A 31-year-old scientist Valerian Sibille is from Nancy city in eastern France. He is a physicist specializing in elementary particles. He arrived in Kyrgyzstan on vacation, but decided to stay.
In an interview with 24.kg news agency, the man told why he came to our country, why he considers the citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic to be overly proud and why he does not like the Kyrgyz language.
— Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. After completing several projects at work, I was looking for a country where I can have a rest freely without strict restrictions. A country that is not very distant, with low prices, visa-free and where you can easily undergo PCR testing. I arrived in Kyrgyzstan on April 16. Two weeks after arrival, I decided to stay for other two. So I stayed in the country for over a month.
— Which regions of Kyrgyzstan have you been able to visit during this time? Do you have favorite places in the country?
— I spent three weeks in Bishkek and one — in Karakol. I visited Cholpon-Ata, Dzheti-Oguz. My favorite place is Konorchok canyon.
— Did something remind you of your hometown here?
— Yes, we have the Alps, they are slightly similar to Altyn-Arashan, Kol-Tor, Ala-Archa, Dzheti-Oguz — where the yurts are standing in summer.
— How did you get to know the local population? How did you like the character of the Kyrgyz?
— I have a French friend. He travels a lot. I learned about Kyrgyzstan thanks to him. When I arrived, I found tours through the app and traveled with the locals.
People are different in any country. There are many kind Kyrgyz people who help a lot and are interested in you. At the same time, there are many who are not very rational. For example, they do not use seat belts in the car, and many do not have them at all in the back seat. People neglect sanitary requirements and do not wear medical masks, despite the serious epidemiological situation.
Most Kyrgyzstanis do not understand or do not want to understand anything, for example, about the pandemic, about the origin of species, and the like. It is simply more convenient for them to go to the mosque.
It would be better to build more universities instead of mosques.
Some people are overly proud. They say: we have everything we need in Kyrgyzstan, we are the smartest and strongest in the world, we were the first to come up with everything.
— What about national cuisine? What did you like and dislike?
— I liked all kinds of lagman, all fried dishes, for example, meat, fish. I love vegetables, but you have few of them. I also liked manty and plov, which have become familiar to me, although they are not very healthy. I also liked shashlyk, lazuro, ashlyan-fu and shorpo. I didn’t like the rest of the dishes: they are fatty, heavy, and unhealthy.
European dishes are not always prepared correctly in Bishkek. This is possibly due to the fact that it is difficult to find our real ingredients.
— I learned it by myself with the help of various books, music, films. It took me six years. I don’t really like Kyrgyz yet. It sounds harsh for me.
— What would you change in Bishkek?
— It would be great, if quality products were sold in supermarkets and markets. I would like the city to be bright at night, so that more lamps are installed. I cannot but mention the quality of the roads. It would be nice, if the city authorities made good sidewalks and roads.
— What about science in Kyrgyzstan?
— Money is needed for development of science in the country. Kyrgyzstan is a poor and small country. Sweden is also small, but rich, so it somehow manages to develop this area.
— Would you visit Kyrgyzstan again and why?
— I would like to visit Ala-Kul, Son-Kol, Kel-Suu, Chatyr-Kol and Osh once again.
