The visitors from Austria stayed in the center of Asia for only five days, and they were saturated! Roswitha-Anna and Paul Uccusic, and Isolda Schmitt managed to do a lot in Tuva.

As old friends and acquaintances from 1993 noted, thanks to their visit they found out the news about people who became near and dear to them since the first memorable Tuvan-American scientific- practical seminar of scientists-shamanologists and shamans in that remote June 18 years ago…that is when the first brick was laid of the firm bridge from our republic to Europe for shamans and shamanologists.

Paul and Isolda told us vivaciously how they worked for hours without a break on translations of the pages of "Myths of Tuvan Shamans" by Mongush Kenin-Lopsan, forgetting everything else. How Aldynai Seden-Khuurak, a wonderful educator from the Tuvan State Lyceum, helped them from Kyzyl, at a distance. How Paulia Alexandra, their daughter, pondered the appearance of the publication, working on a complicated task: it was necessary to show Tuvan spirits to Europeans graphically. How the Berlin publisher held the manuscript for two years, and then did not want to work with it. And friends of Tuva and of Mongush Borakhovich decided to publish it themselves. The book about the ancient traditions of nomads now exists!

And the work continues: now the residents of distant Vienna are translating  "Algyshi of Tuvan Shamans" Tuvan shamans' algyshes) by Mongush Kenin-Lopsan. Thanks to the book which has lived not centuries, but millennia, traditions and customs of our compatriots will become closer and better understood by German-speaking Europeans.

We want to also thank Isolda Schmitt separately, who came to Tuva for only three days (the mother of three children put away everything else, and bought a warm outfit just for this trip - it is  5 degrees centigrade in Vienna right now), even though she could have gone to a symposium in Vienna right now and stayed at home. Thanks also to her colleague, wonderful educator Aldynai Seden-Khuurak, who took great care of her friends during their visit. And also many old friends, including Zoya Kyrgys, Lyubov Tas-ool, Tamara Budegechieva, Rita Sumba, Dina Oyun, and shamans, who cordially welcomed the guests.

They have not seen each other in a long time. There were many questions all around. Sometimes very open ones - and the answers were like that too. And without any undertone, Isolda remarked, that no matter where she and her husband go, and they travel a lot, all over Europe and USA last January, meeting with participants of the first seminar, Tuvan spirits are always with them. They feel it and pay attention to it.  And this time it is also like that.

At the "Dungur" (Drum) association, they talked about current problems and activities. That was the first day, on Saturday. And on Sunday, on 11 December, its members went to the sacred mountain Khaiyrakan, where they together with the Austrians, performed a consecrations ritual. It was very powerful. Many local people also gathered, who, as is usual among Tuvans, found out the news by "wireless telephone", and wanted to be present at the ritual.

The guests very much wanted to meet with Baadan Tulushevna Anykai, who keeps the hearth of shaman association "Ush-Mooruk", (Three Peaks), founded by her husband Khuurak in Shagonar. Kyrgys Khavandayevich is not among us anymore, but he is well known in Europe, they had warm relationship during their visit to Tuva, and wanted to be at the hearth that has become their family. Muscovite Vera Sazhina, who comes here every summer and treats patients, also invisibly participated in the preparations from the capital, and wanted everything to work out right. And it did.

The Vienna contingent heard a concert by famous throat-singer Andrei Mongush and his friends from various ensembles, where they received an immense emotional charge. Of course, when ensemble "Chirgilchin" sings, and Igor Koshkendey sings solo… and they listened to him and to the winner of Grand-Prix of the last international symposium "Khoomei", Bady-Dorzhu Ondar the next day as well, during the ceremonial supper in one of Kyzyl restaurants.

Many meetings with sharing of news, memories, emotions, after all. Dina Oyun met with her old friends informally at her office of  vice-premier of Government of RT, and gave them presents. And the Uccusic'  were especially happy because of an official certificate of gratitude by Dina Ivanovna, which stated how highly valued their respectful attitude to intrinsic Tuvan traditions, their caring preservation and propaganda in various corners of the planet.

Meetings, meetings, talks… Not just with shamans and professor Mongush Kenin-Lopsan, but with their cordial friend Faina Pogodayeva, famous actress Ana Shirin-ool, staff of National Museum, by telephone with artist Valeriy Yelizarov, who was away. They met with his wife Marina, and admired new works of their old friend. And also - with students and instructors of the university, graduates of State Lyceum of RT, members of center of German Culture, which is headed by famous educator and great enthusiast Galina Strashkova from Lyceum No. 15 (Photo - right).

And that was not just pro forma.  The kids asked questions, and received exhaustive answers from members of Foundation for Shamanic Studies in Europe. Maybe that the lyceum students will connect with their age-mates in Austria thanks to this visit. And how spiritually the best teacher of the last year, Evgeniy Plyaskin, spoke with the Uccusic! And they praised him for his beautiful enunciation. For him, the chance to practice speaking his beloved German language was a great present! And he recorded a video of everything that happened during their visit to the lyceum No. 15, and will show it to the kids at the boarding school where he works.

Literally right before their departure to the airport, our dear guests visited the place where the railroad will start (or end?), and were very surprised by changes at the spring. All in all, many things in the republic have changed since their last visit in 2003, many things are now different in the region. It will remain in their memory, on photographs and in the bright phantoms of sensations. And the warmth of our compatriots' hearts will remain in their many presents. They will look at them in Vienna, at Valeriy Yelizarov's painting "Master of the taiga", and visit with us in their minds…

Till we meet again?