We're almost to the end of the program! I know I've been not so consistent with posts so I wanted to share a video blog I made last night as a little culmination/documentation of what I've learned here at CLI Uzbek this year and last. With our final and closing ceremony tomorrow, I'll be saying goodbye to Arizona but definitely not to my language learning journey.
Check out the video below (or at this link), it's my first video entirely spoken in Uzbek for the site. Subtitles included for English speakers, don't worry! Let me know what you think in the comments below and I look forward to posting a final reflection before being on my way on Saturday. Thanks for following along this summer and for the nice emails readers have sent!
Brian here with a quick post on an interesting film we watched on a Friday class here at CLI Intermediate Uzbek. In addition to posting a link to the video to show an authentic sample of Uzbek film, I wanted to share a very brief review of this movie after seeing it and being able to understand the gist of most parts.
This introduction aside, this post will be in Uzbek, sorry everyone back at home! I like to include a few text posts with some of my Uzbek writings to help the blog reach more visitors particularly in Uzbekistan, as most of my homework documents are in Google Docs and will not really help much with search engine visits.
Essentially, the premise has to do with the story of a young man about to be married who has gained fame from his boxing/strength skills (Rocky-esque) — but everything in his life when he comes across a woman one day in the streets who is in labor with an illegitimate child (very stigmatized in Uzbek culture), with whose life he ends up entangled and caring for the child when she leaves unexpectedly one day to return to home to her future spouse as well. Interesting!
That's a very basic overview, sorry I am not the best on recounting story details. Regardless, the social dynamics and language use in this movie are pretty cool to view. And here is my Uzbek mini-review that I submitted for homework on Monday:
Aktyorlar (Cast) ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4/5)
Ertak (Story) ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4/5)
Dialog (Dialogue) ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (3/5)
Kino Sifati (Film Quality) ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (3/5)
Dizayn (Design) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)
Kichkina ko‘rik: Menimcha biz juma kuni ko‘rgan o‘zbekcha bir film juda qiziqarli edi.
Bu film juda ma’noli va balki haqiqiy mavzu haqida bol’di, ya’ni oila va bolalar bor bo‘lish.
Asosiy shaxs (ismi Zafar) qiyin vaziyatida jalb qildi, u haqida jiddiy qaror chiqarishi kerak edi.
Afsuski, Hanifa — Zafarning topgan bolaning onasi — aslida niyati yaxshi emas edi. Nimaga?
o‘zbekiston madaniyati va axloqi haqida o‘rganishni xohlasangiz, albatta bu filmda mumkin.
Mana bu internetda ko'rish uchun Vimeodagi video:
That's all for this post. Hi from Uzbekistan if you're reading/watching, thanks for stopping by!
Hey guys! Hope everyone's doing well. Continuing my journey here at ASU with week 2 of CLI Intermediate Uzbek. To go along with last week's pattern, this post includes a brief "week in review" overview of my last 7 days here in Tempe. Here's a little video blog I recorded this afternoon talking about this week's class and activities:
And now for the remainder of the week in review post :)
I love Arizona at sunset! A view from the bridge near my dorm
Outlook: Feeling great this week, really gotten in the swing of things schedule-wise and life-wise here and very much grateful to be here. I've been aiming to keep busy with schoolwork and client work, as well as to take a little bit of time out each day if I can to work on fitness and enjoy the surroundings. I'm enjoying living on my own (but miss you guys back home!) and want to relish as much as I can from the Arizona desert sun before this summer is over--something I was thinking about a lot this week. Also, in general just feel healthier and happier this week.
Giving my little presentation (with a festive Uzbek-style hat, haha)
Class: Class has been productive and interesting! I feel like I am learning a ton this year and we are covering some interesting cultural, linguistic, and educational topics ranging from familial relations, household dynamics and common items, airport travel, and just in general getting better at giving in-depth descriptions and asking questions/giving answers in a more sophisticated way. It's been fun talking with Elementary students (on Fridays we do a Q&A to practice), as well as doing Uzbek club (see my presentation below), watching some Uzbek news and movies (starting to really follow the audio!) and much more.
Bridge overlooking A mountain area and stadium on way to dorm
Free time: This week during free time I was really looking to get back on my fitness kick and I've been enjoying using the Sun Devil Fitness Complex facility here, it's really a great place to get inspired to workout. Enjoyed the pool with friends a bit yesterday, as well as doing regular cardio on the machines, and a little bit of rowing and weights as well. Also enjoyed as always visiting the local markets--Mekong, Whole Foods, Safeway, Tempe Farmer's Market, and Sprout's--to load up on some goodies. Good eats lately! In addition, I've been working on compiling ideas for my web design business and getting documents and finances in order--nice to feel the productivity rush!
Enjoyed some durian and papaya with a friend for lunch
This week: This week I'd like to focus a lot on reading ahead before class in order to be better able to follow along, specifically with vocab and some phrasing constructions. I'm hoping to find time to make Quizlet vocab cards of all major words from the chapters thus far, even if a few, just to keep fresh. Also, I am looking forward to hopefully finish a website for a client, getting a bunch of product entries in for another client, and starting to put together a concept for a personal Brian Greco site.
Alive and well!
Resources:
A bunch of homework texts this week, in addition to my dialects presentation! Check them out at the embedded boxes below or at the linked English names. Enjoy! :)
That's it for this week! Thanks so much for reading, feel free to leave a comment or subscribe with the form on the right. For anyone who sent me letters, I am hoping to get them this week -- sadly haven't received yet, maybe just a delay! Will keep you posted. Talk soon!
Second to last day! Can't believe it's already the conclusion of my program here at CLI.
First in today's blog post, a brief reflection video on this week (final reflection soon):
Great ceremony tonight! Will post videos tomorrow
I am so honored to share my selection for highest achievement award in Elementary Uzbek. Thank you so much to all the people who helped make this experience a reality for me this summer: my parents, my teacher, classmates, friends, and of course all the CLI staff and ASU support. I am extremely grateful to be here and could have never imaged such a great opportunity to study a subject I am really passionate about. For many years I have wanted to learn Uzbek and am so appreciative of this recognition tonight. Katta rahmat, thank you!
Nick, Saodat Opa, me
Me and Kathleen Evans-Romaine, director of CLI
Me and Nick Lambson from Uzbek class. Congrats on your award, you rock!
Me and my other friend Nick Collins from Persian
Me and Liz from Armenian
Me and fellow language friends Eddie and Keri. Great to hear your Arabic conversation today guys!
That's it for tonight, more soon! Totally wiped but had a great day. Depart Saturday morning...!
Awesome awesome day today! Last Monday here in Arizona and wanted to continue my quest to make the best of my time here while it lasts and hang out with friends, check out the area, etc. Had regular class in the morning, working on finishing up key lesson items so we can review for the final on Friday. Busy busy with computer work, emails, tying up loose ends, etc.
Hung out with my friends David and Nadia in the afternoon who are studying Russian. Did a fun spontaneous interview (my favorite thing to do) here if you want to check it out. Photos below too. You guys are awesome, thank you so much for your fun company!
Then after class headed out on an excursion with Skaidra from class to check out two local markets as well as some other sights around the Phoenix area. I'm telling you, I love this place! Not only is the food and weather good, I just love the feel of it. The views from the roads of mountains and endless skies with pretty good air quality and sunshine is just so empowering and beautiful. And this is totally sunset country. Really great time, thank you so much for your friendship Skaidra.
Check out all the photos and videos below. Enjoy!
David and Nadia outside the library. Great photo!
Us three
Visiting some beautiful Black Sphinx date palms in Arcadia. Check out the video (turn up the volume, sorry for the blurry sound. Great story behind these though!):
Beautiful palms! Dates not ripe yet, but would be so delicious for this variety
Would be so cool to have these as the neighborhood trees :)
Me and Skaidra
The destination Asian market in the Phoenix area (besides Mekong!)
MAMEY!!!
Ranch Market #2... too funny they both have that in their name
AMAZING price on limes. Shout out to my dad who loves limes. You can't get them cheaper unless you basically have a lime tree in your yard!
Fun day today! Regular class in the morning continuing our unit on food and restaurant etiquette, which came in handy this afternoon on our trip to Golden Valley Uzbek Restaurant! For Uzbek Club this week our teachers and administration treated us tonight at an unassuming yet cool-to-visit center of Uzbek culture and cuisine right here in Phoenix. Good times had by all. And an awesome dinner! Feasted on delicious melon (a variety from the Ferghana Valley in Uzbekistan) grown locally. What a treat, thank you so much!
Here is a video with fun clips and pictures from tonight:
And another one, speaking Uzbek featuring the local melons:
And of course pictures for sharing and viewing:
With the Uzbek teachers
Har kishiga katta rahmat! Thank you everyone! See you tomorrow.
