MOT, Men's Day And Women's Day
Dating in Kyrgyzstan, and some unique holidays.
For Valentine’s Day, I decided to do something that I had never done with a girlfriend before: I took her to a concert.
The artist in question was a Russian rapper/singer with the moniker MOT, who will also make sure your vehicle is safe and road-legal for a modest fee. The venue: Bishkek Arena.
As I have found a girl (Привет любимaя) who loves walking even more than I do, and as an aid to training to start jogging in the spring, we made our way there on foot.
In roughly -8C, for an hour.
While that might have made my heart leap into my throat a couple of years ago, the tease of the Polish winter and the -20C of the Kyrgyz snowy season have hardened this thirty-something’s bones, and after wrapping up warm with scarf, neck scarf, gloves, jacket, other jacket, snow boots and two shirts, we made our way down the long slippery road, stopping for a quick coffee on the way. Also I found another reference to one of my books in a moment of synchronicity. A character in a future story, as it turns out, happens to share her name with a brand of urinal.
I’m not changing it.
Perhaps it was the company, but I didn’t feel the cold as much as I thought I might. Holding my girl’s hand to keep it warm, regardless of our gloves and mittens, and chatting on the way, it was a beautiful, romantic walk in the crisp, early evening air.
Bishkek Arena is an interesting little venue. When you’re not watching your favourite singer or band, you can go ice-skating most of the time, and when you’re not doing that you can watch international hockey matches. Once inside, we found a space next to the technical crew, at an angle so we had a clear view of the stage, and waited.
And waited. And waited a little more. MOT, being a big deal, and with a lot of vehicle checks to do in the inclement weather, was about half an hour or so late. He apologised for it, which was quite nice of him, and seemed a pretty gracious, chill guy. He was also an excellent performer.
How much of it did I understand? Not a whole lot, I admit (although as I watch the videos back, way more now), but I can watch pretty much any live music and enjoy it on some level. I’d listened to some of his tracks before we went, when I booked the tickets, and found quite a few that I liked. He even brought his wife on stage at one point to duet/lip sync, and also to have a little dance. Dancing a little myself, with my lady, it was something I haven’t experienced with a woman before, one of many things.
Valentine’s Day with her was all new. Going to the concert wasn’t all we did, as that was a little after Valentine’s Day itself. Bishkek has an extension of the private karaoke rooms I’ve seen elsewhere in Asia where you can go and watch a movie in your own cinema experience. I bought her the aforementioned mittens to keep her hands warm when I wasn’t there to hold them, and she bought me a cute bear that sits on my windowsill.
After attempting to watch a Jason Statham movie where gangsters literally perform a drive-by shooting on bees, we had dinner, and danced.
Aside from Valentine’s Day, there have been a cluster of other holidays, one of which will get its own entry in the log. Two that struck me as interesting where Women’s Day … and Men’s Day.
Yes, Men’s Day. Isn’t that crazy? That in this country they realise that men and women work together in a team, compliment each other and need each other, and thus celebrate each other?
The answer: no, it isn’t crazy. It’s entirely sensible.
It took me back to Japan, where Valentine’s Day is complimented by White Day: on one, women buy a gift for men; on the other, men buy gifts for women. Usually chocolate.
Here in Kyrgyzstan, we were presented with certificates and gifts, including grenades made of Belgian chocolate, a thermos with a temperature readout on the lid. Students also presented me with chocolate, cake, and even a pair of socks. We didn’t get the day off work (we did for Women’s Day) but still, it was nice to feel valued, especially coming from a place where men are continually and increasingly demonised.
Women’s Day (falling precisely on International Women’s Day) was a full on public holiday. At work we threw a sushi and pizza party for the ladies, and had to give short speeches, as well as putting some cash together for some flowers and gifts for them. Later in the evening, I had the foresight to book a table at an excellent Thai restaurant, and took my love out to dinner.
Finally, Chinghiz (or as I call him, chungus) the cat has decided that in between beating up other cats, he wants to be a big ol’ friendly boy.
I sat down to tie my boots, and ended up stuck there for ten minutes.
I would have missed all this, if I had followed my original plans and left after six months.
I’m very glad that the adventure continues…