Sharing Kazakhstan, enjoying activities in America
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My name is Altynay, shorter — Altusha — or how local people call me: Allie. I am an exchange student from Kazakhstan in Mission High School. I have been here since Aug. 30. Last week was an International Education Week and I gave a presentation about my Motherland, Kazakhstan.
During my presentation, I was wearing my Kazakh traditional dress. I told students basic facts about Kazakhstan. Then I asked questions and for the correct answers I gave souvenirs from Kazakhstan. I brought 30 bars of Kazakhstani chocolate, and everybody got to try a piece of it. At the end I showed Kazakh traditional dance and taught some words from Kazakh language, like “Salem” which means “hi,” or “Rakhmet”, which is “thank you.”
My presentation went in the best way I expected. It was a pleasure to give a presentation as the audience was listening carefully and even taking notes. For history classes, students definitely should have taken notes because the next day they took a test about Kazakhstan, and fortunately, most of them got good grades.
My American experience has been very interesting since the beginning. Just after I came here, the next weekend my host family, the Vaughans and I spent a wonderful time on a Flathead Lake. You won’t believe me, but there I tried s’mores for the first time in my life. Here I also tried my first brownies, and, honestly, it was one of the best things I have ever tried.
I am doing so many things to be a part of this community. Doing presentations was a good way to let other students know more about me and my Motherland. So far I have been doing volleyball, which was unusual for me because in Kazakhstan schools we have only P.E. without special teams like volleyball, basketball, and other kinds of sports. Now I am trying out as a cheerleader, as we don’t have it at Kazakhstani schools at all.
I want to do as much as possible to be involved in everything that is useful and interesting for me. Being a member of SSC and FCCLA volunteering clubs is so fun. With SSC club we organized a Halloween Trick or Treat party at school. We have bake sales by FCCLA, where I have cooked Kazakh traditional bread called “Baursaks.”
Additionally, I am a volunteer at Java Dog coffee shop at Mission High School and I like it there.
All in all, my aim is to volunteer 200-plus hours and I am doing my best to reach this goal. So, I am always excited to help with volunteering activities.
If you would like to know more about Kazakhstan, or want me to give a presentation about my country, please send me an email at altynayko@gmail.com.
