1st Day of School and Tummy Bugs!

Over the last few days we have had some dodgy tummies! Jim's was fragile on Saturday and Sunday, Jane's today, and Rosie one day last week; thankfully Felix has not really suffered at all. It is not disastrous - just a bit debilitating. As we once learned, the key is to keep drinking water! (That lesson came a few years ago in India when we each spent time on a drip in hospital to re-hydrate...)

Today Felix and Rosie started school. This first day was just for the morning and was for parents too, to welcome us all, introduce the staff and give an orientation to the values and ethos of the school. They are very determined that it is our job as parents to educate our children and that they as a school are walking with us in this - and want us to be involved in a number of ways. There is lot's of volunteer work done by parents; and among other possibilities, Jim has already made enquiries about being involved in an extra-curricular rock climbing club...

 Jane was bowled over by the care and support that the school offers - and indeed, we have been really grateful for the interest that a number of teachers that we have already met over the last 10 days have shown. Felix and Rosie are excited to be there, are enjoying making friends and are really positive about the way it all works - even the homework! Felix is in a class of nine children from five countries; the one down side for him is that seven of them are girls... Rosie is in a class of twelve - her class seems to be a bit more balanced in terms of gender!

It is a 20 - 25 minute walk to the school from our apartment - which in the morning is quite pleasant at the moment, but with tired children on a hot afternoon might be more of a challenge!

Felix's First Five Days

We asked Felix about his first five days in Kyrgyzstan...

It is very hot! I really like our new flat, which is very spacious and my room is cool (not the temperature!) I like the food, especially the fresh fruit - we have had water melon, nectarines, plums and strawberries.









We have walked a lot! The city is quite green - there are a lot of trees and parks, which brings shade (hurrah!). Yesterday we visited our school and I like the look of it. It has air conditioning everywhere inside which is good.

Today we went to a large local market, the Osh Bazaar, which had billions of sweets! You could also buy fruit, home equipment, bathroom equipment, bread, vegetables, dried fruits and nuts, sports equipment, meat, Korean salad which we had for supper and lots more.

I have really enjoyed my first five days in Bishkek and will be looking forward to the rest of my time here!

Felix, over and out!

We've Arrived

Wow, we are finally here!!! After some intense weeks of packing, sorting, storing and farewells we have finally made it to Bishkek!

The journey went very well. Felix and Rosie are expressing lots of enjoyment of it all and for Felix, Jim and I there is a lot of familiarity about being back in a very hot climate. Rosie has spent the time in the flat in few clothes and dipping in a cold bath, finding it all rather hot!  We did get to swim at the pool at the hotel we stayed at last night which was a lovely bonus. We enjoyed pancakes and honey for breakfast.

We are now gradually unpacking in our flat. We are very happy with it and the location. We explored a little earlier with the help of a friend and one thing I have really enjoyed is the gardens, parks and  flower beds being irrigated by glacial mountain water which run down small channels along the side of the pavement; what a concept!

Felix has asked "why didn't we come sooner?".

It is hard to believe in the current heat that it is really going to be snowing in a few months, that change will be quite something to experience.

The Big Pack!

Boxes, boxes everywhere!

We won't take very much with us to Kyrgyzstan - mainly clothes and books, and get the other things that we need there - and so most of the things that we own are staying in the UK. It is amazing how much we have collected, even when trying to live reasonably simply!

Some friends who spent many years in West Africa have given us some of the tea chests that they used when they returned to the UK in the early 1970's, and also a trunk used by their uncle to return from Malaya in 1952 (according to the label!) It is quite something to be packing into boxes so steeped in history!

A Week Off

After the busy-ness of the end of term and saying goodbye to school friends, at the end of July we headed off to South Wales for a quick break. It was a wonderful time, staying at the newly opened Hiraeth Centre run by friends from Tunbridge Wells. We had a day at the beach, a day at the centre playing in the stream and cooking on the fire, and a day up a nearby mountain.

It was a wonderful week and we returned refreshed and ready for the big pack up...