Well, the snow is finally here. The last two times that I have written about snow here in Sunny Naryn, they were one time, freak events. Where last year we had boat loads of snow from October on, this year it has taken its sweet time. But, if the international news is serving me well, it sounds like compared to the Midwest and Europe, we’re still getting off easy.
On the one hand, folks, the snow has its upsides: heightened surface albedo makes a flashlight unnecessary at night. On the other hand, though, it brings with it new challenges, and that’s where my story takes us today: to the local politics of snow removal.
As I was shoveling the driveway this morning, I had a wonderful idea: why not make a speed bump of snow, I thought. That will slow down cars in this winter wonderland! And so, with my makeshift plywood shovel in hand, I killed two birds with one stone: pretty property, safe neighborhood.
Then one of my neighbors emerged. She was all dressed up for the cold, and had two kids in tow. “Hey, quite making a mess,” she said, motioning to my hump of snow. But my reply was curt.
“No,” I said.
“Cars will run into that,” she said.
“I know,” I responded, “kids play here, like yours. The roads are slippery, this will slow down the cars.”
That quieted her, and she just stood there. Then, whether to imply she was going to tell on me, or just as a shift to normal conversation she asked, “is your host dad at work?”
“Yes,” I told her, and then went on my merry way.
Now, a year ago, the young Kyrgy Carl would not have been nearly so bold. It’s not that I wouldn’t have defended myself, but quite the contrary; I never would have done something like that in the first place. By this point, however, I’ve been around the block.
First off, I’ve seen more substantial, though still hand-made and ad hoc speed bumps in other places, even on the main roads between villages. Second, I’ve gotten taste for how things like this get done around here: by individual effort, and individual decisions. If I want to slow down traffic, it is up to me to do it. People will have their opinions about what I do one way or the other, but no one is likely to stop me, much less undo what I’ve done.
A year ago, I would have let the traffic continue to speed down my snowy street, feeling that it was not my place to impose my values. Today, I’ve got a lay of the land, and a sense of how to attack problems. I’ve done enough work that I can defend my decisions, and furthermore, my actions. I can put responses in context: this woman was about to go for a drive, her expressed desires don’t speak for the community as a whole. Last spring, when I drained a huge puddle, some old ladies lauded my efforts, a very drunk grandpa told me I was desecrating a holy space, and a crew of drunks help me did. The tenderfoot volunteer has a much harder time differentiating between individual voices and the sense of their community.
Now, when I get home from work today, I’ll surely find out what my host family thinks of my new blustery confidence, and we’ll see whether I’ve gotten ahead of myself after all.
#1 by Marlene on December 22, 2010 - 4:25 am
You’re so right about winter here in Europe… Huge amounts of snow before my door since 2 weeks, shoveling snow each day at 6 in the morning, everyone is talking about how bad snow removal works, ban of driving for big trucks, no delivery of parcels because they don’t make it to you. Traffic is a mess. But I like it, I have to admit
Interesting how you changed your course of action, how one can learn about how communities work in the course of one year… Like the story about the puddle and the drunks – people can be so surprising sometimes…
#2 by Dianne Malueg on December 22, 2010 - 7:18 am
How true, Carl. Around the world, things get done by individual effort and individual decisions. On my block, I’m the person who shovels out the entrance and exit to the alley, shovels around the fire hydrant, shovels the curb in front of the house, shovels the muck from the curb to the street. A lot can be done with a shovel and some determination. Congrats on that speed bump.
#3 by bryan dawidowicz on December 24, 2010 - 11:45 am
I was just on the Norad Santa tracker- and it had him in your neck of the woods about 11:30 AM Chicago time, so you’d better be all snug in your bed.
Awesome tale, can’t wait til your back in Chicago- stopping traffic with your good looks and aggressive cycling.
Much Christmas love from Karyn and me.
-bryan
#4 by KyrgyCarl on December 29, 2010 - 5:25 am
you know, somebody once did the math, and decided that if he really wanted to hit every house on Earth, Santa would do well to start on some mountain in Kyrgyzstan, Lenin Peak, I think (how’s that for irony?)
Can’t wait to see you again either.