This mural has become something of a legend in my mind. My former Belgian housemate first told me about it a few years ago after he drove past it and snapped a photo. “Have you heard about the painting with the big, pink dragon attacking the White House?” Uhh, no. No, I haven’t. Can you …
Tag Archives: quirky things
Standing still for 10 minutes
Kanybek, the driver for our Song-Kul weekend, dropped us off at a mini-mart in Kochkor to stock up on snacks and water while he filled up the car with gas to prepare for the rest of the drive (there are no mini-marts or gas stations in Song-Kul). While waiting ten minutes or so for him …
Operation Lada
Hello, February in Kyrgyzstan! We got a tease of spring with one sunny day in the high 40s (err… 7 or 8 degrees C?), but as of this morning we were hurled back into the throes of the harsh (post-)Soviet winter. I was bundled up in my office (aka, the couch) working on my lesson …
camel
Knock knock. Who’s there? Lurking in a sad, empty lot, surrounded by barbed wire, rusted metal gates, under a thin layer of fresh snow? A camel, a block or so away from my apartment.
Afghans interviewing Americans
A fellow American student in my Russian classed asked me last week if I could help out in his wife’s English class by letting the students ask me questions. It was an innocent request; they apparently had trouble forming questions with the right intonation and word choice. Oh yeah, it’s a class of Afghans. “They’re …
War zones
If you ever wondered what the U.S. military has to sacrifice to protect your freedom, look no further! Nobody ever said livin’ in a war zone would be easy! Note: Soft-serve ice cream had disappeared for at least a week before this notice was posted…meaning, the cafeteria staff probably got fed up with fielding questions …
I stand for haggis
I know, with some certainty, that I am part Italian, German, and Irish. With less certainty I could say there might be some Scottish mixed in there as well. Two nights ago at the British Embassy in Baghdad, everybody celebrated their Scottish heritage, whether it’s real or not. In true IZ fashion, Brits, Scots, Irishmen, …
Midnight snacking on fried frog
Imagine this scenario: You’ve just traveled several time zones to the right. It’s nearing your normal bed time, your hotel room is dark and cozy, but the combination of a messed up body rhythm, an earlier nap, and the bustling street sounds below you are forcing you awake. And worse? …you’re hungry! What do you …