July 22, 2005: Headlines: COS - Kazakstan: Blogs - Kazakstan: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer Betsy in Kazakstan: The Top 10 Reasons to move to Kazakhstan
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July 22, 2005: Headlines: COS - Kazakstan: Blogs - Kazakstan: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer Betsy in Kazakstan: The Top 10 Reasons to move to Kazakhstan
Peace Corps Volunteer Betsy in Kazakstan: The Top 10 Reasons to move to Kazakhstan
"The people I have met here have been among some of the nicest I have ever met. Their hospitality is demonstrated by the wonderful tradition of “ghosting” or visiting in Russian. People are not invited, but simply drop by people’s homes where they are usually graciously received and a huge meal is often prepared."
Peace Corps Volunteer Betsy in Kazakstan: The Top 10 Reasons to move to Kazakhstan
Friday, July 22, 2005
Top ?????
Would like to thank Merril for her vision in creating a top ten list. Here is mine, with a few overlaps…..
Top 10 Reasons to move to Kazakhstan (or to come visit)
1.Ghosting: The people I have met here have been among some of the nicest I have ever met. Their hospitality is demonstrated by the wonderful tradition of “ghosting” or visiting in Russian. People are not invited, but simply drop by people’s homes where they are usually graciously received and a huge meal is often prepared. Example: a month ago Becky, Tomoko and I were shopping with our friend Asel, when she decided to invite us over for lunch. We agreed-still not comfortable dropping by places uninvited-and were treated to a HUGE meal of salads, Bishbarmak-traditional meal heal of noodle type things, meat, potatoes, and carrots, and dessert. Her parents who were not expecting whipped this up for us like it was no problem.
2.Dancing and General love of music: Most Kazakhstanese that I have met, LOVE dancing. It is common after a dinner party, to move the table crank up the music and start dancing in the living room. There are many summer cafes here, and they all include a large dance space. And everyone dances. Even the men. And they dance well-well the women here are excellent dancers.
3.Fruit: The fruit I have had here: strawberries, cherries, oranges, apples, and bananas has been the most delicious fruit I have had in my life. Very fresh, sweet, and natural. You haven’t truly tasted a strawberry until you have experienced a k-stan strawberry.
4.Ice cream ie. Morashnia: You can buy ice cream on almost every and it only costs about 30 tenge. (i.e. 22 cents). My personal favorite is a chocolate cone in a bag, but unfortunately I haven’t found it here in Uralsk yet. But Uralsk definitely has a fine variety of goods.
5.Banyas: As I described in a previous post, I don’t know why Americans haven’t picked up on the whole banya trend. It is a fantastic, and relaxing way to spend a day with friends and you feel so refreshed when done. Maybe I will open a Banya when I come home…
6.Public Transportation!! (on a bad day this could very well go on the things I hate about K-stan too) BUT for the most part since I live in the center of town I can go anywhere I want to (almost) by bus-or marshutka small mini-van type vehicles- for 20 tenge (about 15 cents). And again, because I live in the center of town if I miss one bus to work, another is no more than 5 minutes away…its truly great to live in a culture that does not rely on cars…
7.Chai (tea) is an essential part of Kazakh culture. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner…no matter how hot it is Chai is drank at every meal. And at work. Usually every morning about 10 am the women in my office “chai it up” which is basically a big gossip break where we drink chai, eat chocolate, and gossip…well, I haven’t quite evolved to the gossip (spletnee in Russian) level of language yet, but I can understand most of it…
8. Fashion: lets just say colorful. Patterns, lace, sequins, Black with navy, socks with sandals, poorly executed English phrases on shirts (my personal favorite is the “bad ass lover” skirts that are popular among girls ages 4-8 here…hmm) Don’t need to have a fashion sense here cuz really anything goes. Including see through shirts, and skirts that make daisy dukes look like church attire…lets just say I have seen the bras of 80% of my co-workers, who again I’d say average age 45.
9.Goolating: (which means walking in russian) but it is the number one way to meet members of the opposite sex. Every night if you are between the ages of 13-25 chances are you are dressed in your finest attire and goolating around the streets of Kazakhstan. And if you are a man, chances are you have a beer in your hand because beer is not considered alcohol here, and it is perfectly acceptable to walk down the street with an open Baltica 9 (which I believe is 11% alcohol…)
10.Packets: So despite the mismatching patterns, people like to dress UP here. Very high heels, makeup, and everything needs to be ironed—even jeans. But despite dressing to the 9’s instead of briefcases most people carry around packets everywhere. A packet is a colorful plastic bag that can be bought at the bazaar for about 10 cents, but people value packets here like there’s no tomorrow. Don’t be caught throwing one away! So I love this tradition because on my peace corps budget I am able to afford a stylish “briefcase/packet”.
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Story Source: Personal Web Site
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Kazakstan; Blogs - Kazakstan
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