lately, maral has been...

Lecturing at the AUCA

Filming Tyéléguen for the MHS documentary

Finalizing work

Visiting the Armenian Diaspora, (Armenian flag behind,,,)

Taking pictures of children while they swim in the 43 oC heat in the fountain right next to the Presidential Palace



Hello everyone,

I have been so busy lately as my fellowship will be completed this Thursday evening - so I have been doing toooooo many things to finish as much as possible while still in Bishkek.

We are all continuing our work for our NGOs from New York, and my first meeting will be on July 14 with Nourbeik our lawyer who will be in DC and NY on meetings with the International Budget Project and the Human Rights Watch.

Nourbeik is a superstar in Kyrgyzstan - he is daily on the news fighting whatever establishment or the Parliament itself on the lack of TRANSPARENCY in the allocation of funds etc etc...

So with him I will complete the presentation I have prepared for MHS that they will use while for their presentation on October 10 at the World Mental Health Day.

Also, I gave a lecture at the American University of Central Asia, advocating for my NGO and trying to have Psychology students work as volunteers or interns at the Outpatient Daycare Center.

I completed the English version of the website - I am waiting for all Russian translations that everyone should prepare and send me so that I post that too.

I filmed a small interview and made a short documentary about it and uploaded on the site - with Kyrgyz Folk music in the background during transitions :)

I did many other things too - like melting in the desert heat - it has been 43 degrees Celius here for the past 3 days - I don't know how much that is in Fahrenheit.

I also visited the Armenian Diaspora and discovered that there are 1200 Armenians in Kyrgyzstan, 600 of whom in Bishkek.

Last but not least, on Thursday the whole of MHS is going on a picnic to the mountains. It is in 'my honor' :)))) (around 40 people)
I have been told that the guest of honor in Kyrgyzstan gets to eat the eye of the lamb after it is 'cooked'?!?!?!?!!?

I highly appreciate this, but I am not eating no eye, ok? I am not eating no lamb's eye.

I have been also told that the lamb's eye is only given to 'male' guests of honor - I hope that will be the case.

:))))))