Working Christmas Day...

The holiday season is in full swing here in Northern Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan’s Independence Day (December 16^th), New Year’s, and Russian Christmas (January 7^th) energize the solemn winter with numerous social activities.  I’ve been enjoying social occasions with the locals.  Conversations are becoming longer as my Russian gets better.  Just the other day, I had about an hour long conversation with Vladimir, the school's night watchman, about his present views on Kazakhstan and his outlook on its future.  Many breaks and pauses in the conversation but we were able to communicate 'seriously' for some time.  This social solidarity goes far in cheering one up in the sometimes depressing climate.        

 Here, December 25^th is a work day and I indeed worked.  Teaching Christmas themed lessons cheered me up and put smiles on the student’s faces.  Students giggled their ‘Merry Christmas’ s and I even got some gifts :).  Overall, it’s been memorable. It was great for after teaching, I watched and helped some fellow teachers and students build snow figures.  It is a New Year’s tradition to construct snow figures outside the school.  I had to stop after forty minutes for my hands were painfully cold and the locals laughed.  Here in Lesnoye, New Year’s Day is when you give and receive presents and is taken much more festively than the Orthodox Christmas.  Yes, I feel nostalgia thinking about the lighted palms in downtown San Jose or when I imagine swimming in my brother’s and sister-in-law’s heated swimming pool in San Diego.  Nonetheless, loving life over here! Merry Christmas! 

December in Kazakhstan...

Many simple pleasant goods in America cannot be found in a Kazakhstani village store. So when four packages arrived from my parents in California, I was enthused. Now, there are numerous spices, strong coffee for daily espressos, Oreos, and Bvlari cologne sitting in my room. Oh, how I cherish these things so much :) Thanks Ma and Pa.

December 16th is Kazakhstan's Independence Day so there were a few celebrations in the village. It also marked the first mini snowstorm I 'endured.' I walked about 1.5 miles in this ministorm to the gym. Angry weather! Kids have been staying home lately because the school issued a new mandate: if it's -32C outside, you stay home. Teachers still have to make their appearances at school despite the cold. Only a serious storm will keep this tropical spirit indoors. Lucky for me, I purchased a shapka (that Big Russian fur cap you always see) and wool insulated dress shoes in Kokshetau. They cost a bundle but boy, if you wear these apparels indoors, you are sweating within two minutes.

White Christmas...

Winter has begun and it feels like it.  It’s so cold that when you spit, the spit almost immediately turns to ice when it hits the snow.  Still, it is bearable.  There are days when it is all cloudy out and it’s a warm -15C.  Then, there are days when it is sunny out and it’s an awakening -25C.      

 A month in Lesnoye and lots of worthwhile memories within this short time.  Teaching English to high schoolers and middle schoolers is energizing and adjusting to the village life is a present pleasant challenge.  Blessed to have a great host family whose completely different lifestyle continues to fascinate and teach me.  Arlitoli (the dad) is a hunter and Aliona (the mom) keeps the pigs and chickens in the back shed well fed.  Shoveling snow keeps one in shape.  The only meat I’ve dined on thus far in the home is freshly hunted deer.  In a few days, there will be boar meat for that was the recent prey.  Slowly, integration takes place.  I now go to the village clubhouse and exercise at the gym or play some ping pong in the evenings with the locals.  More and more conversation takes place as familiarity grows and my Russian improves.  Many of the locals know me by name and I try my best to remember the numerous Sashas, Natalias, Nadias, Sergeis, and Vladimirs.  Nevertheless, I know I am the foreigner and will have to strive in all sorts of directions to successfully integrate.           

A Village

With the end of fall approaching, dawn comes around 8:30 and dusk sets in around 6pm. With not a single traffic light and only three streetlights by the school, Lesnoye is pitch black once the day ends. It is a village with three main roads: one that leads to the village center, one that crawls up a foothill and leads to more vast forests and a river, and the final one onward to the steppes and two other local villages. Snow arrived on November 10th and it has not left. The village is more beautiful in the snow and the air is so fresh. A 15 minute morning walk is a quality cup of coffee. Being my first experience living in the snow, I love it even though it takes me about ten minutes to put on and re-check the new armored wardrobe.

As for the volunteer assignment, I taught my first English class to 10th graders recently. I will be working alongside three English teachers and teaching 5th to 10th grades. Being a village, each grade only has about 15 or so students. School begins at 9 and ends at 2:50 with no lunch break. Students from three smaller neighboring villages bus to school every morning. Lesnoye (with its 850 denizens) is the biggest village within its county. It’s been about two weeks and I am beginning to remember the lengthy Russian/Kazakh names of students and fellow teachers.

Moving on...

Halloween passed by and we have been officially sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers. That means all of us have travelled to our sites by bus or train. Bidding farewell to Ecik was not easy. I loved the town and will miss many locals and some fellow volunteers. Many sweet memories from Ecik will accompany me to Northern Kazakhstan. The late evenings at Café Bilora with its lively Turkish dance music, salty shashleek with local beers, and just plain conversations with locals shall bring on a smile.

The twenty seven hour train ride went by smoothly and comfortably. As the train chugs alongside the uniformly brown and gray Kazakhstani steppe, we rested in our cozy cabins. Once the train halted in Kokshetau, I knew I had left the familiar South. Russian faces outnumber Kazakh faces, Birch and Pine forests with gentle rolling hills, and the straight cutting cold. Though only a few days in the North, I can already tell that people spend more time indoors here than in the South.

Lesnoye is a clean village set against a river, Birch forests, and amidst small hills. Being relatively isolated, cell phone reception is very hard to come by. I have to go to the local town of Balkashan (12 km away) to enjoy the luxuries of the cell phone, internet, and cafe. The school has no running water now but will have it next summer when it is remodeled by Japanese aid. Rounds have been made within the school and I am eager to get aboard as an English teacher. Being the first American almost all Lesnoye citizens have met, I am greeted either solemnly but more often enthusiastically. The host family I chose to live with is Russian, made up of 4 people, and most importantly warm and helpful. It is November and locals say the snow is right around the corner and that it shall stay till April. O, this wondrous experience.

To the Future...

Seven weeks in Ecik have passed and now all us volunteers know, in name, where we’ll spend our next two years of service. We swear in as official Peace Corps volunteers on Halloween and then we board our trains to commence our bold journeys.

Where am I going? The destination caught me by surprise to say the least. Having never lived in snow before for more than a couple resort days, I requested the South in hopes of enduring a less severe winter. I didn’t get the South.

Lesnoye will be my home after a 26 hour train ride on Halloween. It is a pioneer site which means I will be the first Peace Corps volunteer to serve there! Invigorating! Lesnoye is a village of 2,000 people in North Central Kazakhstan. It’s one of the most northern sites where Peace Corps serves. Lesnoye is situated in a very scenic area of Kazakhstan where many tourists visit during the summer. Rolling hills and numerous lakes sprinkle the area. The village has one school and is ethnically made up 50/50 of Russians and Kazakhs. By bus, the nearest town is twenty minutes away and the central city of Kokshetau is 90 minutes away. There are eight other volunteers within hours so isolation isn’t a blatant concern. The more I ponder the placement, the more I embrace the idea of such significant change. Initially, I was stunned. How is a tropical California young man going to fare in the legendary Russian winter? As I reflected more on the placement, I became encouraged by all the possible ways to grow and give back. Very cold winters await me (-5 to -30 C) and so do very beautiful summers. Going to keep my head up and my body warm.

A Sunday...

Sunday, September 27th, marks my first service in a Russian Orthodox Church. The service lasted about two and a half hours in the golden clad church. Three volunteers (Erica, Charlie, and Janelle) and I decided to attend the service after being politely welcomed by Vladimir, one of the church seniors.

Being part of a Russian Orthodox is a serious affair. Many chants of Lord have mercy follow respective blessings or scripture readings from the priest. Heads down in respect as the numerous offering candles flicker during the service. All women wear head scarves and throughout the service, individuals came up to kiss a holy book in glass casing. The congregation members and leaders greeted us Americans with warmth and openness.
The Patriarchs knew beforehand that us Americans were planning to attend and they came prepared. The priest seated us near the altar. As the Russian babushkas (grandmas) meandered in, an altar boy gave us a handout with the whole service translated into English. Convenient, huh. Erica and I still got lost in translation about ten minutes into the service. The priest though (God bless him) read the Gospel in English because of our presence. About an hour into the service, Lana (an author called in by the priest) translated the sermon for us in bits and pieces. Ironically, Lana claims herself to be a ‘faithful spirit’ with no attachments to any Christian denomination and we found this out during holy communion. After the service ended, we met with the Patriarchs and they briefly explained the Orthodox philosophy and checked to see if we were not missionaries. They stopped once they saw we were not going to convert but they still invited us to lunch with them. Over Russian cabbage soup, cream rice and delicious Georgian wine, we conversed for over an hour. Right now, we are all invited to attend every Sunday and to celebrate the church’s 111th birthday on October 14th. Another eventful weekend day in mysterious Kazakhstan.

Changes....

Teaching at Terrishscova School got off to an unpredictable start. Instead of teaching ten kids solo, I co-taught twenty six 7th graders with a fellow volunteer, Charlie. We had to improvise and it all flowed well. Kazakhstani middle schoolers are relatively controlled when compared with their American peers. Charlie and I had to encourage them to converse rather than prevent them from erupting into mayhem.

Ecik can be fun despite its smallness. It can be explosive though. The same night I went out for some fun with the host daughter, son-in-law, and their friends, a local shot some rubber bullets at some volunteers at another café. Thankfully, it was not fatal and none of the volunteers were hurt too seriously to have to be sent to foreign doctors. This jolted me a bit and is a reminder of the precarious situation us Kaz-21 volunteers can be in due to our present inexperience.

Homesickness sets in. That’s why the past hopeful days with teaching, hiking, and domestic time goes far in keeping me afloat in an emotional sea. I am eager to continue classroom teaching and find out where Peace Corps will place me for the legendary Kazakhstani winter.

Sol Food...

Pics from the Ecik's group first visit to the Big Apple, Almaty.

There are not many spices in Kazakhstan so sol (salt) is the condiment of choice. Hence, sol food.

Teaching is about to begin and I'm psyched. Been out of the classroom for about three months and am excited to learn and laugh as a teacher again. Presently, I shall co-teach 6th and 7th graders at Terraschova school. The students love practicing their English hellos and goodbyes as we volunteers walk down the maroon halls. Six of my students who I've known for two days already know where I live. As I showed them a few pictures, all of them preferred to check out Singapore over California. It might be the palms and beaches.

Much love to those in the States, Vietnam, and Singapore.

Settling in...

Pics: Kazakhstan's Constitution Day (August 30th)

Kazakhstan is beginning to settle into me. It’s not a holiday or a semester abroad. I’ll be here for the next few years and Kazakhstan sure is different from California and Singapore. I love tropical weather. Sweating in my Hawaiin shirts brings me a sort of pleasure. Now, they will be replaced by windbreakers and thermal underwear. It’s summer and as I look at the snowy Alta Shun Mountains on my daily morning walks to class, I sense the unpredictability of my nearby reality.

My host family’s son-in-law (Alidin) invited me to watch his team’s soccer game at a nearby village. Soccer is a man’s affair here in Kazakhstan. There was only one woman at the local game and I am quite sure I was the only out of towner. Though I spoke to Alidin on the way over to the village, few words were shared once he took off sprinting onto the field. It was somewhat awkward as the locals chatted it up and I kept my lips sealed. My limited Russian did not go far. So, to fit in, I just stood by the locals as the game begun. Day by day, Ecik becomes less foreign to me.

Home Life...

What’s the food like in Kazakhstan? Meat (lamb, beef), tomatoes, potatoes, and cucumbers make up the daily diet. At every meal in my Kazakh home, bread and jam appear besides sweets on the table whether it be breakfast or dinner. Few spices are used besides salt and pepper. The food has satisfied me so far and the ten daily cups of chai make it all the better. No vodka yet. Just sampled horse sausage and horse milk. Yummy! I brought out the Chinese Chilli and Zapar loved it. He now spreads it on his bread and into his meal.

The nights with the host family are filled with both silent stretches and hyper conversation. I plant myself in the kitchen and we begin conversing to the best of our abilities and moods. As the days amount, we share more time together. The only time I'm alone is when I am in the shower or going to bed. At nights, Mat (mom) helps me with my homework and afterwards, I watch American movies with Ameriki. Cowboy Bebop and Slumdog Millionaire entertained us and I only find myself in bed around midnight. Up at six and ready for eight solid hours of Russian. It's trudna (difficult) and worthwhile.

Najeda (Hope)

Finally here in Kazakhstan! Settling in with the host family and fellow volunteers has just been exciting and interesting. Everyday brims with new challenges and discoveries. It’s been some time since I’ve blogged because internet isn’t easy to come by in Kazakhstan.

Presently, I live in Ecik(Yezik), a town of about 30,000 people. Lucky for me, I have running water so that means I get a shower and toilet. No squatting needed yet. My host family has welcomed me warmly and generously. They are Kazakhs and have lived in Ecik for 23 years now. A host father (Atiet), mother (Mat), sister (Sistra), and brother (Brat) make the transition into Kazakhstani life smoother. I call my host parents Mama and Papa so life on the domestic front is good. Their names are Zapar (dad), Lula (Mom), Ameriki (Sister), and Deedar (Son). Though I have only been in Ecik a few days, I have done much. The family took me to Ecik Ozera (Yezik Lake) Sunday and I went swimming in an unheated pool (Grr!) with my host brother and sister that same evening. Walked around the town’s bazaar and ridden in several taxis. Anybody who owns their own car can be a taxi. You wave your hand and a car will pick you up, pay 50 tenge (33 cents), and go anywhere you want within town.

So, everything on the home front is in Russian or Kazakh and thus my head is pushed to its limits everyday. To better assimilate into the family, I plant myself in the kitchen and just begin conversing. It’s been working for I have shared hour long conversations with Mat and Sistra. Rather than ramble on, here are some pictures. Paka (Goodbye)!

The journey commences...

A foot has not stepped on the Kazakhstani steppes yet but the Peace Corps journey commenced today. I have flown into Washington DC for staging. Goodbyes uttered to friends, family, acquaintances, loved ones the past couple of weeks. Now, I shall meet new people who will share the Peace Corps journey in Kazakhstan with me. In about four days, we will arrive in Kazakhstan in which I begin my service in a Kazakhstani village. Hooray!

Preparing...

Kazakhstan's packing list is quite lengthy due to the cold. Born in tropical Singapore into a family where my mother's side comes from humid South China and father's side comes from hot South India, I know the Kazakhstani cold will be a definite climate change for me. Still, I am looking forward to it and realizing it takes a great deal of time and patience to shop for the cold. Kazakhstan, here Kaz-21 comes!!!

Peace Corps Invitation Timeline

Waiting for an invitation is fairly lengthy process. Here's my invitation timeline:

September 2008: Attended Peace Corps general information meetings

October 2008: Submitted my online application (took about one week to complete)

November 6th, 2008: Interviewed at Oakland PC office by recruiter

November 10th, 2008: Nominated by recruiter who did interview

November 13th, 2008: Recieved loads of paperwork (Medical, Dental, Legal)

December 20th, 2008: Mailed all my paperwork to Washington DC (Very busy at
dental and medical offices during these times)

March 7th, 2009: Medically and legally cleared by PC (Yes, they are meticulous about the
paperwork, so be detailed before sending it in to Washington DC)

March 9th, 2009: Received invitation packet to serve as an educator in Kazakhstan
(I had to request the Placement Officer to look over my file asap because
of my then present teaching job. He was nice enough to do it. Normally, an
invitation can take up to two months to be offered after being medically and
legally cleared)

March 11th, 2009: Accepted invitation to Kazakhstan

July 10th, 2009: Received dental clearance from PC

August 18th, 2009: Depart for service to Kazakhstan

New Beginnings

This blog is for anyone intrigued by other cultures, especially the Kazakh culture. This August, I begin Peace Corps service in Kazakhstan. Teaching English and learning the Kazakh/Russian culture will be the forte.

Pic: In Vietnam with my uncle and two of his friends. Great times!