Discovering Kyrgyzstan: its Landscape, People, and Culture

Ellen Stuart will talk about the 20 days she spent in Kyrgyzstan in April/May this year.

Ellen was one of three British volunteers working alongside employees of a Kyrgyz NGO to deliver a professional development course for English teachers in the rural north east of the country, close to the borders of Kazakhstan and China. She will talk about what she learned about Kyrgyz society from her colleagues and the teachers on the course, particularly about family life and the position of women.

Kyrgyzstan is a beautiful country and Ellen will share photos of the amazing landscape, and also of the two cities she visited, the capital Bishkek, and the smaller Karakol, in the east, where she spent a few relaxing days at the end of her stay. Expect to see mountains, horses, yurts, colourful clothes, traditional musicians and big hats!

Ellen will also talk about the UK charity that provides the funding for the teachers’ course and the work of the NGO they support https://erayim-aid-trust.uk/

Ellen Stuart is a retired English teacher who lives in Exeter. She enjoyed some wonderful travel experiences when she was much younger but never imagined that an adventure to Central Asia awaited her in her retirement. She is now keen to return to Kyrgyzstan to work in another area of this fascinating country.

This is a Devon Globe Trotters fundraising event for DDE’s Food for Thought School Linking Programme working with primary schools in Uganda & UK. A donation of £12 is requested, payable on the night. Details of the project may be viewed on the website. https://www.globalcentredevon.org.uk/project_type/food-for-thought/

The venue is in St Leonards, Exeter. Details and travel instructions will be provided nearer the time.