The usual ups and downs.

This morning it was so beautiful and I was thinking I am learning so much doing this, that though it is often very painful here, perhaps if I am really not doing anything more worthwhile then I should come back here, provided it is actually feasible in practical terms. But then this happens.  My English teaching colleague from Talas is off sick. She has informed the Foundation about the stresses of working there and has just had to get away until things are manageable there, but then apparently she gets a call from the Foundation saying where is she  and that they will not pay her if she does not come in so then. I find myself thinking, no really despite the good things the organisation is just not right on enough to carry on with them.   Then this evening I got to talk to one of the agro-forestry experts staying for a conference at The Ashu. He had not heard of Hugelkulture, but said the concept was basically sound and that getting them to compost stuff in Kyrgyzstan was very sound. But when I said well as he is in a conference on Agroforestry could not he introduce the idea of compost as an economically viable product for the country, he said that in practical terms the conference would probably not achieve much and that I would probably be better off myself trying to persuade people. As readers of this blog will know I have had no success which is why I keep hoping the movers and shakers, will make a difference.   So I am feeling very fed up, but the person who suggested I talk to this guy, suggested I talk, to two women from the University who might help.  I hung around but they were so intense in their discussions I could not even get them to glance in my direction.. However, when I asked  one of the staff about my missing boots and puppets, she happily interrupted them and good news missing items now found,, but even better having interrupted the two women I was able to speak to them about information to farmers etc re compost and they said that they were both interested, how hard it was to get the information across, but that there was an organisation called Biom based in Bishkek who try to put out information on the topic at this point the owner's mum brought my puppets back (I had lent them to her grandson over the weekend) and I asked them to tell her about composting so they did.  I think she has taken in some of the information and I know that she is the kind of person, that if people saw her composting even just a little bit it would help. The compost I tried setting up at the school sadly has been burned, but for the first time after speaking to massive numbers of people on this there may have been a little breakthrough. So that makes me more positive again about trying to come back, so usual back and forth. The good thing in return is that the owner's mum was able to tell them about the Foundation and the good things it does.

Measuring the apple trees. Part of the BAB project to monitor the tress as they grow.