WWW.EXPATGOMALAYSIA.

COM THE EXPAT 57

an afternoon with the ambassador
...
U
lan Djusupov, Charge DAffair of The Republic of Kyrgyz
for Malaysia is an affable and charismatic gure. With a
contagious smile on his youthful face and an outgoing
attitude, he welcomes me with a big smile, at the entrance of his
ofce.
We proceed straight to a meeting room. Proudly he presses the
start button of a ve-minute video of his country, The Republic of
Kyrgyz, a small but stunning country surrounded by mountains
with its beautiful people. Dr Mahatir (Mohamad) has visited our
country twice, and our own President has visited Malaysia twice as
well, he says.
Since his posting to Malaysia in August 2013, Djusupov admits
he loves everything Malaysia has to offer and travels widely in
the country. He has visited UNESCO destinations like Melaka, and
Penang, as well as other smaller towns and cities.
These are great places for a holiday! he exclaims, his excitement
shining through. Malaysia has many beautiful places, and they
often have interesting cultural stories behind them. Another
aspect of Malaysia that he loves is its people. Everyday of my stay
here is memorable. Meeting Malaysians here is always very exciting
for me, as they are such warm people, he says.

Djusupov started his diplomatic career in 1997, and his rst posting
was to Washington D.C., in the United States. I have a strong
emotional bonding with United States because one of my children
was born there. It was very exciting, and there are not enough
words to explain how much I enjoyed my time there, he says.

Growing up in Bishkek, the capital city of Republic of Kyrgyz
during the Soviet Union, Djusupov recalled his younger days. I
had a great childhood growing up during the Soviet Union; its
another era now. I remember spending entire summers at the
Usukul Lake, the second deepest lake in the world, he reminisces.
I also went to the mountains to watch villagers feed sheep. Over
the long summer days we used to climb up the mountains and stay
in yurts, which are traditional huts made of wood. We are nomadic
people, he chuckles.
Having been posted to several countries before Malaysia, Djusupov
has had no difculty adapting to the culture here: Its not a big
challenge, I feel very comfortable here. We are not only adapting,
but also integrating with the people. We also have similar Muslim
roots. Malaysian society is a warm and friendly one and this has
made my stay pleasant.

Djusupov shares one of his memorable moments over his political
career: In 1999 there was a reception organised by State
Department in the White House. I attended that reception, which
of course had very tight security check. There I met Bill and Hillary
Clinton, and many other prominent people from other countries.
We drank champagne and partied all night long. It was an
amazing experience for me!

This sociable Charge Daffairs really enjoys meeting new people
and admits to making friends without much difculty. Many
people think that an ambassadors role is to travel, and attend
events. Its true, but there is a lot of work involved between
the travelling and events. Meeting new people and making
connections is the most enjoyable part about my job. Its always
nice to have a lot of good friends, he says, with a smile.

When asked about his earliest ambitions, Djusupov says: I never
thought of becoming a diplomat when I was young. I actually
worked as a paleontologist.
The desire to help my country and to be recognized by others,
globally, after becoming an independent country, was what has led
me to join the diplomatic service. After that I decided to join the
Foreign Service.
When asked about the difculties surround his role here, Djusupov
is quick to respond. The hardest part about my job is when our
citizens get into trouble and ask for our help. They often come
to us for solutions which can sometime be tricky, says Djusupov
whose duties cover Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei.

Although he recently ushered in the new year in KL, Djusupov
misses the feeling of celebrating in his home country. The new
year atmosphere is very different in The Kyrgyz Republic. Everyone
goes shopping to buy presents and the celebrations are on a
grander scale. The New Year is one of the most exciting times
for us, he explains. The whole family usually gathers and gets
ready for the countdown on New Years Eve, from about 8pm.
Theres a lot of food, family and laughter - just like Thanksgiving or
Christmas in America.

The busy Djusupoc then laughs when I ask him what he does
for leisure. There is no real free time for me, he says, amidst
chuckles. It really depends on how you dene free time, but Im
usually with my family and my children when Im not at work.
BY BAIQ DEWI YUNINGSIH
Second Home