Zhanara R
In this, the final of my Deleted Scenes this month, we meet Zhanara R, a young mother with a full-time job who was eager to practice her English with me. In one of those serendipitous meetings where the initial idea … Read More
There Are No Kazakhstanis in Kazakhstan, Yet
I wanted to understand Kazakhstan, but it wasn’t easy. More to the point, I wanted to understand the people who now called Kazakhstan home. I learned enough early on to know Kazakhstan and America were similar in many ways: … Read More
More Deleted Scenes
And So It Goes I’m particularly interested in those cultural differences that make me shudder, make me yell out , “Oh, no.” The multi-colored costumes and exotic dances, music, and food of foreign lands is entertaining, of course. But … Read More
Conquering Homophobia Through Vegetarianism
This deleted scene is one of my favorites. It highlights the lighthearted relationship I had with my four closest colleagues and friends: Gulzhahan, Assem, Gulzhan, and Tolganay. Here we are at Tolganay’s apartment for dinner in early June. … Read More
Finding Serenity
Everything I’ve ever let go of has claw marks all over it. … Read More