1.) What made you want to join the Peace Corps?
Like a lot of volunteers, I really wanted to travel and do something outside of my own personal self-interest. My life in America was very much influenced by the ideas of individual success, and I wanted to get away from that. And, to be honest, I am not in any position for any of that "real job" business yet so this works out well because I work hard and have purpose, but I also am on this amazing adventure in a faraway land.
2.) How are the teens/kids of Talas and Kyrgyzstan different than teens in the US?
The teens in Talas, my oblast (state) of Kyrgyzstan are similar to teens in America in ways that I did not expect. Not to be too general, but many of them are into technology, fashion, music, dance, and sports. Certainly there are differences though. There are not as many creative outlets here as there are in America, and children are expected to work their families' farms during times of preparation and harvest, which often means missing school. I would say that kids here are outside a lot more... only a small handful of them know how to use the internet. Life is more natural here, and instead of there being too much fun stuff to do like in America, there is instead too much work to do.
3.) Are there many art classes and clubs in Kyrgyzstan for kids to join?
As far as I know there are no art classes in my area aside from the ones that I hold (which are few and far between because I am a stinky artist). Whenever we hold camps or have arts and crafts, the children are usually very engaged. Things like drawing, bracelet making, and wallet making are staples for us here. We also had a "my Talas" mural at a camp that depicted Talas 100 years ago and 50 years from now and it was really cool. It seems like there is a very artistic inclination in this culture, but often no avenue to explore it seriously.4.) Tell us how you formed the dance group America Aral.
Ahhh, AmericAral. Well, Peace Corps told us that we would have all kinds of downtime and that we should figure out what to do with it. I figured, what better way to use that time than to learn the Michael Jackson dances. Of course, for me, Thriller was the one. I started learning, and one day I went to school in the summer to practice and stop tearing up my Kyrgyz "Shurdok" or rug in my room. A couple of students came and wanted to learn, so I had to speed it up and learn more because they picked it up faster than I could teach. From there, more students came and a dance club informally started. Then, my director happened across this contest in Talas city where we would be competing with city groups for 50,000 som (a little over a thousand dollars). It was crazy! I am a basketball guy, so all of this performance stuff was entirely new.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXHnEOoLfpQ
We got second to last aside from these little girls with stupid stuffed bears (i am not bitter), but we gained respect from dancers in the city and it was amazing and I wore some red tights that, as one local told me, "ruined my reputation in Talas,". which I really like because it allows me to address a whole host of other issues with people. From there we have performed at different venues like the Bride Kidnapping Awareness Festivals held in villages across Talas, and a couple of Peace Corps events, culminating at the Peace Corps 50th anniversary celebration at the Philharmonia in Bishkek.
It's still crazy to me that I just to get my MJ on in my room by myself and we ended up performing for hundreds of people in the biggest theater in Kyrgyzstan.
5.) How do you think a mural will help the community?
David: Appearance is a very important part of life here in Kyrgzystan. Someone will live in a home with no electricity or running water but come to school super flavorful in a dull shine charcoal suit and tie. Every year, the school is repainted different colors. It is over 80 years old but they take good care of it and I think that a Mural would further that sense of pride and beauty in Aral. People here take great pride in the beauty of our village, and something to depict that in a fresh and artistic way would have people that much more proud. I imagine that if we get this done, people will be talking about this American artist that came and did this amazing mural, and that children got to take part in it... they will be grown and want to show people this thing, what parts they helped with, and the countless pictures of it and Jamie(which there will inevitably be).
6.) Is facepainting common in kz? Have u ever seen anyone with their face or body painted there?
David: I have only seen facepainting maybe once or twice in Bishkek (the main metropolis in Kyrgzystan)
and it was just cheekpainting little faces and stuff. Jamie's style of facepainting, or Full face magical amazing transformation, as I like to call it, would be a smash. Body painting would be crazy! People would flip on that, though I don't know how revealing it could be in this society. One thing about this place though is that it is right on the edge of something new. After the revolution last year, a democracy is here and trying to grow. The internet has a presence that is only getting bigger, and technology has found ways to embed itself into the natural life of villages. Dance is getting bigger and bigger here, too. I honestly feel like cultural movements have the platform to start here, and who knows... someone could see Jamie's stuff and it could be the spark that lights a hot fiya for artistic freedom and exploration in Kyrgyzstan.
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