Today, we took one last stroll through the neighborhood, visited a beautiful gallery, trekked to a well-renowned artist’s shop, and explored a supermarket. Suffice it to say, on this last day, we helped contribute to Kazakhstan’s economy. We also stopped in at the US Consul’s Space Maker for a Q & A with a US diplomat. The discussion lasted much longer than expected. The diplomat was very generous with his time, addressed many complex and challenging questions, and was forthright about representing the US. We closed the evening with a time of reflection, acknowledging how our group members made this travel program so fun for each other and highlighted key themes from the two weeks. It is now 2:20 am, and we are packing up for the airport. We cannot believe that this adventure in Almaty has ended, but the memories, the lessons, the conversations, the discoveries, and the pushing of our comfort zones have certainly made this travel program a truly transformative experience. We thank
At the AIS and Tien Shan Schools, we were fortunate enough to experience a melting pot of diverse cultures that had previously been inaccessible to us. Coming from a traditional private school environment, we often see an assortment of different racial backgrounds, but rarely do we come face to face with a diverse array of nationalities. On our first day, we visited American International School (AIS), where we experienced a “day in the life” with a typical international student. Highlights for us included visiting a yurt classroom, playing capture the flag in PE, meeting with the student leadership team, and engaging in some interactive games with the students (including Dance Revolution). While we were struck with the robust academic curriculum that was taught, as it was similar to that of Poly, we were especially impressed by the various activities and extracurriculars that were consistent with many of our own personal experiences halfway across the globe. Yesterday, on our second