In an interview with Turmush, Svetlana shared a touching story about how a Kazakh guy captured her heart, which ultimately became the beginning of their great love.
Svetlana was born in 1986 in the village of Kyzyl-Suu, located in the Jeti-Oguz district. She studied at the Abdrahmanov school and then continued her education at an agricultural college in Ak-Bulun, choosing the specialty of "production technology." Living with a classmate in a rented apartment, she considers her a sister.
Now Svetlana laughs as she recalls how her husband teases her about the fact that, as a student, she rented a place, and after marriage, she gained her own home. "My future husband often came to visit us while we were studying. We communicated, and it so happened that our destinies intertwined," she recounts.
Erbol Kalmataev, born in 1980 in Frunze and having completed 9 grades, noted that before the wedding, many doubted their life together, believing that a Russian girl would not withstand the traditions of Kyrgyz and Kazakhs. "Our wedding was held according to customs. My wife was given the Muslim name 'Nurgül,' and the 'nika' was read in the central mosque in Bishkek. When I returned from Kazakhstan, where I studied to be a welder, I met Svetlana. She is very hardworking—milking cows and taking care of the house and parents. I want us to always have mutual respect," Erbol shares.
Gallery: Erbol Kalmataev and Svetlana Chernykh
Svetlana recalls that the first years after marriage were not easy, and she sometimes had to cry. "When I got married, I didn’t know either Kyrgyz or Kazakh. Now I speak three languages fluently. At first, neighbors and relatives doubted that I could cope with the difficulties. Yes, it was hard for me, and I sometimes cried. But I overcame all obstacles. Now I can cook dishes like 'beshbarmak' and 'kurgak kesme.' Every day I milk cows. In my childhood, I dreamed of marrying a Kyrgyz and managing a household. That dream came true. We have our own farm, and in the spring, my husband repairs agricultural machinery. We also collect milk from residents of several villages and deliver it to the dairy factory," Svetlana said.
