Training Report
School of Science and Engineering, College of Mathematics
Okochi Yuto (2nd year)
1. About Bishkek
Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, is very orderly and has many commercial facilities, making it hard to believe that it is the city of the second poorest country in Central Asia.
- Bishkek road, movement
In Bishkek, especially around the Manas statue near the theater where the city hall and university are concentrated, there are paths with flower beds and fountains, and the other sidewalks in the vicinity are also smooth and spacious. In addition, there are many bus stops and the fare is a flat 20 som (37 yen), and buses come every 5 to 10 minutes, so many people use the service. I basically walked when I got around, but the city is not complicated and has a grid pattern like Kyoto, so I was able to get around on a straight road without having to make many turns. For example, there was a single road from the Manas statue near the theater to a large mall called Asian Mall, and it was possible to go from the same Manas statue to Osh Bazaar by one road.
- Parks in Bishkek
Bishkek has many parks, all of which are well maintained, but Oak Park, where the statue of Lenin is located, was especially well maintained.
The park was well maintained so as not to spoil the scenery, since there is a concentration of historical and public facilities near the park, including not only the Lenin statue but also museums, a statue of Marx Engels, a courthouse, and a government building. However, the park was also a space that local residents could use freely, with children riding large bicycles on their own, flea markets selling clothes and miscellaneous goods, and art exhibitions being held. I wondered whether there was a place in Japan that was so freely available to the public while still maintaining its solemn atmosphere, but perhaps due to my own ignorance, I couldn’t think of one. In the exhibition, paintings were lined up on the street, some with price tags and some without, and there were no signs prohibiting photography, no one policing the area, and no shopkeepers. However, I did not hear of anyone stealing anything, so I think it was a very safe place. In the park, I saw people leaving their strollers and sleeping on benches.
- Shopping Mall in Bishkek
There are four large shopping malls in Bishkek: Bishkek Parc, Asian Mall, Tsum, and Gum, all of which are large, have many stores, and were crowded with many people. The upper floors of the malls have food courts, and all of the malls listed above have food courts that have KFC and sushi restaurants. Additionally, Asian Mall, Tsum, and Gum housed otaku shops selling a wide variety of Japanese anime goods. The top floor of Bishkek Park is a games center where I can try out a wide range of activities, including VR experiences, billiards, and bowling.
2. Regarding drinking alcohol
I had heard that Islam is practiced in Kyrgyzstan, but alcoholic beverages were sold in supermarkets and magazines just like in Japanese stores, and I was able to order it at cafes as a matter of course.
- Vodka
I drank vodka for the first time in Kyrgyzstan; in fact, the first alcoholic drink I ever had was vodka in Kyrgyzstan. Vodka is also one of the most common alcoholic beverages found in Magazin, and I found it more familiar than in Japan. The one I drank had an alcohol content of 38%, so rather than tasting good or not, it seemed to me that the alcohol flavor was too strong. I drank vodka twice in Bishkek, both times with Japanese people who participated in the program with me. I learned that it’s best to avoid drinking alcohol with such a high alcohol content alone.
- Beer
I drank beer for the first time in Kyrgyzstan, but beer is a drink that had a major impact on my training. The first beer I drank was a local Kyrgyz beer at a Japanese restaurant called “Furusato,” but it had an alcohol content of 11%, which was high for beer, and the alcohol and bitterness were strong, so I didn’t have a very good impression. However, the beer that my host mother poured for me at my homestay was very easy to drink, fruity and with just the right amount of carbonation. Additionally, perhaps because we had beef liver for dinner that day, I was able to enjoy a beer for the first time. As the drinks started to flow between my host mother, father, and I, the three of us were able to have fun conversations and deepen our friendships. However, there were times when I had a mistake with beer. When I participated in a two-day, one-night activity on the shores of a lake far from Bishkek, I drank beer like water from the night of the first day until the morning of the second day, and ended up spending the entire day of the lake activity suffering from a hangover and seasickness. I learned my drinking tolerance and the lesson that alcohol consumption should be planned.
3. Through training
I am currently a sophomore, but during my first year, I had to invest a lot of resources as well as time in housework and study in order to get used to living alone and university life, and above all, due to the difficulties of university mathematics, I did not have many opportunities to go out to eat with people or talk with them for hours. However, I was able to learn the joy of being with people and the taste of alcohol through interaction with Japanese students, local students, and my host family in Kyrgyzstan. It was especially painful when I returned home and sorted through my suitcase, as every time I took out a piece of clothing I was reminded of all the fun I had had. Staying abroad for a month is a valuable experience in itself, and I consider it a very beneficial experience for me to be able to live in Kyrgyzstan, a country that is (unfortunately) not well known in Japan, and a Russian-speaking country.
