Have you ever wanted to own a cape? To walk dramatically through a hallway with a long, flowing piece of fabric flying behind you? But you’ve been left wondering: Is this really…
Astana la vista, baby! A look at the capital of Kazakhstan
Behold the capital of Kazakhstan! This is Astana; a city as flat as can be, fierce winds blowing across the steppe and the wide, orderly roads. Wherever you look is a new…
Where Did All the Water Go?: The Aral Sea
We are in Qazaqstan for ten weeks, and we spent ten days of those ten weeks driving around Uzbekistan! On this blog there are many posts about our time in Uzbekistan from…
The Qazaq Environment: A Delicate Balance Between Conservation and Progress
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,…
A Night at the Ballet: Contemporary Art in Almaty
On May 13th, I went with the majority of the group to see the Carmen Suite at the Almaty Theater. We had all seen the ballet Giselle in Astana, snowy northern capital…
Where Did the Water Go?: Reflections From the Uzbekistan Desert
One of the sights in Uzbekistan that I will never forget is a gas station on a small hill. I took so many photographs of towns and the desert from the window…
I Fell in Love with Jamilya
Reviewing Jamilya, by Chingiz Aitmatov, is like reviewing The Brothers Karamazov. I’m 22 and I’ve written about three reviews since high school, and I am tasked with giving my thoughts on a…
The Street with the Broken Signs
I have never been shot at. Our tour guide has, though. She’s a little older than I am, a former student of my professor, with beautifully dyed hair, wearing an intricately patterned,…
Learning about love through Jamila
Do you remember being 16? Do you remember all of the opportunities, growing pains, and uncertainties that came with the transition into adulthood? While every adult has navigated the challenges of their…
“Testimonies about Tea” Review: Spilling the Tea
What is your relationship to tea? Do you have specific memories associated with it? Why do you drink tea? Or don’t drink tea? The Hayward Gallery commissioned Anuar Duisenbinov (*note), a Qazaq…
