Kazakhstan had a presidential election Sunday April 26. I was one of the embassy folks who participated as an election observer. I'm not going to talk about the work now (or, quite honestly, ever), but the general experience was definitely something to write home about.
The region I was assigned to was around a biggish town outside the oblast (state) capital of Kokshetau. The train ride from Astana was 4.5 hours to Kokshetau, then about 30-90 minutes by car, depending on where exactly I was going, to get to these little villages. I have now taken the train three times to cities within Kazakhstan and have to say I greatly enjoy the rides. The train carriages I have been in so far have all been a series of 4 person compartments. In each compartment are, essentially, bunk beds - sometimes fixed, sometimes that fold out of the wall. Each passenger is given a featherbed/mattress, pillow, linens and a blanket. Usually I stretch out and read or do work, and the rhythm of the train often lulls me into a catnap. In one ride in one of the fancy Spanish trains we were given little toiletry bags with soap, a comb, toothbrush and toothpaste, etc
It turned out that one of the villages we went to was where our driver had grown up. To get there, you drive until the dirt road itself disappears, and then you follow tire tracks through fields. He told us when he was young they would go to the disco in the nearby town - a good 20-30 minutes away by car - by horse. I should note I still considered him young, so his story can't be more than 10 years old. In retrospect, it probably took the same amount of time to travel by horse as the car couldn't exactly speed down the not-road.
Several times along the way our headway was slowed by cows or sheep crossing the road. I really wish I had gotten better photos.
Kazakhstani hospitality was in full bloom all day. In nearly every polling station where we stopped, we were invited to sit for tea and something to eat. Also in nearly every polling station where we stopped, the commission members wanted to take photos with us. I would not be surprised to learn we were the only non-Kazahstani people some of these villagers had ever met. Although only hours from the capital city, it felt remarkably remote. Chickens, ducks and geese wandered around, there were small garden plots around most homes, and most villagers seemed to have cows and/or sheep and/or horses. One of the villagers mentioned that everyone had a dog, and they were working animals not pets.
All in all it was a wonderful experience and a chance to see part of the country far from the main tourist attractions (although actually geographically pretty close to some tourist attractions - forests and lakes and resort type holidays.)
The region I was assigned to was around a biggish town outside the oblast (state) capital of Kokshetau. The train ride from Astana was 4.5 hours to Kokshetau, then about 30-90 minutes by car, depending on where exactly I was going, to get to these little villages. I have now taken the train three times to cities within Kazakhstan and have to say I greatly enjoy the rides. The train carriages I have been in so far have all been a series of 4 person compartments. In each compartment are, essentially, bunk beds - sometimes fixed, sometimes that fold out of the wall. Each passenger is given a featherbed/mattress, pillow, linens and a blanket. Usually I stretch out and read or do work, and the rhythm of the train often lulls me into a catnap. In one ride in one of the fancy Spanish trains we were given little toiletry bags with soap, a comb, toothbrush and toothpaste, etc
It turned out that one of the villages we went to was where our driver had grown up. To get there, you drive until the dirt road itself disappears, and then you follow tire tracks through fields. He told us when he was young they would go to the disco in the nearby town - a good 20-30 minutes away by car - by horse. I should note I still considered him young, so his story can't be more than 10 years old. In retrospect, it probably took the same amount of time to travel by horse as the car couldn't exactly speed down the not-road.
Several times along the way our headway was slowed by cows or sheep crossing the road. I really wish I had gotten better photos.
Kazakhstani hospitality was in full bloom all day. In nearly every polling station where we stopped, we were invited to sit for tea and something to eat. Also in nearly every polling station where we stopped, the commission members wanted to take photos with us. I would not be surprised to learn we were the only non-Kazahstani people some of these villagers had ever met. Although only hours from the capital city, it felt remarkably remote. Chickens, ducks and geese wandered around, there were small garden plots around most homes, and most villagers seemed to have cows and/or sheep and/or horses. One of the villagers mentioned that everyone had a dog, and they were working animals not pets.
All in all it was a wonderful experience and a chance to see part of the country far from the main tourist attractions (although actually geographically pretty close to some tourist attractions - forests and lakes and resort type holidays.)
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