Zhailau Times

I recently returned from a great volunteering gig: a Zhailau camp organized by a great non-profit organization,  Kazakh Aul of the United States. The camp is designed to teach adopted kids from Kazakhstan about their culture (it welcomes everybody). They learn to dance traditional dance, play dombra, make crafts and play traditional games. The staff wo teaches them hails from Kazakhstan and various US states. This year’s team was great, and there were a lot of familiar faces. We composed funny songs and skits, made plov and baursaki, swam in the lake and had a blast. Kazakh Aul rocks J.

Here is a story of how I found the Kazakh Aul – or, more precisely, how the Aul found me.

Back in 2006, I was flying home to Almaty from Philly. I started to chat with a woman sitting next to me (Gwen), and we formed a bond. Gwen was flying to KZ to pick up her adopted son! The bond was strengthened by the fact that our plane was diverted to Astana because of the very thick fog in Almaty. We ended up spending all day there – walked around frozen city (which was still being developed, there were hardly any hotels), had lunch (pelmeni!) and talked with locals. We were joined by 2 more couples from the same flight who were picking up their adopted kids! Anyway, we made the best out of the less than ideal situation. Gwen even took a little nap at our house when we finally arrived because she was exhausted, and didn’t want to sleep at the Soviet-style gostinitsa (hotel). To make a long story short, once we returned to the US, we continued to write to each other. One day Gwen told me about Kazakh Aul, and I became interested in volunteering. I even went through several phone interviews with board members and the Kazakh team coordinator (lovely Gulmira). And right before the camp’s week in 2010, I found a job in Boston, and had to move right as the camp was happening. Years passed… In 2012, during the KZ Independence party in Boston, I met with Gwen and Susan, the Aul’s director (who I spoke on the phone 2 years earlier!). Well, it was time to redeem myself and join the Kazakh camp staff. So, in 2013 I spent a magical week at Geneva Point Center in New Hampshire.

If I want to take a break from Africa next summer, I may be able to return for my 3^rd Zhailau.