Currently, she resides in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, with her family.
Gülzar was born in 1990 in the Alay district of the Osh region. She received her higher education in Bishkek at the Ishenaly Arabayev University. Since 2014, she has been working as a Korean language translator. Later, continuing her studies, she enrolled in a university in Canada, where she completed her master's degree in English translation in 2020.
In her career, she has worked as a translator and has become the head of the administrative department in private companies. After the birth of her children, Gülzar went on maternity leave, and now she runs a mini-blog on social media dedicated to nutrition and children's immunity issues.
Meeting My Husband
My husband is Mongolian, so my children and I live in Ulaanbaatar.
We met in 2017 in Bishkek. I often interacted with Mongolians who spoke Korean. One winter, my friend from Mongolia came to Bishkek with friends, among whom was my future husband. I showed them around the city, and within a week, we became friends. After they left, we occasionally communicated on social media.
When I went to work as a translator in Russia, he expressed a desire to meet and traveled to me from Mongolia, overcoming a 17-hour journey. Thus began our relationship, despite the distance. In 2019, we got married in Mongolia, and since then we have been living in Ulaanbaatar, raising our two daughters.
Opinion on Mongolians and Cultural Differences
Mongolians are often surprised to learn that I am Kyrgyz, as the external differences are not so noticeable. On the street, when someone asks me something, many take me for a local.
Older people nostalgically remember the Soviet times: "We served with Kyrgyz in the army" or "we studied together in Tashkent."
The influence of trade along the Silk Road enriched our language with words from Persian and Arabic, but Kyrgyz and Mongolian languages belong to the Altaic group, and many words coincide: ава (older brother), аркар, шумкар, алтын, and others.
Mongolians, like us, consume a lot of meat, engage in livestock farming, and lead a nomadic lifestyle, moving to pastures and producing dairy products. However, Mongolians have better preserved their nomadic culture. Even in modern yurts, you can see washing machines, beds, and other modern furniture.
Challenges of Living Abroad
No matter where you are, nothing compares to your homeland.
I do not have difficulties with the language, but the climate in Mongolia is indeed harsh. Winters are long here, and spring and summer pass very quickly. Spring arrives in May, and by October, the cold returns.
After the birth of my children, it became even more challenging. Raising a child outside of my homeland is a double responsibility. There is no one to help with their care, and all the responsibility falls on me. I must not only take care of the child but also pass on the language, culture, and traditions of our people, as they are not encountered in everyday life here.
Lessons Life in Mongolia Has Taught Me
Life in Mongolia has taught me to look at things more simply. Here, holidays, housewarmings, and birthdays are celebrated without unnecessary pomp. People put on the table what they have, prepare a few dishes, socialize, and have fun.
When I first arrived, I worried about what to cook and how to welcome guests. Now I understand that the main thing is sincerity, not an extravagant table. I have started to view life differently and be content with what I have.
Mongolians are a very strong people. Perhaps this is the influence of the spirit of Genghis Khan or the nomadic lifestyle, but there is an inner strength in them. The girls here are brave, energetic, and even physically stronger than we are.
Funny Moments in My New Family
We have had many comical situations, as two cultures intertwine in our family. For example, Mongolians have a tradition of not cutting children's hair until they are three years old. I did not know this and cut my older daughter's hair when she was one month old. When my husband's older sisters saw this, they were shocked, and I did not understand what was happening, thinking something was wrong with the child's head. Later, they explained the custom to me.
Another incident: once we brought ayran from the village. I added salt and made it into süzmö, as I missed kurut. However, in Mongolia, they make kurut sweet by adding sugar. We laughed that I made a "salty version," while they preferred the "dessert" one.
Traditions and Values of Mongolians
I really like that Mongolia carefully preserves its national culture. Kyrgyzstan should also pay attention to this.
At any events—be it graduations or New Year—both children and adults wear national costumes. They take pride in this and sew outfits in modern, stylish designs.
On the table, there is always meat, kurut, boorsok, and in summer—kymyz.
It would be wonderful if graduates in Kyrgyzstan also wore national costumes—it would look very beautiful.
Mongolia actively collaborates with foreign investors, especially from Japan and Korea, which creates jobs. I believe that if Kyrgyzstan developed similar connections, the youth would not leave for abroad but would work at home.
Future Plans
My blog is my connection to Kyrgyzstan. Currently, I am studying health topics and developing in this direction, considering it my third profession.
