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Former NTV journalist about Kyrgyzstan: This is a free country

December 10, 2018

Russian journalist Anastasia Valeeva was born and raised inÌýthe city ofÌýZhukovsky inÌýMoscow Oblast (Russia), graduated from the Moscow State University and worked for NTV, asÌýshe says, onÌýthat channel, before Bolotnaya. She came toÌýKyrgyzstan toÌýteach data journalism. Anastasia admits that she has found new friends inÌýthe republic.ÌýAn interview with Anastasia was published by .

—ÌýTellÌýus how did you find yourself inÌýKyrgyzstan?

—ÌýIÌýalways answer thatÌýI ended upÌýhere. AÌýyear before arriving inÌýKyrgyzstan, IÌýlived out ofÌýsuitcases. IÌýwas aÌýdata journalist coach and moved from country toÌýcountry. ByÌýthis time, IÌýfinished educational programs abroad and was looking for aÌýplace toÌýsettle down.

OnÌýthe one hand, IÌýwas free, onÌýthe otherÌý— IÌýwanted something long-term. IÌýhad myÌýown project inside, IÌýwanted toÌýuseÌýit, IÌýthought about returning toÌýRussiaÌý— and thenÌýI came toÌýKyrgyzstan inÌýJuly 2017 with aÌýtraining. After that, IÌýwas invited toÌýteach data journalism atÌýÂ鶹´«Ã½.

Ìý

AÌýperson who travels aÌýlot comes toÌýsome country and somewhat tries itÌýon, understands, can heÌýorÌýshe stay inÌýitÌýorÌýnot. IÌýfelt thatÌýI would live inÌýKyrgyzstan. When IÌýleft after the first training, IÌýknew thatÌýI had not yet tried everything, IÌýknew that there were interesting people with whomÌýI would like toÌýtalk, soÌýI returned with joy.

—ÌýWhat isÌýdata journalism and what isÌýits difference?

—ÌýAsÌýaÌýrule, this isÌýaÌýsearch for stories inÌýstatistics, but this exactly isÌýbooming. When IÌýstudied inÌýGermany after leaving television sphere, IÌýconfess, IÌýdidn’t know whatÌýI wanted toÌýdo. InÌýEurope, IÌýattended various conferences, and one ofÌýthem was about data journalism.

Ìý

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 «invisible» stories.

Anastasia Valeeva

This isÌýimportant because they concern most ofÌýthe people. InÌýsuch journalism, weÌýsay «every third isÌýundernourished, one inÌýfive does not receive sufficient education.» WeÌýstart talking about structural changes, systematic problems inÌýsociety.

—ÌýYou said that asÌýaÌýtraveler you tried onÌýaÌýcountry you visited. What doÌýyou think about Kyrgyzstan?

—ÌýItÌýisÌýdifferent. For me, Kyrgyzstan isÌýdivided into summer and winter. InÌýsummer, itÌýisÌýabsolutely high: aÌýlot of ​​fruit, incredibly beautiful nature, the heat does not botherÌýme. Bishkek itself isÌýquite 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

WeÌýwere inÌýBatken inÌýFebruary-March. WeÌýwere very hospitably received, and went toÌýaÌýrestaurant, almost the best inÌýthe city, and there was aÌýtoilet outside. And you understand that people live inÌýsuch conditions.

—ÌýWhat surprised you inÌýthe capital?

—ÌýThere are words that have stuck toÌýmeÌýinÌýaÌýfairly short timeÌý— «itÌýturns out» and «asÌýitÌýhappens.»

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’s ok.

Anastasia Valeeva

You are allowed toÌýbeÌýlate, shift something orÌýchange anÌýagreement during aÌýmeeting already. ItÌýcan play both for and against you. IÌýam not completely sure each time, and ifÌýaÌýclear agreement isÌýneeded, IÌýwill repeat itÌýten times. But you yourself are mobile inÌýyour arrangements.

And «itÌýturns out» that noÌýone gets ready inÌýadvance.

—ÌýIsÌýthere something inÌýBishkek that reminds you ofÌýyour native Zhukovsky?

—ÌýYes, aÌýlot ofÌýthings. IÌýhave aÌýfeeling that Bishkek isÌýmyÌýnative 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 upÌýsome rules with each other. There are many stands, beauty salons, markets. IÌýfeel right atÌýhome.

—ÌýDoÌýyou have aÌýfavorite place inÌýBishkek?

—ÌýItÌýisÌýOrto-Sai market. When IÌýfeel bad, IÌýgo through the main entrance, walk along the main aisle. Large number ofÌýpeople around and goods calm meÌýdown. ItÌýisÌýlife that happens onÌýthe street. You seem toÌýbeÌýaÌýparticipant, you feel its pace, itÌýcalms you down. Then IÌýgo back and start buying.

—ÌýDoÌýyou like national cuisine?

—ÌýIÌýalways say that myÌýfavorite dish isÌýbeshbarmak. Because itÌýisÌýone ofÌýthe few national Kyrgyz dishes, asÌýfar asÌýIÌýknow. Everybody jokes that there isÌýmeat and dough. Yes, the meat isÌýdelicious. Then IÌýlearned that itÌýisÌýnot entirely safe, because there isÌýnoÌýcertification. But IÌýate the most delicious meat and fish here, inÌýKyrgyzstan.

—ÌýIsÌýthere anything you are afraid toÌýtry?

—ÌýYes, these are eyes ofÌýaÌýsheep. IÌýwant and I’m afraid.

—ÌýYou posted onÌýFacebook that you would like toÌýattend Kyrgyz toi (feast). Did itÌýhappen?

—ÌýYes, just yesterdayÌýI attended one. IÌýhave heard stories about them from myÌýfriends many times. After some time, IÌýrealized thatÌýI had been living inÌýKyrgyzstan for aÌýyear already, and noÌýone had invited meÌýtoÌýit.

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

IÌýhad aÌýfull range ofÌýimpressionsÌý— strangers received meÌývery hospitably. IÌýparticipated inÌýaÌýcompetition, inÌýaÌýrace. AtÌýsome point, IÌýrealized thatÌýI was leading. IÌýthought, isÌýitÌýnormal thatÌýI, the guest, stranger, isÌýthe first? Slowed down aÌýlittle, but after allÌýI thought that itÌýwas aÌýrace and rushed. IÌýwon. IÌýgot into the crowd ofÌýguests unfamiliar toÌýme, they gave meÌýaÌýprizeÌý— aÌýdumpling steamer.

—ÌýPeople speak mostly Kyrgyz atÌýtois. Was itÌýdifficult toÌýunderstand what was happening?

—ÌýInÌýorder toÌýbetter understand the Kyrgyz, culture, traditions, you should definitely visit aÌýtoi. You know some things: the hierarchy ofÌýsociety, respect for the elders, but when attendingÌýit, you feel itÌýbetter.

The feast was inÌýKyrgyz. IÌýmyself understood something, contests, for example. IÌýwas translated something. AnÌýacquaintance who invited meÌýand another foreigner toÌýthe toi sat next toÌýme. InÌýgeneral, they receivedÌýus asÌýtheir friends.

—ÌýByÌýthe way, you recently changed your Facebook name toÌýNastya Zukhra kyzy. What isÌýthe reason?

—ÌýWeÌýcelebrated myÌýbirthday, and myÌýfriends said the last toast inÌýKyrgyz thatÌýI had become like aÌýnative, and they forgot thatÌýI was aÌýforeigner.

«InÌýshort, you are noÌýlonger Nastya Valeeva, but what isÌýyour father’s name? You are already Anastasia Vladimir kyzy,» 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’s name. So it happened.

Anastasia Valeeva

MyÌýmom, seeing thatÌýI changed myÌýname onÌýFacebook, advised meÌýnot toÌýplay around and return everything asÌýitÌýwas.

—ÌýDoes your mother read you inÌýsocial networks?

—ÌýOfÌýcourse. WeÌýhave anÌýagreement: she does not comment onÌýeverything, but reads everything.

Ìý

—ÌýHow did your parents react toÌýthe fact that you left for Kyrgyzstan?

—ÌýIÌýnow forgot how Kyrgyzstan seemed toÌýme. Before the trip, ofÌýcourse, IÌýread about the country. Then there were lawsuits against Zanoza, IÌýthought, «wow, such aÌýpressure onÌýthe freedom ofÌýspeech.» But nowÌýI see that there isÌýnoÌýstrong pressure, you can write aÌýlot ofÌýwhat you think. And IÌýdo not see neither censorship nor self-censorship. Freedom inspires. ItÌýwould seem that this value isÌýnon-monetary, but itÌýisÌývery 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 — hope.

Anastasia Valeeva

People say: «Yes, there are problems, but weÌýwill overcome them.» There isÌýaÌýfeeling that society isÌýready and wants toÌýlive better, and most importantly, believes that weÌýwill live better sometime. And itÌýattracts.

—ÌýHave you been somewhere else inÌýKyrgyzstan, except for the capital?

—ÌýUnfortunately, IÌývisited few places. InÌýthe summer, IÌýdid not even goÌýtoÌýIssyk-Kul lake because ofÌýwork. Karakol, Batken, Osh, Ala-Archa and ChunkurchakÌý— that’s allÌýI have visited. InÌýthe summer, IÌýwant toÌýgoÌýtoÌýSon-Kul Lake. IÌýplan toÌýstay for another couple ofÌýyears for sure.

—ÌýWhat has fascinated you inÌýclose acquaintance with the local population?

—ÌýThese are clear public rules. This isÌýfelt inÌýaÌýminibusÌý— when you come inÌýpeople estimate your age. IfÌýyou are the oldest woman, they give place.

—ÌýWhat you did not like?

—ÌýItÌýisÌýquality ofÌýwork. ItÌýseems toÌýmeÌýthat the Asian softness and vagueness also affect the quality ofÌýwork. IÌývery rarely see people trying their best toÌýmake everything good.

—ÌýWhat would you change inÌýBishkek?

—ÌýThere isÌýaÌýcertain chaos inÌýBishkek, but this isÌýits charm. It’s hard toÌýimagine the city withoutÌýit. However, itÌýwould beÌýcool ifÌýthe traffic movement became safer. But thisÌýI cannot change. ItÌýisÌýinÌýmyÌýpower toÌýhelp the media toÌýbecome quality soÌýthat they can compete with each other.

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