It's The Culture

To prove that I'm not only focused on work and business these days I've decided to write about some of the things that the average American might find strange or hard to deal with. This isn't meant to be a complaint but rather a reminder of how much Americans take for granted!

1. Hot water is a luxury - I don't know about the big cities but in Ecik hot water definitely isn't easy to come by. We only have it for a few days each week where I live and whether I'm attending a language class in Microregion 3 or a business class in the city center I always find myself washing with cold water. Very refreshing in the summer I'm sure but when it's below freezing outside it's not fun!

2. Learn to hover over toilets - The times when I have to use an outhouse or a bar toilet are the times when I'm glad that I'm a guy; some of them make the one in Trainspotting look like a model of cleanliness. BYOTP (Bring Your Own Toilet Paper) is a rule you will learn to follow after a few days and during the times when you do have to sit you learn to develop some way to hover over the toilet as you really, really DON'T want to actually sit down in one of these establishments - trust me. Finding some way to not breathe through your nose will make using the toilet a more pleasant experience.

3. Carrots and potatoes are your favorite foods - The sooner you can convince yourself of this the better as you'll be eating a LOT of both in Kazakhstan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I'm getting used to eating them all the time after a month but I like to change things around every once in a while by eating something spicy like a salad sold by one of the Korean ladies in the bazaar.

4. Get used to being stared at - This was one of the harder things to get used to. No matter how I dress or where I'm going people are somehow able to discern that I'm an American and stare at me as if I just stepped off a spaceship. It used to make me feel uncomfortable at first but now I just take it in stride. Many of the kids will take a chance to practice their English by saying "Hello" or "How are you" and several times this has led into a more interesting conversation. People are naturally curious so it's to be expected that they'd be wondering why an American would come to Ecik or any other town or city in Kazakhstan.

5. Russian is spoken loudly - The first time this happened at my host family I thought that all hell was going to break loose but it seems to be natural for them to raise their voices and to talk loudly at each other. Even when they really seem to be angry with each other the conflict is usually resolved quickly. I'm sure that I'll find out over the next two years whether all Russians speak the same way or whether it only happens with my family.

6. Animals are everywhere in Ecik - From the stray dogs that run across my path to the flock of sheep that I have to dodge on my way to language class in the morning there's never a shortage of animals here. If I stand in my family's yard I can hear chickens, geese, sheep, dogs and possibly a few other animals. Horses on the street aren't uncommon sights here and I'm sure that there plenty of things that I haven't seen yet.

7. Expect the unexpected - It's a cliche but it's also a reality of life here. From the taxi driver who invited me to a local cafe for a few shots of Schnaps last week to an impromptu chat at the bazaar with one of the vendors there are always plenty of opportunities to experience something new that just might change the way you perceive people and their culture. Even though some days may not go as well as planned it's important to keep an open mind and to stay positive - you might be depriving yourself of a great experience otherwise!

Comments

[Bristlebane]

It's sort of interesting that there are Korean ladies in a small-town bazaar in Kazakhstan. So you can get authentic korean food there?

Funny post by the way =)

Actually there's a fairly big Korean population in Kazakhstan; Stalin deported them here from all over the Soviet Union in the 1930's and they've been a part of the ethnic makeup of Kazakhstan ever since. The food that the Korean ladies sell in the bazaar is authentic - mostly spicy salads with carrots, mushrooms and noodles although some of the larger bazaars may have a bigger selection.
The Peace Corps medical officer warned us about buying food if we don't know how it was prepared but sometimes you just have to take a chance - just hope that you don't pay the price later!