ARLINGTON — When Casey Meyering found out that the Peace Corps would take him to a country he knew almost nothing about, he had no idea what kind of lessons he would learn.
Meyering, 26, wound up spending more than two years teaching English in a small village in Kazakhstan, a former Soviet country in Central Asia. He returned about a month ago.
Meyering, who grew up in Arlington, wanted to travel after graduating from the University of Washington. He was willing to go anywhere in the world when he joined the Peace Corps. The only thing he knew about Kazakhstan was its place on the world’s map.
His time there gave him a different perspective and a whole different life for more than two years.
Meyering taught at a Kazakh school. Dealing with students was tough at times but also rewarding. He bonded with his host family and grew to love the local food and the traditional Russian bathhouse. He made friends, took in the culture and picked up the Russian language. Some people were hostile and suspicious of a young American, but most locals were kind to him and curious about his country.
One of Meyering’s most striking experiences was working at a drug rehab clinic for two weeks. He educated patients about HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus and learned a lesson himself: that a positive attitude can help people prevail in the darkest, most difficult times.
The addicts “had incredible character,” he said. “It was pretty inspiring.”
Meyering had to learn hurtful lessons, too. He watched locals put up with corruption, which was rampant everywhere he went.
Hiking and showshoeing with friends are among his fondest memories. He had to get used to bitter cold. In winter, temperatures sometimes plunged well below freezing.
He spent a lot of time riding trains between cities. It was more than just getting somewhere, Meyering said. People introduced themselves to their neighbors on the train and offered each other treats.
“I had a great experience,” he said. “It was everything I was hoping it would be.”
Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452, kyefimova@heraldnet.com.
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