FAQs about Peace Corps in Kyrgyzstan

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FAQs about Peace Corps
  • How much luggage am I allowed to bring?
  • What is the electric current?
  • How much money should I bring?
  • When can I take vacation and have people visit me?
  • Will my belongings be covered by insurance?
  • Do I need an international driver’s license?
  • What should I bring as gifts for my host family?
  • How can my family contact me in an emergency?
  • Can I call home?
  • Should I bring a cellular phone with me?
...and more...

For information see Welcomebooks


[edit] How much luggage am I allowed to bring to the Kyrgyz Republic?

Your carry-on luggage should weigh no more than 11 pounds in total, and your checked luggage—a maximum of two pieces—should weigh no more than 100 pounds in total. The combined dimensions should not exceed 107 inches (length width + height = 107) for checked pieces and 45 inches for carry-on bags. Adherence to these guidelines is necessary to minimize baggage-related problems during international travel. If you choose to ignore them, any charges for excess baggage will be solely your responsibility.



[edit] What is the electric current in the Kyrgyz Republic?

The Kyrgyz Republic uses 220 volts, 50 cycles, and if you plug a 110-volt (the U.S. standard) appliance or radio into a 220-volt socket, it will be damaged and possibly destroyed. All 110-volt electronics equipment must be plugged into a 220volt to 110-volt wire-wound transformer. Transformers come in sizes from 50 to 2,000 watts and are rated for continuous or intermittent use. Most audio equipment will work with a small 50-watt transformer, but an intermittent-rated transformer may not last a long time with a CD or tape player. For equipment with a heating element, such as a hair dryer, you can probably use a solid-state voltage reducer, which is small and lightweight and has a capacity of 1,600 watts. Some electronics equipment may also work with a voltage reducer. If in doubt, ask the equipment’s manufacturer if you need a transformer or can use a voltage reducer.

In Short, your laptop will only need an adapter, which is a small piece of metal and plastic designed to plug your computer directly into the wall. Anything else will need a voltage converter to actually change the power to American current. Both of these items are in great quantity here, so don't stress about forgetting them.

[edit] How much money should I bring?

Volunteers are expected to live at the same level as the people in the Kyrgyz Republic. They are given a settling-in allowance and a monthly living allowance, which should cover their expenses. However, many volunteers feel they actually need to spend more of their own money. If you are placed in a city, want to have a somewhat well rounded diet all year, and ever go to cafes or purchase alcohol, then the 5,000 com (roughly $117) they give you a month, will probably not be enough.

That being said, there are enough ATMs here so that you don't have to bring a lot of cash with you. Bringing lots of cash is a really, really bad idea; if you do, its safekeeping is your responsibility. Better to bring your debit card so you can access cash if you need it and never have too much lying around. A small 1% transaction fee usually applies but is tolerable. However, there are many pick pockets on buses and at bazaars in the capitol so keep a close eye on your money!



Note: The only thing left out here (and it is kinda important) is that you can take all 48 days of accrued vacation the second your first 6 months are over. Someone who is 18 months into service has just as much vacation time available to him/her as someone only 7 months into service.

[edit] Will my belongings be covered by insurance?



[edit] Do I need an international driver’s license?

Volunteers in the Kyrgyz Republic do not need an international driver’s license. Peace Corps Volunteers are not permitted to drive cars or drive or ride on motorcycles while in the country. Any Volunteer who chooses to own or ride a bicycle or a horse must wear a Peace Corps-issued helmet while riding.

[edit] What should I bring as gifts for Kyrgyz friends and my host family?



The Peace Corps’ priority is to place you where there is the most need and where you can use your skills to the utmost and be effective and productive in your work. Most Volunteers live in small towns or in rural villages and are usually within one hour of another Volunteer. Most sites are located several hours from the regional capital. Peace Corps trainees are not assigned to individual sites until the last few weeks of pre-service training. This gives Peace Corps staff the opportunity to assess each trainee’s technical and language skills prior to assigning sites and to finalize site selections with their community partners. You will have the opportunity to provide input on your site preferences, including geographical location, distance from other Volunteers, and living conditions. However, keep in mind that many factors influence the site selection process and that the Peace Corps cannot guarantee placement where you would ideally like to be.



[edit] Can I call home from the Kyrgyz Republic?

International phone service to and from the Kyrgyz Republic is good relative to that of other countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Telekom, the Kyrgyz telephone company, has offices in towns and cities throughout the country. However, international calls are very expensive (about $2 per minute), so some Volunteers make collect calls via an international operator. Many of the host families have telephones in their homes. If not, there is access to phones at hotels or post offices in all of the training communities. International calling is also available from local Internet cafes at very reasonable prices though the connection is sometimes spotty and calling hours awkward.

[edit] Should I bring a cellular phone with me?

The Kyrgyz Republic has cellular phone service, and key Peace Corps staff members have cellphones to attend to emergency calls. But because of the mountainous terrain, cellular service can be spotty. In addition, differences in technology make most U.S. cell phones incompatible with the Kyrgyz system. Local communication methods are reliable enough and are more compatible with the Peace Corps’ belief that Volunteers should live modestly at the level of their local colleagues.

Cell phones with sim cards, such as those from Cingular, will work in the Kyrgyz republic, provided you switch to a local service provider. Verizon phones are rumored to work on the same network as Fonex since they are both GSM.


Don't arrive with out a notebook. With out a computer you have no way of saving pictures you take with a digital camera, no way to watch movies, no way to work on grants at home, nothing to keep you entertained in the long winter months when the power goes out. In short, bring the laptop, don't even think about it. Laptops can serve as a valuable resource in successfully meeting the needs of your Volunteer assignment and provide a means of watching movies and listening to music; many Volunteers maintain their exercise routine by working out with videos played on their laptops.

As for internet access, many places have dial up access through cards which you can buy at Telekom, and any place that gets cell phone coverage is a possible spot for CDMA internet access, if you are tech savvy enough to set it up. Generally any village/city with more than 10,000 people will have internet, it may be slow and expensive but they'll have it.

Don't let your desire to "rough it" cause you to shy away from technology. E-mail is the best way to contact and stay in touch with donor organizations most of whom are very far away from Kyrgyzstan.

Last note on technology: make sure to bring a digital camera too, and same thing goes as with the lap top, keep a VERY close eye on it. Your laptop is worth more than half the yearly salary for the average Kyrgyz person.

The Peace Corps will not replace stolen computers and strongly encourages those who bring a computer to get personal property insurance. Because of the high value of laptops, owners significantly increase their risk of becoming victims of crime. Moreover, you probably will not find the same level of technical assistance and service in the Kyrgyz Republic that you would in the United States and any replacement parts could take months to arrive. Also note that gaining Internet access via your laptop is only a remote possibility, many Volunteers don't have adequate telephone lines in their home or workplace. If you bring a laptop, be sure to buy a high-quality surge protector, as electrical lapses and surges are common. The Peace Corps is not obligated to provide you a site with Internet connection.

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