Conde’ Nast

Conde’ Nast recently came out with an article about travel in Central Asia.  It includes an article about travel in Kazakhstan.  Here is a sample of the writing, which is quite interesting:

It should hardly be a surprise, then, that the ‘Stans surface in the news mostly in relation to hydrocarbons and geopolitics, leaving their fascinating cultural and scenic attributes largely ignored. But this is starting to change. The ‘Stans are home to 58 million people of predominantly Turkic and Slavic ancestry who, for the first time since Marco Polo passed through seven centuries ago, are finding their place in today’s world. In the capitals, international chains are opening hotels, and in smaller cities visitors will find more and more small hotels, apartments renovated to European standards, and homestays, even in yurts—the round, portable abodes that resemble the wigwams of North America. In the ‘Stans, the buck still has some bang.

England vs. Kazakhstan

This past week, I was sent an unsolicited email from a former student, Andrew, (a die-hard Liverpool fan), and he tells me:

England(home) v Kazakhstan this Saturday night.

Kick-off: 10:15pm Eastern Kazakhstan time

Be prepared to see some dissapointed faces,
Andrew

Then a colleague sends me this article from The Mail by David Thomas.  Although I have no vested interest in the match, I have a hope that Kazakhstan will win.

Professional Development

This past weekend (Friday and Saturday), we had a professional development opportunity with teachers visiting Atyrau from Aktau, Astana, and Almaty.  We learned about a variety of topics, from the QSI method of grading, to teaching Intensive English to our students, to leveling books.  It was a good chance, particularly for the new teachers, to network and learn more about what is happening in QSI/Kazakhstan.

On Saturday afternoon, we went as a group to a Kazakh restaurant.  The restaurant serves primarily traditional fare.  It is a bit ironic that in one of our professional development sessions that highlighted teaching Intensive English, we were asked to create lists of food that we like, and food that we don’t like.  My list of food that I don’t like consisted of two items – onions and insects.  But I can officially say that after my meal at the Kazakh restaurant, I doubled my list of foods I dislike.  First, let me add fermented camel milk.  Frankly, it tastes like fizzy vomit.  I drank it, but oh man, it just didn’t suit me at all.  Second, there is an after dinner candy that is also made from milk (mare’s milk I believe) that is just as bad.  It too tastes like vomit, only in a solid form.

Having said that, the rest of the food was really good, and distinct from food I have had elsewhere. My comments here are in no way meant to be a negative reflection of a culture that I find to have overwhelmingly positive qualities.

After the food was over, we ran into a bunch of local people who had just attended a wedding in a wedding hall upstairs.  As the teacher group posed for a picture in the front of a hotel, one of the wedding patrons was standing right in the middle of our picture.  I am not sure he even realized it.  I tried to make a joke of it.  Anne, one of our teachers, took this picture.  I have no idea who this man is, but the two groups had a great time for a couple of minutes after that.  Quite fun.

Kazakhstan in the News

There is a fascinating story about Kazakhstan, Chevron, Russia and oil in Business Week.  It helps put the war in Georgia in perspective.  Here is an excerpt of the article that sets the stage for what follows:

Yet getting the oil out of the landlocked country has always been a tricky affair: Russia has blocked, stalled, and restricted the flow of Tengiz oil through its territory since the first day Chevron took over the field. Teaming up with the Kazakhs, Chevron has resorted to shipping some of its oil across the Caspian Sea to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and then via pipeline and railroad to Georgia’s Black Sea coast in an effort to avoid Russia. These days, Chevron does ship most of its oil through Russia, but for safety’s sake it hopes to build a long, new pipeline across Georgia and export more through that route.

Here is a good map showing export possibilities.

This lengthy article is well worth the read.  The ramifications of what happens here will undoubtedly have a dramatic effect on the rest of the world.