Mirbek was born on May 9, 1977, in the village of Asylbash. In his recollections, he highlighted important moments from his childhood. "It was in 1991, when I turned 14," he recounts. "The time spent in childhood was truly happy. I am the youngest of five siblings and showed organizational skills from an early age. I am proud to represent the Kudaymende clan, known for its friendliness and care for home. Everyone in the photograph is a representative of our clan."
The summer time when one of the photographs was taken is remembered by him for the gathering of wild apricots, which were then sold at the market in Sokuluk. The current "Jibek Jol" market was then an empty space, and houses were located further away. Mirbek and his friends once hid buckets in the grass in a garden and went to the "Soraka" pond near the western bus station, where they spent a lot of time swimming.
In childhood, he was a leader among his peers, inventing games and creating a friendly atmosphere. "We still keep in touch. We gather every month for a 'sherine,'" he says. "Melis, who is in the center of the photograph, lives far away, but the others reside in the village. Some of us have our own businesses, some are in construction, and others work as truck drivers. We agreed that if Melis comes this summer, we will take a new photograph in the same place."
The second photograph he presented is a bus ticket. "Back then, the fare for the route OvtseSovkhoz—Frunze was only 75 kopecks. Tickets were of different prices: 5, 10, and 20 kopecks. I remember entering the 'LAZ' bus, where the conductor sat high up by the back door. The buses were always overcrowded, but the communication and laughter of the people created a special atmosphere. When older people entered, the youth always stood up. If any of the youth hid and pretended to sleep, they would definitely be called out," he recalls.
"I probably used this ticket until 1994 when I was studying at the university. The 'LAZ' buses then ran through our village four times a day. Conductors always reminded us to buy tickets and checked them carefully. A fine was imposed for not having a ticket. Sometimes they asked us to leave them the ticket, and we agreed. For example, when we boarded from the bus station to Sokuluk, we always bought tickets at the ticket office, and the conductor checked them at every stop," he added.
This ticket is kept in the family album and, according to him, belonged to his older brother. Mirbek also noted that the time before 1991 was the happiest period of his life.
"It was a real childhood. People then did not compete, as they do now, and did not strive for wealth. Everyone was kinder, with greater respect for teachers and medical professionals. Admission to a university was considered a true honor. When I entered the MUK in 1994, teachers used to cite me as an example to younger students, saying that if they studied as hard as I did, they could also get into university," he concluded.
