Day 3: Urban Malls to Rural Wildlife

Hello, Everyone!

Tonight we are pleased to present... SOPHOMORE BLOG NIGHT!!!!

Today was a late start; it began with a wonderfully relaxing trip to the nearby 5 story (not a typo) mall. There was a huge tiger (possibly snow leopard) statue on top of a coffee shop and the mall was modeled with features that resemble a tree. We meandered around the mall and saw several large chess sets and went on a Starbucks run. From the balcony we saw the breathtaking Tian Shan mountains that offered a harmonious backdrop to the bustling city of Almaty.

In order to reach our lunch destination, we traversed the city using the extensive bus system throughout Almaty (and had several debates on what sibling energy each of us gave). We ate lagman again for lunch while conversing with local American international students about basketball and life at an international school. As if we needed any more delicious food, we headed off to the nearest mall to acquire and indulge in some sweet and savory treats; there is an insane selection of weirdly flavored chips (ex. crab, kabob, paprika, salmon, teriyaki beef).

Shortly after our little adventure to the market, we set off to the heavily anticipated eagle show! The event began with a small owl perched on the finger of the handler; we watched, actually were mesmerized, as the owl's body turned 360 degrees, but its head remained fixated on an object straight ahead- kinda creepy and marvelous... all at once. Gradually, with each successive event, the birds grew larger. We saw a fully grown owl, two eagles, and a vulture. Many of us were lucky enough to feel the rush of wind from the birds narrowly missing our heads while gracefully gliding overhead.

The handler was exceptionally funny; additionally, his ability to switch between English and Russian while maintaining his sense of humor was beyond impressive. A couple comments that stuck out:

1) When we introduced ourselves as Californians, the handler expressed his surprise about the multiethnic and diverse skin range within our group. This made us realize how many people in foreign countries are only exposed to the America portrayed and represented in major media. Our movies and TV shows are often dominated by white people, and this interaction in Kazakhstan highlights the need for diverse representation in American media.

2) He said something along the lines of, "You Americans should all know about guns." This comment reminded us how prominent gun violence is in America in comparison to the rest of the world.

But on a lighter note, we were afforded a break from the heavy meals that are common in Kazakhstan for sandwiches and salads (the lemonade here is SO GOOD). Afterwords, we went on a quick walk to a "Magazinh" (Kazakh convenience store) to buy some more snacks. A majority of us ended up with Bomba ice cream.

Overall, today was a very fun and breezy day that still made us face our cultural differences and immerse ourselves further in Kazakh culture.

Tomorrow we hit many cultural sites including an ornate Orthodox Church and a mosque.