Almost every day I waltz up a few flights of stairs to my neighbor’s apartment. I’m there a lot- they invite me over, we drink tea, eat Besbarmak or watch Turkish soap operas dubbed in Kazakh. For my part I bring strange new foods, ideas and topics to tea. I figure it’s a fair trade. They’re essentially my host family except that I can go home when it’s all over, lock the door and eat really, really spicy food. It’s a pretty good deal.
There’s a father, who I call ‘Shoo-ak A-guy’ (Teacher Shooak), Taxi driver and car part salesman. He’s a big man, especially by Kazakh standards, he’s over 6 feet tall and he has the big booming voice. Unlike the majority of Kazakh men I know he’s soft and gentle despite his size and voice, and he’s really a very funny man. He is the only man I’ve ever seen affectionately kiss his wife in this country.
Then there’s the stay-at-home mother, ‘Eye-so-loo Ap-kay’ (Big sister Aysolu). All Kazakh women are size -2 until they have children and then they turn into these amorphous shapes, women that seem to be one size all over. Life is harder here, so 30 looks like 45, and 45 looks like 60. I don’t know how old she is, and she’d tell me if I’d ask, but American manners are too ingrained in me and it’d feel weird to ask.
Then come the kids. The oldest boy, tall and lean is soft spoken and kind. His name is ‘Shun-a-bek,’ he is studying to be an electrician at the local college and he is someone I would honestly let my sister date (and in this culture that is saying something).
Then there’s ‘Ma-ral.’ She’s also studying in college to become something to do with painting, but I don’t really understand what. She’s very fashionable, wears way too much make-up and is quite pretty. She’s also really funny.
Third is ‘Now-rez.’ Nauryez is usually a boy’s name, but in this case she’s a girl, studying in the 8th form. She reminds me of my youngest sister Kate: she’s a little bit rough-and-tumble, a lot of fun, and very funny.
Lastly there’s a boy, his name is ‘Ahs-ul-zhan.’ He is everything that a embodies a typical Kazakh boy: snotty, smart-assed, leading three girls on at once and expect me to do his homework. In a word: annoying, but somehow at times sweet.
I’m really greatful for these neighbors, they make my life in Zhanatas a little more sane and a little more comfortable.
