The really exciting part about living in Kyrgyzstan is that it’s a country in transition. There are so many projects happening that will transform the city, the people, and its systems and structures. You can feel it when you’re here. The level of entrepreneurship is so high. A large majority of the people I've met have a side hustle - whether it be a coffee shop, being a landlord, selling or teaching local crafts etc. It feels like there are new coffee shops and restaurants popping up every week (including the cover photo which is a restaurant!). The level of entrepreneurship is much higher than in Toronto. Maybe it's because local incomes from your day job can be quite low so it's necessary to supplement your income.
Living here is exciting to me because if I return in 5/10/20 years, I know Bishkek will be a totally different city. The streets will be modernized; the buildings and structures will look different. I’ll be one of those people who says, “Back when I worked here, this building wasn't here... and they didn’t have high rises on this street... there was only one Chinese grocery store in the entire city... we went to the same bar and ran into the same people...”
People's values are also changing. The north of Kyrgyzstan is stereotyped as being more liberal than the conservative south; and city folk as being more liberal than villagers. The language is another curious thing that is shifting. In Bishkek, the working language is Russian, where as in the villages locals will speak Kyrgyz.
The opportunity to be a part of a country that is changing is the exciting and wonderful part about living in Kyrgyzstan.