First, I need to make clear that I unintentionally sent everyone in my address book an email about some email messaging service. I was trying to figure out what it was when it sent it to all of you because someone else had sent it to me probably unintentionally as well. I apologize for spamming everyone I know.
I came home to spring in full bloom. I realized how much I missed Kyrgyzstan when I saw my host family and slept in my bed after weeks in the oversized, starchy hotel bed. I went to school today and saw some of my students and colleagues. My students really missed me. I thought that they would probably be surprised at how much I missed them, too. I refrained from showing to much excitement at the thought of being a teacher again. I know that I am normally sarcastic about my work, but I really like the freedom I have as a teacher here. For example, I am bringing my new CD player and some cheap computer speakers to class, so that we can listen to some music. I will just show them some photos of Thailand. If we still have time, we can play catch with the baseball equipment. Life is so simple and fulfilling for me here. I knew that I really loved what I am doing when I felt nervous at the possibility of not being able to come back when the doctor made biopsies on my skin. I had time to reflect in Thailand between the delirium from the humidity, heat, and sun and the trips to the bar at night. I did think about how much I would not give up my life on Lake Issyk-Kul for anything. I was willing to argue my case to come back if the medical people in Thailand hesitated to allow me to return.
I missed it. Coming back, my Russian improved strangely because I wasn't speaking Russian in Thailand. Maybe what little I had studied and continually listened to at my house has finally sunk in as a language separate from Kyrgyz. My Kyrgyz continues to impress the Kyrgyz folk and didn't miss a beat from the second I got off the plane. I tried to remind myself about these languages everyday while in Thailand, so I wouldn't be a complete idiot in front of my kids when I returned.
Despite some minor protesting over public land control and the Western stores being boarded up under repair, life after the revolution resembles that before. I have to stop here. I wrote about ten more paragraphs, but the computer keeps deleting parts of my blog entry. You can fill in the blanks with your imagination. As for me, I have to go home to wash the rest of everything I own. -MJ
