Valerie V.

From: Jarrod Blundy
To: Valerie V
Subject: March PenPal
Date: March 9, 2024

Hey Valerie,

Sorry for what I think was a miscommunication on my part! I was thinking that you were going to send an introduction email, so I was waiting a few days but then the week got away from me and here we are at March 9th already.

I’d still love to chat with you this month! What’s up in Kyrgyzstan?

Here in upstate New York, we’ve had unseasonably warm weather that decimated our snow and winter sports. In fact, I got out rock climbing twice this week, when I should have been ice climbing. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to winter, but I have to say that the 50 degrees and sunny days felt pretty nice.

As a not-very-worldly traveler, I have no idea what the climate is like in Kyrgyzstan in March, but I sure am eager to learn!

Hope you’re well. Take care.

Jarrod

From: Valerie V
To: Jarrod Blundy
Subject: RE: March PenPal
Date: March 10, 2024

Hi Jarrod! No worries for the delay, it’s my fault, too 😅 I also thought, ‘hmm, I haven’t heard from Jarrod, should I reach out?’ and then the week flew by for me as well!

Short introduction: I’m Valerie from Texas but I’ve been living in Kyrgyzstan for the last 2 1/2 years. I usually get asked how I ended up here, which was definitely not part of any original plans I had. In Fall 2019, I was studying in China. Then, I was in America for winter break when COVID broke out. At that time, China was not letting any foreigners into the country, so I continued studying online from America and waited. In the meantime, I happened on a job listing online for an English teacher in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Instead of waiting to return to China, I went to Bishkek. I like learning about different cultures and languages, so I have no regrets about how anything turned out.

Were you born in upstate NY? If not, how long have you been living there? I’m curious to know what the usual temperature is around this time of year.

Is ice climbing the same as rock climbing (minus the ice vs rocks difference)? I would love to get into more outdoor activities, but to be honest, I’ve always been intimidated by them. I like hiking, but I don’t do it regularly and never go on trails that require a certain level of fitness or sophisticated gear. Other than that, the most outdoorsy things I’ve done are skiing and ice skating on a frozen lake. What other outdoor activities do you like aside from ice/rock climbing? Was there anything in particular that got you interested in the great outdoors?

In general, Kyrgyzstan is dry since it’s a landlocked country. The temperature depends on the elevation. For example, the capital Bishkek at the relatively low elevation of 2,600 feet (for Kyrgyzstan 😄) tends to be warmer than other parts of the country. The town where I currently live is at about 6,200 feet, so it’s noticeably cooler here. It’s also drier than Bishkek. Lately, the weather hasn’t been too warm or cold. The highs are in the 40s right now, but later in the week, it looks like the high will be around freezing. So it doesn’t feel like winter is over yet, but I can feel it coming with the earlier sunrise and later sunset.

Thanks for reaching out once again, and looking forward to your response!

Valerie

From: Jarrod Blundy
To: Valerie V
Subject: RE: March PenPal
Date: March 11, 2024

Hi Valerie,

I’m so glad that you weren’t seething about my tardiness. And now we’re in it! 😁

That was a succinct summary of what you’re doing in Bishkek and how you got there, but it left me with so many questions! What were you studying in China, and will you eventually have to return to finish up? What instigated your travel bug to begin with? For you to have been home during the COVID wave sounds like a lucky break — I bet it would have been challenging to get home. Did that weigh on your mind, that you could get stuck when you traveled abroad again?

Teaching English in a foreign country seems like an ideal way of getting to know different cultures as you would, I imagine, need to make references and analogies. I think of it as you and your students swapping stories and customs. Is that so? I’d love to hear about some of your favorite bits about living in Kyrgyzstan!

As for me, I’m a transplant to upstate New York. I grew up in Michigan and then spent about five years living just outside of Cleveland, Ohio. When my wife and I had our fill of “city” life and were ready to move to the mountains, we originally looked west. But a random trip to Lake Placid, NY showed us that most of what we loved about living in a mountainous area — the trails, climbing, boating, skiing, biking, etc. — was even more accessible if we just went a little further east instead. It seems to be a pretty healthy mix of people who have lived their whole lives here, and those of us who discovered the magic of the Adirondacks. Plus the ebb and flow of all the tourists, of course. We’ve been here for about two years, and love it!

Generally, March is some of our best skiing and winter climbing weather with temperatures in the 30s and still with fresh snowfall. We’re typically done with most of the brutally cold temperatures that we get in January and February (single digits to 20s) but still have cold enough nights that ice can freeze and snow can form in the skies. This year, the snow accumulation has been severely lacking, and then we got that warm spell with rain on top of it. That said, we did just get about a foot of snow over the last two days, which was a nice treat, but I don’t expect it to stick around until the end of the week. The taste of Spring actually got me excited, and now I’m chasing a bit of the warm weather with a plan to spend a couple of days off rock climbing further south in the state where they’re going to have 60s and sun. Kind of wild!

Here’s the current view outside my window:

Interestingly, I think that ice climbing is more accessible than rock climbing. With rock, many people can muscle their way into the sport and then learn better technique later. With ice, you’ve really got to have decent technique to have any fun. And I think because they’re using unusual tools (ice axes and crampons) on unfamiliar terrain (literally vertical frozen ice), folks are more willing to follow advice about how to climb well. Everyone has some sort of instinct for climbing things with their hands and feet, so they just jump into rock climbing. When climbing with what amounts to knives strapped to your hands and feet, people are more cautious and malleable. Plus, you get to sculpt out your handholds and footholds in the idea, whereas on rock you’re more limited by what the wall presents to you.

That’s probably way more that you bargained to learn about ice climbing, but I could talk all day about it! 😅 What’s something that you’re so passionate about that you could prattle on for hours?

I’m always glad to hear when people are interested in becoming more outdoorsy, and I’ve made a career out of helping to expose them to activities they can do without feeling intimidated. Starting with things that don’t require any special gear is the right way to go. And then by meeting other people doing things you want to do, you’ll have opportunities to try them out — hopefully while borrowing their stuff! I find that people generally want more friends to share their outdoor experiences with, so I’m a big advocate for local clubs. It’s how I’ve gotten to know this area and try new things. But I like most things outside: camping, hiking, biking, skiing, boating, running… Sometimes it’s hard to decide what activity I’m going to pursue on any given day because there are so many different things that I want to do!

My outdoor origins, I suppose, lay between joining Boy Scouts when I was a wee lad, and the fact that my grandparents owned a “farm” with a decent amount of wooded acreage. My siblings, cousins and I had the great fortune to be able to “explore” those woods when we were young, and I’ve never stopped wanting to see what’s around that next corner or at the top of that hill.

Wow! You’re in a mile-high city! Was that elevation something you had to get used to when moving to Bishkek? I don’t know if I would enjoy a cold and dry climate. For me to enjoy the cold of the winter, I really want there to be some snow to play in. I suppose that’ll keep me in the northern latitudes, but I’m okay with it. Having the distinct four seasons is something that I value highly.

Switching gears a bit as I wrap up this (lengthy) reply, I’m curious about how you ended up on Micro.blog for your internet home?

Take care,

Jarrod

From: Valerie V.
To: Jarrod Blundy
Subject: RE: March PenPal
Date: March 15, 2024

Hi Jarrod,

I know there’s not really such a thing as ‘late’ replies, but it feels like I’m late! Ramadan started on Monday, and I’m fasting with my host family. Especially at the beginning of the week, I felt like my brain was working at 50% rather than 100%. I slowly feel my body adjusting to the new meal routine though, so that’s promising.

I was studying Chinese Literature (in Chinese) in China, which was really ambitious 😅 That was the second time I went to China, and as of now I have no plans to return to China. The first time was during a one semester study abroad in university. I attribute my travel bug to that experience 🙂

Yes, it was better to be in America when COVID hit. When I was in China in 2019, I shared a dorm room with a Korean roommate. That roommate stayed in China over winter break, and the international students who stayed when the pandemic started were mostly confined to their dorms. They had to get approval to go out and had to indicate where they were going. I don’t know how that compares to the university experience during COVID in the US, though. I know that was for safety, and while I supported and did my best to stay home in America, I don’t like the idea of being forced to do things 😅 That’s the only reason why ‘getting stuck somewhere’ would weigh on me - the lack of choice of how to respond.

I appreciate your rock climbing versus ice climbing explanation, and I particularly liked your description of ice climbing as “climbing with what amounts to knives strapped to your hands and feet”. That would definitely make me more cautious. Is there any practice involved in ice climbing before climbing on actual ice? Or does the practice just amount to real ice climbing on a very tame level? Also, this “playing outside” stuff (as your refer to it in your Micro.Blog about section 🙂) how much is purely hobby and how much is work?

And definitely not the most positive question - feel free not to go into detail or answer at all if you don’t want to - but I’m curious if you have ever fallen or experienced any accidents while climbing? Just curious. It wouldn’t negatively impact my perception of the sport 😅

It doesn’t surprise me that you first thought to go west for mountains - that would be my idea, too! Not too long before I first arrived in Kyrgyzstan, I went to Montana for a wedding. It was beautiful there, and Kyrgyzstan’s nature definitely reminded me of Montana. But that’s a good reminder for me that people can find mountains in the east! I’ve never gone out into nature anywhere in the northeastern US, but the picture you sent makes it look very enticing!

You made a good point about local clubs. There’s not a lot of that here in Kyrgyzstan, though. Maybe a little in the capital, Bishkek. My boyfriend and I went to the local animal market in a town of about 10,000 people last year, and out of curiosity, we asked a guy if people ever went into the mountains nearby. He said “no”. Maybe it’s because people in small towns do more manual work and don’t have the time or energy for outdoor activities? Maybe Kyrgyz people tend to take the mountains for granted because it’s all they’ve ever known? I don’t know. Also, women engaging in athletic activities is generally viewed as strange here. Anyways, I’ll definitely have to come back to local clubs when I’m in a more permanent living situation/location.

I think something I could talk about for hours is language. Languages are so interesting, with their similarities between and influences on each other, their idiosyncrasies, and the way they reveal how different people see the world or what is important to them. For example, I often think about how I know seemingly random words in Kyrgyz that I’ve never learned in other languages and barely use in English like “barley” and “to slaughter” because these are things related to the lifestyle of people here in my village.

I would say that with more advanced English students, yes, there is an exchange of stories and customs. For lower level students (like I primarily teach now), I feel like it’s more on me to know the culture and bring up local references. I feel that the students appreciate when I do this. As far as favorite bits, one memory that stands out is when one adult student in Bishkek invited me to her house for a holiday called Nooruz and I got to stir a huge pot (it was outside) of sumolok, a traditional pudding-like dessert made almost exclusively around Nooruz.

I don’t remember the elevation of Bishkek being something to get used to. Actually, I don’t mind the cold and dry climate because it’s also very sunny here. I don’t think I can do gray winters. And compared to where I live currently, Bishkek seems plenty humid!

I heard about Micro.blog from another user Jas (@jasraj), and I felt like it suited my needs. I kept a blog on Blogger for the two times I was in China (you can actually still see it here squadala-im-off.blogspot.com) and I did the same thing that I do now, posting a photo for each day. I like the thoughtful social media aspect of Micro.blog, and it’s not as clunky as Blogger. I also appreciate the character limit for short posts in Micro.blog because it gives me an incentive to be more concise. What about you, how did you end up on Micro.blog?

Hope all is well, and look forward to your next reply! -Valerie V.

From: Jarrod Blundy
To: Valerie V.
Subject: RE: March PenPal
Date: March 18, 2024

Hey Valerie!

I’ve heard a bit about Ramadan in the context of the Israel/Gaza war (🙁), but I confess I don’t know much about it at all. How is it going to participate along with your host family?

Studying abroad is something I didn’t do in college. I think doing an extended stay abroad within the structure and security of a school program would be really beneficial to making traveling less scary and stressful. It seems like many people get the travel bug from that sort of thing. I’m glad it’s worked out well for you!

You’re totally right. COVID was hard enough on its own. Trying to navigate even more stringent rules while away from home would have added a lot more stress. Let’s hope we don’t have to go through something like that again in our lifetimes.

There are indoor gyms that simulate ice climbing with special “rock” climbing holds attached to walls, or with plywood that you can swing axes and kick crampons into. But for most folks, that’s something you would do after climbing real ice and then wanting to practice in the off-season. Real ice is usually the first experience. It’s honestly not as intimidating as you might imagine. We teach young kids how to climb ice all the time, and have never had an accident with them.

I’ve also never had a particularly bad injury while climbing knocks on wood. Scrapped-up knuckles, bruised knees, and the occasional twinged ankle are all part of the game. The worst I’ve had was last spring when I pulled a tendon in my left ring finger. No idea why it happened; I must have just pulled on a rock weird! But it inhibited my climbing for most of the summer, so I’m not keen on it happening again. I’m a fairly conservative climber and want to be in it for the long haul, so I’m not pushing the edge when it comes to safety. 🙂

On work vs. play, right now I’d say it’s roughly even. I guide climbing (and hiking) professionally, but only maybe one or two days per week on average throughout the year. My big goal this year is to start my own guiding business so that I can be outside more days than not. 🤞

My gut says that you’re right about the lack of recreation opportunities and taking mountains for granted being a barrier to getting outside. Or maybe a lack of invitation? I’d bet that’s a contributing factor to the “weirdness” of women in outdoor pursuits there. I’m sure there are many other big cultural differences that you’ve had to get used to there.

Oh, I like your explanation about languages. I bet that is fascinating to compare and contrast different ones once you’ve become fluent. You’re totally right about people’s language being the lens through which they experience and interpret the world. I love hearing about words that have no equivalent translation to English. It’s almost like hearing about an emotion or new color that I just can’t comprehend. Special holiday pudding is right up my alley, by the way. Thanks for sharing that tidbit.

Blogger! That’s one thing I never got into. I had aspirations of starting an outdoor tips blog on Tumblr (OutTips, I think, was my working title), but I never really got it off the ground. Posting a photo every day is quite a commitment. I tried for a 30-day challenge last year and I really struggled. Kudos to you!

I can’t quite remember how I found Micro.blog. Maybe through a podcast ad when they were doing the Kickstarter years ago. Anyway, somehow it stuck in my brain and when I was ready to eject from Twitter, it’s the place I thought of first for an alternative. I’m so glad I did. It’s been my favorite place online, by far.

I’m finishing up this letter on the couch while my wife is starting a rewatch of Ted Lasso. It’s one of my all-time favorite shows. What shows, if any, hold a special place in your heart, and what are you watching these days?

Take care,

Jarrod

From: Valerie V.
To: Jarrod Blundy
Subject: RE: March PenPal
Date: March 22, 2024

Hi Jarrod,

Oof, Ramadan has gotten a little harder because I got an illness from school. It’s okay to not fast when you’re sick, but I feel like I haven’t been so sick that I need to completely stop. At least now it’s spring break! It’s been good fasting with my host family. I wouldn’t say it feels any different from having regular family meals with them (like I was already doing before), but there is more visible praying and in the mornings we have a ‘time limit’ for eating. (My family wakes up not long before fasting starts and eats breakfast.)

Studying abroad was the best decision I made in college. Until that point I hadn’t traveled much to other countries, and that was the first time I traveled abroad on my own. I still can’t say I really know why I did it, but I do know it completely changed my life, to the point that I have no idea what my now would look like without it. What is traveling like for you, if it’s something you do or are interested in?

I had to look up what a crampon is 😅 based on context, I was picturing a singular spike or nail thing sticking out from the toe of a shoe. So considering that crampons are a separate piece of equipment, are there special shoes just for climbing or can any general outdoor shoes be used? And if there are special climbing shoes, how are they different from other shoes?

Wow, starting your own guiding business sounds exciting! Where are you with that and what are some of your next steps?

“I love hearing about words that have no equivalent translation to English. It’s almost like hearing about an emotion or new color that I just can’t comprehend.” I really liked this explanation, and I agree! I remember when I was first learning Chinese, I was talking with a Chinese friend about a word. I said, “my book translates x word to y” and she said, “no, it’s not exactly the same..”, which is a sentiment I definitely understand better now that I’ve spent more time learning languages. Have you ever tried to learn a foreign language, either in or outside of school?

You said, “posting a photo every day is quite a commitment”. Yes, I used to think of my blog as “posting a picture every day”. But now I think of it as “posting a picture for each day”. There are no consequences if I miss a day, or don’t have any [good] pictures for a day, or just want to share a photo from the past that I never posted. It takes the pressure off of my blog needing to be a perfect track record of everything I’ve ever done at that exact time, and keeps it more about just fun, interesting or weird things that I want to share.

I, uh, watch YouTube 😅 I’ve never been subscribed to any streaming services. The only times I watch shows are when my friends strongly encourage (read: force) me to watch shows they like 😂 My boyfriend is the same but with movies 🥲 This is not always bad, because I’ve found some things I liked through them! I just don’t normally gravitate to those things myself. Left to my own devices, I tend to enjoy vlog type/day in the life, life in other countries, and comedy YouTube channels. Perhaps I would enjoy YouTube less if there were ads, but I don’t get any since I’m in Kyrgyzstan.. (I also wonder what that means about my contribution to the creators 😕).

Hope that’s not too many questions for you, and looking forward to your next response! -Valerie V.

From: Jarrod Blundy
To: Valerie V.
Subject: RE: March PenPal
Date: April 1, 2024

Hey Val,

Ahh! I’m sorry I’ve been MIA. I had a trip last week to Las Vegas to do some rock climbing and thought I’d have time in the evenings to write. Well…I didn’t. Every day was jam-packed and I think my buddy and I only had about two hours of downtime the entire week. It was a fantastic trip, one that I’d been looking forward to for a long time, but it did mean that our correspondence lacked.

According to my quick web search, you’ve still got about a week or so left of the Ramadan fasting. I hope you’re feeling better from your illness and that things are still going well on that front. I’ve never really done a fasting regime, although I hear it can be quite beneficial to your health — like an 8pm-8am sort of thing. That would certainly help me avoid the late-night munchies that so often befell me. 😅 Maybe I’ll give that a shot sometime.

I’m so happy that you found something that you love and that works for you in traveling. My travel is pretty intermittent and mostly US-based. The furthest I’ve ever gone abroad is to Ireland and Austria with my wife for our honeymoon. I have aspirations of checking out other places — Rome, Patagonia, Spain, New Zealand, and more — but it just seems overwhelming and expensive to plan it all out and take the time off work. But it’ll never happen if I let those things stop me. The other thing is that there are so many places in the United States that I’d like to visit, and those tend to take priority since travel at least seems so much more accessible here. It’s not a priority right now, but I don’t want a lack of it to become something that I regret later either.

Great questions about crampons. There are a variety of kinds you can use, and most mountaineering crampons (best for walking on ice) can be put on any sort of boot by using its harness of sort around your shoe. For technical ice climbing, the more you can get the crampon to feel like it’s part of your foot, the better. So for those, it’s best if they attach to your boot directly using a sort of level that clicks onto specific ledge-like bits of a climbing boot. They snap on in the front and back, and then just have a strap that goes around your ankle for backup. The boots, apart from having those lugs in the front and back, are generally pretty stiff so that you have a “platform” to stand on, and are insulated from the cold. And they’re expensive. 😕

Yes, very exciting and very scary to consider going out on my own with guiding. I’m still firmly in the exploratory phase as I try to determine what all I’d need to set up a business and get insurance, and how much it would all cost. Part of getting insurance is writing a risk management plan, so that’s my next step — to find out what exactly that entails and how to get started writing one. I’m not in a rush, but also the sooner the better. 😉

Are those sorts of not-quite-right translations one of the harder things about learning a language, or is it something else like grammar or general vocabulary? I took a couple of semesters of Spanish in college, and can still recognize some basic words and phrases — basically enough to not be completely illiterate — but it didn’t really stick. I’d really like to learn American Sign Language someday, seeing as my young nephew uses it.

It’s funny we’re talking about daily photos, seeing as the Micro.blog community has just started another month-long photoblogging challenge. Oh, I still need to post mine for today… there, done! And I made a shortcut to help me stay on top of it. Anyway, I like your low-stress method — a goal, not a mandate. I aspire to daily posts, but sometimes it’s just hard to get to. That’s why I decided to do the 7 Things series as a roundup each week. I still post 365 things in a year, but I can do it in bulk. 😉

Haha, you and I have video preferences in common. I have an entirely too long list of shows and movies that I want to watch…but I never seem to choose to watch them over another YouTube video, or (as is more common recently) an hour of Instagram Reels. The only TV I watch these days is during dinner with my wife. We always have a couple of shows going together, but I rarely watch something on my own anymore. YouTube Premium is probably the best money I spend on entertainment each month. I wouldn’t feel too bad if YouTube just isn’t putting the ads in front of you to begin with. Could you even buy Premium there if you wanted to?

Last question: What’s the most recent hobby that you’ve picked up, and how did you get started with it?

Hope you’re well,

– Jarrod

P.S. We only committed to chatting through March, but I’m down to do another week’s exchange since I kind of shorted you on both ends of the month. No pressure either way! 😁

From: Valerie V.
To: Jarrod Blundy
Subject: RE: March PenPal
Date: April 7, 2024

Hi Jarrod,

No worries! I did notice you missing on the Micro.blog timeline, and then saw that you posted about a trip. Was the rock climbing in or outside of Las Vegas? Is there anything particularly special or notable about rock climbing there? I’m glad you had a great trip!

I know you said you were down to do another week’s exchange…but now that week is just about over 😅 Like everyone else in the world, I’ve been busy with work. We’ve had no power during the day this week from about 9 am - 7 pm. This made me less motivated to turn on and use my laptop, which is how I prefer to write my responses. And with Ramadan I feel like I can’t TRULY get into the zone until after nutrients, which is around 7:30 pm these days. And dinner has been taking longer as we often go to neighbors’ houses for dinner or invite neighbors here.

I like your idea of fasting from 8 pm to 8 am. I’ve never formally done that kind of fast, but I have a self-imposed rule that I can’t eat after 9 pm and it has helped me stop eating before bed. Then (in normal times), I generally eat breakfast anywhere from 7:00 - 8:30 am.

Speaking of expensive equipment, that leads me to another question. I know there are some outdoor stores like REI and their products tend to be pretty expensive. Are stores like this worth the quality for the price you pay, or do you have any other recommendations for where to purchase outdoor equipment? Or does it depend on what equipment you are looking to buy?

I think the hardest thing about learning a language depends on the language itself, but in general for me it tends to be using correct grammar when speaking. Additionally, listening to and communicating with native speakers who have no concept of what it’s like to be in the position of learning and using a foreign language is difficult 😶 and finally, as you add more and more languages into your brain, it becomes harder to keep them separate..

I believe I could purchase YouTube Premium here if I wanted, but I don’t know a lot about its features and currently don’t see any use for it.

I guess the best answer I have for a new hobby that I’ve picked up is following DIY craft videos, mainly from YouTube, and so far only for making cards. I haven’t done it a lot lately because of work. However, I have a pile of boxes I’ve been saving from things I buy with the hopes of turning them into various craft things, in an effort to reuse them. But is it worth making these crafts if they are probably going to be thrown away in the long run?

I don’t want to take up your whole April and as it’s been almost a week since your last email, I assume this might be the last email from me for this exchange. Thanks for letting me participate, and it’s been great to get to know a fellow user in the Micro.Blog community 🙂 Have a great April and rest of the year! Looking forward to reading your exchanges with future participants.

-Valerie V

From: Jarrod Blundy
To: Valerie V.
Subject: April 16, 2024
Date: RE: March PenPal

Hey Valerie,

We were climbing just outside of Vegas, about 30 minutes west of the city in Red Rocks Canyon National Conservation Area. It’s for sure the most impressive climbing area I’ve ever seen and one of the top climbing destinations in the country. Its easy access from the city, favorable weather year-round, and the vast number of long multi-pitch climbs that rise out of the desert floor make it stand out. It was my first time climbing there and I only spent a week, but you could spend a lifetime climbing and still not do everything there.

Your no-eating-past-9pm rule is pretty much exactly what I’m thinking and for the same reason — to prevent bedtime snacking. Along with cutting off the extra calories after dinner, I’ve heard it’s good for your sleep as well to not have your body digesting something new before hitting the hay. I need all the help I can get in that department. I haven’t tried it yet, but it’s on my shortlist.

I love your outdoor gear questions. It’s not something I’ve discussed much on my blog, but it turns out that I have opinions! Makes sense, seeing as I work at a gear shop. 🤣

Regarding the big box stores, REI is one that I do recommend. I’ve always had good experiences there, with generally knowledgeable staff, good selection, and helpful signage. Plus, they stand behind their products, accept worn-out gear for recycling, and actively rally against the Black Friday sale madness. I would say that they are worth the extra money, but, honestly, REI has such a wide selection, that I think you’d be able to find something decent at any price point with them.

All that said, I certainly do recommend hitting up a small, local gear shop first. While they’ll typically be a little more expensive, they tend to only stock the true necessities for their locale, and they’ve done the work to find the quality products for their given task. Local shops are also more likely to do price negotiation, and their staff should be experts who will take the time to make sure you know how to use the products. Their reputation depends on it since they can’t hide behind the big brand.

Grammar seems like the hardest to learn in a new language, for sure. I wonder if that has to do with that you’re taught “proper” grammar, but any real person talking to you on the street isn’t going to speak that way. They’re going to use slang, idioms, incomplete thoughts, and grammar that’s all over the place — I sure do!

I’m a little surprised that you say with more languages things can get messier. I would have guessed that by the third or so language, compartmentalizing them would become easier. But what do I know? (Only one language. 😝) I’m so thankful for translation apps. I use them surprisingly often in our shop with folks traveling in from all over the world. Occasionally we’ll have someone who can’t or won’t use the app with us, which is tricky. That happened recently and it turned what could have been a five-minute straightforward conversation into a 40-minute meandering and confusing one. I never blame them though. I’m just as much “to blame” for not speaking their language as they are for not speaking mine.

Of course it’s worth doing your crafting! If the process makes you happy, that’s reason enough. Better yet if you can reuse them, but the destination isn’t everything. Love the journey. 😁

And on that note, I suppose we’ll bring this part of our public conversation to a close. I’m so glad that we connected and have been able to share so much with each other. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you Valerie, and I like to think that I now have a friend in Kyrgyzstan. 🙂 You certainly have one in the Adirondacks. I’ll see you around Micro.blog, and my email is always open if you want to continue to chat.

Take care,

Jarrod