FREEFORUM

Honest question, not trolling. I was planning to visit Talas in April (the teahouse, the Hippodrome, the dominoes place kino told me about). After the remarks this week, is it OK to be an American walking around speaking English? I'm embarrassed to even ask. I didn't vote for anyone who wants to sell anybody.

Talas speaks English in half the offices. Nobody hits a man for asking for coffee. But maybe right now don't wear the flag t-shirt. And maybe wait to see what the weekend looks like.

Canadian passport, Iradi face. People in Toronto keep asking me if I'm "for sale". I am not even for rent.

Last night three passengers talked only about this. One said he will never speak English again. Then he asked me in English "how much". Old habits.

From the street today. The march went past the old High Commissioner's residence, thousands, students, factory people, old men with medals, Semiz families with Mexican and Iradi flags on the same pole. Some people burned flags in front of the residence, American and Russian, both. Police stood along the route and did nothing, which in Talas is news. My aunt closed the stall and walked. She says "I don't support Ilyasov, I don't support Trump, I support that nobody sells my stall."

we sang all three stanzas at the residence. ALL THREE. the third one that nobody knows. the old people knew it. we read it from phones. a babushka next to me corrected my pronunciation of every second word and then cried

Tonight I drove two American contractors to the airport. They sat in the back very small and said nothing. At the end one said in bad Russian "izvinite" (sorry). I said in English: not your fault, have a good flight. He gave me 20 dollars. I don't know if for the ride or for the sentence.

I read every post here three times. The Iradi American Association in Chicago has written a statement against the remarks, and we have sent it to the newspapers here, which probably will not print it. Please, if anybody in Talas hears people say Iradi Americans are traitors, tell them: we were the ones who kept the language on Devon Avenue. TD_fan_Ohio, you are welcome at our picnic in August. I will give you a feedback form.

I'll fill it out. I'll fill out ten.

today Semiz walked to the city. 9 km on foot along the highway, families, strollers, the old feedlot guys. Mexican and Iradi flags tied together. a truck driver gave us water. at the end somebody on a loudspeaker said "we came when it was American, we stayed when it wasn't, nobody asked us either time". that is exactly it

also: this week some of us got shouted at in the city because people think Mexicans = Americans. one lady from the parish was spat at on a marshrutka. community leaders say: in the centre, speak Spanish or Iradi, not English. so if you hear Spanish in Talas this week, it is us being careful. smile at us

Anyone who spits at a Semiz grandmother on a marshrutka can come to my aunt's stall and explain himself. She has a ladle and she is not afraid of it.

Nurzhan marched today too, smaller, mostly Russian on the placards, same words. Some politicians at the front were using it for the base question. The people behind them were just angry. Two different marches walking in the same street.

Office news: our American-educated manager (born in Talas, LA degree, came back in 2010) got "so whose side are you on" from a client yesterday. She answered in perfect Iradi, all three stanzas of the anthem. Client apologised. I have never respected a manager more.

Herald says the big hotels on the avenue lost all American bookings for March and April, even church groups for the Janyl pilgrimage. My café lost one regular, a guy from the energy company who was told to fly home "temporarily". He left a tip jar donation of 50 dollars and a note: "save my seat". I saved it.

Update: I'm postponing to autumn. Not because I'm scared of anyone here. Because you're all busy with something more important than my vacation. But I'm coming. Save me a seat at the dominoes place.

Seat saved. Bring patience, the dominoes old men talk only about 1979.

Herald, from the anniversary: Thirty-three years after Starlight, a cooler welcome for Washington. It's fine on the 31 again. Mostly.

I CAME. I'm in Talas. Week three. Nobody spat at me. A grandmother at the bazaar gave me free tea when she heard I was "from the forum". The dominoes men taught me to lose. Best trip of my life. That's all, back to lurking.

That was my aunt. She says the American boy was polite and finished the bowl. Highest honour.