As you may have guessed from the category this post is in, all these blogs are connected with Kazakhstan. I’ll try to remember to write a post soon re-capping all the blogs I already follow with interest, for any new visitors to this site.
Keep It Simple, But Try To Make It Swing – A Peace Core Volunteer (PCV), only around a few more months, but worth reading back through the older posts.
Even Goes To Kazakhstan – Studying at KIMEP university in Almaty. Norwegian, so not all posts in English.
ABCyrillic – Love the name, this is another PCV, who I believe has just started their time in this country. I especially related to her stray puppy story, though mine was a kitten, back when we first moved to Astana. Where are you Charlie? I hope you survived the winter after apparently running away.
hmm, thats it apprently. I had thought there were another couple of blogs I’d also found via twitter, but is there were, they’re now hiding.
September 16th, 2009 7:02 pm
Loving the ABCryllic one. I (morbidly) maybe love reading of the culture shock of my fellow Americano’s upon coming here. And loved all the complaints about it being cold…its September I’m still in a t-shirt, just wait ;o)
September 16th, 2009 8:11 pm
True, though come winter I think it would //feel// a lot colder in some of the villages, even if both they and Astana are in -40 Centigrade at the same time. Maybe tall buildings give me a warm and cosy feeling inside ???
Also know what you mean re. t-shirts, the locals here are already often found in shirt, jumper & thickish autumn coat, whereas I’m getting a bit hot walking around in a t-shirt.
September 16th, 2009 8:20 pm
Well in ALL honesty I am a cold lover and just laugh at people (even Kazakhs) bitching about the cold. I was born and raised in one of the coldest villages in Southern Germany. And its funny seemingly year after year I hate the summer more and more and love winter’s cold snowy windy embrace. Alas perhaps I am just a winter weirdo.
September 16th, 2009 9:01 pm
Well that makes at least two weirdos in this country right now then.
When it gets cold – add another layer. Another thin t-shirt, or a jumper, or a thicker coat.
When it gets too hot (above 30 is my comfort limit TBH) – there isn’t much you can do after stripping off your t-shirt and wearing shorts. You can’t even do that in most of the respectable places here 🙂
That said, there is one thing I really dislike about the winters in Astana – the ice on the pavements, and the idiots who choose marble-like entrance floors. Falling on my arse is embarrassing solo, but I’m a bit worried about this year when we’re carrying Anna around.