Qazaqstan is caught between rapid development and preservation in more than just the culture war. Though those on the political left have vehemently advocated cultural progress — to leave behind the patriarchal,…
Author: Orion
Soviet Artistic Romanticism: Coming of Age on a Kyrgyz Journey
What is the connection between art and love? Is it just through romantic era paintings and nude modeling, or can art pluck the love string deep inside the heart? Chingiz Aitmatov, known…
Selective Tourism: It’s Hard to Break the Trend
Whether scrolling through Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, or whatever social media platform that occupies your very limited free time, you’re bound to see ads featuring happy couples or ardent hikers telling you to…
From Samovars to Electric Kettles: How Tea can Change a Nation
Tea is the most polarizing drink around the world. This drink, best served hot, that some consider “dirty water,” is powerful in ways only seen before in Earth’s greatest empires. Tea has…
Who is Uzbekistan? The Conflict Between Profits and Heritage
Just as labyrinthine and seemingly convoluted as the old cities themselves scattered throughout the desert of Uzbekistan, are the priorities of the Uzbek government when it comes to cultural preservation and the…
Language, Art, and Literature in Almaty: Catching Up with Modernity
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but they never ask if everyone can read those words. In Almaty, the answer is not clear. This is a city in transition….
Dancing through Morality: Giselle and her Underworld Experience
The ballet excursion started with a bit of prancing and dancing of our own. Rushing from a slow dinner with even slower service (delicious food though!), we sprinted through tearing wind, across…
Transitioning from Kazakh to Qazaq
Just a few months ago, when I first heard that the Kazakh government had decided to revamp their language, specifically, to latinize their alphabet, I was immediately brought back to the early…
Cathedral Museum Monument (Katya and Orion)
Ascension Cathedral The presence of the pigeons was quite apparent as we approached the cathedral on Friday afternoon. They meandered around the square in front of the cathedral as if they themselves…
