December 10, 2018
Russian journalist Anastasia Valeeva was born and raised in听the city of听Zhukovsky in听Moscow Oblast (Russia), graduated from the Moscow State University and worked for NTV, as听she says, on听that channel, before Bolotnaya. She came to听Kyrgyzstan to听teach data journalism. Anastasia admits that she has found new friends in听the republic.听An interview with Anastasia was published by .
鈥斕齌ell听us how did you find yourself in听Kyrgyzstan?
鈥斕齀听always answer that听I ended up听here. A听year before arriving in听Kyrgyzstan, I听lived out of听suitcases. I听was a听data journalist coach and moved from country to听country. By听this time, I听finished educational programs abroad and was looking for a听place to听settle down.
On听the one hand, I听was free, on听the other听鈥� I听wanted something long-term. I听had my听own project inside, I听wanted to听use听it, I听thought about returning to听Russia听鈥� and then听I came to听Kyrgyzstan in听July 2017 with a听training. After that, I听was invited to听teach data journalism at听麻豆传媒.
听
A听person who travels a听lot comes to听some country and somewhat tries it听on, understands, can he听or听she stay in听it听or听not. I听felt that听I would live in听Kyrgyzstan. When I听left after the first training, I听knew that听I had not yet tried everything, I听knew that there were interesting people with whom听I would like to听talk, so听I returned with joy.
鈥斕齏hat is听data journalism and what is听its difference?
鈥斕鼳s听a听rule, this is听a听search for stories in听statistics, but this exactly is听booming. When I听studied in听Germany after leaving television sphere, I听confess, I听didn鈥檛 know what听I wanted to听do. In听Europe, I听attended various conferences, and one of听them was about data journalism.
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I was amazed with methods, with the fact that you can search for information in a completely different way, analyze it and bring it to people. As a rule, these are 芦invisible禄 stories.
Anastasia Valeeva
This is听important because they concern most of听the people. In听such journalism, we听say 芦every third is听undernourished, one in听five does not receive sufficient education.禄 We听start talking about structural changes, systematic problems in听society.
鈥斕齓ou said that as听a听traveler you tried on听a听country you visited. What do听you think about Kyrgyzstan?
鈥斕齀t听is听different. For me, Kyrgyzstan is听divided into summer and winter. In听summer, it听is听absolutely high: a听lot of 鈥嬧�媐ruit, incredibly beautiful nature, the heat does not bother听me. Bishkek itself is听quite convenient. There are traffic jams, but anyway.
And in the winter, I switch to some kind of survival mode, and I still like that I live in a house with real Kyrgyz families who have a lot of kids. Life is hard, and you start to feel it more in winter.
Anastasia Valeeva
We听were in听Batken in听February-March. We听were very hospitably received, and went to听a听restaurant, almost the best in听the city, and there was a听toilet outside. And you understand that people live in听such conditions.
鈥斕齏hat surprised you in听the capital?
鈥斕齌here are words that have stuck to听me听in听a听fairly short time听鈥� 芦it听turns out禄 and 芦as听it听happens.禄
First, the instability of the arrangements immediately surprised me. If somebody agreed to meet at 10.00, one can text at 9.58 that he or she is late. And that鈥檚 ok.
Anastasia Valeeva
You are allowed to听be听late, shift something or听change an听agreement during a听meeting already. It听can play both for and against you. I听am not completely sure each time, and if听a听clear agreement is听needed, I听will repeat it听ten times. But you yourself are mobile in听your arrangements.
And 芦it听turns out禄 that no听one gets ready in听advance.
鈥斕齀s听there something in听Bishkek that reminds you of听your native Zhukovsky?
鈥斕齓es, a听lot of听things. I听have a听feeling that Bishkek is听my听native Zhukovsky but ten times larger and ten years ago.
What exactly reminds me of my native city? Khrushchev-era apartment blocks, children who play not with smartphones, but some, as it was in my childhood, real games in the yard with sticks and balls.
Anastasia Valeeva
They constantly clear up听some rules with each other. There are many stands, beauty salons, markets. I听feel right at听home.
鈥斕鼶o听you have a听favorite place in听Bishkek?
鈥斕齀t听is听Orto-Sai market. When I听feel bad, I听go through the main entrance, walk along the main aisle. Large number of听people around and goods calm me听down. It听is听life that happens on听the street. You seem to听be听a听participant, you feel its pace, it听calms you down. Then I听go back and start buying.
鈥斕鼶o听you like national cuisine?
鈥斕齀听always say that my听favorite dish is听beshbarmak. Because it听is听one of听the few national Kyrgyz dishes, as听far as听I听know. Everybody jokes that there is听meat and dough. Yes, the meat is听delicious. Then I听learned that it听is听not entirely safe, because there is听no听certification. But I听ate the most delicious meat and fish here, in听Kyrgyzstan.
鈥斕齀s听there anything you are afraid to听try?
鈥斕齓es, these are eyes of听a听sheep. I听want and I鈥檓 afraid.
鈥斕齓ou posted on听Facebook that you would like to听attend Kyrgyz toi (feast). Did it听happen?
鈥斕齓es, just yesterday听I attended one. I听have heard stories about them from my听friends many times. After some time, I听realized that听I had been living in听Kyrgyzstan for a听year already, and no听one had invited me听to听it.
At first I was upset, thinking that I must be a relative to get to a feast. Then I decided to roll the dice and posted on Facebook. And a stranger answered me that his aunt invited me to tushoo-toi, a feast when a child starts walking.
Anastasia Valeeva
I听had a听full range of听impressions听鈥� strangers received me听very hospitably. I听participated in听a听competition, in听a听race. At听some point, I听realized that听I was leading. I听thought, is听it听normal that听I, the guest, stranger, is听the first? Slowed down a听little, but after all听I thought that it听was a听race and rushed. I听won. I听got into the crowd of听guests unfamiliar to听me, they gave me听a听prize听鈥� a听dumpling steamer.
鈥斕齈eople speak mostly Kyrgyz at听tois. Was it听difficult to听understand what was happening?
鈥斕齀n听order to听better understand the Kyrgyz, culture, traditions, you should definitely visit a听toi. You know some things: the hierarchy of听society, respect for the elders, but when attending听it, you feel it听better.
The feast was in听Kyrgyz. I听myself understood something, contests, for example. I听was translated something. An听acquaintance who invited me听and another foreigner to听the toi sat next to听me. In听general, they received听us as听their friends.
鈥斕鼴y听the way, you recently changed your Facebook name to听Nastya Zukhra kyzy. What is听the reason?
鈥斕齏e听celebrated my听birthday, and my听friends said the last toast in听Kyrgyz that听I had become like a听native, and they forgot that听I was a听foreigner.
芦In听short, you are no听longer Nastya Valeeva, but what is听your father鈥檚 name? You are already Anastasia Vladimir kyzy,禄 they said.
And the guys have a feminist bias. After thinking for a couple of minutes, they said that this would not work, and asked about my mother鈥檚 name. So it happened.
Anastasia Valeeva
My听mom, seeing that听I changed my听name on听Facebook, advised me听not to听play around and return everything as听it听was.
鈥斕鼶oes your mother read you in听social networks?
鈥斕齇f听course. We听have an听agreement: she does not comment on听everything, but reads everything.
听
鈥斕鼿ow did your parents react to听the fact that you left for Kyrgyzstan?
鈥斕齀听now forgot how Kyrgyzstan seemed to听me. Before the trip, of听course, I听read about the country. Then there were lawsuits against Zanoza, I听thought, 芦wow, such a听pressure on听the freedom of听speech.禄 But now听I see that there is听no听strong pressure, you can write a听lot of听what you think. And I听do not see neither censorship nor self-censorship. Freedom inspires. It听would seem that this value is听non-monetary, but it听is听very important.
Now I think that this is the freest country, it seems to me, that is why people come here. There is one more thing that is absent in Russia 鈥� hope.
Anastasia Valeeva
People say: 芦Yes, there are problems, but we听will overcome them.禄 There is听a听feeling that society is听ready and wants to听live better, and most importantly, believes that we听will live better sometime. And it听attracts.
鈥斕鼿ave you been somewhere else in听Kyrgyzstan, except for the capital?
鈥斕齍nfortunately, I听visited few places. In听the summer, I听did not even go听to听Issyk-Kul lake because of听work. Karakol, Batken, Osh, Ala-Archa and Chunkurchak听鈥� that鈥檚 all听I have visited. In听the summer, I听want to听go听to听Son-Kul Lake. I听plan to听stay for another couple of听years for sure.
鈥斕齏hat has fascinated you in听close acquaintance with the local population?
鈥斕齌hese are clear public rules. This is听felt in听a听minibus听鈥� when you come in听people estimate your age. If听you are the oldest woman, they give place.
鈥斕齏hat you did not like?
鈥斕齀t听is听quality of听work. It听seems to听me听that the Asian softness and vagueness also affect the quality of听work. I听very rarely see people trying their best to听make everything good.
鈥斕齏hat would you change in听Bishkek?
鈥斕齌here is听a听certain chaos in听Bishkek, but this is听its charm. It鈥檚 hard to听imagine the city without听it. However, it听would be听cool if听the traffic movement became safer. But this听I cannot change. It听is听in听my听power to听help the media to听become quality so听that they can compete with each other.
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