Whipped Cream and Other Delights... Like $8 P.B.

14:00 24 August 2008

After a several weeks long pleasant respite from G.I. problems, it appears as if I am back in the fray. Stomach cramps and less than pleasant outhouse visits have again become the norm. I hope that I am better by the time of our site visits, I would hate to be a bad guest because I felt ill. Anyhow, onto more pleasant topics, all the trainees went into Bishkek yesterday to visit the Peace Corps office and have a day on the town. The office is really nice, from the outside of the compound, it looks kind of crappy and run-down (it is in a really bad part of town, which doesn’t help). Once you enter the compound, however, you realize the American influence, it has nice offices, running water, consistent electricity, climate control, and even a garden with a pond. There is also a resource center for us once we become volunteers for us to use the internet for free and a library where we can borrow books. I brought home “Thud” by Terry Pratchett and so far have found it an entertaining diversion.

After touring the office, we were left on our own to get lunch and do whatever we wanted to in the city. I actually ended up returning to the same Chinese restaurant I had been to before, and it was even better this time! I think that will be a regular feature of my visits to Bishkek, it’s really good and not even that expensive by Kyrgyz standards (I paid 150 soms for a big plate of tofu and veggies, rice, and a bottle of Sprite- that’s about $4). I spent the hanging out with some trainees I didn’t really know well before (I’m making a concerted effort to get to know the people I will be posted near- so far I have been very impressed by them and consider myself fortunate in my nearby volunteers).

Afterwards, having not spent too much at lunch, I decided a splurge was in order. I had heard that certain American foods were only available at one place in the entire country- namely the Beta Foods store in Bishkek. Beta Foods is an eerily American-looking grocery/department store that is Turkish owned and considered very posh. I was amazed at the variety there, all sorts of world-cheeses, salad dressing, cold cereal, and most things that could be found in an American grocery were there. Of course, despite the fact that everything was Shop-Rite brand, it was exorbitantly expensive. My big purchase was a small jar of peanut-butter, something that will hopefully be an effective homesickness-antidote, but cost the equivalent of over $8. Considering I am currently receiving about $40 a month, this cannot be a regular purchase of mine, I had to restrain myself from picking up delicacies such as Ranch dressing and hot sauce, that really would have broken the bank.