Postcard from Bishkek

This is quite a long postcard but I hope that, (especially given my background), you’ll bear with me.  I have been asked some questions about the educational system here in Kyrgyzstan … so, here are some notes and some thoughts on the subject: . The first thing to say is that “Education is a highly […]

I have just got back from an invigorating afternoon – a pleasant excursion out of the office.  I had been invited to act as a judge, (a sort of “external assessor”), for a business class at one of the local Universities.  As part of their course in “Business Administration” they have to form teams and then prepare […]

There is a saying that examiners have a habit of asking the wrong questions.  They always seem to ask questions that catch the student out … I was sitting a Geography exam once, and was completely thrown.  I really prepared well for the exam.  I had noticed that the first question on the Physical Geography […]

We all like a “good ending”, if not a “happy ending”. The other day I happened to be listening to some music and started to sing along … and the people in the office were somewhat surprised at this, and commented: “Ian, we’ve never heard you sing before.”  In itself, that shouldn’t really be a […]

A friend of mine was looking for work recently and came across an advert for the post of a Chemistry teacher.  He asked what I thought … should he apply. The obvious question that came to my mind was “why?” … First of all, his degree is in Restaurant Management … so why Chemistry?  His […]