A young child is standing in a dim and cramped train car. His grandfather is reciting a prayer in Hebrew, while the young boy, Sashka, is trying to hand him water. As…
Speaking Out Against Injustices: Feminist and LGBTQ+ Activism Group Feminita
Activism is a large part of American culture; it is the people’s way of showing the government that they don’t agree with something they’re doing, or people want to bring attention to…
Towers, Empires, and Historical Tourism: Our Trip to Uzbekistan
If you’re an army looking to get through Central Asia, and don’t feel like crossing a mountain range or two, where do you go? Through Uzbekistan. It falls at the end of…
An Interview with a Poet
As twilight was drawing to a close, I sat on the floor of the living room with a poet, a professor and eleven students. The poet talked in the gathering dark. His…
Nine Days That Shook Kazakhstan
When I first heard the news about political unrest in Kazakhstan in early January of 2022, I didn’t give it much attention. After all, I had no expectation that I would end…
Goooooooaaaaallllllll!!!!!!: Soccer in Almaty
Зелёное поле Поём о футболе, О редкостном поле Мечтает фанат, Когда атакует, когда атакует, когда атакует команда Кайрат! Когда атакует, когда атакует, когда атакует команда Кайрат! A green field We sing about…
Tea Testimonies of Carleton Nomads
A few weeks ago, we were assigned to read Anuar Duisenbinov’s Testimonies about Tea. It’s a stunning collection of memories and stories about tea, which Duisenbinov sewed together into a quilt that…
Uncovering the Beauty of Kazakhstan
As an avid traveler, I get immense joy from exploring the wonders of our world. It’s not just about admiring shiny buildings; it’s about the valuable lessons I learn from every corner…
Stories and Memories: Three Poems from Kazakhstan
When I’m alone at 5pm on a Wednesday or have a thought that I can’t get out of my head, I write a poem. Most of them never get finished, because the…
The Satisfaction of Simple Things: A Review of the NOMAD Ethnocenter
I think I’m bad at writing these reviews, because if I liked something I did, I tend to forget the bad parts. Considering this, you might be suspicious of the following review,…