Day 60: Kazakh Fitness is a Walk in the Park

Today was a mid-week national holiday, Constitution Day, and we enjoyed the feeling of playing hooky between work days. I had hoped for a large-scale military parade, but the march was called off this year to economize. In its absence, we filled our day with work at home, shopping, cooking, and cake baking, but we took some time out in the afternoon to join Kazakhs in one of their favorite pastimes, strolling in the park. We stumbled across newly installed fitness apparatus at the edge of the central park, a park that is teaming with kids, parents, and young people on the weekends and holidays. Passersby were there trying their hand at pumping iron mid-walk. The equipment is super sturdy and bolted into concrete. We decided to pause and get in a few reps before meandering home. Now, that's a fun public health initiative I can get into!

Day 59: Winds of Change

Today as I cycled to work, I could see the glimmer of yellow undertones in the trees lining the river and the park. Last weekend, we had cooler temperatures and had to bring out our sweaters to stave off the chill. Yes, it seems that fall is upon us here in northern Kazakhstan. The temperature variance is still big. Waking temperatures in the morning this week were around 9-11 degrees Celsius (48-52 Fahrenheit). It's a departure from the scorching summer temperatures just a few weeks ago, but I think that the slight cool tail on the breeze is a welcome change. Fall reminds me of the start of a fresh school year and new beginnings. Many more veteran internationals in Kazakhstan keep forewarning (a bit sinister, I must say) that winter is coming, and of course it is.

The Waking

Theodore Roethke

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.

I learn by going where I have to go.

We think by feeling. What is there to know?

I hear my being dance from ear to ear.

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Of those so close beside me, which are you?

God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,

And learn by going where I have to go.

Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?

The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Great Nature has another thing to do

To you and me, so take the lively air,

And, lovely, learn by going where to go.

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.

What falls away is always. And is near.

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

I learn by going where I have to go.

As for me, I can't wait for the colored leaves and settling in of the season. I take my waking slow...

Day 58: Nothing of General Interest

Some days are just routine, and this was one of them. It is a good sign. A sign that life is beginning to settle and take on a bit of normalcy. Work is good. Life is good. God is good. We must be in exactly the place where we are intended to be. Even if there is nothing of general interest today, I can say that it feels good to be routine for a day or two.

Day 57: Differences in Time

Today's battles seem to have all been won in the last hours of overlapping work hours. The ten hour difference with the West Coast of the United States--and twelve hour difference with Wyoming--is brutal. Coordinating overlap for work or with family is tricky at best. The jet lag is over but I still haven't figured out the communication lapse. It is both a good and a bad feeling to know that the world is working while the you sleep and you are working while the world sleeps. I guess it is always balanced that way, but I've never had the feeling of being quite as remote as we are out here in Northern Kazakhstan.

Day 56: When the Melons Bite Back

No mango here. Just saying that we can relate here in Central Asia.

From the New York Times:

WELL: When the Mango Bites Back

Despite decades of immunological research and a recent surge of interest in the bacterial garden of the human gut, diarrhea remains the most unpredictable travel-related illness.

Day 55: Sumptuous

The weather cooled down today (highs in the 60s) and I started to prepare for winter...

Day 54: Trying to Keep it Clean

I grew up with a washing machine that had three or four settings - hot, warm, and cold - and a dial with cycles such as delicate, cotton, and permanent press. I've finagled washing machines that were boxes that turned water before I had to hand carry laundry to a separate spinning device. I've refashioned my tub into a washing machine. I've done laundry in Europe with strange symbols, temperature displays (so much more complicated than the simple hot/cold distinction), and three hour cycles. In my Kazakh apartment, I am spoiled. I have a new newfangled "Candy" washing machine that has more options than I care to understand. Today, I tried with the manual (in five languages and as thick as a phone book) and managed to get into an argument with the machine. After spinning and sputtering, I put a stop to it, flooding the floor of my bathroom. I guess we know who won that argument! 

Day 53: The Trailing Spouse

Today, I played the part and attended a reception of faculty at Uli's new place of employment at Nazarbayev University. I felt prouder than a peacock to see him strutting around campus (amid the fantastic indoor palm trees and state-of-the-art architecture). Take a look for yourself.

Day 52: Google Translate Failed Violent will be set a penalty

Posted in the elevator of a friend's building in Astana:

Day 51: Запрещён

Forbidden. Denied access. Today was not a good day for cyclists in Astana. On my ride to work, I was stopped by a pedestrian policemen who wanted to know why I was cycling on the street. I explained that the  path under the bridge running parallel to the street was disrupted by construction. (In Russian, the conversation went more like "The Street. Broken. I can't go over. I go to park.") He repeated that cyclists cannot ride on the street and I countered by pointing at the path and the huge crane and pipes sticking out from the path next to where he stopped me. He insisted and then with a smile and some good humor let me continue across the street to the park where it is okay to ride bicycle.

My husband rode his bicycle to work today to be told that bicycles could no longer enter the parking lot with cars. The parking attendant told him that it was forbidden to go "пешком" or by foot into the parking lot. My husband dutifully replied that he was actually going "на велосипеде" or by bicycle (not by foot). He was released but given a warning about his two-wheeled ways.

Who knew that "verboten" (forbidden in German) would also be a popular phrase in Kazakhstan?

Day 50: Bounty

Today we enjoyed the most wonderful vegetables and fruits of the season. I visited the market on Sunday and brought home peaches, plums, raspberries, strawberries, herbs, corn on the cob, and peppers. We were guests at a home with a decadent garden on Sunday evening and came home with a gallon of fresh garden tomatoes.

Seasonal feast of plenty this evening -- corn on the cob, potato salad, fresh tomatoes... finished by ice cream with strawberries on top.

Day 49: Шуба Шопинг

That is shuba shopping for the uninitiated. Don't judge me immediately and keep in mind that I do live in one of the world's harshest climates. Today, I went to the market to look at fur coats. Ooooh! They are soft and beautiful and warm (and, even in the off season, good ones are pricey). I haven't yet decided if I can really lay down the requisite cash to hang one in my closet. Friends and colleagues all swear that there is nothing warmer. I'm told that every woman in Kazakhstan has one to keep warm in the cold months.

After trying on a few styles in four or five shops, I did find one lovely black "норка" that caught my eye. A mink swing coat with an internal cinch rather than a belt (kind of an A line) with sumptuous hood that tucks up under the chin. If I succumb, pictures are soon forthcoming. For now, the coat is still under consideration. Any thoughts?

Day 48: Of Pyramids, New Friends, and Pesky Mosquitoes

This evening, we met up for another city bike tour. As one new friend aptly put it, "Astana is likeable when it is bikeable." Never mind the obvious question about how often a city located on the Central Asian Steppe might be bikeable.

We took a great route past the river and near the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation (the Pyramid). We laughed together as some of us rode through fountains and we discovered some new cool spots for hanging out in the capital. And we escaped (although not unscathed) just as the mosquitoes began to conquer the evening.

Day 47: Parade of Champions

Today, streets were closed to welcome all of the medal winners back to Kazakhstan after the Olympics. Thirteen medals in total - 7 gold, 1 silver, and 5 bronze. The ceremony and greeting was tremendous - Kazakhstanis are proud of their country and their medal count this Olympics, as they should be!

 Check it out in the following links:

•   Video of the parade through town
• President Nazarbayev awarding medals to winners (photo gallery)
• Story from the Chicago Tribune

Kazakhstan Honors its Olympic Athletes

Day 44: North Dakota, Nebraska Cowboy, University Students, and Beef

From TengriNews: An American cowboy spurs some classroom laughter

Day 42-43: Steppe-ing Out

We got out of town for a fantastic weekend out on the Steppe at a ranch. Located about 4.5 hours south of us on the main highway + 10-20 kilometers off road, the location is remote. The host trains eagles and falcons for hunting, and he regaled us with stories, pictures, and hospitality. The landscape was breathtaking in its enormity and lonely, windswept character. We were fed by the company and adventure (and the host who stuffed us with all kinds of food). I am convinced that I need to do more steppe-ing out and getting off of the grid here in Kazakhstan.

Day 41: Bike to Work

My biggest pleasure is my new route to work. After gaining courage to ride around town from the bike tour last weekend, I decided to commute by bike to work today. I have worked out a path that takes me through parks and along the river, almost without passing another person on my way. My bike is happy to be back on the road in its home in its third country of residence, and I am a radiant biker who can be spied with an enormous grin on my face and the cool breeze ruffling my hair as I head to and from work. These are moments to relish in the moments before winter makes biking a less pleasant form of transportation.

Join me for a glimpse of my peaceful evening ride:

Day 40: Birthday among Angels

A good friend recently arrived here in Astana and celebrated his birthday  together with us in the central part of the city. We had a delightful dinner of shashlik in an outdoor cafe and then decided to stroll homeward along the river. Passing a flock of angels primping their wings in one of the gazebos, he mentioned that it would be nice to take a photo with such pretty girls. Picking up on the idea, I approached the group to ask for a photo. As it turned out, we walked straight into a hen or bachelorette party! The women were delighted to pose for a photo and made my friend's birthday memory even sweeter.

As a cultural note, I have to add that it is amazing to me how approachable and open that Kazakhs are in general. Whenever I stop to ask a question or engage someone on the street, they seem delighted to share. The friendliness does not seem to be centered on dealing with foreigners. In fact, I get the sense that most Astana residents are nonplussed with having internationals in their mix. Rather, it seems that people are genuinely nice. It feels good to be a new resident of this city.

Day 39: Overnight Wonder

The crazy thing about living in such a new capital is that new buildings erupt overnight. Astana's bird, it is joked, is the crane -- the kind that hovers over the city dangling above cavernous projects rather than the delicate, long-legged sort found in wetlands.

Every building here tells a story. This one with the giant pottery on top is reportedly a marriage hall (notice that it has the English inscription "Music Hall"). It was barely here when we arrived and now looks to be waiting for only final touches.

If the city evolves at this rate, there is no telling what we might see during our two years!

Day 38: "Forget MIT, Go to North Dakota!"

This was a fun piece of advice I overheard today from a colleague who was encouraging students to think more broadly when applying for college in the US. She's right, North Dakota does have a lot to offer. After all, my dad's side of the family comes from there...

Just made me chuckle and thought it was a gem to share. 

"You oughtta go ta North Dakota... See the cattle and the sheep and the folks that can't be beat... You say hello ta North Dakota!"

Day 37: Check out the Shades

Lamp shades, that is. Interior design in Astana is extremely modern and sometimes ornate, but my favorite feature of the homes and business places I visit are the lamp shades. Check out a few from our home and a shopping trip earlier!

Day 36: Bicycling Astana

Today we gathered with a gaggle of brave bikers (remember my post about Traffic Laws?) to explore the city . We whizzed through traffic to get closer to some big sights:

• Two really decent bike stores and repair shops
• The big indoor/outdoor local market, Артём
• Local crafts shop 
• A cafe decorated with KGB memorabilia (sorry, no photos, but it was great)
• An American-style coffee shop with a lending library
• The path along the river - paved and perfect for biking

My bike was excited to be back on the road... Me, too!

Day 35: Customer Experience

Today, we were good consumers and had a shopping experience at Metro, the big box German chain that is akin to Costco in the US. On our agenda of items was a patio set for our balcony, but we were there to peruse the shelves and pick up some other odds and ends for our home. As we walked in the door, we saw a huge "Reklama" or advertisement for a table grill.

Feeling inspired, we went to the shelf of grills and took a look. (I have to mention that the "онлайн клубъ" or online club was not part of the in-store advertising scheme). A thirty dollar table grill to use on our new patio set seemed like a grand idea. We scooped up a grill and went to buy some things for a proper grill party.

After waiting in line, purchasing our loot, and exiting the store, I stopped to read through the receipt. Oh, no! We were charged 8,000 Tenge (or $50) for the grill. I took a deep breath, braced myself for another communicative test of language skills, prepared myself to not get my money back, and marched back into the store with receipt and boxed table grill in hand.

The two women who helped us return the item and credit the amount to our credit card were polite and easy to communicate with. There were no questions about getting our money back, but they did take away the grill. I explained that I was at the store today to buy the grill and I wanted it. The two ladies held onto the grill and repeated that I would get my money back in 7-8 days as a credit on the card.

Remarkable was that the customer service was great. At some point, the women we were working with found someone to explain to us that we needed to sign up online for the item in order to buy it in one or two weeks. Insistent and incredulous, we headed back inside thinking that we could find the grill again and insist on the correct price.

I located a young man shelving in the house section of the store and took him to the set of grills with me. He scanned it and the item came up once again with the higher price. He shrugged his shoulders and explained that he was tired of discrepancies in prices from morning to evening. We would have to come back another day - until the item is corrected in the system, no one can buy it for the indicated price on the shelf.

A bit disappointed, we got back in the car and drove away thinking that the store defeated us. Only today did I find the advertisement and this special online club (yes, I've joined!). 

And what did our adventure in consumption teach us? Perhaps only that fools like us really didn't need a grill for our patio anyway.

Day 34: The Rhythm Gets You

Tonight we hit the nightclub scene at Jimmy's and we found the Cuban rhythms of salsa well alive in Astana. The salsa scene seems to be somewhat new here, but there is a local group that revolves through different clubs and venues around town "somewhere close to Friday" each week.

We have yet to figure out how to best understand where they meet - word of mouth seems to be the most popular way to disseminate information here. (Although one guy we met at the beginning of the evening told us that we should get on the list of events from the American embassy... that's where he gets his info!)

The evening was fun with a great selection of salsa music and a group of people not there so much to show off but to have a good time. That's just the rhythm and spirit I can get into.

Day 33: Игроки (Gamers)

После напряженного рабочего дня... (After a busy work day...)

We attended a game evening called "Я хочу знать всё" (I want to know it all). A well-prepared game of trivia, we answered questions about Kazakhstan, famous people, nature, fruits and vegetables, and various other topics. I was impressed pedagogically with the way the games were prepared and shared with us - it was a fun way to learn and practice. Russian is so widely used here in Astana; it is good to get as much gentle practice as possible so that we are ready to tackle conversations in any situation. After all, you never know when you might need to know a random fact to enhance your small talk.

My favorite question: What do you call the @ sign in Kazakh?
Answer: The ear of the moon

Day 32: Make New Friends

"Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold." 

I learned this simple song when I was a Brownie in Girl Scouts about a bajillion years ago, but it does capture well our evening today. Two old friends from the US visited our home for a few days on their summer travels in Central Asia and we hosted a farewell party that, in a typical life abroad way, also turned into a welcome party. Through our old friends and friends of friends of friends of friends, we ended up making new connections with several Kazakhs and hosted them together for an evening of stories, food, and laughter. I felt good to have a warm circle around us in our new home, and I cannot wait util we meet again - whether it be in the streets of Astana or somewhere else in the world. As it was a mid-week gathering, we joked that the best time to meet again would be sometime closer to Friday. Indeed, I hope it is so.