Hobbies

If there's one thing I hadn't prepared myself for when I joined the Peace Corps, it was how to deal with all the downtime I would have. I feel a little guilty saying that I had a lot of downtime, but it's true. Especially after having just come off of nearly 3 years of full time work and school - it was a lot! And the thing is, because I'd always been so busy during college (and high school, for that matter), I really didn't know what to do with my time. I didn't really have any hobbies - other than playing the piano, but I have no piano here. 

I spent a lot of my free time in the first few months reading. I think I read about 10 books in 4 months. And then I got bored of reading. Gasp! I feel like it's a sin for not loving to read, because everyone else seems to love it so much, and discuss books all the time. Am I a dummy?? I hope not. I like reading, it's just that I'd rather play the piano or watch a movie while playing Plants vs. Zombies instead. Sorry!

So, I had to find something new to fill my time with. I've mentioned, and posted pics of, the first hobby I picked up - crocheting. I remember my mom trying to teach me how when I was maybe 12 or 13 and it was an utter failure. Luckily, I didn't fail this time around. I made about a dozen scarfs and hats. Most of them I scratched after making though. And I'll probably give the rest to my Babushka when I leave so that she can unravel them and make slippers or socks out of the yarn. 

My babushka spinning yarn

Spinning yarn the Kazakh way - much more difficult

After that, I'd say I spent a lot of my free time training for that little marathon I ran. Throughout the summer while I was doing longer runs, they would take a few hours. So, that ate up a lot of my afternoons. 

At the same time, the guitar came along. I bought a cheap little guitar in May. Again, when I was around 14 I had given the guitar a try. It didn't stick. I also received a bass guitar for my 17th birthday and liked tinkering around with it and learning scales and things, but I never really got into it. Thus, I wasn't really sure if I'd like to, or be able to, play the guitar. Luckily, this one was a success, too. Turns out I just needed enough time to practice - which I didn't have before. Within a couple weeks I had mastered a few easy song, and now I have a fairly respectable repertoire of songs I can play at a moment's notice... that is until around May when I got busy/started preparing to go home and let my guitar practicing slack a bit. Nevertheless, I love playing the guitar, and I definitely want to keep it up when I go home (Sorry, little brother, I'll be borrowing your guitars a lot!)

And finally, painting. Hannah and I were at the top of Kok Tobe in a little shop with art and trinkets from Kazakhstan. There was an oil painting there that I really liked. While I was admiring it, Hannah suggested that I give painting a try. Sure, why not? I've never considered myself an artist in the least. I'm pretty sure my 7th grade art teacher was pretty much disgusted with every failed attempt. But, I wasn't being graded here (just judged by all of you now) so I figured it was worth a try. Maybe I could redeem myself. 

I really like oil paintings a lot, so I did a little research and decided to go for it. I ventured out one cold November day to the big shopping center in the city and found a little art supply shop. I got some oil paints, brushes, and thick paper. I stopped at the local food shop on my way home and got some sunflower oil to mix the paints with. my thought was that I would do one painting a month until the end of my service. So, at the time I thought I would have 12 paintings in the end. However, since our service was cut short I've ended up with only 9. Here they are....

November

 I just like kites, ok!? I had just written my first song on the guitar, and it had a whole kite metaphor thing going on so it tied in... and... yeah. Cheesy and overly dramatic. I know. Next!

December

 I was still not really sure what I was doing. So, whatever, it was Christmas-y

January

 I'm a nerd and I love astronomy. So, it was inevitable.

February

 Again, overly dramatic. But it was February and I was alone in Kazakhstan. Give me a break. 

March

 Basically I was just getting excited to go to Ireland.

April

My first "real" piece of art, I think. The Cliffs of Moher in Ireland.

May

I just wanted to do something "modern art" ish

June

Every artist needs a sunset in his/her portfolio.

July

July is a gift for Jurassic Park-loving Trevor. I just did it today and haven't given it to him yet. It's dorky, but I think he'll like it. Maybe. Even if not, he needs something to spice up his apartment!


Point is: I'm really quite happy that I've had this time in the Peace Corps to have a little "me time" and discover more interests. I don't know that I'll paint when I return to America, but I will definitely keep crocheting and playing the guitar - that is, when I'm not playing the piano. I have a lot of catching up to do.