About My Family

About My Family

And now I would like to introduce you with my family.  There are six people in my family: my father, mother, brother, two sisters and me.  My father’s name is Ulukbek.  He is 57 years old.  My father is a very unique person. If I were to tell his biography I would probably start with such a statement.  There is a lot to tell about his adventurous life; he has lived an interesting life, I think. I admire him a lot but sometimes I find it hard to understand him. I guess this should come as no surprise because it is the old conflict of generations.  Anyway, he generally supports me and we get along well.  He might be conservative but he is very understanding and very supportive.  My father has read a lot and is quite knowledgeable on variety of topics. He is very good in history and also in herbal medicine.  He studied Russian language and literature but didn’t quite enjoy teaching and that is why he taught only for a short period of time.  He likes hiking in the mountains and enjoys discussions and debates about politics.  Almost forgot, he is a true democrat and defends the principles of democracy and equality.

My mother, on the other hand, is really not into politics and never was interested as far as I remember. Her name is Narifa, but people call her Maripao or Naripa.  I like her name, it is not that common. My mom is also a teacher. She is 54 years old. She teaches Russian history. There was a time when I was in high school she taught me geography. It was cool.  My mom is really funny sometimes, but she is a good person.  She was a devoted communist and has worked in good jobs during Soviet Union. But with the collapse of Soviet Union she was able to adapt to economic and social changes. Everyone had to adopt; there was hardly any choice.  So that’s about my parents.

It is time to turn to my brother.  His name is Hamzat. My brother is 28 years old. He and his wife live in Bishkek. My sister in law’s name is Mira. She is half Korean and half Kyrgyz. My brother went to medical school for 6 years and now he is working in epidemiological center.  His dream is to visit the U.S one day. He thinks that things are a lot better and easier there and he is actually right.  Mira likes to read and thinks that she knows best. It is hard to argue with her, although my brother still does.

My older sister is married.  Her name is Rusudan. Yes, very unusual name. I should note that all our names are quite uncommon. My father likes to give names of historical figures that few people know.  She is 23 and has a baby boy, whose name is Imran. Her husband’s name is Maksat and they have been married for two years now. They live in Talas city.

My younger sister, who I sometimes think is in love with me, is a high school student.   People say she looks like me.  She can be so annoying sometimes that I try to get away from her. She gets too attached that’s why I said she might be in love with me, of course she is not.   When we were young we used to play chess all the time, and when she would win she would be so proud of herself. I love her very much. She wants to speak English very well. Actually, her English is improving because she studies hard.  Her name is Aijan, by the way, the only common name.  She is a smart girl. She lives with my parents in Cholpon Ata.  She is the youngest and I used to be jealous when I was young because she would get all the attention.  So that’s my family, quite typical Kyrgyz family.  So now if you decide to visit my family you would already know something about them. Yes, we speak Kyrgyz at home so if you want to learn Kyrgyz or practice it, it will be helpful.