via kzblog i found a list of hilary dowdy's favorite cultural tid-bits in kazakhstan. hilary is a peace corps volunteer, currently in karaganda, so her experience is probably a little different than our kazakhstan year. i only really recognized about half of the tid-bits she mentions. but of those that i did recognize, her observations are spot-on, particularly:
inconvenience (#2)
nothing is what it seems (#6)
billboards (#7) (i mentioned my billboard obsession here)
national dish (#8)
say "hi" (#11)
packets (#13)
straws (#14)
star babies (#15)
superstitions (#16) (though i can't say i heard most of the ones on hilary's list)
ringtones (#17)
dangerous playground equipment (#20)
public music (#21)
outages (#22)
bad english (#26) (she mentions barf! previously: 1, 2, 3)
schedules (#27)
slow internet (#28)
lines (#29)
making change (#31) (related)
menu issues (#39)
stray animals (#40) (pooches!)
tea and cognac (#42) (see, also)
tardiness (#43)
no voicemail (#46) (as i mentioned)
spitting (#49)
some of these things are not just particular to kazakhstan; i've encountered versions of them in other parts of the developing world. but the "nothing is what it seems" thing is pure kazakhstan.
inconvenience (#2)
nothing is what it seems (#6)
billboards (#7) (i mentioned my billboard obsession here)
national dish (#8)
say "hi" (#11)
packets (#13)
straws (#14)
star babies (#15)
superstitions (#16) (though i can't say i heard most of the ones on hilary's list)
ringtones (#17)
dangerous playground equipment (#20)
public music (#21)
outages (#22)
bad english (#26) (she mentions barf! previously: 1, 2, 3)
schedules (#27)
slow internet (#28)
lines (#29)
making change (#31) (related)
menu issues (#39)
stray animals (#40) (pooches!)
tea and cognac (#42) (see, also)
tardiness (#43)
no voicemail (#46) (as i mentioned)
spitting (#49)
some of these things are not just particular to kazakhstan; i've encountered versions of them in other parts of the developing world. but the "nothing is what it seems" thing is pure kazakhstan.
