Almaty first week

Zomg!!!!! What a fuckin week. So much to do, yet so much to experience!!!!

Where do I begin?

Lets start from Wednesday. Im living with two guys and a girl. They are Lucas from Brazil, David from Columbia and Madina from Kazakhstan. They are so cool. Lucas is the cook, David is the funny guy, and Madina is the leader of sorts. Its quite different fending for myself as it were, doing my own washing, making my own breakfast.... Oh and on wednesday I went to baraholka. This is quite a scary place. Imagine Adelaides market, but bigger and with more how should we say... crooks? But I got an awesome jacket there are some fur lined (fake) shoes.

but anyway, interesting stuff. Vodka. One word. Cheap. ZOMG this place is crazy on alcohol. I started drinking on Thursday and had at least a drink every night till sunday.

Meeting so many people. It is true what they say, these girls are incredible. Im sorry if I sound sexist, but these girls are like my god so beautiful. And they outnumber guys 7 to 1. Yes 7 to 1.

So what did I do on Thursday? Let me remember.... I drunk I think? I think we went to this place called Stout, which is an awesome place, had some beer. Yes beer. I like beer now. Incredible isn't it? But yes the beer over here is very good. ahh yes I went with Median to 24 Panfilovs. It is a soviet war memorial to those who fought in world war 1 and 2. It was breathtaking. Really, the architecture was something I have never seen before. I saw the never ending flame (I thought it was like the one in the world is not enough, that is fueled by molten lava and such, but unfortunatelly I was dismayed when madina told me that it is fueled by an underground gas tank lol) Then we walked to the Ascencion Cathedral, this is a place entirely made out of wood. Again it was breathtaking. Im having so much fun here in almaty, and some of the most beautiful things I have seen are here.

Friday was my welcome party, and what a welcome it was!!! We drank, did aiesec games, ate, drank, drank, drank. We went to chakotika (sp?) and the vodka and company there was awesome. Met a new zealander and a englishman! The fresh vodka over here is something special. Met some awesome people, including a guy from India whose like the smoothest guy in the world. We also went to Da Freak and danced the night away. Funny story is that I was given condoms the second I went into the club. It was pretty awesome club though, the music was cool and the lightning also cool.

On the Saturday we went to Medeo, (You can see the photos on facebook in my photos album named almaty first pictures) Medeo is essentially a huge set of mountains that overlook almaty. It is one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. I was grinning the whole way. I saw and touched snow for the first time. It was so great. And so fucking cold! OMG . and I did a fairy thingo in the snow. Ahh it was great. Though tiring so many godforsaking steps. And we didn't even reach the top! We will do so later on.

In the night we went to the indian guys apartment, and since it was his last day at the apartment we had an awesome party. I learnt many things at that party... Particulary about 9/11 but other things as well. The apartment was so good man, like bloody jacuzi and like remote control shower and everything. I so wanted to live there.

On the Sunday I had a walk around with one of my friends. She was awesome, she showed me around almaty, particulary around the government buildings, cos she is new to almaty herself, she comes from Russia. We had an awesome day, and Im starting to get into the culture of almaty at this point. Its hard to describe, you really have to experience communism masquerading as democracy with corruption about to the level of cuba. It is such a dynamic place to live. We went to Stout again, drank more lol.

Btw as a side note, Taxis are only about 3 dollars from where I am to where I work. But I still take the bus for 25 cents....:)

Monday was my first day at work. Met alot of people that dont speak english, and was not exactly sure what I was doing, but I stook with my instincts and researched and strategized. It was so cool kinda being self actualised, doing what I think is right, and people wanting my opinion. The company I work for Skymax Technologies, has alot of engineers and salespeople but no marketers lol. This day was the first day I stopped drinking. However, I still have vodka in the fridge that needs to be drunk....

Tuesday my friend who speaks english zhaylina or something was doing an exam, so I was left on my own. But I was ok, the guys took me out for lunch at this call canteen place. Everyone looked at me weird when I ordered lemonade when it is usual to drink tea lol. But all in all, a good day. So much research I did on competitors and everything. Was kinda reviatiliing to use the stuff I had been tought about 4 weeks earlier and put it to practice. Also I got my exam results that day! 3 results have come out and I passed them! Even better I got 2 credits which is good for me lol. Im still waiting on Micro but I think Im fine with that. Oh and in the office we ate cake, and the cake is NOT A LIE lol. It was nice. Later I spend some time with Sasha, and she took me around the city, to abart, a kind a mini mall, and she took me to see the panfilov square again, to see the Cathedral.

Wednesday or today as I am writing this, has been murder. My god. I had a 2 hour meeting with the company director, he was giving me his history and the companies history (he is the founder of the company) and the various projects the company is doing. I had to go in there and basically say all his promotion needs to change. But he respected my opinion and we go forward with avengence! I just starting using coral draw today for some advertisements. How cool is it? My god I just like having fun with it. Anyway, I got the girl zhalina or whatever (dont get the wrong idea, I think she is great, and cute, but I have problems with Kazak names) to think of slogans and she has a pretty creative mind. Im really impressed. Then I went to LCM with the AIESECers and slowly relaxed.

I am here now righting on a laptop, and hacking into someones internet connection, cos the one we have in our house has a modem that requires a stupid driver. Bah I will fix it sometime.

The weather here is something to get used to. You really dont know what this weather feels like until you have experienced it. And this is hot for winter (0 degrees) but still, im getting used to it.

I also tried the Kazak national drink today. Its a milk derivative of some sort. Im going to be honest and say it has a very strange taste. My friend molhit from work asked me to describe the taste and I couldn't. However, I think its a combination of full cream milk to taste at the start, with a strong citrus to end. Nonetheless I got my peach ice tea after that lol.

Anyway guys I have to go to bed. Long day tomorrow, somethings happening somewhere for somebody. My life is transforming at a very fast rate. I have never felt myself with such new areas to explore! Like we take for granted that we can go to Hungry Jacks and order a chicken royale meal. We forget that with little or no language skills, it is actually very hard to express what you want. On that topic my russian is getting slightly better. With a combination of rolling r's, and other sounds Im slowly getting it.

Dobrenoche (good night) Everyone. Sleep well, Stay safe, Live long and prosper.

There is another expression I like from Star Trek: Own the day.

Live every day as it were your last.

You only get one shot at life. So make the fucking most of it y'all

Toodles....