New Year’s in a little Kazakhstani village can be exciting. They take New Year’s seriously here and a lot lead up to 2010. First, there was the Yolka on December 29th. This is where students dress up and put on plays. It began at 10 in the morning and ended with dancing at 10 in the night. The Yolka is an informal, traditional, and colorful event where the audience gets involved with dancing and singing (led by the students) to traditional Russian holiday songs. I tried my best with the dancing.
Next, there was New Year’s Eve. My host mother, Aliona, was in the kitchen all day preparing over 10 dishes which included a goose, smoked fish, and a variety of complex salads. We began dinner at 10 and celebrated the beginning of 2010 in the home. Afterwards, there was dancing till 4am in the community center and we made our way over. Many people showed up. Fireworks and lots of energy.
New Year’s Day is just as energetic as New Year’s Eve. Friends and family started coming over at 10 in the morning for food and drink. The socializing only ended at 5 in the morning. So, lots of dancing and laughter like the night before. I have had enough meat the night before so I gobbled down almost a whole pineapple. Tropical fruits are hard to come by here. The warmth inside the homes is a great compromise for that bitter cold outside.
Orthodox masses begin at 11 pm Christmas Eve and continues till 5am Christmas day. I didn't go to mass but I visited the small church in Balkashana with Rashid, a fellow teacher. Rashid gave me the history of the church and how it had to be rebuilt after the Communists initially tore it down 70 years ago. To say the least, it's a different culture over here and many people had to struggle to communally practice their religion. On the lighter side, plenty of colorful snow figures decorate the town center. 
