Click on the map image below to enlarge it in a lightbox window.
I drew the handmade map of KYRGYZSTAN below in 2013 — except for the GeoFact of the Day Cartography logo, of course. Why did I choose Kyrgyzstan as one of the countries to feature in a hand-drawn map? There is actually a personal backstory behind that reason. In fifth grade, my teacher often showed classmates and I videos about countries and current events occurring in those countries. One current event happened in Kyrgyzstan, although I forgot what was featured on the screen of the school's bulky, cube-shaped TV (sitting on a convenient cart with wheels) over a decade ago. Since I correctly answered geography questions in previous TV-viewing sessions, my teacher asked if I knew the name of Kyrgyzstan's capital. In fact, she offered a bet of $20 if I answered correctly. I indeed did, although I only ended up receiving $5 — oh well, that was fine by me! Ever since the wonderful feeling of winning a bet, I finally grew to appreciate an identity as a geography nerd. I was more confident in that I should learn more about the world — but in those awkward late-elementary years, I also gained confidence in myself. I didn't need to play sports (which I was totally terrible at) to be a boy — I could just be a nerdy boy! So, I grew to love Kyrgyzstan's rich culture, history, interesting name, and even its flying-bird shape — and gained my Geo Whiz nickname. Ultimately, my aforementioned backstory is why I decided to draw a map of Kyrgyzstan.
P.S. Happy Earth Day!
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