#erlp

[dollnightfall]

What a guy!

[acstudyabroad]

Who's ready for #fall? Throwback to last year's #ERLP students relaxing after the Apple Festival in #Almaty #Kazakhstan #acstudyabroad #tbt (Photo credit Tayler D. Fall 2014)

[acstudyabroad]

#tbt Haghartsin Monastery near Dilijan, Armenia. Photo by Amy S. (Fall 2012) #acstudyabroad #erlp #armenia

[acstudyabroad]

Spending the Summer in Almaty

After 19 hours in the sky between three different airplanes, I was finally coasting above Almaty, Kazakhstan.  Flying over the city on the other side of the Earth, I felt like I was about to land on entirely different planet.  The city’s lights gave off a soft, amber glow, and I was fixated on the window view as the flight attendants were announcing our arrival.  Even in the black of night, the famous Kazakhstan Hotel (circled) could be seen. It was at one point the tallest building in all of Central Asia.

 Having already spent three weeks Almaty, not a single day has gone by, on which I haven’t experienced something intriguing, puzzling, or simply beautiful.  At first glance, one might say that Almaty is just one more relic of the Soviet Union, where street names are in an ever-transient state, and buildings almost 100 years apart stand side by side.  Nestled in the foothills of the Tian Shan Mountains, Almaty is, in fact, a delightfully energizing city.  Central Asia is at the crossroads of East Asia, Russia, Europe, and the Middle East, and Almaty seems to be the very epitome of that mixture. 

One aspect of living here that caught me by surprise on my first day was how people tend to get around Almaty.  Taxis here are not usually yellow or lime green vehicles with insignia on the roofs and meters on the dashboard.  As my friends succinctly put it, “any car can be a taxi.” You stand on the side of the road, hold out your hand, and wait for a car to stop.  It’s as simple as that.  The driver will not say anything and will instead wait for you to tell him or her where you want to go.  For example, “Abai, Dostyk, pyatsot” (Translation: “Take me to the intersection of Abai and Dostyk streets for 500 Tenge, please”).  If the person is willing to take you, he will give a small nod or say “sadis’” (“sit”).  If your route is not worth his time, or your price is too low, he will drive off without saying a word.  One friend endearingly called it “the Kazakhstani Über—no app needed”. 

 Some more interesting tidbits from my first two weeks:

All government and commercial signage are in both Russian and Kazakh, which makes nearly everything around you a Kazakh dictionary and grammar aid if you are familiar with Russian.  Many Kazakhs, however, speak a mix of both languages called “shala-Kazak”, or “part Kazakh”.  Speakers will often put Kazakh grammatical endings on Russian words and even replace some Kazakh words with their Russian counterparts.  For example, a true Kazakh sentence goes something like this: “Men bugun bazarga barmaimin, sebebi sharshadim” (I will not go to the bazaar today because I am tired).  The shala-Kazak version would likely be: “Men *segodnya* bazarga barmaimin, *potomu-chto* men sharshadim”.  For many this is a daily way of speaking, but for beginning Kazakh learners like me, it is often a way to get my entire point across while still using as much Kazakh grammar and vocabulary skills as I can. 

Speaking of government signage, I learned that every building (at least every government-affiliated building and every educational and work building) must display the nation’s three main symbols: the Kazakhstan flag, the Kazakh national hymn, and the national seal.  Many of these displays also contain a portrait or picture of President Nazarbayev.

In other news, I learned that Almaty is in the running to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.  Signs are posted all around the city, with famous Kazakh athletes—including Dennis Ten—who are endorsing the city’s running.  With the Winter Universiade in Almaty and the Energy Expo in Astana—both taking place in 2017—it is already an exciting time for Kazakhstan.  However, I have been thinking about whether the Olympic games, at least, would be a boost or hindrance for Almaty’s development as a city.  Asking my friends and host family this question, I have received more or less the same answer from most people I asked: they said that Almaty is not ready to host the Winter Olympic games because there are other problems that probably deserve more attention in the city, such as roads, safer bike lanes, and pollution reduction. However, I believe that one big advantage of Almaty hosting the Winter Olympics is the worldwide attention that Kazakhstan (and Almaty) will receive.  When I was watching the Winter Olympic opening and closing ceremonies in Sochi, I thought how wonderful it would be for the nation of Kazakhstan to have a similarly brilliant “introduction to the world.”

- Victoria Saadat is studying Kazakh in Almaty, Kazakhstan (summer 2014)

[saying-nothing]

I've really been feeling Ellie Goulding lately.

Ellie Goulding ~gets me~ on a weird level I didn't even really realize I was at.

[acstudyabroad]

You're going where?

Tajikistan? Where’s that? What are you doing there? Why do you want to go there? Is it dangerous? Be careful!

In the weeks leading up to the beginning of the Eurasian Regional Language Program (ERLP), I was frequently asked these questions by just about anyone I mentioned it to. Admittedly, even though I had traveled to the former Soviet Union before, I was unsure of what to expect upon reaching Dushanbe.

After a long series of flights from Washington D.C. to Tajikistan, and a few days of jet lag, I began to take in my surroundings more coherently. Immediately, the incredible friendliness of the Tajik people made a resounding impression on me. My host family was, and still is, amazing to live and spend time with, but I expected something of that nature. I did not necessarily expect to be treated as warmly as I was by shopkeepers or even passerbys. I often felt like I was conversing with an old friend, be it in Uzbek, Russian or a mixture of both, even if I had only interacted with them two or three times. On a number of occasions, I lost track of time because I was enjoying speaking with someone I just met about anything from the weather to what life is like in the United States or Tajikistan.

My advice to anyone who is apprehensive about coming to a place that’s far away and concerned about homesickness or culture-shock is absolutely: do not worry about it. The Tajik people are so warm and welcoming that you’ll most likely wonder what took you so long to decide to come.

Another pleasant surprise for me came on the second Saturday of the trip. Everything in the city was still new, and at times overwhelming, so it was refreshing to hear that we would be heading to a resort-like area north of the city called Varzob. I figured we would probably relax, swim a little bit and then have some lunch. The drive up quickly erased those thoughts from my mind. We were driving through some stunning mountains, and they continued to get better and better.

Once we arrived, a group of us decided that before anything else, we wanted to go hiking up one of the mountains. We picked out a lone tree at the top of a fairly high hill, but nothing that seemed too difficult. While we didn’t pick the most ideal route to get to our destination (there was quite a bit of heavy breathing upon reaching the top), the view that was awaiting us was well worth the effort.

After a few minutes rest and picture taking, we decided that the higher we went, the better the scenery would become. We weren’t wrong. Stopping just below the top of the mountain due to steep rocks and a lack of proper equipment, we had a great view of all kinds of mountains, from snow-capped to forest-topped. The views were breathtaking, just like the climb to the top.

On the car ride back into Dushanbe, I thought to myself that between the sights of Varzob and the open embrace I received from the Tajik people I met, these two months are going to be with me forever.

 - Derek Peterson is studying Persian in Dushanbe, Tajikistan (summer 2013).

Start your journey today.

[acstudyabroad]

"An amazing and unforgettable experience full of wonderful people."

Andrew, Georgia

[acstudyabroad]

My language skills improved dramatically. My teachers and the entire American Councils staff in Moldova were incredible

Scott, Moldova