С Новым Годом! (Happy New Year!)

A great much has happened in the wide world of Central Asian politics. As everybody should know, Turkmenabashi died. Soon we will know the truth, was he evil on the outside with a creamy crazy interior or if his silly hijanks belied a far more sinister state system. I suspect that the answer will be yes. The latest NYT piece is here: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-turkmenistan.html?hp&ex=1167022800&en=87fdcca48ea7802b&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Here in Kyrgyzstan all were surprised to hear that the government resigned. By government I mean all the ministers of all the cabinets including the prime minister. All are in league with the President. The Parliament did not resign. It is somewhat complicated but as I understand it the new constitution called for a simple, rather than 2/3 majority from parliament but it also upped the number of seats from ~70 (I think) to 90. As a result neither the government backers nor the opposition has enough seats for a majority.

The resulting stalemate frustrated the cabinet which is basically trying to discredit the system and for the parliament to self-dissolve. Parliament does not want to self dissolve however because many do not have to political or financial capital to be reelected. Chances are that despite their hesitation, pressure will force parliament to dissolve, sooner rather than later. If it happens in the next couple weeks, elections should occur in March or April. I will be most interested in how other nations weigh in on the elections. I would not be surprised to see more Islam this time around. http://ipp.kg/en/analysis/354-20-12-2006

At the Fund, things are being planned for next year. It looks like we may go for a van rather than a mashrootka. This will probably reduce the number of kids on the trips but will be more financially feasible. We figured out also that by sending stuff to Manas Airforce Base (the US base here) we can ship from the states to Kyrgyzstan really at US rates. We hope to exploit this. We are in the market for new, slightly used and still usable ski equipment (especially poles), cold weather gear, tents, climbing stuff (especially kids' shoes), ice skates, hiking boots, backpacks, and pretty much anything else you have used in the woods. So if that is something that would warm your heart, consider it this xmas. Email me (andersconway@gmail.com) and we can work it out.

My wallet got stolen for real today. I responded a split second too late to the old bump and grab. I even yelled at the guys that almost certainly took it. Without a direct witness however, I had to drop it. Not worth fighting over.

We got Ulan and Adilet (bazaar kids, english students and frequent helpers) cell phones. They do not have house phones and this seemed to be a good way to run things better and acknowledge our commitment to them and bind them ever closer to the fund.

I am taking the next couple weeks "off" this means I will catch up with words and office work. We have more volunteers coming in late January. That will be good.

I think that the bad-get adjusted phase has largely eclipsed and that I am mostly adjusted. I have been musing about how the cycle of adjustment to being abroad seems to work. The first month is dominated by wide eyes and bushy tailed wonder, followed by a frustrating period of 'almost there' during which language comes and goes in spurts as does familiarity and the feeling of "being on top of things." The frustration comes from know what to but not yet having it automated and thus not living up to expectations. Between two and three months this gives way to more reasonable self-expectation as well as improved competence. Thus my perception of success is more in line with my expectations. I have been through it all before, and knowing what to expect moderates the highs and lows but still, there is no escaping the process. I like that about life, you can know what has to be done and what will be hard and what will be great but you have to go through it. There is no avoiding life, change and either taxes or corruption, depending upon geography.

Losing the wallet teaches a similar lesson. I know it is not the end of the world and that a sequence of events can eventually deliver me from economic peril but it is still really really irksome.

I am a young adult coming to terms with reality. No way around that either. The break in studying and the gladness of emerging from a tougher period granted one of those lovely transcendental moments of clarity. Having seen the general lay of the trail ahead and being glad to have emerged from the switchbacks now behind me, I am happy. Happy where I have been, happy where I am and happy where I am going. That's the only real happiness there ever really is.

Also I received a Bistro and fresh coffee in the mail. This also made me very happy. Sometimes material crap does mean something. So with that, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. May your long night be bright and your cold days cozy. Happy Rambings.