Pics: My new brother, my new home in Kargala (and view from bedroom window). the train, and my first family in Panfilova.

I took a 41 hour train to Aktobe. The ride was so fun because I met a ton of cool strangers (I finally met a kazakh person who I think “got” me), people shared lots of their food with me, and I got rest. After arriving at the station, 3 co-workers and my school director met up with me and took me immediately to my new school (which is a huge 3-story school). I introduced myself to 15 classrooms and then met my new family. My peers seem really easy to work with. There are like 6 other English teachers who I'll be working with and they're all women in their young 20' s, excited, inquisitive, and pretty cool. I live in a beautiful 2-story brick house. It has an indoor toilet, bath, and washing machine, is only 2 minutes from my school, only 2 minutes to the bus station, and just a 30-minute bus ride to downtown. I live with a married couple (Berik owns three markets at the downtown bazaar and the Gulnar works at home) and their amazing 10 year old son, Adiljan (he wrestles. too). Me and Adiljan have become fast friends. I'm 10 minutes from a library with internet, also. I'm ecstatic to have space from american crowds. I've been thrown to the opposite side of the country and I'm okay with that right now.
The first few days at my school have been fun, though a bit weird because swarms of children will crowd around me (as if I'm Elmo) and shout kazakh and english salutations. I've had to escape the kids that follow me by taking refuge in the teacher's lounge. There's a sensation in the school about having a foreigner, but that sensation will soon fade I'm sure when they realize my Kazakh skills aren't developing and I actually am here to teach and not just play.
I also met the city mayor in his office (he gave me a dictionary with his signature). Kargala has pretty hills, paved streets, though it certainly has its fair share of poverty. Sledding might need to happen in the winter. It's basically Wayne because it's a cute little city where you can walk to all the important places, but take a 25 minute ride if you need some big city action.
Hitchhiking is pretty common in KZ - old grannies and teenagers do it. It's been really fun getting into the cars of strangers when me and friends have missed the last bus of the night, are lazy or lost. It's also funny to shop at the bazaar because bargaining is common and the clerks usually go down like 10-15%, especially if you make them laugh with your rocky Kazakh. (I never thought I'd be a bargaining supporter after selling apartments in Ann Arbor).
I've also appreciated the communality and different views on body image . People bathe in groups and help scrub each other. Strangers change in fitting rooms together and people eat off the same plate, double dip non-stop, and share food insistently. I like how things are a bit more loose.

My last piece of praise is the fact that I finally sat down to watch TV and discovered that our TV has Nickelodeon and CNN in English; this means I'm able to watch iCarly!. To anyone who's worried about my well-being, be comforted, because iCarly is back in my life once again. And all is and will be well.

late october

Pics: My co-teacher during training and our 8th grade class – mostly Russian kids.

I recently saw a talent show at a nearby school and it was great. Multiple acts were simply teenage girls doing unrehearsed, naughty dances to rap music to a crowd of silenced teachers and roaring children. Before the judges voted, they were pursued by the performers with baskets of fruit and fried bread, perhaps to win them over. Among the other sections of the show were a breakdance routine by 10 boys (who did flips off the stage) and a ballroom dance routine by 8 couples to “Only Hope” by Mandy Moore from A Walk to Remember. Magical.

I met one of my co-teachers. She's a lovely woman that's close to my age. We're basically going to be best friends because she loves horror movies and likes to dance. Me and some friends spent the night in Almaty recently and it was a beautiful disaster as usual. We rented an apartment for a night, got the key from an office and walked 20 minutes in the rain to the room. I broke the key in the keyhole (it got stuck), so we had to return to the office where the receptionist luckily gave as another room (which was in a completely different part of town). We walked 20 minutes there and after putting our stuff in the room, I accidentally locked the door without the passcode to the door. So we had to yell for help to second-floor tenants and after 10 minutes of this a stranger finally yelled out the code. I was a complete screw-up. Twice. We went to a restaurant after and a Russian woman said, in English, “Shut Up” because we were excitedly talking. Later a Kazakh businessman sat with us to practice his English. He cracked up when I said a Kazakh word (as many people do) and knew more about American agriculture and demographics than most Americans. He asked if we were protestant missionaries, in which we emphatically told him we're just teachers.

early october

Pic: My new coat...
I finally had my first professional haircut ever in my life. It was $4, slightly choppy, but solid. I do miss the hands of Sheri, however. At English Club last week, me and Sam had a mini dance workshop and choreographed something hideous for 20 kids, based on recycled moves from our teenage performances. The kids had fun, though some of my dance move ideas were rejected for reasons I'm not willing to admit. This past weekend me and a few peers had to sing a Kazakh love lullaby in front of all the teachers for Teacher's Day. It wasn't a complete disaster until everyone chose to follow up the song with an English church hymn. I went to a classical kazakh orchestra recently and it was very cool. There was an opera singer (who secretly picked at her nose on stage), lots of dombra action, and a jaw harp soloist. I find out my permanent site on the 9th! I'm hoping to get to be in the south, near a city, in a Kazakh speaking community, next to a bud or two. I'm logging this in my blog so I can have a good laugh and cry when my placement is the exact opposite.

On Halloween I will be taking a 42 hour train ride to Karagalinsk (I think the Kazakh version is Kargala), my new hometown. It may or may not mean “cow-ish”. It's 40 minutes outside Aktobe, a pretty big city in the northwest of Kazakhstan. I'm 40 hours from my best friend (and many others), in a very cold region (usually 25 below in the winter), in a small village of only 8,000, just 150 kilometers from the Russian border. I'll be teaching elementary and middle schoolers. Everything discussed so far is the the exact opposite of what I expressed interest in. Nonetheless, it could be fun. I'll be meeting my main co-teacher in a week. If she's pretty cool, I'll have some renewed enthusiasm.

After shopping with Sam yesterday (I bought a heavy duty winter coat), I was dehydrated and tired and had to stand for a long time on a super cramped bus. So...I blacked out on the bus. I had glazed eyes and swayed into a woman and couldn't respond when Sam spoke to me. The bus stopped for me and let me clumsily get off without paying (after someone unsuccessfully tried getting a granny to give her seat up for me). After recovering immediately with some fresh air and water, I realized it was actually pretty funny. I'll take better care of myself in the future.

Picture: Sipra and I hiking
Picture: The fabric strips in the tree represent numerous prayers sent out from people.
Picture: Marissa and I hiking

late September

I finally started teaching. It hasn't been a complete disaster and the kids are so adorable. They're pretty excited to learn (or at least learn in a new way). I think I might have fun with this job.

I recently had to send out a letter, but the line was super long. This one excited little student insisted I return to the post office (I thought he knew something I didn't about the system). So he led me back and took me to the front of the line and announced I was American and somehow thought that would be effective. It was so extremely embarrassing and I immediately escaped after I caught onto his plan and heard the grumbling of the crowd. However, the next time I went to the post office a middle-aged worker passed me a strip of paper with “you're eyes are beautiful” written in Kazakh. Who does that?

Two students were excited to talk to me about America, but were most interested in discussing Arnold Schwarzenegger and Van Diesel. It was a short conversation. A few day later some other kids that I've only seen once gave me a red karate belt and a bronze rooster figurine as a gift. I simply don't know why.

Throughout Ramadan here there have been two rituals I've liked: kids going door-to-door one night reciting a super long prayer and receiving lots of candy, fruit, cookies, and even money. The second ritual everyone stayed up all night (they're supposed to pray and read the Quran but I think they ended up watching the TV coverage of it) until 6am the next morning. Halloween could be even better if money was given out and we all stayed up all night.

Picture: hiking in Ecik

Picture: My friend Sam

Pictures: My neighborhood and school

first month...

Things are pretty good. I live in a spacious home on the edge of a decent village with an enjoyable family. My host mom and sister sell fruit at the bazaar. My mom also teaches Chemistry. Her street dog followed us all the way to the bazaar (25 minute walk) and knows its way back alone. It's been fun developing my Kazakh language skills – we laugh a lot from the limitations. I have an amazing view of the mountains from my bedroom and stars are far more visible here. The outdoor toilet (hole) isn't too bad and I'm happy to say that the food is quite varied and surprisingly nutritious here – much is from our garden. I hear cows, roosters, and dogs at night. Truthfully, you all could do this. Living here is probably very similar to living in rural Alabama. I walk 30 minutes to school through a dusty route with a couple peers each morning and usually visit other friends' families, go for a walk, or watch KZ TV in the evening. I take a bucket bath in a steam room once a week, wash my hair every few days, and hang my laundry on a clothesline. I've been asked a few times if I would bring a Kazakh girl home to marry and one man even jokingly asked if I'd take him to marry (if only he knew). Some people think it's really funny to see someone from as far as America, while some could care less. I ate with 30 people recently and was cut a piece of sheep's nose (and pretended to eat it). I also tried fermented horse milk – tasted like a mix of wine, milk, and lime juice (not my flavor). At some dinners, people pull out their dombra guitar and sing beautiful folk songs after eating. There are a few people I'm compatible with and have fun hangin with. For the next couple months I will learn Kazakh language, observe children's English classes, help prepare some lessons, and dream of Cheetos, safe streets, and green curry in the evening. My permanent village will be revealed in early October.