HuaShen's health, headphones, and horses

Next week’s computer lesson at Samal: how to type without pounding each letter on the keyboard. I have been graced with a new presence in my office, the volunteer’s room, because well, it’s been a couple months and it’s time to move everyone around again. I’ve been assured it isn’t permanent, but these days, I’m living with my headphones on and my hair is matted.

I started the German course, though I’m a bit embarrassed because many of the people in that class are very serious about learning whereas I’m there more for the verbal practice so that I don’t forget more than I already have. But the teacher is very qualified and speaks very well and that makes me happy. Language teachers can be hit or miss (sadly, more often miss) in this country, so it’s refreshing to study with someone who knows the language very well.

As I’ve been here, I’ve gotten more heavily into dance, house, and trance music. I’ve always thought it would be really cool to be a DJ, so I started thinking of cool DJ names if I ever became one. DJ Swede! It’s catchy and it encapsulates culture. But guess what, DJ Swede already exists. Bummer…

Victoria, my home owner is returning on April 6th and so I will be moving very shortly. It isn’t the plan I exactly had in mind, but life doesn’t always (in K-stan, rarely) go according to plan. Thankfully, I found a place in the same apartment building, just one entrance down. It’s very convenient for the move. But I’ve had to stay with Maher, a fellow volunteer, for about a week as the apartment was still occupied until last night.

We had a nice visit at Samal today by a company called “Hua Shen.” Feel free to look them up on the website http://www.huashen.net/ to find out about their great health products! Rhubarb tea for $30! What a steal! What kind of teas do they have for healing sepsis or spinal cord damage? Prematurely born child? I imagine they have a tea/ oil/ ointment that will double the size of your baby with 30 applications in 4 months. Wow! A baby that doubles in size in 4 months! Almost seems like what nature intended…

Another thing I get a kick out of is when people who are approximately 70+ pounds overweight start giving me health advice. Obviously, I, the tall, slender boy who hasn’t been seriously sick in many years, need advice about what foods I should eat and why nice, Springtime weather will make me sick because I don’t have enough vitamins in my system. Forget all of the canned and frozen vegetables I prepared last autumn, forget the multi-vitamins I take throughout winters, and forget that I wash my hands at least three times more than locals – if I have the window cracked open, even though the heaters are still going and it’s 55 or 60 outside, I will catch the flu. Did you know that the flu just floats in nice weather? It does in Kazakhstan.

This post is a bit dated, I apologize for that. Next post will include pictures of my new apartment :-)


In Astana


March weather in Astana allows for ice-fishing.


Nina trying onion rings at TGI Fridays in Astana.

Some new volunteers meeting our young adults group.

This isn't my photo, but Brian, a Kaz20 education volunteer in my oblast, went to Nauryz this year and got some nice shots.

Kiz kuz - the game where the guy tries to kiss the girl one way and on the way back the girl gets to whip him.

What's more manly than wrestling bare-chested? Do it on a horse.

Back to Pavlodar, the cameraman at the soccer game had a beer. He was the laughing stock for a while, especially after he accidentally spilled it.

Some other volunteers getting to know our young adults group.