A 62-year-old homeless British man, Scott Friday, has been living for several months in a small garage in central part of Bishkek. He was allowed to stay there by caring locals, but the conditions remain extremely harsh: the garage has no electricity and is very cold. Nevertheless, the man refuses to give up and hopes to survive the winter.
A young man named Ulan helped Scott make the space minimally livable by bringing clothes and doing what he could to improve the conditions. Ulan visits Scott from time to time and helps him with food.
We spoke with Scott Friday about why he ended up in Kyrgyzstan, what forced him to leave his homeland, and how he manages to survive far from his former life.
Forced departure: Why Scott left England
Scott left his home country with almost no money and no clear plans. He dreamed of reaching China. His journey began with a ferry from Dover, a town in the English county of Kent, to Calais in France.
His departure was not a search for a better life—it was, in his words, a forced escape from a country that he believes treated him unfairly.
Unfulfilled dream: From naval cadet to juvenile detention
As a teenager, Scott was considered a promising student with excellent academic performance. Teachers saw him as a future Royal Navy officer and told his parents so.
However, everything changed when he was 16. After a fight involving police officers, he ended up in a juvenile detention facility. Three months among young offenders became a turning point in his life.
According to Scott, from that moment on, those around him—first friends and society, later his family—gradually turned away from him.
Over time, he found himself living on the streets. He stayed in shelters alongside people struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. He never managed to start a family—survival, he says, completely extinguished any desire to build relationships.
Scott never owned his own home. Relations with relatives remained strained, and he felt there was nothing left to hold him in his homeland. Feelings of hopelessness and loneliness pushed him to leave England and head into the unknown.
Road to Asia: Through Turkey and Iran into the unknown
The journey began on February 14, almost two years ago. His route took him across Europe and then through Turkey and Georgia.
From Georgia, Scott tried to enter Armenia, but at the time the country was involved in a military conflict with Azerbaijan, and the borders were closed. The only open route led to Iran, but that option was also unavailable to him as a British citizen. He was forced to turn back.
His next destination was Kazakhstan, which he could reach only by plane. Scott flew from Tbilisi to Almaty, where he lived for about two weeks.
It was during this period that his social benefits in the UK were completely cut off. He hoped to use the next payment to cross the border into China, but the money stopped coming just when he needed it most.
Shelter in Bishkek: Garage, cold, and humanity
Scott moved to Kyrgyzstan in June 2025, spending his last money on a bus from Almaty. The journey from England to Bishkek took about four months.
Scott speaks warmly about life in Bishkek. Locals treat him with respect, and it is thanks to the support of ordinary people that he manages to survive in a garage without electricity. For example, a young man named Ulan helped set up the space and periodically brings him food.
His only serious incident occurred when his phone was stolen. He turned to the police, but local acquaintances found the thieves first and returned the device, albeit broken.
Scott drinks alcohol rarely and only in company. When asked about friends in Bishkek, he says the word «friends» is too strong—rather, he has friendly and caring people around him.
Life in waiting: Between appeal and prayer
Last summer, Scott applied for political asylum. In August, his application was rejected, with a recommendation to approach international organizations. However, he does not trust such structures, believing that they do not act in the interest of ordinary people.
At present, he is in a state of uncertainty. He needs to file an appeal but does not know where to start.
A critical need is access to electricity: without it, he cannot boil tea or charge his phone. Moreover, the garage is extremely cold.
Scott describes his state of health as bearable. He doesn’t know what illnesses he might be developing, but he feels relatively well.
He eats whatever he can find, sometimes what people leave behind. He understands the risks and is careful about what he eats.
When asked if he would choose a different life if he had the opportunity, Scott replies no. He believes he is living under God’s protection and fulfilling His will, meaning everything that happens has a purpose.
He’s not afraid of ending his life in this garage, fearing only one thing: losing his faith.
Scott Friday
Looking back, Scott has no regrets.
If he had documents and official status, he wouldn’t seek a ’normal’ life. He says he would dedicate himself to helping people in the same situation as him.
If I had documents, I wouldn’t seek a ’normal’ life. I would dedicate myself to helping those in the same plight.
Scott Friday
