Jet Skiing and Snow

I was struck with a slight pang of loss as I started classes recently. The beginning of classes signifies that the summer is completely over and fall is beginning to creep in. The leaves on the trees are starting to change and some are even beginning to pile up on the corners of the grey soviet style apartment buildings. There is a strange contrast between the yellow-orange colors of this season and the concrete architecture they surround. With that pang, I also felt an increase of excitement. With the start of classes I realize that my Russian acquisition will be accelerating ten-fold.

The past two weeks have been action packed to say the least. I have decided to move out of the school provided apartments into a new house. Four of us from the school have decided to move in together. Not only will we save money, but we will also get away from the bubble of the school. The apartment we found, after several days of searching, is incredible. It has four bedrooms, an incredibly large living room, and a modern kitchen with a fully operational microwave (that means something here). We have also decided that we are only going to speak Russian in the house.(unless necessary i.e. “Hey, I think someone is trying to break in,” or “Sup Bro?”)

To celebrate the end of summer, six of us took a trip to Lake Issyk Kul. The lake has an incredibly surreal feel to it. On either shore there are incredibly tall snow-capped mountains. When you look across the lake you see what looks like clouds on top of a dark patch of land. What you are actually seeing is the snow on the heads of the giant peaks.

After observing the peaks you look back to your own altitude and remember that you are getting sunburned on a warm sandy beach with people splashing and jet skis zooming around. I had never ridden a jet ski before so I rented one for a grand total of five minutes and went full speed out into the middle of the wide open lake. It was certainly tempting to drive towards the other shore (Likely 40-plus kilometers away). Later, all of us got onto a banana boat which was being towed by a crazy driver who believed that it was his job to try and constantly throw us off.

The weekend was great and the weather was perfect. On the morning of our departure thick clouds rolled in and cold rain started to sprinkle down. The misty mountains fell in and out of view behind low grey clouds (as did the road a few times) as we rolled back to Bishkek.