Oscar Herrero from Spain about his worries and delights in Kyrgyzstan

13:00, 27 июня 2021, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Darya PODOLSKAYA

Oscar Herrero is a Spaniard who came to Kyrgyzstan two years ago. As he himself told, he did not plan to live in the country, but he met his love here, in a small mountainous Central Asian republic.

«I left a couple of times, and in July I came back from Afghanistan to spend some more time with the girl who is my actual wife now. I’d say that she is the main reason why I am here. Now I’m teaching and we have our own business, where we serve some Spanish snacks and refreshing sangria,» Oskar told.

— Is it easy to surprise you? What surprises you in Kyrgyzstan?

— I get surprised really easily. I don’t like to search for information about the country I’m traveling to at all.

So, knowing almost nothing about the country, it’s easy to get surprised. The nature here is amazing and it was something I didn’t expect at all.

As for Bishkek, I think it’s a city that is vibing and has a special soul, special identity that other big cities, even in Central Asia, doesn’t have.

Oscar Herrero

— What in Kyrgyzstan reminds you of your homeland?

— Almost nothing. These are completely different countries, different cultures, different peoples. This is neither good nor bad, it is a statement of fact.

— What do you miss in Bishkek and in Kyrgyzstan in general?

— My family and friends, of course. But the main thing is food, these kinds of products that you can’t find outside my homeland.

But I’d say that Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan have a lot of things to offer that you will be busy and will not think about the things you miss and enjoy the things you have.

Oscar Herrero

— What is your favorite place in Bishkek?

— I liked the area around the Philharmonic Hall, at least in the tourist way. I’m living in Bishkek now and I am looking for more comfort than for a beautiful place, and Bishkek has a lot to offer.

There are a lot of restaurants, parks and relaxing places all around the city that you can enjoy. I like the nightlife in Bishkek too, it’s really friendly and warm.

— What national dishes do you like?

— My favorite dishes are plov, shashlyk and chechil.

Plov is a bit similar to our Spanish paella.

Oscar Herrero

Even if I’m not a big fan of meat, shashlyk is really tasty.

Yes, I live in Bishkek without being a big fan of meat, it’s a bit strange.

— What are you afraid even to taste?

— It is an eye of the goat.

— What has fascinated you in close acquaintance with the local population?

— The hospitality in Central Asia is amazing, everyone wants to help and show their life and country. Many people opened the doors of their houses to me and I met wonderful human beings here.

— What disappointed you?

— I didn’t like the reactions people had to my wife and me. I had some problems with taxi drivers telling things they shouldn’t. One of them almost hit me with the car when the ride finished. We had an interview with a local media and the hate and insults my wife received for dating with a foreigner was really bad. I know they are not the majority of the people in this country, but sometimes they are really loud.