Lost in Translation

As I'm certain anyone who has traveled abroad (or maybe just to southern Texas) can attest to, ordinary, every day phrases and words are often those that are mangled the worse.

When a few of Kyle's co-workers spotted me playing with the dogs, they asked Kyle why I kept throwing the "plate." I heard labs and sheep dogs everywhere sigh in frustration that their beloved frisbee was not popular in KZ.

After joining the "best gym for Westerners," it was required that I pass a health assessment. The doctor (no more than a regular employee in a white lab coat) spoke little English and my Russian had/has a long way to go, so we conversed using a computer program where he would type in Russian and the English translation would pop up. I was instructed to eat a diet of carbs. Check. Fruits and vegetables. Check. And plenty of squirrel. What the heck! After my uncontrollable laughter subsided, I knew that the doctor meant protein. Come to find out, the Russian word for squirrel is only 1 letter different from protein.

Almaty has a large population of stray dogs. Many of the dogs live at residences such as apartment complexes or businesses and they are communally looked after. They sleep outside, rummage through the trash and drink out of puddles. They are a pretty sad bunch but seem to be no worse for the wear. Such is the case with "Scrappy," the dog that lives at our temporary apartment. He's scruffy and adorable and could definitely handle himself in a doggy rumble. When he's not asleep in the garden, Scrappy dutifully follows the guards around the complex. He also moonlights as spider-man, some 20 feet up. Someone forgot to tell Scrappy that he is not a cat. Definitely lost in translation.

Almaty Green Market

One of our first truly Kazak adventures was to the Green Market. A 30 minute walk took us right into the heart of a big bargain shop/flea market/vegetable garden/meat market. For a better description than I could ever provide, I borrow from the book "Apples are from Kazakhstan" by Christopher Robbins:

"Spurned by the grand and the upwardly mobile as too chilly in winter and somewhat flyblown in summer, the Green Market trends mostly to attract the city's bargain-conscious residents. It struck me as everything a Central Asian market should be. Stall upon stall of dried fruit create a riot of color set off against billowing linen sheets strung over them to protect the produce from the sun. There are scores of vegetable stands, butchers and wet fish stalls, while in narrow alleys alongside, hundreds of small, open-fronted shops sell shoes, saws, bags of nails, electrical equipment and just about everything else. There are noodle stands and dark corner restaurants and a multitude of horse butchers. The fresh fruit is displayed like jewelry, each piece polished and carefully placed, while spring onions are stylishly trussed in their own stems, and green beans tied neatly in bundles."

The author fails to mention the elegantly displayed boiled goat's head, which is a local delicacy, or the rush of chatter as each vendor hollers out, "debuska! debuska!" - "Lady! Lady!" as they try to get the wives to buy their goods. It's all such a rush of sound, sight and smell and could be overwhelming if it wasn't such a fantastic moment to take in.

Arrival to Almaty

Just a few words as to why I'm starting to this blog: I am in the trenches of a big adventure and it has been tough to wrap my head around the idea that Asia - Kazakhstan - Almaty are my new reality. The majority of things are completely different from the great US of A, but finding the smallest of similarities is what makes me feel part of a bigger plan, part of the human race and helps me to see outside of a well-manicured planned community, a la The Woodlands, Highlands Ranch. I hope to share anecdotes from this crazy thing called life and I hope that they bring a little perspective to your reality.

I start at the beginning:

The biggest ordeal of getting into Kazakhstan was conversing with the Russian-only speaking man at customs about bringing 2 dogs into the country. We had done our homework before leaving the states and had all appropriate paper work with us (including a stamped document from the USDA office in OKC). It was recommended but not required that our documents be translated into Russian. In retrospect, wise advice. It took my very patient husband more than an hour (after more than 29 hours of travel) to convince the customs official that we should be let through. And then trying to get 6 suitcases and 2 very large dog crates physically out of the airport was interesting and ridiculous, which reminded me of.....

I used to be waiting for my luggage (2 suitcases max) at the Houston or Denver airports and would watch the Indian (not Native American) families collect piece after piece of luggage off of the carousel. I could not fathom why anyone would need so much stuff. And now I know.....when all of your stuff is being shipped via semi-truck, then boat, then train half way across the world, you are left with quite a few things that you are unwilling to part with for 4 months. So now I pity those families of 6 who are trying unsuccessfully to stack 15 suitcases and then find a vehicle large enough to transport them. I feel your pain!

We are currently living in a temporary apartment, right next door to Kyle's office. Once our furnishing, clothes and basically all of our house hold goods arrive mid-August, we will be moving to a townhouse a little further away. But in the meantime, the dogs have become accustomed to riding the elevator 5-6 times per day. We take ambling walks around the city, trying to select those streets with as few vehicles as possible = less exhaust fumes and fewer ear-buzzing car horns.

The city, Almaty, is quite beautiful this time of year. Tree-lined streets, warm, but not humid temperatures, outdoor cafes, all add to the "ambiance". I read online that "Almaty could be mistaken for western Europe," well, in this girl's opinion, not quite, but it has a flare all of its own and I have found it enjoyable and even delightful.