Four months in and it feels like cruising altitude

I have been here long enough that the intimidation factor has been mitigated somewhat. Yet it's interesting to me that I have such a narrow tolerance for help. I went to a Samsung store this am as my phone is on the critical list and was grateful that there was an English speaker there. That was the good news. The rest is as could be predicted...it seems I need a new phone. Oh well another adventure.

And yet when I'm treated like a celebrity as I have been at times I find it rather un-settling, dis-orienting perhaps. I am grateful for the help with translating and the hosting to be sure. But after that I get a touch, what, overwhelmed by all the attention. I'd like to be treated like an ordinary member of a faculty.

Many "Fulbrighters" relate how it took them three to four months to find some economy in their daily activities, valued familiarity, and routine. I feel I have become acquainted with Almaty such that I can look past the day to day challenges and concentrate on teaching. There are new and novel happenings on a daily basis to be sure, but the frequency and amplitude of them seems to be widening and decreasing.

And I find myself already missing Kazakhstan and her people. While I wouldn't pick Almaty to live as it is very crowded and concentrated, not my gig, Kazakhstan is a beautiful country, something like the US from the Rockies to the Appalachians. The rural areas aren't more rural nor is the weather more challenging than the plains of Kansas north to the Canadian border. And while they say how the weather is tough in the winter, it is comparable to the border states of the north plains. Still when it is -40C (=-40F), it is face biting cold. It really makes one appreciate the genius of the felt lined warmth of a yurt.

The people here stay close to tradition with their guests; sharing meals and  gift giving. I always feel a little awkward as it seems it is I who benefit the most from my visits for teaching; so many novel stories, experiences, and medical challenges. The traffic is a nightmare here in Almaty with speeding and honking due to a huge influx of cars on narrow roads, a situation that has only been present since the early '00s. Still the Kazakhs remain a kind and light hearted people. Lots of laughter, although less so here in Almaty. They are justifiably proud of their country and find themselves in that awkward adolescence wherein they aren't sure what they want to be when they grow up. All seem to just want to be different than where they find themselves now. That conversation is often followed by how they long for a chance to go to or return to the US. I tell them that I am safer here than at home (no guns and a culture that is more inclusive) and that we tend to generalize across cultural lines such that if you speak Russian you are immedicately suspect. Also look at us, we are morbidly obese and unless you get your hands aroung the KFC's, Hardee's, and Burger Kings and attendant fast food your life is going to be very differrent in the next generation.The next 10 yrs will be key of course as the administration here will be assumed by those that weren't heavily influenced by "Soviet times".

It is important to this culture to have their photo taken at any venue or with anyone who crosses their peripheral field of vision so I have had my ugly crooked mug photographed more times in the last four months than in the last 40 years, truly. Groups, single individuals, faculty, parties, selfies, all of it. Sometimes it seems that I am the only one smiling. Getting a candid picture of a group of people is difficult as it is customary to ham it up and look directly at the camera.

I have dined many times on the favorite and traditional foods of Kazakhstan. Meals traditionally begin with a large variety of "salad" but more, and more complex, varieties than you can get from the standard western salad bar. It includes horse meat and fat packed inside small intestine and boiled then served cold. Many root vegetable dishes with shredded cabbage. The honored guest is seated at the head of the table facing the door of the room, or yurt, and then served bishbarmac; a delectable dish of slowed cooked (by boiling) horse meat and onions on flat pasta with savory sauces. This is served with kumys, fermented mare's milk. It is a little like sour cream with a 3.5% alcohol kick. It is loaded with probiotics and is the go to "good for what ails you" remedy and URI prophylactic here. It seems that all food here is high in fat, I arrived with a very favorable cholesterol and while I eat much less volume it is higher in calories. Like so many cultures the food dates back to the pastoral era, not that far back in the case of Kazakhstan, when the next meal wasn't assured and sitting to dine with ones neighbors was good for filling ones belly and for mutual security. All the traditional foods are high in calories..

Finally I have some photos of the winter celebration and miscellaneous others. Happy New Year!

Intestine packed with meat and fat, then boiled and served cold.
I've had this a bunch and it is really tasty

Root vegetables and shredded cabbage. Good stuff

All the meat is handled with bare hands like ours was a generation ago

This will give you a sense of scale. All are adults are average height

Consulting in a rural clinic. The physician is Pakistani.

The infamous Actovgene, them most prescribed med in  KZ. It
is supposed to improve metabolism, Not one shred of credible evidence.

"Hey, its -30C outside. And I still have another layer to go!"

 

A new bird house in Panfilov Park.  It reminded          New Year celebration, in Russian so I don't completely get the 

me of my father who used to go all over the                  costumes. Doesn't matter. They're were having a great time.

west Bay Area putting up blue bird houses.

The cup at the bottom is the bottom of a drink bottle with seed in it.        

 A video of the one class cut up, in her element. She is smarter than she lets on....

This gentleman fought in WWII and presented in his best for a consultation. He is 89 and when told that I thought he had earned the right to do whatever he damn well pleased including eating more of anything, he cried. I told him it would be a privilege to take his picture and the whole class stood out of respect

This is soot from the stack pictured below. It is from a coal burning heating plant. It is about 500m away and up wind! There are 9 stacks by my count but that is only a few of the many according to what I am told.

 Old Semey, note the  mud packing and the tight joinery