if Miss Ivanovska is anorexic or not.
The highlight of the weekend for me was Saturday afternoon: Everton beating Spurs 2-0 away from home, and with only 10 men. That puts Everton up to joint 2nd place, ahead of Chelski.
True, that doesn't have much to do with Kyrgyzstan. But it does have much to do with me, so it gets a mention on my blog.
As I said, progress was slow, and there's not so much to report from the weekend. Elsewhere, the debate continues as to whether or not Kyrgyzstan is a safe destination, and if Miss Ivanovska is anorexic or not.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Tickets booked!
I went back to the travel agents yesterday afternoon: to book a flight and to use their courier service to get the visa. Unfortunately the British Airways flight I had intended to take was now full - good-bye to my cheap ticket. Every BA flight to Bishkek, from now until 17th September, is full. There aren't many other options unless you're willing to spend at least 1500 EUR. Lufthansa don't fly to Bishkek, but they do fly to Alma-Ata (Almaty) in Kazakhstan, and from there it's a three-hour bus journey to Bishkek, but the flights alone are about 1900 EUR now. Ryanair and Easyjet haven't yet ventured into Central Asia. What about trying the local carrier? Well, Kyrgyz Air was founded in 2002. It had one plane. Two planes were apparently ordered, but only one was delivered and used.
Kyrgyz Air ceased operations in 2003.
Deciding that hitch-hiking to Bishkek was not the best idea, there was only one other option: fly with Aeroflot via Moscow for 950 EUR.
I can't say I'm too happy about this. Aeroflot are not renowned for the safety of the aeroplanes. "Service with a scowl" is their unofficial motto. This story was in the news shortly before I went to Ukraine in 2004. You can read the original article here, or below. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3910965.stm
Two flight attendants have attacked a passenger in an unprecedented case of reverse air-rage, according to Russia's leading airline Aeroflot. A medical examination after the flight showed the cabin attendants were heavily intoxicated.
Another passenger told that the stewards distributed in-flight meals only when the plane started its descent, and managed to spill large quantities of food on the floor.
"At this point I noticed something was wrong," the passenger said. "Only about half the meals ended up on the tables or in the laps of passengers, the rest ended up on the floor.
We left the plane with lunch-boxes crunching beneath our feet."
Well, if I worked for a company which advertised with pictures like this one to the left, perhaps I
wouldn’t be such a ray of sunshine myself. To be honest, I don’t understand the caption, maybe it’s a really catchy slogan in Russian. On the other hand, it could be an advert to recruit stewardesses for all I know.
I can't find the other article relating to this drunk-steward story, but if I remember rightly it turned out that the stewards had been enjoying the in-flight drinks cabinet and were too drunk to serve the passengers. Not prepared to go thirsty, one passenger decided to get a drink for his wife. The stewards were rather unhappy to find him mixing a cocktail and beat him up.
When the plane landed in Nizhnevartovsk (Siberia) it turned out this passenger was the local big-shot businessman, and he promptly had the stewards arrested.
My passport is now en route to the Kyrgyz Consulate which will hopefully grant me a "normal" visa. This should be back with me in time for my Aeroflot flight from Berlin on Friday morning (1st September).
Now I just need to get vaccinated against Diptheria, Typhoid, Tetanus, Hepatitis B...
Above:
Ivanovska, Katerina.
Doesn't know the dialling code for Ivanovska, Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyz Air ceased operations in 2003.
Deciding that hitch-hiking to Bishkek was not the best idea, there was only one other option: fly with Aeroflot via Moscow for 950 EUR.
I can't say I'm too happy about this. Aeroflot are not renowned for the safety of the aeroplanes. "Service with a scowl" is their unofficial motto. This story was in the news shortly before I went to Ukraine in 2004. You can read the original article here, or below. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3910965.stm
Two flight attendants have attacked a passenger in an unprecedented case of reverse air-rage, according to Russia's leading airline Aeroflot. A medical examination after the flight showed the cabin attendants were heavily intoxicated.
Another passenger told that the stewards distributed in-flight meals only when the plane started its descent, and managed to spill large quantities of food on the floor.
"At this point I noticed something was wrong," the passenger said. "Only about half the meals ended up on the tables or in the laps of passengers, the rest ended up on the floor.
We left the plane with lunch-boxes crunching beneath our feet."
Well, if I worked for a company which advertised with pictures like this one to the left, perhaps I
wouldn’t be such a ray of sunshine myself. To be honest, I don’t understand the caption, maybe it’s a really catchy slogan in Russian. On the other hand, it could be an advert to recruit stewardesses for all I know.I can't find the other article relating to this drunk-steward story, but if I remember rightly it turned out that the stewards had been enjoying the in-flight drinks cabinet and were too drunk to serve the passengers. Not prepared to go thirsty, one passenger decided to get a drink for his wife. The stewards were rather unhappy to find him mixing a cocktail and beat him up.
When the plane landed in Nizhnevartovsk (Siberia) it turned out this passenger was the local big-shot businessman, and he promptly had the stewards arrested.
My passport is now en route to the Kyrgyz Consulate which will hopefully grant me a "normal" visa. This should be back with me in time for my Aeroflot flight from Berlin on Friday morning (1st September).Now I just need to get vaccinated against Diptheria, Typhoid, Tetanus, Hepatitis B...
Above:
Ivanovska, Katerina.
Doesn't know the dialling code for Ivanovska, Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyz geography and culture
Geography
Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked nation in Central Asia, west of China. The smallest of the newly independent Central Asian states, it covers about 77,500 square miles (198,500 sq. km). Kyrgyzstan is bordered on the southeast by China, on the north and west by Kazakhstan, and on the south and west by Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The terrain of Kyrgyzstan is dominated by the Tian Shan and Pamir mountain systems, which together occupy about 65% of the national territory.
Culture
The nation's largest ethnic group are the Kyrgyz, a Turkic people. The Kyrgyz comprise 69.5% of the population and have historically been semi-nomadic herders, living in yurts and tending sheep, horses and yaks. This nomadic tradition continues to function seasonally as herding families return to high mountain pastures or jailoos in the summer. The retention of this nomadic heritage and the freedoms that it assumes continue to have an impact on the political atmosphere in the country. The name Kyrgyz, both for the people and for the nation itself, is said to mean "forty girls", a reference to the Manas of folklore unifying forty tribes against the Mongols.
Early European accounts of the Kyrgyz continually refer to the local habit of extempore singing for all occasions. When two Kyrgyz meet, they exchange formalized greeting-songs to place each other in terms of clan or family affiliation. While working, or to pass the time while walking, the Kyrgyz improvise song texts to stereotyped melodic motifs.
The woman in the picture here is collecting yak dung to fuel her fire.
Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked nation in Central Asia, west of China. The smallest of the newly independent Central Asian states, it covers about 77,500 square miles (198,500 sq. km). Kyrgyzstan is bordered on the southeast by China, on the north and west by Kazakhstan, and on the south and west by Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The terrain of Kyrgyzstan is dominated by the Tian Shan and Pamir mountain systems, which together occupy about 65% of the national territory.
Culture
The nation's largest ethnic group are the Kyrgyz, a Turkic people. The Kyrgyz comprise 69.5% of the population and have historically been semi-nomadic herders, living in yurts and tending sheep, horses and yaks. This nomadic tradition continues to function seasonally as herding families return to high mountain pastures or jailoos in the summer. The retention of this nomadic heritage and the freedoms that it assumes continue to have an impact on the political atmosphere in the country. The name Kyrgyz, both for the people and for the nation itself, is said to mean "forty girls", a reference to the Manas of folklore unifying forty tribes against the Mongols.
Early European accounts of the Kyrgyz continually refer to the local habit of extempore singing for all occasions. When two Kyrgyz meet, they exchange formalized greeting-songs to place each other in terms of clan or family affiliation. While working, or to pass the time while walking, the Kyrgyz improvise song texts to stereotyped melodic motifs.The woman in the picture here is collecting yak dung to fuel her fire.
Telephoning Kyrgyzstan
Slow progress yesterday... hangovers really don't help.
I had a phone call from one of the staff in Kyrgyzstan who is helping to arrange my visit, Elina, about my visa. Previously she'd told me to apply for a tourist visa, and she was quite relieved to hear that I hadn't yet applied. Apparently a tourist visa would be the wrong visa for me to get, and I need a "normal" visa.
The Kyrgyz Embassy in Germany doesn't actually allow you to apply for tourist visas or "normal" visas, you just apply for a visa and they decide what kind you're going to have. Communism wasn't a consumer-driven society, and I've noticed in some of these former-Communist countries that choice is sometimes lacking.
I asked Elina for her number in case I needed to ask her something later. She gave me her number. "But I don't know the code," she said, "you will have to find it." Ok, it's +996 for Kyrgyzstan.
"Yes, and you need the code for Ivanovska, that's where I live."
Not knowing the international dialling code for Kyrgyzstan I can understand. Not knowing the local dialling code for your own home town I find a little odd.
A lengthy search for the dialling code for Ivanovska was less than successful. I couldn't find anywhere called Ivanovska in Kyrgyzstan. What I did find was that Ivanovska is the surname of this lady below: Alexandra Ivanovska.
I had a phone call from one of the staff in Kyrgyzstan who is helping to arrange my visit, Elina, about my visa. Previously she'd told me to apply for a tourist visa, and she was quite relieved to hear that I hadn't yet applied. Apparently a tourist visa would be the wrong visa for me to get, and I need a "normal" visa.
The Kyrgyz Embassy in Germany doesn't actually allow you to apply for tourist visas or "normal" visas, you just apply for a visa and they decide what kind you're going to have. Communism wasn't a consumer-driven society, and I've noticed in some of these former-Communist countries that choice is sometimes lacking.
I asked Elina for her number in case I needed to ask her something later. She gave me her number. "But I don't know the code," she said, "you will have to find it." Ok, it's +996 for Kyrgyzstan.
"Yes, and you need the code for Ivanovska, that's where I live."
Not knowing the international dialling code for Kyrgyzstan I can understand. Not knowing the local dialling code for your own home town I find a little odd.
A lengthy search for the dialling code for Ivanovska was less than successful. I couldn't find anywhere called Ivanovska in Kyrgyzstan. What I did find was that Ivanovska is the surname of this lady below: Alexandra Ivanovska.
More pleasing to the eye than a list if Kyrgyz dialling codes perhaps, but not much use for phoning Elina with questions about my visa application. I searched further. I couldn't even find Ivanovska on the map. All I could find was this:
Katerina Ivanovska, Macedonian model.
She doesn't know the local dialling code for Ivanovska, Kyrgyzstan.
I might try sending an email to her fanclub and maybe they can tell me the dialling code.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Kyrgyzstan - history
This is mostly lifted from the BBC or Wikipedia (see links from yesterday's post, below.) And I've thrown in a few pictures to make it look nice.
Kyrgyzstan: land of the Kirghiz, ethnic name from Turkish kir: steppe, gis: nomad
The earliest ancestors of the Kyrgyz people, who are believed to be of mixed Mongol and Kipchak descent, probably settled until the 10th century around what is now the Tuva region of the Russian Federation. With the rise of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century, the Kyrgyz migrated south. They did not emerge as a distinct ethnic group until the 15th century. Islam is the predominant religion in the region, and most of the Kyrgyz are Sunni Muslims of the Hanafi school.
The territory was formally incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1876. The Russian takeover instigated numerous revolts against tsarist authority, and many of the Kyrgyz opted to move to the Pamirs and Afghanistan. In addition, the suppression of the 1916 rebellion in Central Asia caused many Kyrgyz to migrate to China.
The Kyrgyz language replaced Russian as the official language in
September 1991. (Kyrgyz is a member of the Southern Turkic group of languages and was written in the Arabic alphabet until the 20th century. Latin script was introduced and adopted in 1928, and was subsequently replaced by Cyrillic in 1941.)
The Tulip Revolution after the parliamentary elections in March 2005 forced President Akayev's resignation on April 4, 2005. Opposition leaders formed a coalition and a new government was formed under President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Prime Minister Feliks Kulov.
Political stability appears to be elusive, however, as various groups and factions allegedly linked to organised crime jockey for power. Three of the 75 members of Parliament elected in March 2005 have been assassinated since then, and another member was assassinated on 10 May 2006 shortly after winning his murdered brother's seat in a by-election. All four are reputed to have been directly involved in major illegal business ventures.
Kyrgyzstan: land of the Kirghiz, ethnic name from Turkish kir: steppe, gis: nomad
The earliest ancestors of the Kyrgyz people, who are believed to be of mixed Mongol and Kipchak descent, probably settled until the 10th century around what is now the Tuva region of the Russian Federation. With the rise of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century, the Kyrgyz migrated south. They did not emerge as a distinct ethnic group until the 15th century. Islam is the predominant religion in the region, and most of the Kyrgyz are Sunni Muslims of the Hanafi school.
The territory was formally incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1876. The Russian takeover instigated numerous revolts against tsarist authority, and many of the Kyrgyz opted to move to the Pamirs and Afghanistan. In addition, the suppression of the 1916 rebellion in Central Asia caused many Kyrgyz to migrate to China.
The Kyrgyz language replaced Russian as the official language in
September 1991. (Kyrgyz is a member of the Southern Turkic group of languages and was written in the Arabic alphabet until the 20th century. Latin script was introduced and adopted in 1928, and was subsequently replaced by Cyrillic in 1941.)The Tulip Revolution after the parliamentary elections in March 2005 forced President Akayev's resignation on April 4, 2005. Opposition leaders formed a coalition and a new government was formed under President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Prime Minister Feliks Kulov.
Political stability appears to be elusive, however, as various groups and factions allegedly linked to organised crime jockey for power. Three of the 75 members of Parliament elected in March 2005 have been assassinated since then, and another member was assassinated on 10 May 2006 shortly after winning his murdered brother's seat in a by-election. All four are reputed to have been directly involved in major illegal business ventures.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Kyrgyzstan-ho!
Kyrgyzstan, the Land of the Kyrgyz.
Population 5 million, a little more than Croatia, a little less than London.
Where is it? Here, in the red oval:
Note for American readers: the red oval has been superimposed onto the map, and is not a geographical feature.
This is mountain country: almost 90% of the country lies more than 5000 feet (1,500 meters) above sea level.
I'll be living and working in the capital Bishkek, population 900,000, located at the top of the map below. Issyk-Kul is the second largest mountain lake in the world after Titicaca.
Lake Titicaca is more popular with tourists partly due to the lack of radioactive waste on its shores. Some people have no sense of adventure.
For more information about Kyrgyzstan, visit:
Population 5 million, a little more than Croatia, a little less than London.
Where is it? Here, in the red oval:
Note for American readers: the red oval has been superimposed onto the map, and is not a geographical feature.This is mountain country: almost 90% of the country lies more than 5000 feet (1,500 meters) above sea level.
I'll be living and working in the capital Bishkek, population 900,000, located at the top of the map below. Issyk-Kul is the second largest mountain lake in the world after Titicaca.
Lake Titicaca is more popular with tourists partly due to the lack of radioactive waste on its shores. Some people have no sense of adventure.For more information about Kyrgyzstan, visit:
The current president originally trained to be an engineer. Being president appears to be an interesting alternative to engineering, one I hadn't considered yet. I shall keep my options open.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrgyzstan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrgyzstan
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