A Great Reason to Learn Kazakh

November 1, 2010

 

In Peace Corps Kazakhstan, there are two language options: Kazakh or Russian. Both are widely spoken here.  There is kind of a divide between the two.  Some people are proud Russian speakers.  Some are proud Kazakh speakers.  I am learning Kazakh.

 

 Last Saturday, I went to the bazaar to buy some winter boots.  My Kazakh is pretty horrible, but my Russian is far worse… I vaguely know how to count to ten in Russian.  Anyway, I found a pair of boots I liked and I approached the saleswoman.  She was a 5'1" woman probably in her seventies.  The conversation went a little something like this:

 

(The following text is a translation)

 

Anne: Excuse me, how much do these boots cost?

Woman: (Unknown Russian words… probably the cost.)

Anne: I'm so sorry, I don't speak Russian.  Could you tell me in Kazakh?

Woman: You speak Kazakh?!

Anne: My Kazakh is very bad, but I speak better Kazakh than Russian.

Woman: Where are you from?  England?

Anne: America.

Woman: You are from America and you speak KAZAKH?!  (She gives me a big hug.)  Come in.  Because you speak Kazakh I will cut the price…

 

I was probably in her bazaar stall for 20 minutes.  She brought me lots of boots and told me what was good and what wasn't.  She kept giving me big hugs and was so thrilled that I spoke her language.  She brought out cookies and gave me wool shoe inserts for free to keep my feet extra warm.  All this just because I knew a few basic words in Kazakh. 

 

Before I came to Kazakhstan, I was really torn about what language to learn.  Russian is more widely spoken worldwide, but I am in KAZAKHstan.  I chose Kazakh and moments like the one at the bazaar assure me I made the right choice!