She gained her first work experience in this border settlement located on the border with Kazakhstan.
“I was born in 1976 in Bokonbaevo in the Ton district, where I received excellent upbringing and education from my teachers. In 1993, I graduated from the 11th grade of the Shamey school, and in 1994, I enrolled in a teacher training college in Karakol,” she shared.
After getting married in 1996, Cholpon continued to teach in Karkyra. At first, the living conditions in the pasture seemed extremely difficult to her, and she had a desire to leave the village. “I studied in a big city, and here it’s a small settlement without proper conditions. When I came to work at the school, there were only two classes. I felt like I was on another planet,” she recalls. However, over time, having gotten used to working with children and seeing the population grow, her attitude changed. “Now I am proud to live in such a unique place,” Turatova noted.
She also spoke about the harsh winters in Karkyra, which last about seven months. “The wind often blows here, and the snow can fall for several days in a row. The snow cover sometimes reaches over one meter. Lessons start early in the morning, so children come to school at 08:30, when the blizzard calms down, and those studying in the 480-hour program arrive by 10:00. My students were small and couldn’t walk through the deep snow, so we had to create paths that quickly got covered again,” she described the difficulties faced by the children.
Now, a new building of school No. 28 named after J. Asylbaev has opened in the village, which has significantly simplified the organization of the educational process. “At the beginning of the new school year, we ceremoniously put the new building into operation. Now we can fully implement the 12-year educational program, and comfortable conditions have been created for both students and teachers. This was an unexpected gift for us. Previously, it was difficult for children to use the outdoor toilet in winter—the doors were blown away by the wind, and snow filled the space. Physical education only took place in warm weather outside, and on cold days, we had classes indoors,” Cholpon shared. She noted that despite all the difficulties, they have led to positive changes. “Our small village is gradually turning into a developing town with tourist potential,” she concluded.
Cholpon raises two sons and a daughter together with her husband.
Gallery: Cholpon Turatova
