From Kazakhstan to Manitou

Each country has its own culture. America is a multicultural country, one reason is because every year a lot of exchange students get the opportunity to be a part of the American people. That’s why people can know more about other countries and its cultures.

Manitou Springs High School is so kind to exchange students, that’s why students want to share their traditions and some facts about the culture of their country. There are some similarities and differences in the life of people from all over the world. You can see it in different sides of life but basically it always connects with food.

Kazakhstan is a country located in the centre of Eurasia. People have developed Kazakh culture for over a thousand years.There is one ancient tea tradition: when you visit someone’s home, you will probably drink tea at the end of the dinner. The owner always serves a little bit of tea. It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t want you to drink his tea or he is avid, it means that the owner doesn’t want you to leave his house. He prefers you to stay at his home and ask for more tea. Kazakhs always drink tea with milk and eat a national desert named ‘baursaki’. It’s a little piece of dough fried in the big amount of oil.

Kazakhs are also very friendly. If you are lost and you don’t have a home, you just can knock on a door and the family who lives there gives you food, and a place to sleep, and you never have to repay them. It is because in ancient times there were a lot of wars in Kazakh’s land and people didn’t want to leave their houses, losing all their animals and lands to murders. Families who didn’t have a house or lost it could just ask about that random person and they would never refused to help them.

That was all about the culture of Kazakhstan and it’s differences. But what about similarities? I can say that America is the most friendly country for foreign people; that’s why many countries in the World are interested in people from USA and ready to be friendly back. For example, people are so friendly and always say hi to you, that makes me smile. Kazakhstan and USA have really good relationships, that’s why my country always let us, students, go here and participate in American life and culture.

We also have an American corner in each city in Kazakhstan ,where there are some english lessons and events, which connect us with American culture. We are always happy to communicate and show our life to Americans. Thats why if someone goes to the U.S., he/she can be sure that the country will invite you even if you are just a tourist.

Actually, doesn’t matter where you are from, what your language is, or what you always eat, if you are good to people, if you are open and communicative, they will always be the same for you. It’s the biggest rule for life.

 By Irina Vetoshkina