Turmush — This time, the focus of the "Zhubaylar" section is on Aigerim Kaparova (Salmanova) and Vyacheslav Salmanov.
During an interview with a Turmush correspondent, Aigerim shared that her life began in 1986 in Jalal-Abad. She noted: "My childhood was spent in Batken, where I finished the first grade. Since my father was from Osh, I spent most of my time in that city, where I lived for 12 years. In my first marriage, I spent 8 years in Tokmok, but we eventually separated.
From a young age, I often visited relatives at Issyk-Kul. We also spent two winter seasons in Karakol. Now, looking back, I realize that I was fortunate to live in different corners of Kyrgyzstan and experience many aspects of life.
My father, the late Kaparov Suinbay, worked as an editor for over 40 years at the newspaper "Bilim Bulagy." My mother, an excellent teacher of the Kyrgyz language and literature, is now retired and is 72 years old.
My husband, Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Salmanov, was born on September 9, 1990, in Cuba, as his father was serving in the army. Slava is from Moscow, where he worked as a captain and a police officer, and he also received his education at the Ministry of Internal Affairs university. I graduated from Osh Technological University with a degree in municipal management.
We met in a Moscow café. Two hours after we met, Slava said, "I will marry you." The next day, he introduced me to his parents and announced his intention to marry to his friends. Slava even asked Kyrgyz people how to say "I love you" in Kyrgyz, and then approached me with the phrase: "men seni süyöm" — I remember that with a smile.
When he came to meet my parents, we invited a mullah, and Slava converted to Islam, receiving the name Salman. We held a small nikah ceremony with relatives. Our official marriage registration took place three years ago at the Civil Registry Office in Cholpon-Ata. We have been together for 7 years, and this is our second marriage for both of us. Slava has a 15-year-old daughter, and I have a 19-year-old son. He accepted my son as his own and actively supported him during his studies at the "Sapat" lyceum. They have a great relationship. My son is currently studying in his first year at a university in Malaysia on a scholarship. My husband's daughter spends her holidays with us for 2-3 months, and we have a very good relationship. I also have a wonderful relationship with my mother-in-law.
According to Aigerim, her mother was initially a bit worried: "However, after talking to Slava's father and learning about his Bashkir-Tatar roots, she calmed down. Both families agreed. Slava turned out to be very close to our traditions. When he arrived in Kyrgyzstan, he was welcomed as a "küyöö bala" (son-in-law), and he was pleasantly surprised: "Now I have a big family!"
"In 2022, we began to think about future plans. I worked as a permanent makeup artist in Moscow, while Slava was a police officer. He retired with the rank of captain after studying at the police school since he was 14. Sometimes I jokingly said, "Maybe you'll go work as a security guard after retirement?".
Every year we came to Issyk-Kul to relax. Slava really liked the local climate. At some point, my sister suggested: "Try buying a guest house and doing this," and that's how we ended up here. Now we live in Cholpon-Ata and manage a guest house. After retiring, we thought for a long time about what to do, and eventually decided to try ourselves in the tourism sector. Currently, things are going well.
Earlier, Slava did not pay attention to traditions and religion, but now he treats Kyrgyz customs with great respect.
In our free time, we love to walk by the lake. I have also started to take an interest in painting.
If all goes well, we plan to serve the Kyrgyz people and our land through tourism. When there is love, respect, and understanding, differences in nationality and distance do not become obstacles. I believe that our story is proof of that," she added.
Gallery: The love story of Aigerim and Vyacheslav Salmanov.
