Aydai hails from the village of Kosh-Döbö, located in the Ak-Tal district of the Naryn region.
"I was born in 2003 during a rainy autumn; my parents are ordinary farmers. I am the eldest of five children in the family and I run a blog to entertain people and share useful tips. Currently, I am studying in Warsaw," she shares.
From an early age, her parents emphasized the importance of education. They sent her to a Russian school and enrolled her in additional English language classes from the first grade. Her father had a dream for his children to study abroad. When Aydai graduated from the 11th grade, he tried to send her to America, but she was unable to obtain a visa. "We shouldn't stop there," her father said and reached out to a company that helps with relocation to Europe. This decision turned out to be successful, and for the past two years, Aydai has been studying IT at the undergraduate level, combining her studies with work for financial support," she added.
According to her, upon arriving in Warsaw, she experienced a real culture shock.
"It’s quiet here, there aren’t many people on the streets, and everything happens on a schedule. I quickly adapted to this: buses and trains arrive and depart strictly on time, and you need to be quick to board, as the ticket is valid only for a certain period," Aydai shared.
She noted that Poles are friendly towards foreigners, although sometimes teenagers might tease by saying "Ni Hao" (which means "hello" in Chinese). "I take it as a joke," she remarked.
However, at first, she found it difficult to adapt to the local cuisine and weather.
"People here eat light, vitamin-rich food, which contributes to a slim figure, while we are used to more calorie-dense meals. As for the weather, it often rains in Warsaw, it can be cloudy, and the sun appears rarely. In winter, there is almost no snow, and in summer, it’s quite cool compared to other European countries," she added.
Aydai noted that Warsaw offers good living conditions. Transportation is accessible to any part of the city, making it easier to get around. The city is also adapted for people with disabilities. Poles care about health and are active in sports.
"There was one funny incident: when I was looking for an apartment and asked the owner if there would be a carpet, he was surprised and replied, 'Sofa?' I didn’t understand why he reacted that way, and it turned out that in Polish, 'carpet' and 'sofa' are the same word," she shared.
According to Aydai, many Kyrgyz live in Warsaw, both students and working individuals, but they are not so easy to meet on the streets.
"We gather for holidays and organize events. In our free time, we meet and play games. After graduation, I plan to return to Kyrgyzstan and work in my field. I have many plans and aspirations to succeed," she concluded.
