A Kazak Party

Today after work I wandered back through the bazaar, determined today to find a hat! And I found one! It is SO fun looking and warm and cheap! My plan is to always look interested until they tell me a price and then I speak broken Russian – this way no one really knows that I don’t fit in here! I was super happy with my purchase – I also purchased mittens (and thought of one of my good PCV friends)!

I got home and was informed that it was the birthday of my host mom’s brother-in-law and we were going to a birthday party – I was nervous because I didn’t have any toasts memorized, but I went with it anyway! We got there and of course, I was awesome and amazing just for being there! That’s my favorite! They didn’t do toasts at this party – they also didn’t speak in Russian at all – only Kazak. I know very little Kazak, but managed as best I could. We had beshbarmark (which translated in Kazak means 5 fingers) and yes is eaten with your hands! It’s a fun tradition that I am still unable to do – thankfully they allow me to have a plate and don’t think of it as rude – it’s just the “crazy American.”