impractical advice

my newest addition

February 13, 2013

…to my growing collection of film cameras! I picked up this Smena-35 (Смена-35) at Orto-Sai Bazaar for 300 som (about $8). I was drawn partially to the packaging (it was one of the only cameras this vendor had that came with its original box and instruction manual) and partially to my recent desire to pick [...]

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in praise of Aeroflot

January 29, 2013

There are few options for flying into Bishkek from the US compared to many other destinations. For cities, your choices are essentially Moscow, Istanbul, or Dubai (you could fly to Almaty/Astana, Urumqi, or a few other cities, and then continue to Bishkek, but to me that seems more trouble than it’s worth). Istanbul and Dubai [...]

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the cost of being pregnant in Kyrgyzstan

November 9, 2012

When I was back in the states in June, I had a check-up at my mom’s doctor’s office. A few weeks later, my mom emailed me to tell me that the bill from the appointment had arrived, and it was nearly $3000. Three thousand dollars. Not anywhere close to what I was expecting. Being the [...]

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Tips for photographing from a car

October 10, 2012

(Nowhere near as exciting as my last post of photo tips, but more practical, perhaps?) I like to think I’ve picked up some skills in taking acceptable photographs from a moving vehicle, considering that Kyrgyzstan is so vast that I’ve found myself zooming past some amazing landscapes for five or more hours at a time. [...]

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Tips for photographing stars

October 8, 2012

I love shooting stars and star trails. Love it. There’s something so meticulous about attempting a long-exposure, the anticipation and delayed gratification of knowing whether it worked or failed miserably. It’s something I’ve only attempted once before in a more rural spot of Colorado, so knowing I would be so far out in the middle [...]

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how to make friends in Kyrgyzstan

July 18, 2012

I’ve received a lot of emails lately from those of you who are planning to move to Kyrgyzstan in the coming months. First, that’s awesome! Second, I probably won’t hang out with all of you. I’m just one person, and I’m a bit socially awkward, shy, introverted, and a homebody in general. But, I have [...]

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How to start a business in Kyrgyzstan

May 30, 2012

My first piece for the Glimpse Correspondent’s Program is up on Matador, called “How to move to Kyrgyzstan and start a business.” I will let you know now that there is not a speck of useful advice for doing either one of those two things. This was a tough piece to write. Firstly, because I’m [...]

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Real Life House Hunters: the backstory

February 19, 2012

We’re moving! After nearly a year living in the same apartment (more than a year in the same courtyard), Farrell and I are shifting ourselves and the office to a brand new location. But it’s not just the two of us. We’re currently sharing the office with the business of another expat. He and his [...]

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my cost of living in Kyrgyzstan

February 15, 2012

Farrell and I came to Kyrgyzstan with a nice bit of savings, which we sadly watched dwindle away while getting the business started. With some (very big) changes coming up in my life in Bishkek, I figured I would take a closer look at where my money really goes while living here. Plus, one of [...]

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How to survive a Bishkek winter power-outage

January 11, 2012

Temperatures have dropped again in Bishkek, another sign that winter is most definitely sticking around, despite certain predictions that Kyrgyzstan wouldn’t get a winter this year. With decreasing temperatures, Bishkek residents race to turn up their space heaters, straining the crumbling electrical infrastructure. This means more power outages and rolling black-outs. Here are my tips [...]

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