Hi again everyone!

After a very long delay due to technical difficulties, I am now finally able to update my blog!

There's so much to say. Where do I begin? I live in a small town outside of the capital, Bishkek, with a very loving and supportive Kyrgyz family. My host mom and teenage brother live at home but I also have another little brother and sister who live with with the Russian in-laws who visit often. My mom's Russian husband unfortunately died a few years ago, which is a sensitive topic I won't expound on.

To sum things up in one simple statement, I'll say that life here is very slow. The Kyrgyz have their own pace of life and they are pretty good at handling tough conditions, like frequent blackouts, loss of running water, etc. etc. They're really curious and even somewhat suspicious about us out-of-place Americans. However, we're gaining their trust by making friends and doing good deeds, like picking up trash piles along the sides of major roads and disposing waste properly.

PST (Pre-Service-Training) is a pretty brutal process of cultural induction, language learning, and lengthy seminars on safety and volunteer skills. There's also plenty of fun, such as playing games with kids at the local orphanage and the disco dance us volunteers are about to have tonight!

I want to say more, but unfortunately I've got to go! I'll let everyone know more about my experiences these last five weeks once I get some free time. As for now, I've got to another seminar to attend.

See you!
Eric Connor