This young volunteer shared how, during his year in Kyrgyzstan, he not only adapted to the local culture and traditions but also learned to speak Kyrgyz fluently, experiencing many vivid moments.
Samuely was born in Venezuela and will celebrate his 25th birthday on December 31. He initially studied in Venezuela until the 7th grade, then spent three years in Colombia. After that, his family moved to Wyoming, then to Alaska, and finally to Pennsylvania. In the USA, he received education in three specialties: mathematics, history, and translation, and also worked as a cook, mailman, and translator.
He shared that there are only two people in his family: his mother, who is a cook, and because of her, he mastered cooking from childhood, which is now his hobby.
Despite his young age, Samuely has already visited over 12 countries and mastered 6 languages. He came to Kyrgyzstan through a volunteer program and quickly found common ground with a local family.
“I have been to Italy, Canada, Panama, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and many other countries. Now I speak Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese, English, Russian, and Kyrgyz. I believe that helping people nourishes the soul, so when I learned about the need for an English teacher, I chose Kyrgyzstan,” he said.
Initially, he spent 2.5 months on language and cultural adaptation in the Kochkor district of Naryn region, and then became a volunteer at the school in the village of Dolon.
Samuely admitted that learning the Kyrgyz language was not easy for him: “In English, you can answer a whole sentence with one word, while in Kyrgyz, one word can have many meanings.”
In Dolon, he witnessed and participated in the slaughter of a sheep for the first time. “I was asked if I could catch a sheep. When they told me to catch it, I chased after it, and it ran into the reeds. I grabbed it by the skin, but the wool stayed in my hands, and all my clothes ended up dirty. Nevertheless, when I caught the sheep, my Kyrgyz family was very happy,” he recalls.
In the summer, Samuely worked at a beehive, helping with honey extraction and preparing feed for livestock.
In his free time, he travels a lot. In a short time, he visited a salt mine in Kochkor, saw “burning water,” visited the villages of Tamga and Barskoon in the Jeti-Oguz district, explored the “Aalam Ordo” complex in the Ton district, climbed the Altyn-Arashan pasture in the Ak-Suu district, and swam in Issyk-Kul.
“The natural beauty of this place is truly stunning, and the soul finds rest,” he shares his impressions.
In the Ton district, he had an unforgettable story: “When my friend and I were waiting for a car, it got dark, and no one stopped. We had to walk until one driver stopped to give us a ride. Along the way, he offered me a drink of 100 grams, and then in the dark, we drove along a bumpy road, and I was bouncing so much that I hit my head on the ceiling,” he laughs.
Currently, Samuely is actively working with students, striving to teach them English using creative methods.
“I am proud of my students as they are trying to learn English. I always try to make lessons interesting by organizing games and using interactive methods. Additionally, I opened an extra club for those interested,” he added.
Samuely plans to stay in Kyrgyzstan for another year, as he really likes it here. “Of course, I miss my family, but here I have found new friends. The Kyrgyz people are very hospitable, and my colleagues at school are friendly and always support me. I hope that in the future, all doors will be open, and I will continue my career and travels around the world,” he concluded.
