Skip to main content

Day 7: Issues around International Business and Borders

Yesterday was yet another unique day- very special and memorable (capped off by a fabulous meal only exceeded by incredible guests who joined us). We started the day with a trek to rural Almaty to visit a joint KZ-US business venture. We met the Kazakhs and American who run a popcorn business here in Central Asia. What was supposed to be a 30-45 minute tour turned into Popcornology 101...2.5 hours later. We saw, heard, felt, held and even tasted the multiple dimensions of popcorn... and how this process is soooo different from raising corn. Quite a science to be exact:-)  From the testing of seed, to developing hybrids, to partnering with farmers, to the delivery process, to drying, sorting (to eliminate rocks, small kernals and dense objects), to packing and transporting the final product, we came to understand the complexities of international business (particularly in this era of sanctions on the country to the north). What a fabulous morning (and afternoon).  

We later met with some people to discuss the challenges of moving across borders. This issue was extremely captivating and moving. 



                                                                village garages
                                                            popcorn warehouse
                                                    Nick, Pierre and Ava in the warehouse
                                                                testing seed and hybrids
                                                           more discussion of seed testing
                                                                            Silo talk
                                                             Rebecca emerging from silo
                                                                Edith  emerging from silo
                                                                        inside the silo
                                                                    ceiling of silo
                                                            a definite first for us: inside a silo
                                                             shipping issues across borders
                                                                computer care of kernals
                                                                    the sorted kernals
                                                    sorting high from poor quality popcorn
                                                        our fresh popcorn...mmmm
                                                       bagged caramel/peanut butter popcorn
                                                a rush to grab bagged caramel/peanut butter popcorn
                                                            the GOLDEN seed 
                                                                        more seed
                                                                        the importance of seed
                                                            hybrids (organic and regular)
                                                                    controlling moisture 

                                                                   Popcornologists

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 2

  Today, we woke up to a majestic sight: every corner of the block was covered with fresh powdery snow, which only magnified our excitement for the day ahead. We started our adventure with a trip to a Kazakh grocery store, called a “Magazine”. There, we were astounded by the variety of snack options that the shop offered. We bought several exotic chip flavors such as lobster, kebab, and cucumber flavored Lays.   Next, we took a 40-minute bus ride to the outskirts of Almaty to visit a village. Once we arrived, we instantly noticed the improved air quality and cozy vibe of the village compared to the city. We took a quick stroll to the house and were immediately greeted by several of the dogs living there. We learned about the international school program and the intriguing backgrounds of the various teachers and planned what games we were going to play with the Kazakh children who were going to visit later. Once the children arrived, we split into three groups by age and pl...
3 comments
Read more

Day 0: We arrived- worth the wait!

Greetings from Almaty on Monday night (we are 14 hours ahead of Pasadena). Well after two days, make that three days (actually 30 straight hours) of traveling, we arrived in Almaty.  Thanks to Turkish Airways and their three plentiful meals and a collection of movies (comparable to bringing our own Red Box), we kept our sanity. We enjoyed a tasty meal in Istanbul:  PIDE (a boat shaped pizza style bread), DONER'S (lamb or chicken sliced over an over roaster) or  LAMACHUN FLAT BREAD ( a thin and crispy bread with a spread of tomatoes and ground meat on top). After arriving at the Almaty airport today, we dropped our gear at the hotel and ventured out into parts of the city of Almaty: the Mega Mall, a pizza lunch, city walks, a trek to the Presidential Park, our first subway rides, and a delicious meal with samsa, milk tea, salad and shashlik (chicken or horse meat on a bed of noodles). At dinner, we were treated to hearing from two men, one a Kazakh and the other an America...
2 comments
Read more

DAY 3 ~ DAY 11

  DAY 3   This morning, I was greeted by Mother Sun extending her warm, golden reach across the bustling city of Almaty and in through the thin veil of the hotel curtain onto my resting face. Awoken, I arose from my bed and engaged in the now-familiar routine of calling my Poly GIP family’s rooms with the hotel telephone to coordinate the consumption of our first satiable feast of the new day – breakfast. Having devoured the nourishment available at the hotel buffet, we departed in search of Bus 95. As we raced to the bus stop, many paused in awe as they finally caught a glimpse of the stunning mountains that envelop Kazakhstan’s largest urban center after many days of foggy, polluted air. Unfortunately, our amazement cost us the convenience of catching the desired bus, leading us to “hop on” Bus 121, our new ticket to the mountains. After a long bus ride, we arrived at the foot of the towering mountains, greeted by the highest outdoor ice rink in the world and its accomp...
Post a Comment
Read more