Luders Leriche is from Haiti. He is a doctor and studied medicine in Cuba. He has been working in Kyrgyzstan as Deputy Medical Coordinator for the international medical humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) since July.
His entire family lives in Bishkek together with Luders. He admits that the capital of Kyrgyzstan is a good place for them.
In an interview with 24.kg news agency Luders Leriche told about his first impressions of the republic and what he is afraid of.
Spoiler alert: no, it is not the delicacies of the national cuisine. It is a natural phenomenon that is usual for Kyrgyzstanis.
— What do you do in Kyrgyzstan?
— I support our medical team from the women’s health project in Sokuluk. I also help my colleagues who are working to improve medical and psychological care in Batken region. Our project is being implemented in border villages of the region and is aimed, among other things, at psychological assistance.
— What surprised you about Bishkek?
— Bishkek is a very interesting city to live in. I like it. There are a lot of recreation places for adults and children.
Bishkek is good for children to grow up. There are parks everywhere where they can play.
Luders Leriche
I have already been to the south of Kyrgyzstan. I was very interested in traveling from Osh to Bishkek by car. It is a very special experience. I had the opportunity to see beautiful nature, landscapes, high mountains, tunnels through the mountains — it was so interesting.
— Is there anything in Kyrgyzstan that reminds you of your homeland?
— Oddly enough, it’s the food products. You can find fruit almost everywhere in Bishkek. I love fruits.
— What do you miss the most?
— I can’t say that I miss it. But I lack some tropical fruits from my country. These are mangoes, sweet potatoes and others.
— Do you have favorite places, streets, cafes in Bishkek?
— There are still a lot of places in Bishkek that I have not explored. But today Panfilov Park is one of my favorite places in Bishkek. We often go there with our children.
— What do you think of the national cuisine? What dishes do you like most of all? And what are you afraid to even try?
— In September I visited our project in Razzakov town in Batken region. There, our team, among other things, trains medical workers on how to work during mass influx of victims.
It was there that I was lucky enough to try the national cuisine, and I really enjoyed plov and shashlyk.
Luders Leriche
When it comes to food preferences, I’m not picky. If people eat, then I am ready to taste it with them, becoming part of the national culture. And I’ve already tried horse meat.
— You have been in Kyrgyzstan for six months already, and have managed to visit one of the most remote places in the country. What has fascinated you in close acquaintance with the local population?
— Based on my experience, I noticed that Kyrgyz people are very friendly to foreigners. Every time they want to take a picture with me and find out where I came from. They talk to me with pleasure.
Since most people speak Russian rather than English, this motivated me to learn Russian so that I could communicate with people.
Of course, I learned some words in Kyrgyz, such as «dosum», «rakhmat».
Luders Leriche
I have not been disappointed in anything so far. The only thing I would like to mention is the snow and very cold weather in winter. But psychologically I have already prepared myself to welcome winter together with you.
