3 Oct – During our first trip to Almaty a few weeks ago we ran into one of the volunteers who has been here for two years and will soon be leaving. More recently he gave a couple of presentations during our training. He is an environmental volunteer stationed in the far northeastern corner of Kazakhstan in a small industrial city near the beautiful West Altay Mountains. (Russia is only a stone’s throw away.) His NGO focuses on eco-tourism and ecological education. Some of his projects include building cabins, a tree-planting program, obtaining a grant and then remodeling the office, and leading local students in cleaning up the banks of a river. He talked extensively about the beauty of his site and showed us some amazing photos.


Since first talking with him in Almaty I wanted to be assigned to his site. I asked him at the time if he was being replaced but he was not at liberty to reveal that information. Knowing that he has an environmental background and not wanting to hope for an unrealistic site with my business background, I did my best to “lower my expectations” (a phrase continually uttered by our staff) and not think too much about this particular site. After all, my only hope in attaining this site would be if the organization requested a volunteer with a business background, rather than an ecological one. For all of these reasons, I uttered not one peep about my desire to be located here. Not even to my best friend!


We have been in the dark for months now, but the grand moment came this morning. Our Country Director and most of the other staff came to our training site for the event. We were not permitted to enter the building until 11 a.m. this morning. After much anticipation and two restless nights (for me, anyway) we entered the main room of our training site to find a giant map of Kazakhstan spread across some tables, but temporarily covered. We endured a few short speeches and then the large map was uncovered to reveal miniature yurts spread across it. (A yurt is a round, felt home used by the native, nomadic Kazakh people for hundreds of years.) Inside each yurt was a piece of paper stating a volunteer’s name, location, and organization. The spread was overwhelming to look at with about an even number of yurts dotted across the north and south of Kazakhstan, and a couple of lonely ones to the west. But there were three yurts in the approximate area of the location I have been hoping for.


One by one we walked to the table to find the yurt with our name on it. It seemed that nearly everyone smiled and let out a sigh of relief upon learning their destination. I was about the 12th person out of 20 to locate my yurt. When it was finally my turn, the anticipation was nearly overwhelming and I went straight for the two yurts remaining in the area I hoped for. To my relief and extreme disbelief I found my name written on the paper inside the first one I looked at, followed by the name of the organization I was familiar with from talking to the other volunteer!!! I was shocked and so happy!


Following this nearly nerve-wrecking part of the ceremony, we received a folder with information about our organizations and met with our regional managers for a brief time. A reception followed, including refreshments. Then, thankfully, we were able to have a relaxing afternoon to spend as we wished.


I will be located a couple of hours (by bus) away from Ust-Kamenogorsk. There is an education volunteer located in my city also. I believe I briefly spoke with him at orientation in Philadelphia, but know very little about him. There are also two other OCAP volunteers nearby, probably no more than two hours away (again, by bus.) The current volunteer wrote a letter to me about my site. He describes it as “the most beautiful site in Kazakhstan, which puts you in the running for the most beautiful site in the world…a cross between Jackson Hole, WY and Butte, MT”. (I have never visited either state, but have heard many wonderful things about both.) This is in the midst of mountains, rivers, and dense forests, and he advises that I get a pair of boots (check), skis, and a rain jacket (check). I have been looking forward to the opportunity to cross-country ski while here in Kazakhstan, and it seems that I will be in the perfect spot to do so. Now I just have to find some skis… This volunteer did not take any vacation during his first year at site because he was perfectly content there, not wanting to leave. From his description and the pictures I have seen, I don’t know of any other place I would rather be. (I may think differently as I endure my first horridly cold winter!)


The organization has obviously requested a volunteer with a business background. The departing volunteer feels that the tremendous potential for eco-tourism needs to be developed through establishing a reservation system to run the base camp more like a hotel, local and international marketing, and the development of a website. (The organization is also requesting assistance with business skills development, writing business plans, environmental education, computer training to staff, and working with youth.) I have very little experience with marketing but know something about it. Website development is one thing I have never done nor taken a class on. However, this is a great skill to learn and I look forward to the challenge. Besides that, I have have thus far counted 6 people who work in IT or website development who I can turn to for assistance. Does this talk of a website mean I will have regular Internet access??? We’ll see soon! (I really don’t know right now.)


So what’s next? Well, tomorrow we really get to celebrate. In the morning we have two hours each of Russian and Kazakh instruction. (Honestly I’m not sure how well I will pay attention to Kazakh now that I know I will be located so far to the north, where there are fewer Kazakh speakers. However, I will do my best because I’m sure that knowing a little bit of the language will be beneficial one of these days when I get to travel around the country.) After language, many of us are heading to Almaty to spend the night. Many apartments are available for rent on a nightly basis. We plan to rent two apartments: one for those who want to celebrate with dinner and a drink or two, but want to get some sleep. The other apartment will be for those who wish to stay out later. I am in the former group, along with five other people (so far). Splitting the rent for one apartment between six people makes the excursion affordable for everyone. We hope that at least one of the apartments has the kitchen essentials necessary to cook dinner (and hopefully breakfast) rather than eating out. A pasta dish, bread, and wine seemed to be the idea accepted by most everyone this afternoon. I love the idea, which should also be quite economical. After dinner we’ll most likely go out for drinks and do our best to stay out of trouble!!! Then, Sunday one of the volunteers who is assisting with our training is taking us to a big bazaar in Almaty to search for winter clothing. I do not have a winter coat yet, not wanting to look out of place by bringing one from the U.S., and wanting to ensure I have a durable one to withstand the cold winters in Kazakhstan. Now that we know our destinations, she can help us find outerwear suitable for our climate.


Next week is our counterpart conference; we will meet our counterparts for our new organizations and go through some training together in Almaty. We’ll also find out the logistics of our travel for next weekend. We’ll then travel with our counterparts to our sites where we’ll spend the following week. If I remember correctly, I have a long train ride from Almaty (at least 12 hours), followed by two 3-hour bus rides to get to my site. However, I think the scenery will be beautiful. And traveling by train has to be better than a bus on pot-hole-laden roads.


During my one-week site visit, I will learn more about the organization, meet a lot of people, spend some time with the current volunteer, as well as meet/interview my three potential host families (located by the organization), where I will live for at least the first six months at site. I may be staying with my counterpart during the one-week visit, but I am not certain. After the visit, we return to training for a couple of weeks before “swearing in” as volunteers on Nov. 7. And one of the best parts about my site right now is that the current volunteer is not leaving until the beginning of December (many of us new volunteers do not have this benefit), so I hope to gain some valuable information from him during the last part of November. (Including locate skis.) And another thing…my counterpart does speak some English. This may be helpful in the beginning, but ultimately I plan to leave Kazakhstan at the end of my assignment being able to speak fluent Russian.


I am absolutely elated and feel that my vocabulary cannot accurately describe my excitement. The job sounds challenging and expectations are high, yet I am optimistic about the possibilities and looking forwarding to utilizing the skills I already possess and gaining new ones that will benefit me down the road. But, more importantly, I will be assisting an organization to build its capacity in an industry independent (relatively) of the oil industry currently driving the country’s economy. What an opportunity!!!!!! And all of this in perhaps the most beautiful area of Kazakhstan!!!!