Learning the language of apartments: "Suitable for foreigners" means "expensive"

I've found an apartment and I'm moving in next Saturday!

Finding an apartment here has been easier than I expected. There are several websites that list available units and the Russian is so basic that even I can understand it. “после ремонт” means that it has been remodeled, “с мебелью” means that it is furnished, and “подходит для иностранцев” means that it’s expensive. Though I’ve generally found Bishkek to be an affordable city, many landlords want between $700 and $900 a month for a three room (two bedrooms and a living room) apartment in the city center. Outrageous!

Luckily, my friend Uran has been acting as a guide, translator and negotiator on my behalf. We saw three different spaces in two days, making me feel like I was on an episode of House Hunters International. We’d go look at every apartment, making comments like “The master bedroom has no door? Oh, that’s . . . interesting” and “The furniture looks like someone stuck postage stamps all over it. That’s . . . pretty nice.” Afterward, out of earshot of the landlord, we’d weigh the pros and cons of each place. The first one is big, but expensive. The second one, in the same building, costs $100 less per month, but is packed with uncomfortable furniture. Neither felt like home.

Yesterday, we went to see a third apartment and I fell in love with it. The building is just off the main drag, Prospect Chuy, on a quiet side street. Inside, it feels huge, and it is spacious, but it could also be because the ceilings are about 12 feet high. It’s a proper Stalinka – a Stalin-era apartment with wainscoting on the walls, big rooms, tall ceilings, and French doors into the living room. The furniture is all from the Soviet-era, which in Kyrgyzstan indicates that it’s well-made (read: none of that modern cheap crap from China). In true Central Asian style, all of the living room furniture is arranged around the perimeter of the room; I’m already imagining ways to rearrange and make it cozier. There are a few downfalls – limited electrical outlets, a little chilly, too many rugs – but I think it can be made to feel like home for the next ten months or so. Better yet, Uran – the Master Negotiator – got the landlord to decrease the price by $50 per month if I pay three months in advance. I move in next Saturday.

Please come visit me!

Welcome to Bishkek! Now eat some meat.

I’ve been in Bishkek for one week and I can’t believe it. It feels like it’s been a month – a month of new experiences, new friends and new Russian vocabulary, but also a month of mistakes, embarrassing situations, and loneliness. Needless to say, my emotions have been up and down. Luckily, mostly up, but with a few low points.

I arrived early last Sunday morning and was driven to my host-family’s apartment on the eastern outskirts of Bishkek. After sneaking in a few hours of sleep, one of the family members woke me to go “guesting” at her grandmother’s house in the mountains. This proved to be a perfect reentry into Central Asian life, complete with Ulug’ Tashtir (a game similar to polo, but played with a headless goat or sheep carcass instead of a ball), sitting around a table sagging with snacks, course after course of meat-heavy dishes, and vodka. Of course, the meat was tenderized by the game of Ulug’ Tashtir. As I watched, the carcass got flatter and flatter while the onlookers got drunker and drunker. That night I went back to my guestroom bursting with food and exhausted from jet lag, but excited to be back in Kyrgyzstan.

I started Russian language classes at a private language school on Monday. The classes run from 8:30 a.m. until 2:20 p.m. every weekday. Otherwise, my time is filled with studying and jogging. I’ve also had an opportunity to meet new friends at different establishments around the city. Thus, my schedule has been pretty full and I haven’t had much time to get bored.

My first impression is that Bishkek is a fairly easy place to live, once you get the hang of the public transportation and can speak enough Russian to find what you’re looking for. There are Italian, Indian, Chinese, Turkish, and British/American restaurants. There’s even a Mexican Cantina! There are bars galore, the Opera Ballet has cheap shows, and you can catch a new release (dubbed into Russian) at the movie theater. I saw Giselle on Saturday night and am planning to see Carmen at the end of the month. My host-family and I are planning to see Sherlock Holmes one night this week.

The downs have mostly been due to loneliness, missing Ritchie and my family, or feeling overwhelmed by my situation. I’m meeting lots of great people, but for the time being, I’m still alone here. Despite Skype, my husband feels very far away and I’m almost counting down the seconds to May. After getting hopelessly lost on my second day in the city, I found myself struggling with serious transportation stress. It was so bad that I’d wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it. And, I feel overwhelmed by what I’ve set out to do, wondering if I can actually accomplish it.

Luckily, I have lots of people rooting for me back at home and my host family has a kitten who loves to cuddle. So far, the downs have been more than counterbalanced by the ups, and I feel excited about finding my way here.