A smile's worth

Written August 22, 2009.

My first night here in Kazakstan I find myself with just enough Russian knowledge to make real conversation virtually impossible. Fortunately, with the help of a smile, with both are able to speak the international language of human emotion. I am amazed everytime I am forced to grasp the global nature of a smile. A smile transcends all cultures. And a smile's expressive capability becomes infginte in the presence of someone who does not speak your language. It allows me to articulate my feelings and interpret my "mai mama's." I could fill a book with all the things I wish I could say to her. I have my smile to suggest whaty words I might use to fill that book with. Her smile, laughter and subsequent head shaking at the awkward, complicated, yet fantastic situation we find ourselves in tells me she has a lot to share as well. I return her smile as her newly expressed sentiment of reception means appraciation is added to my endless list of emotions. Four hours ago, before I walked into her house, I had reached my peak of nervousness. In the ensuing four hours, I met her son(16) and her baby who is the cutest one-year-old in the entire country. I ate a Traditional Kazakh meal, a carrot and rice mixture topped with some mystery meat's spinal cord. Yes, Kazaks suck the meat off their spinal cord drumsticks instead of our conventional leg drumstick. The meat was quite tender; so while I was a bit shocked I give them credit for their creativity. Next, I went on a walk with my host brother and his friend. I experience my first win in Kazakh basketball and walked by the soccer stadium that I will likely experience my first loss in Kazakh soccer. I walked through a zoo with caged eagles and falcons. And I beat my host brother in a pull up contest. On the way home we say a Russian tank turned monument that the two boys explained was a "war hero." (I happen to disagree with that description and must admit there are times those term words seem a bit oxymoronic to me, but I'll have more on that later.) All of this took place with the highest peak in the Tian Shan MOuntains as a picturesque backdrop. It was stunning in just about every way imaginable. It's safe to say my nervousness has subsided and my gratitude, motivation, excitement, and joy have all been amplified.

The travel was as expected: long and arduous, but so far worth it. Being with the other colunteers certainly helped the time go by. It is fascinating to observe our similarities and differences. Everyone her has different backgrounds, different abilities, different curiostities, but the same hopes and desires. The jet lag has started to wear off and fortunately I never really felt it too bad. I haven't felt sick or anything close to it, I have just noticed an ability to fall asleep instantly at any time of the day, sleep for as long as I wish and still fall asleep at bedtime. That's new and I suspect the 36 hours of traveling across 10 time zones has something to do with it.

Finally, the time in D.C. was somewhat brutal. We had an informative and helpful meeting that lasted eight long hours. I may have enjoted it had I not been functioning on a total of 1.5 airplane obtained hours of sleep. It was a formality and we got through it. It should be noted that the Peace Corps staff did a great job regardless of my mental state. The next morning prior to the flight, I got a run in which took me through Georgetown, along the Potomac and around the Kennedy Center. That alone made the pit-stop to our Nation's capital worht it.