KIMEP Times december 2014 #30

FASHION IS MY PASSION

VEGETARIAN GAMES

NORWAY MOOD IS ON

NEW YEAR WORKSHOP

Balausa Kabas: “People express themselves in different ways. I do it via fashion, and it’s my life passion”

Consider becoming a vegetarian? First, read what it feels like to be one because we’ve already tried it

Breathe the air of Norway with Anton and Alevtina

Easy way to create a true New Year mood: the right music, decorations everywhere and hot chocolate

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#6 (��5), December 20�4

KIMEP Times Since �995

New KSA president proposes changes to KIMEP constitution

Lauriza Abildayeva, Sitora Khaldarova

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Senior-year student from Kyrgyzstan, Kerim Nurlan uulu, became the first international president of KSA. “With my new cabinet, I will try to make KIMEP better,” says Kerim.

Daniyar Zhakullinov

University is a service institution The Office of the President organizes a series of special trainings for the administrative employees to remind them of how to provide a good customer service to satisfy KIMEP University’s main customers—students.

Kristina Nikulina

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he Office of Quality Assurance and Institutional Research (QAIR) is a corporate unit operating under the Office of the President of KIMEP University.

Each year, the QAIR conducts a series of surveys, including the Student Satisfaction Survey, with the aim to identify the level of students’ satisfaction with the services provided at the university.

By the results of the last, Spring 20�3, Student Satisfaction Survey report, the KIMEP-wide level of satisfaction was 4.02 out of 5, and in previous year it was 3.79. The Office of the President suggests that this indicator could be improved

by providing even better services to students. They brought the issue to the forefront, striving to remind employees that KIMEP University was created for the sake of students, and for students’ welfare.

On December �–�5, before the semester is over, all department personnel, administrative staff and faculty, to some extent, will attend a series of seminar-styled trainings with the aim to revise the basic principles of customer service in general and student service in particular.

“The question we want to address is if we were the one receiving the service, how would we want to be treated?” the executive director for the Office of the President Christopher Nguyen says. “If we want See SERVICE, page 3

INSIDE

NEW ROUND OF HOMOPHOBIC SENTIMENTS

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n October �6 , 294 students voted for Kerim Nurlan uulu, giving him presidency over the KIMEP Student Association (KSA) for the 20�4–20�5 academic year.

Nurlan uulu claims to implement changes in KIMEP’s constitution and operation.

According to comments of students on the Whispering VK page where they express their opinions anonymously, it seems to be that the KSA elections is the period when weak ties of friendship transform into ropes. The newly elected president agrees that support of friends is an important element of elections.

“But you also have to offer students something achievable and beneficial,” says Nurlan uulu. “You can promise to build a swimming pool on the roof.

The question is: will it ever be done?”

Nurlan uulu sees the problem in the way the KIMEP constitution

is written. He highlights that when there is no clear policies or procedures, there is no order. And one of the implemented changes so far is the way student organizations request budget. If there is no request during Fall 20�4 semester with descriptions of upcoming events and potential expenses, then there will be no budget in Spring 20�5.

All who are planning to apply for having some events sponsored should take deadlines into account.

Such a strict rule is justified by the need of systematization and passage of the time-consuming budget approval and transfer processes prior to the start of an academic semester.

“If students have complaints and suggestions, they can write to us, and we will consider them and take actions,” says Nurlan uulu. “But a single man in the field is no warrior.” Students’ interest and active participation in matters relating to our everyday university life is important, he says. Ω

Pharohl Charles:

“Easy foreign target” The story of Kazakh hospitality turned into hostility. An American exchange student forced to leave Almaty for personal safety reasons.

Kristina Nikulina

P Pharohl Charles: “One of my first memories in Kazakhstan was when I landed there.

I felt like I was some new species on the planet Earth. Everybody and everything that had eyes was staring at me.”

harohl Charles , 24, is driving his silver Volvo from Ripon, California, where his family lives, to Long Beach, near Los Angeles, where his university is located.

It takes five hours and 350 miles to get there—and to dive deep into his thoughts.

California landscapes outside the Volvo’s windows, smoothened by classical music flowing from the car stereo, are warm, calm and home. In a couple of days he will continue his studies in California State University, Long Beach (CSULB, or The Beach).

Like nothing has changed since his last Spring semester. Like he did not arrive to California only three days ago. Like he’s never been to Kazakhstan.

From an early age Charles was interested in the Soviet Union and Soviet aviation, in particular because

his father served in the U. S. Air Force. Over time his interest has turned from aeronautics to the economic and social relationships of the U. S. with the Soviet Union and the newly independent states. As Charles learnt more about the region, his focus switched from Russia to Central Asia and Kazakhstan, which he says is “just one of the most distinguished countries in this part of the world.”

After high school, he applied for International Studies program at CSULB, which required a student to complete an internship, learn a foreign language and study a semester or two in the country where people speak this language. “So, I underwent several internships, chose Russian language and then picked Kazakhstan as my study abroad destination,” says Charles.

Before boarding a plane bound to Almaty Charles surfed the internet looking for the stories of expats in See CHARLES, page 4

2 Academics

Established in �868, Berkeley University occupies almost 500 hectares on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay and is the oldest institution in the UC system. © 2012 Charlie Nguyen. Distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. flic.kr/p/4tvmwp

Berkeley perks

the U. S. News’ Best Colleges ranking, Cal—another conventional name for UC Berkeley—is number one public university in the Uni­ ted States.

KIMEP signed a contract with University of California, Prestige never comes Berkeley (UC Berkeley). Who’s going to benefit most? alone. One unit (equal to one KIMEP credit) at UC Berkeley costs $445. AccordEvery time we hear about new oppor- Safiya Sadyr ing to Dr. Menlove, the UC tunities to study abroad we get exBerkeley Summer Session n October �6 , Dr. Darin cited and enthusiastic, but how often program requires taking Dr. Darin Menlove Menlove came to KIMEP 6 to 8 units, which would these programs place their focus on Safon Issak-zade to tell about “Summer cost $ 2670 to $ 3560. This is students? A KIMEP Times correspon- Ses­sions at UC Berkeley”, a new very close to a price tag for dent visited the UC Berkeley’s prestudy-abroad program for our university’s the whole semester at KIMEP University, where sentation and went out with a single students, hosted by the acclaimed American you pay $ 3695 for five courses, each weighing public university, whose campus sprawls in the three credits. question: How many students from valley just �0 km away from San Francisco. It is a Another disappointment awaits those who bet Kazakhstan—and from KIMEP, in part of the UC (University of California) system on their outstanding learning performance. As particular—can spare $ 6000 for six uniting ten universities, including UC Davis, UC UC Berkeley is a public university, it is funded by weeks in the U. S.?

San Diego, UC San Francisco, etc. According to California’s taxpayers, and there is no way to get

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a financial aid if you do not belong to the Golden State. “Whether you are from Texas, Japan or Kazakhstan, it doesn’t matter as long as you are not a citizen of California,” said Dr. Menlove.

The opportunity provided by the UC Berkeley Summer Sessions is as prominent as it is pricey.

“If a bag full of money fell into my arms, I would surely go, but it hasn’t happened yet,” sighed Lauriza Abildayeva, a second-year KIMEP student, after the presentation. Ω

2015 Summer schedule May 26–July 2

A First Six-Week Session

June 8–August 14

B Ten-Week Session

June 22–August 14 C Eight-Week

Session

July 6–August 14

D Six-Week Session

July 27–August 14

E Three-Week Session

Credit crunch: State adds 17 more credits to students’ curricula Graduation requirements for bachelor students got tougher at KIMEP. The number of credits and students’ course load have increased, as the university that had been initially established by American-style curricula is forced to comply with the state standards.

Zarrina Mulloboeva

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tarting from the Fall 20�3 semester, all newly admitted KIMEP students will have to do more in order to earn a bachelor degree. Changes have been introduced to the KIMEP undergraduate requirements to satisfy the Kazakhstan Education Ministry’s normatives.

Students who enrolled before the Fall 20�3 are not affected by this reform. KIMEP Times offers a quick guide to the novelties.

146 credits in four years

The number of credits required for graduation went up from �29 to �46. Students now have to take six to seven, not four to six, courses per semester to fulfill all requirements in four years.

One more internship

Now internship weighs six credits, two times more than previously. It means that students must do internship twice, in different companies.

They can go after internships only upon the completion of 90 credits in general education and college required courses. When they register for internship, the Career Service Center provides further assistance and assigns an internship advisor.

Eight Physical Educa­tion courses

One of the most noticeable changes in the new curricula makes it obligatory for students to take four physical education classes equivalent to eight credits. This course became available in

Fall 20�4. Every semester students can choose one of eight options—yoga, pilates, mini-football, ping-pong, basketball, fitness, cardio or aerobics.

Three electives and a minor

Students must choose three elective courses, equivalent to nine credits, from a different area of study. Students can earn these credits toward an academic minor, however, it is optional. To earn an academic minor in specialization other than your program, still more credits are needed. Earlier, �5 credits were required as elective courses.

One thesis, two credits

Students now have to write a thesis—an independent research to be supervised by a faculty advisor. To register for thesis, students must complete at least 90 credits and seek a written approval of their research topic and proposal from a faculty member. Student theses will be graded on a letter scale, based on research quality and feedback from two faculty members.

One final examination, one credit

The one-credit Final Examination is for the History of Kazakhstan course, and it is not upgradable. As of now, it is not clear how and when it will be conducted. “This is a new requirement, and the details are not available yet,” said Aichu­ rek Arzybekova, the Advising Office assistant.

Professional Kazakh or Russian

Kazakhstani students graduated from Kazakh-language high schools must take Professional Russian course, while those who graduated from Russian-language high schools must take Professional Kazakh course. Both courses weigh two credits, and international students can choose either.

Double major

No double major for students who started studies in Fall 20�3. Ω

KIMEP Inside Out

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“Committed to Excellence” includes good student service SERVICE, continued from page one

people to be nice and provide good information, that is what we should strive for.”

“We are going to stress that everybody who deals directly with students needs to be friendly, informative and helpful,” says the Vice President of Strategic Planning and Research Dr. William Gissy.

Administrative employees from various offices of KIMEP University such as Accounting, Student Affairs, Academic Mobility and all others that communicate directly with students will be exposed to all sorts of situations that may come up in the process of communication. “We will have everyone go through sort of different scenarios and practice showing good service,” says Janet Kim, manager for the Office of the President.

The seminar is designed to train employees in the way that everyone has an idea about whom to contact to get information or to direct students. The feedback usually received from students is that if a staff member doesn’t know the answer for a specific question, he or she also doesn’t know who is supposed to know that answer.

“We don’t expect everybody to be experts in every function but very least they should have a general idea of the main areas of their department, of their office,” says Nguyen.

“So one thing I’ve been hearing from students often is that they go to one office and perhaps it

was not the correct place to go,” says Kim. “And before sending the student. And only then send then they feel that they are just being bounced the student there.” around different places, and people are just passAlso, a number of initiatives are about to be ing them off each other.” implemented by the Office of the President in Those situations were identified through the cooperation with Dr. Gissy in order to improve student feedback meticulously collected by the student service.

Office of the President’s workers. According to The first one is the establishment of a question-and-answer pamphlet which will contain a Nguyen, the results of the Student Satisfaction series of common concerns Survey are always re­ and issues that most stuviewed by the university’s Christopher Nguyen: dents go through during top management and by “The question we want to their academic year. The Dr. Bang. “It’s always been address is if we were the pamphlet presumably an interest of his to make will be designed both for sure that KIMEP continues one receiving the service, students and administrative to provide a top-level, how would we want to be staff, so that everybody has world-class level service,” treated? If we want people a general idea of how varhe says. to be nice and provide good ious departments and the The desirable outcome of university operation work the trainings will be the soinformation, that is what as a whole. called one-stop shop model we should strive for” The second customer of personnel behavior. It is service initiative to be when a student comes to an implemented within the KIMEP University are office, and his or her issue is being addressed at so-called customer service boxes. They will be this first stop rather than having to go to twenty placed around the campus starting from the other offices before finding the right one. Some most heavily trafficked departments for the main practical advice will be provided during the purpose of getting students’ feedback of their trainings. experience within the office. Feedback can be “If a student came and it was not the correct both positive and negative and will be collected place to come and I want to refer him to the and revised on a weekly basis by the Office of the Accounting Office, for example,” explains Kim, President.

“I might call an accountant first just to make sure Importantly, such feedback will be more that they are there and briefly tell them about regular, and there will be no more need to wait the issue to make sure it is a correct place to go

until the official results of the next Student Satisfaction Survey are published (which usually takes a sufficient amount of time) in order to fix the inconsistency within the office’s services.

“If we rely on surveys only, we are not going to know what is going on for about �2 months,” says Nguyen.

Another initiative is to possibly set up an electronic system, which will let students track the progress of various forms’ approvals online, as they go through relevant stages and offices.

A similar system already exists at KIMEP for the contract management and payment request management within the Office of the President.

Currently the initiative is already being discussed by the Student Affairs project manager, Almira Rayeva and the IT specialists of KIMEP. The goal is to introduce the system at the beginning of the next semester.

“We will probably start with requests where forms already exist and input them into a tracking system, and then we will turn to other requests as well,” says Kim. Finally, officials at the Office of the President already started including a note “KIMEP University: A Student-Centered Institution” in their signatures. Don’t be surprised if you see that one.

This is not a replacement of the “Committed to Excellence” concept. They are doing so to emphasize the importance of serving students. “We want to just really start spreading this message everywhere, so the people whom we send emails will hopefully see it,” says Kim. Ω

Being a proctor, or Secrets of the “other side” The slightest mention of final exams—and shivers run down your spine, hands tremble frantically, and your whole demeanor shifts to complete nervousness. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Or maybe you don’t give exams a second thought as you hope for the best and, luckily, don’t think about the worst.

Alina Tuleugazy

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ither way , exams are approaching, and faculty are more than ready to catch you off guard with evil questions and devastating control. Speaking about control, have you noticed how many students of our own tend to monitor the exams? You are probably so used to it that it doesn’t cross your mind how tricky it actually is for proctors to watch over students while also being students themselves. So, what is it like to be on the “other side”? Let’s find out.

The first and the most difficult part of being on the “other side” is to be ready to separate work from personal life. How hard could that be? Really hard, if your work is about monitoring a class full of students, and some of them tend to be your acquaintances or friends. So, when a proctor comes to an exam, it is always a challenge to stay impassive to all the “puppy eyes,” pleadings and, exclusively, “c’mon, we’re friends” phrases. And, yes, people do plead and beg in order to be able to pass an exam. Here comes the internal struggle of a person: to help or not to help?

One of the interviewed proctors actually claims that she had to learn separating personal from professional and, along the way, faced situations where some people stopped being friends with her or tried to befriend her for their own benefit.

“It is hard to keep things professional with your friends when you are monitoring an exam,” she said, “but real friends actually understand that it is my job and I’m not doing it because I’m evil, you know?”

She also mentioned that there was even a case when a long-forgotten classmate found out she was a teacher assistant (TA) in the class he was taking, and suddenly decided they were

Safon Issak-zade

always kind of friends. Unexpected and, simply, nonexistent friendship?

Sure it is.

Another proctor revealed that she was OK with helping students in passing the exams as long as they did not cross the line. She said that she felt quite sympathetic to students as she was also one of them. However, such kindness sometimes does not bring any good, as there happen to be students that go overboard. Some incredulous stories were told by her, such as when people come to the office hours and ask to raise their grades referring to some severe sickness, pregnancy, and even somebody’s death. Not only do people make up excuses, some of them actually have a nerve to offer money for such “assistance.” Well, there are people who are really eager to get high grades with the help of TAs. While most students think only about grades, exams and possibilities

of failing a course, TAs tend to be under constant pressure from all the requests, claims, arguments and pleadings.

“I felt dumbstruck when a girl came up to me and said she was pregnant a while ago and could not pass the exam. She even insisted that I prepare her and offered that she’d come to my house for studying. I refused, since it is simply weird for an unknown person to come to my house so that I prepared her for the exam.”

One special thing in being a proctor is actually the delicacy of getting the job as a teacher assistant in the first place. A piece of cookie, you think?

Not for everyone. Some are lucky to be offered assisting a teacher beforehand, others have to break through to the teachers they want to work for.

And, oh, do teachers tend to be picky: they wouldn’t want to hire someone they are not sure of, would they?

Most students don’t have an idea about how many papers there usually are for professors to grade, but they don’t really have to do it on their own.

That is when the mighty TA steps in and spends hours and hours looking through the exam papers. It is a lucky day if the exam is a multiple choice, but there is no such luck in the Financial Accounting or Statistics courses, sadly. Well, some teachers do check papers themselves, but it doesn’t mean TAs are let off the hook and chill out under the tree. They actually have to spend office hours helping students, conduct appeals and hold “preparation to examination” sessions.

And, so you know, some of TAs may give up their leisure time in order to do that stuff.

“When I first applied for a TA position I wanted to get to a particular professor. However, I was chosen by another one and ended up where I am

now. I love working as a TA for my current professor and I help out the other professor as well. But it does wear me out sometimes as I have to combine my own studies and the TA job.”

Another difficulty of putting up an armor of a proctor is about monitoring not just one section in a day, but having to watch over three or four sections in a row, with breaks long enough to sip coffee and grab a sandwich. If you get tired after having to sit in a room for 75 minutes, imagine how weary it makes TAs to walk around for more than five hours and keep an eye on the smartphones not poking from someone’s pockets or exchanged glances and whispers among neighbors. Being observant and attentive to those taking examination becomes harder as time passes by, but most TAs still know very well when someone is about to cheat.

“With time you just start noticing how a person stops writing when you pass by and stares into the distance with wistful look on her face, as if deeply in thought, while you know she was most certainly writing off from her phone. I really don’t want to call someone out on cheating, but I let it slide once and a professor I work for gave me the hint not to be that “inattentive” next time. So, what I pretend not to notice, the professor still notices.”

Well, now you see that being a proctor is not all that simple and that the “other side” is not some place over the rainbow. TAs have to stay put in order to manage their job properly and keep it cool. No matter what they are faced with, they have work to do and, consequently, a good experience in life to learn from. Anyway, it’s always better to get ready for the upcoming exams and remember that you never know when it is you staring down the road to the “other side.” Ω

KIMEP Students

Balausa Kabas:

“Fashion is my passion” No matter how hard it can be to study at KIMEP, she still saves time for her love to fashion.

Knowing foreign languages is always a competitive advantage for further studies, employment or travel. Volunteers of the relaunched Open Hearts initiative enjoy this bonus themselves and want to help orphans master it too.

Lauriza Abildayeva

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Karimkhon Bukhadurov

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alausa Kabas , a second-year International Relations student at KIMEP, started her modeling career after graduation from the Grant Models School at the age of �4 and she has been rocking the catwalk ever since. But the biggest dream she has been cherishing all these years is fashion design.

When Balausa failed to find a cloth design school that could match her expectations in Kazakhstan, she started modeling in order to keep her presence in the industry. Fashion is more than a hobby for this tall graceful brunette; it brightens and brings color to her life. “People express themselves in different ways. I do it via fashion, and it’s my life passion,” Balausa says.

Being a model is a process of collaboration with a carousel of photographers, stylists and designers—it can be challenging and joyful at the same time. People usually do not realize what happens behind the scenes of colorful pictures in glossy magazines or carefully rehearsed fashion shows. It is a hard work (and painful at times) to stand still for a long time or to walk flawlessly down the runway in tight dresses and high heels.

“Modeling made me believe in myself,” Balausa says. Being the tallest girl in high school, she had a complex about her height, but modeling helped her accept it as an advantage.

In 2010, she won the second prize in Miss Fashion Kazakhstan beauty pageant and her face shined on the

Open Hearts reanimated

Balausa Kabas in Aya Bapani’s dress on the runway of Kazakhstan Ilya Nazarenko Fashion Week (20�4) cover of Dara magazine. Currently, Balausa works with Andres Model Agency.

A young fashionista is breaking the popular stereotypes about models, elegantly balancing her social life and academic commitments. As long as fashion shows are taking place relatively rarely in Kazakhstan, modeling does not require a lot of Balausa’s time—she maintains a very high GPA score and contributes to

the KIMEP Fashion Industry student organization.

“They say—make friends with people who aren’t your age, hang out with people whose first language isn’t the same as yours. This way you can see the world comprehensively and grow personally. I have a chance to complete both tasks through fashion and modeling. I believe it helps me to improve myself and discover the world better,” says Balausa. Ω

ove for children and desire to give back to society urged English-speaking undergraduate students of Almaty to establish an organization called Open Hearts in 20�2. This initiative, once launched by Bossan Seyipova, a KIMEP student from Turkmenistan, now unites �5 volunteers who devote their time and effort to giving English language classes in orphanages.

Bossan, an enthusiastic girl with major in economics, started teaching English to orphan children on a free basis all by herself in 20��. The one with a fire inside always catches attention of those alike, and within six months the number of volunteer teachers increased to 22. Volunteers worked with children aged from ten to eighteen in six orphanages of Almaty.

They come from different universities with different backgrounds and interests, but share at least one thing in common—open hearts. “We keep this name that had been initially given by Bossan, because it perfectly reflects what our organization is about, and what we would like to see in our members,” says Ayna Annaorazova, current president of Open Hearts and a student of Accounting Department.

“Returned from a FLEX exchange program in 20�0, I was full of energy and ready to move mountains, but I specifically wanted to be useful for the society I live in, to make a small yet positive change,” emphasizes Ayna.

Before Open Hearts was officially established two years ago as one of KIMEP student organizations, volunteers struggled with a lot of red tape and deficit of trust from administrations of orphanages. Another challenge was the need to agree on methodology and to develop an individual approach to every pupil. “Children soak up as much knowledge as you give them. It motivates to give them even more,” says Ayna.

But volunteers also want to help kids become more self-confident by creating situations in which teachers and students are equal. “We agreed that children would teach me Kazakh. I had problems with pronunciation and it amused them.

They got more relaxed because they knew—it’s okay to make mistakes when you start doing something for the first time,” Ayna recollects. Little gifts, like chocolate bars, may serve as incentives for the children to do homework and memorize new words, providing an immediate and palpable reward for the study.

In the past, 22 Open Hearts members ambitioned to cover twelve orphanages, but it proved to be physically impossible to work with such a big amount of students. Now, after a year of hibernation, Open Hearts resumes its work by selecting six orphanages, where the level of English among students requires improvement the most. All organizational issues are to be resolved by January, when classes will start. Also, Open Hearts aims at opening branches in other universities to recruit more volunteer teachers and cover more orphanages. Ω

Illustration: Lauriza Abildayeva

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Easy foreign target: Kazakh hospitality turned into hostility CHARLES, continued from page one

Almaty. He did not know what to expect, but curiosity was not the only reason for making this research. He was concerned about personal safety—increasingly so because he could not find stories of Black Americans visiting Central Asia. He contacted people from Kazakhstan and bombarded them with inquiries, but couldn’t get anything helpful.

The last option was to post a question on Reddit.com, a popular website. Most of the responses were positive and encouraging. The only embarrassing comment warned a wannabe traveler that locals may ask for photos with him, but it was not intimidating. “A lot of what people were telling me proved true. I don’t know how many photo requests I got—I stopped counting at around 67,” says Charles.

He arranged for an exchange semester at KIMEP University, obtained a Kazakh visa and touched down at the Almaty International Airport, ready to greet a country of his dreams with eyes wide open. Natives stared back at him fixedly. “One of my first memories in Kazakhstan was when I landed there. I felt like I was some new species on the planet Earth. Everybody and everything that had eyes was staring at me. I felt extremely uncomfortable,” Charles says.

The very first week of his stay was marred by violent attack. He was walking with one of his friends, headed for the rented apartment (ironically, near the Kazakh Drama Theater),

happened to him, I felt so bad for my country that used to be boasting of its hospitality.”

Charles was mistaken and the robbery assault wasn’t just a one-time thing. He has been continuously harassed by shady vagabonds and thugs on the streets.

“I was an easy target—they see a Black person, and they instantly know that I am not from here,” says Charles. He thinks other foreigners have less problems—whites can mimic Charles at the Big Almaty Lake Photos courtesy of Pharohl Charles local Russians, Asians can pass for Kazakhs. Laura Hassler, when a group of hooligans came up. “They asked an exchange student from Germany, shared an apartment with Charles. She confirms that those my documents pretending to be the police, and attacks were racist: “Not only against him as a then they started beating and robbing us,” says Black person, but also as an obvious American.”

Charles, who was both surprised and traumatized by the incident. “That’s just a one-time Timur disagrees. “It was KIMEP’s fault, to accident. I should stay here,” he kept saying to a certain degree. Many exchangers complain his swollen face in the mirror, which he barely that KIMEP promises them dormitory accommodation, but fails to provide it,” he says. “None of saw because of eye bruises and glasses that had these things would have happened, if Pharohl gone missing after the fight. lived in a dorm.” Yet, sitting inside the KIMEP’s It was a terrible start, but he remained enthusiastic about his exchange semester, thanks cubicle of tolerance does not promote true in no small part to support from his new friends. inclusion that Charles was looking for. “Despite “What amazed me about Pharohl was his love his desire to fully emerge into Kazakhstani and passion for Kazakhstan and how much he society and experience this adventure with no knew about Kazakhstan,” says Timur Azizov, one reservations, he was constantly reminded that of his best local friends. “When I learnt what he was a foreigner by being targeted by gangs

and thugs who sought out foreign students and faculty as a way to make a quick buck,” says Monique Massay, Charles’ friend and classmate from California State University, Long Beach.

After almost seven weeks in Almaty and another couple of similar accidents, Pharohl Charles decided to return to the U. S., prioritizing his safety and harboring a dream of coming back. Shortly after the departure, he wrote on his Facebook: “I love Kazakhstan, the aggressive hospitality, beautiful scenery, the great people.

I won’t let the frequent isolated incidences I had deter me from my overall goals in the region.”

Charles knows a lot about the difficult relationships between the U. S. and the former Soviet republics, and believes that the solution may be rooted in discovering more about each other, getting friendlier, learning the cultures and having knowledgeable people on key decision-making positions. He wants to be among these people and find ways how the U. S. and the former Soviet Union can be more open and understanding toward each other, however idealistic and Utopian this may sound.

In January 20�5, Charles is planning to come back to Almaty to satisfy the degree requirement.

In the meantime, he is driving his silver Volvo to Long Beach. California hill valleys are so different from “giant, gorgeous, beautiful” mountains of Almaty, Charles notes in passing, as he keeps recalling what has happened during the last week. The decision to return to California, he says, was the hardest decision of his life. Ω

unIversIty lIfe

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Hermitage From Saint Petersburg with love

V. S. Terebenin / The State Hermitage Museum. © 2014 The State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg

KIMEP brought a taste of the world-famous Hermitage museum to the orphans and high school students of Almaty.

Kristina Nikulina

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aInt Petersburg is a home for many premium-class museums, and the Hermitage represents a pure gem in the crown of European fine art treasuries. This world is usually too distant from Kazakhstani teens—both because of geographic remoteness and due to little access to the kind of knowledge that facilitates arts appreciation.

The Hermitage Week in KIMEP

aspired to break these barriers and bring the legendary Russian museum’s collections as near as to the university Great Hall in the downtown of Almaty.

Balzhan Suzhikova, the head of KIMEP Corporate Development Department, forged the partnership with a private company to sponsor the project and with the city administration to bring schoolchildren to five virtual tours of the Hermitage, thoroughly guided by a distinguished lecturer.

Lyudmila Davydova, a curator at

the Hermitage Department of Classical Antiquity and professor at the Repin Institute for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, gave five lectures on history of arts, including Greek myths in art and world-famous art masterpieces in the Hermitage collection.

“I like that KIMEP, being more a business-oriented university, is not forgetting about the importance of art, which is becoming less affordable for many,” said Davydova, who was especially touched by the project’s focus on the rising generation’s most

underprivileged part. “Companies usually give away money and food to orphanages. It is very important, but benefactors rarely care about cultural development of the children.”

The event also produced keen interest in the KIMEP community, which may well grow at the expense of the Hermitage Week attendees. They got an opportunity to learn more about the university, stroll through the campus and feel the aura. There are more reasons for them to apply to KIMEP next year, as the university continues

Gays

Be or not to be?

Earlier this year, a dispute over the limits of freedom of artistic expression has immediately produced yet another round of homophobic sentiments in Kazakhstan. Are there limits for the tolerance that Kazakhs like to boast about?

Dariya Orazbayeva

A

poster that depicts two male historical figures—Kurmangazy and Pushkin—kissing exploded and split the society in late August 20�4. The ad for a gay club in Almaty, which is situated on the intersection of the two streets bearing names of the Kazakh composer and the Russian poet, had been designed by the Kazakh subsidiary of Havas Worldwide advertising agency for the Central Asian Red Jolbors Fest contest, where it won the third prize.

The idea was inspired by the legendary graffiti by Dmitri Vrubel on the Berlin wall, but many people in Kazakhstan deemed the image a “trampling on values of ancestors.” A group of 34 students and faculty members from the Kurmangazy Conservatory sued the advertising agency seeking 34 million tenge in moral damages, although they never showed up in

The scandalous Kurmangazy–Pushkin kiss poster created by the Havas Worldwide Kazakhstan advertising agency was banned from the usage in any paid media. court themselves. The defendants pointed at the court’s incompetence and inaccurate procedure, including the fact that the plaintiffs were not eligible to act in the interests of Kurmagazy and file a suit.

At the same time, the conservative Bolashak movement proposed to adopt a legislation to ban “gay propaganda” and prohibit LGBT people from working in governmental bodies. What does the community of KIMEP, the country’s leading liberal arts university, think about it?

It is still unclear how Bolashak movement sees the logistics of the proposed screening of sexual preferences of candidates for public service jobs, but Yerkebulan Anvarov, a second-year KIMEP student, is very supportive of such initiative. “Our society is not ready to accept people who violate cultural values,” he says.

Aynura Myrza, a BCB senior, is in another camp. She is upset by Bolashak and the whole anti-gay campaign, and stands for meritocracy in employment practices: “People are to be hired

to increase the scope of financial aid to students through more than thirty scholarship opportunities. The overall amount of study grants exceeded KZt 600 million in 20�4, listing KIMEP among the largest sponsors of private higher education in Kazakhstan.

“Some people still think that KIMEP is a university for ‘elite kids,’ but it is not true,” said Suzhikova. “We believe that everyone should have equal opportunities to study here, and we are happy to support our talented and distinguished students.” Ω

and evaluated by their skills and intellect. Even a president can be gay, but if he would raise the country’s economy and living standards, who is going to care about his sexual life?”

Another student, Adil Kaliyev, agrees with this argument, but at the same time he is against “open propaganda” of such relationships. “The government should find the right balance between restriction of homosexuality and observation of gay rights,” he says.

A KIMEP student, who sought anonymity, has told that the controversy penetrated even into the LGBT community. “I think the disputed advertisement could be a great opportunity for our society to start accepting homosexuals, although it is very tough for many people. But that’s just my opinion, while even some of my gay friends don’t approve the idea of the poster,” said the student, who realized that she is homosexual three years ago.

Nurseit Niyazbekov, professor of sociology at KIMEP, explains that prevailing conservatism of the Kazakhstani society prevents people from being tolerant towards sexual minorities. “It is due to the strong-core traditions and established behavioral framing, the urbanization has not yet helped people to accept homosexuality in Kazakhstan,” he says, adding that the Kazakhstani society might soon reach the point of acceptance.

“What we have gone through with the Kurmangazy–Pushkin poster incident falls under ‘The Theory of Throw’. People ‘throw in’ new ideas to the society to test its reaction. It is a kind of intellectual provocation to make citizens start thinking about new ideas. Over time, these ideas get accepted and the society adjusts to adopt new norms for itself,” says Niyazbekov. Ω

6 Travel

Letter from Kristiansand

Norwegian Wood and food

Two KIMEP University students are abroad experiencing lots of adventures during their exchange semester.

Perhaps you’ve encountered such kind of stories before, but those pictures and words were not penetrated by the northern air of far Norway.

Text and photos by Alevtina Dudnik and Anton Reznikov

“Going abroad and getting to know new cultures is always exciting,” I thought, just getting used to eat away a sandwich stuffed with little shrimps at the Oslo International Airport.

It was a day first with fresh seafood in big bright halls of the international arrivals terminal overlooking vast forests. A few lonely viking-looking Norwegian dads with kids kept my company.

These first impressions were grand—and so were the prices for pretty much everything.

Speaking of the salty wind, you have to know it is embarrassingly strong.

It feels like in the old American cartoons, as for example Tom & Jerry, where misfortunate animals flutter like a flag when their antagonists inhumanely blow the huge horn at them.

Weather warns: always wear gloves and a scarf.

A kite is yet another incredible rope-based connection with the depths of a different kind, but making it dive into the skies is not as simple as drowning a fishing line. In addition, you don’t just sit and pull it occasionally—you have to control and navigate its flight. If you learn fast, the fun is all yours.

A six-hour trip to the south of Norway was our formal introduction to the restless sea and salty wind, as well as to an old lighthouse and a bunch of crabs. We were told they are friendly enough, but not too many people were dying to embrace the beast. Once Anton decided to take a closer look, Mr. Crab appeared to be too grumpy and even tried to bite the brave man’s fingers, but the bearded sailor was quick to mitigate the conflict.

One of the charming things about studying in Europe is free access to all of its parts. We went to France, where we gained weight with all the gorgeous home-made food that our hosts cooked for us. France and Norway are two different worlds. Most French do not speak English much, while the Norwegians learn it in the kindergarten and speak perfect English. The French love eating, and their grocery stores are stuffed with delicacies. In turn, Norwegians admit that they don’t really have any elaborate national cuisine. But both nations are undoubtedly European—everything is closed at 5 or 6 p.m., and people rush to reunite with their families. And so do we, looking forward to seeing our loved ones soon.

7

Day two, making the acquaintance of the local fauna. The last thing we expected to see while sitting on a pier and playing ukulele was a shore patrol of ducks and swans. Those birdies had no probs about the noise we were making, but they obviously wanted to extort some food from us. I wish they could tell how they had found a way to us amid busy freight docks and huge tourist ocean liners, parked densely in the port. August... Unfortunately, here it is too late for swimming.

The first hike with �44 international students from all over the world—we have even got one from Alaska! It was a big crowd, but there were much more wasps in the neighborhood this year. As a result, we acquired a new survival skill, namely, Anton got knowledge in taming these usually aggressive insects.

However, as you can judge by the photo, if you act correctly you can share your dinner with your new “friends.”

The Holy of Holies for foreigners, who are still cautious about local cuisine or bewildered by the Nordic names of dishes. It may seem that travelers are craving McDonald’s more than tourist attractions. Well, luckily for them, the building is fancy enough.

Canoeing, a hobby that is funny, dangerous and... wet.

A threesome sits in a rickety boat, warned against any attempts to get on their feet—unless you want to have a swim, like some local students did, despite the air temperature as low as �5°C. Since there are only two safety belts in canoes, the third person must sit in the middle, on the bottom of the boat, swamped with cold water. The bright side is that you don’t have to row. When you accept the situation and all of the inconveniences, pay due attention to the crystal clear lakes and water lilies stretched across the water surface.

Before we bought tickets for Norway, my friend and I were convinced that in order to survive, we would need to learn fishing. Therefore, when we got used to the new place we bought a fishing rod and surely broke it right away. It was no reason to give up and we continued our adventure with a fishing line. It is thrilling to realize that a thin cord you throw into the sea is connecting you with the underwater world, especially when fish starts biting the lure. However, the joyful time ends immediately after you see the iron hook stuck in its mouth. Recall what sharks say in Finding Nemo: “Fishes are friends, not food.”

8

let It snow

The formula of a New Year mood

WORKSHOP Aliya Tapalova

During the last days of the Fall semester, all the thoughts of students are dedicated to how to successfully pass the final exams and increase grades on all courses. During such busy days it could be difficult to feel the spirit of the upcoming New Year celebrations.

We suggest our readers, especially those who are far away from home and family, some easy ways to create a New Year mood, without spending much time, money or efforts.

Treat yourself with delicacies

Play New Year music as much as you can!

A

n essentIal attrIbute of the New Year is a table of lavish refreshments.

But cooking is a time-consuming process, and during the exam period it is hardly ever possible to cook tasty New Year dishes like Olivier salad, or bake a holiday goose with herbs. What is left then? Possible solutions can be a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and a bunch of ripe and juicy tangerines.

How to make hot chocolate

�. Boil milk in a saucepan.

2. Dissolve the required amount of cocoa powder and sugar in it.

3. Add some boiled water, so that the drink

M is not too thick.

4. Once again, bring the contents of the saucepan to the boil.

5. Pour the drink into beautiful cups and serve with marshmallows.

Hot chocolate will warm you up during these hard cold winter days, and tangerines will give you an energy boost.

Decorate outside, inside, everywhere

ABBA – Happy New Year

This song rightfully occupies an honorable first place in our list with its embracing wishes of Happy New Year. Interestingly, in its first version the future hit had the name “Daddy, Do Not Get Drunk On Christmas Day.” Then, however, it was decided not to waste a beautiful melody for jokes but rather use it for a more lyrical song.

Frank Sinatra – Let It Snow!

Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

This song had no relation to New Year’s or Christmas celebrations, despite the fact that there is no Christmas or New Year movie for which it was not used as a soundtrack.

Actually, the authors, lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne (born Julius Stein),

W

hen talKIng about decorations, we immediately recall incredible numbers of garlands and tinsel, indispensable Christmas trees with toys and balls, and lots of lights outdoors, indoors, everywhere. KIMEP Times offers you to leave the traditional New Year decorations for gatherings in your family circles and instead go back to your childhood, pick up a pair of scissors and white paper and cut some snowflakes. Yes, you heard right, snowflakes.

It will definitely create a New Year spirit around you.

For a greater focus and greater mastery in learning, it is recommended to have short breaks in the preparation for the exams process. Of course, you can spend another five minutes liking photos on Instagram or aimlessly flipping through pages on Facebook, but cutting snowflakes will bring more benefits. Apart from guaranteeing a true New Year spirit and recalling the best childhood

usIc Is In my heart... Music is the surest means in the creation of the New Year mood. All you need is to add some tracks to your playlist. We have chosen some of the most popular songs with most interesting stories behind their appearance. So, while you listen and sing along, take a rest for reading those stories.

memories, it is also proved that manual work helps improve your blood circulation, so that blood flows more intensively to your head, and your brain starts processing faster.

How to make paper snowflakes

�. Take white paper and scissors.

2. Fold paper four, six, eight or more times, depending only on your choice.

3. You can use a specific snowflake scheme from the internet or use all your imagination in order to create your own state-ofthe-art snowflake.

4. A snowflake can become a beautiful winter bookmark or you can put it on the window.

Get in touch with family and friends

A

nD fInally, one of the main ideas of the New Year holidays is togetherness. The main purpose of the holiday is that you can share it with someone, and nothing brings you a greater sense of joy of the coming New Year as meeting with your nearest and dearest.

wrote this song in the hot state of California in the summer of �945. Kahn wrote about it: “I told Jules Stein: ‘Why don’t we go to the beach and freshen up?’ and he replied: ‘Why don’t we stay here and write a winter song?’ I sat down at the typewriter: ‘Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, since we’ve no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...’ ”

John Towner Williams – Carol Of The Bells

Being a soundtrack to the famous Home Alone, this song is an adaptation of a Ukrainian folk song “Schedryk” and became known in the arrangement of a Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovich. Leontovich was working on a favorite song of his almost all his lifetime. Until today, American choirs, professional and amateur, sing it as a carol for Christmas. This truly is a small Ukrainian miracle, which conquered continents.

Illustration on page one: © 2013 epSos.de. Distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. flic.kr/p/dHuDb3. Top: Illustration

by Flickr user mpaulmd, 2013.

Distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. flic.kr/p/izvQeM. Chocolate: © 2009 Ames Lai. Distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution– NonCommercial–NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license. flic.kr/p /6vWzMv. Snowflakes: © 2008 Lori McCallister. Distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license. flic.kr/p/5LRSFe. Music: © 2008 Eirik Solheim.

Distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution– ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license. flic.kr/p/5FXzrT. Get in touch: © 2013 Giuseppe Milo. Distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. flic.kr/p/hNno5v

9

Old out, new in!

As the year 20�5 is approaching, KIMEP Times offers a look at the weirdest New Year traditions from around the world.

Zarrina Mulloboeva

O

ver the years different cultures have developed traditions and customs for New Year’s Eve. In our part of the world it is usually about having a festive dinner, listening to the president’s TV address, watching fireworks and drinking champagne as the clock chimes the first seconds of the new year. It is also an opportunity to make a wish for the next year, but if you want to raise the chances of catching luck, you can use tips from other countries. For example, you would need an empty suitcase, old dishes, colored underwear, grapes, an ice-cream or a chair.

In Colombia, people believe that carrying an empty suitcase around on New Year’s Eve will bring you luck and more trips next year.

In Denmark, they save their old dishes throughout the year to throw them at friends’ front doors on December 3�. The more broken dishes you find at your doorstep the next morning, the more luck you are supposed to get. Besides, a custom way for the Danish to celebrate the New Year midnight is jump off the furniture—right into the new year.

In Spain, it’s easier—if you manage to stuff your mouth with �2 grapes at midnight, you have already secured yourself some good luck for the next year.

In Switzerland, they celebrate by dropping an ice-cream on the floor.

In New Zealand, people make some noise by banging pots and pans as loud as possible.

In Russia, you are expected to write down your wish on a piece of paper, burn it and drink the ashes with your midnight champagne in one gulp.

In Italy, the red color is generally believed to signify good luck since it solicits protection from archangel Michael. On December 3� st, Italians from all walks of life put on red underwear to shower themselves with good luck in the coming year.

In South America, the festivities are more colorful—they have red for luck, yellow for money and white for peace. Ω

Five habits for a better year

The New Year is a great chance to start out new habits to make your coming year better. These small and easy tips will help you add some excitement in to your next yearly life journey.

Zarrina Mulloboeva

Jar of Happiness

During the year, every time something good happens to you write about it on a piece of paper and put it in a jar. At the end of the year you can open the jar up and remember all the pleasant moments.

Real hand-written letters

There is nothing like an old-fashioned letter. Write some real letters to your relatives and friends who live far away. By sending a real letter you will show that you really care about them.

Remember, sometimes a small gesture can mean a world to someone.

There is no sincerer love than love for food

We all love food, but when we go out we usually order something familiar like a pizza, burgers, pasta or some soup.

Start the next year by discovering a new dish or maybe even a cuisine. Once a month cook from a new recipe or go out to a new restaurant. At least �2 extraordinary dinners, grateful family members and unforgettable memories are guaranteed.

Lost but found

During the year, everyone is so oblivious with all that we have to care of. It happens that we don’t return borrowed things on time, don’t keep promises and forget to congratulate friends with birthdays. If you are one of us, the New Year is the best time for you to show that you are not that bad. Make a habit out of it. Wish a Happy New Year and return people their things and favors. And you will feel relieved.

Say “Thanks”

Every day we receive lots of small favors from our close people and complete strangers: when someone opens a door for you, a teacher gives you extra time on an exam, someone cooks a dinner for you, your friend saves up a place for you in the classroom. These people don’t do that for your appreciation, but a small gesture like a “Thank you” with a smile can make their day. Ω

We wish all of you to successfully pass your final exams—

and a Happy New Year!

�0 Lifestyle

Vegetarian games

T

he experiment posed a challenge for me— will I, an ethnic Kazakh to the very roots of my being, be able to survive without meat for �0 days? And not just meat—I had to go on with an ovo-vegetarian diet, which means no meat, fish or milk products. I had exhaled with relief—my favorite eggs and ow many vegetarians honey were not in the ban list! do you know? How Here are the highlights of a many of them are vegdiary I kept for the experiment. ans? What is it like to be vegan?

Day 1. Feels good and not Zhansaya Akberdiyeva By chance, I had to practice difficult at all. LOL, I’m a veganism, the strictest version vegetarian!

Day 2. Went to KIMEP Grill to have a dinner with Daria, who of vegetarianism. Vegans do had been picked to be a vegan (what a loser, huh?). Anyway, we not eat meat, seafood, milk surely did give a hard time to the Grill’s staff on that day. “What products, eggs, honey or any is it? Does it contain meat or fish? No dairy? Um, okay, I will have other products that presume this salad with eggs… I am allowed to have eggs, Daria! (evil exploitation of animals. laughter). And this mushroom soup—yes, I am quite sure its broth I felt perfect in the first is meat-free (wink).” Still, I felt hunger and treated myself with days of my experiment. I was a fruit salad. pretty relaxed about being an Day 3. Usually, I have a protein cocktail for breakfast, but as far accidental vegan, because I do Daria Iugai not eat a lot of meat in my daily as I can’t consume milk, my morning menu got filled with eggs.

Got home a bit earlier to find out that my sister ordered sushi routine. Surprisingly, though, delivery. I always knew she hated me. Here I am cooking plain my eating habits started striking back after a couple of days. rice for myself and weeping quietly, while she is enjoying her rolls.

I missed milk, eggs and sweets (vegans don’t consume chocolates, Day 4. My cousin is getting married, so I am flying home to Akbread or pastry). A whole bunch of my favorite whole-grain products appeared to contain honey. tau to attend her wedding. Apparently, Air Astana has no vegetarian option onboard, unless you care enough to preorder it when I struggled with going to somewhere outside. For instance, you buy the ticket. Am I going on a three-hour starvation flight?

KIMEP Grill, where I usually have lunch, serve meaty soups and No way, I said to myself and grabbed that pathetic samsa that they salads with cheese or mayo. I am not a big fan of potatoes, so the were serving. At least my neighbors were very amused to observe choice was minimal. The Grill employees were annoyed, because I was asking too many questions about ingredients. At every birth- a weird girl removing the pieces of chicken flesh out of the snack. day party I stayed away from festive meals and cakes and drank Days 5–7. I never realized Kazakhs are the biggest meat-eaters plain juice, while my friends tried to convince me that they won’t until this wedding! The party lasted three days and felt like hell tell anyone if I have a bite. to me—beshparmak, kuyrdak, pilaf, sorpa, fish... Are you kidding The good thing about being a vegan is that you need to cook me? I am at the wedding party of my beloved cousin! Can I afford more often, thus discovering a lot of new ingredients, spices and having a tiny little piece of meat? Of course I can! Hey, could you recipes. Elsewise, you can opt for restaurants with Indian and Chi- pass me that plate, please? nese cuisine, where they serve a variety of vegetarian delicacies.

Day 8. I’m a terrible person, spineless and weak. Flew back to Almaty today. This time I couldn’t resist that chicken samsa and Outcomes. I felt perfect during my experiment. People around gobbled it down. You don’t judge me! I am just a human, who has me were always telling me that it would lead to no good, because just had a meat overdose, and I need a refill, now!

Day 9. Happy birthday, lacto-vegetarian Kristina! We decided veganism allegedly can cause health problems. Quite the contrary, to have lunch in a bit more solemn atmosphere than the Grill’s, so I was able to be more multi-tasking without getting tired. I saved we headed to Noodles across the street. Students have to be aware time because I would not be stopping by vending machines for a of their business lunch option. Pay KZT �500 and eat whatever you snack I don’t really need. I ate more fruits and vegetables. Within want unlimitedly. So we thought that it would be unfair to confine a few days, I got this unusual feeling of lightness and vivacity. ourselves to soup and salad for fifteen hundred tenge—especially Psyching myself up to exercise became much easier. There was on Kristina’s birthday! Yes, our diet officially crashed that day. In no heaviness in my abdomen after ingestion, no “recovery period” my defense, I can say that it was our vegan’s words: “Stop acting after lunch. Waking up in the morning got less stressful, and having a healthy breakfast was always a nice reminder of the effect like a baby and let’s have some real food.” Gosh, that chicken a vegan diet has on my body. noodle soup was perfect...

Day 10. There was no tenth day of me being a vegetarian.

So, I was a �00-percent veganist for seven days to test my self-discipline and the diet’s implications for health. I realized that I stopped being one the day before the experiment was supposed to end. What can I say? I’ll quote Joey from Friends TV series: I am not going to be vegan, because it is too “radical” for me, but I will definitely pay closer attention to my nutrition habits. I think “I’m not even sorry!” Ω everyone can at least try observing a vegetarian diet—you never Illustration on page one: © 2005 Jessica Spengler. Distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license. flic.kr/p/3z7jK know what you may get out of it until you try.

Experiment: How to survive without meat?

Three KIMEP Times team members ventured to abstain from eating meat for ten days to test vegetarianism with their own stomachs.

“L

acto-vegetarian ,” read the piece of paper I took from the draw hat. Others contained “Vegan”, “Ovo-vegetarian” and “Ovo-lacto-vegetarian” options, so I thought I was lucky. At least I could drink my morning latte and enjoy a glass of milk before going to bed.

The first three days were easy. I tried to avoid food shops, cafes, canteens and vending machines. Instead, I cooked myself. None of my friends Kristina Nikulina noticed changes in my eating behavior. Nobody yet started asking the annoying are-you-a-vegetarian questions and making I-bet-you’ll-fail-the-experiment predictions.

Then I started feeling the pressure. I had no time to cook, so I started eating in public places and asking tons of questions about food ingredients, torturing the waiters and salespeople. The choice of vegetarian food is poor in Almaty. Usually, it’s just one or two salads, fruits, and a tomato soup—all the same, day after day.

The biggest craving was Lactis means milk in Latin. for the sweets. I decided to A lacto-vegetarian diet supabstain from all packaged plements fruits and vegetables foods, especially those with with dairy products, including unfamiliar or obscure ingremilk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cream, and kefir, but excludes dients. Unfortunately most ovos—eggs. Lacto-vegetarians of them were sweets I was also abstain from cheeses that used to, chocolates, cookies, accommodate animal rennet, and canned beverages. a collection of enzymes that cheese-makers normally get The eighth day was my from calves, and yogurts with birthday—a special day gelatin that contains pulverized with a cake that contains animal hooves, bones or marrow. eggs. So, it was 00:00 a.m.

The concept and practice of lacof November 4 when my exto-vegetarianism takes roots in periment ended—disgraceIndia, where it has been popular fully, but tastily—under the among Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism practitioners accompaniment of “Happy since ancient times. birthday to you.”

Outcomes. I didn’t notice any remarkable changes in my health,

but my appetite reduced. I didn’t feel weaker though. Nothing was aching, and I was quite energetic and cheerful except for the moments when I missed my packaged sweet guilty pleasures.

Medical research data shows that a vegetarian diet has many positive effects on health: lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, better metabolism, lower risk of overweight, better sexual life, and many more. Perhaps, some day soon I will turn back to vegetarianism, this time deliberately.

H

Read or die: Top 5 personal development books book by a living author. It can be checked out for a one-month period.

Zhuldyz Sanbayeva

T

1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen Covey

Daria Iugai

elevision and internet are killers of the reading habit among young people.

A drop-down in general literacy, poor vocabulary, and untrained imagination may not look like a tremendous problem for teens, but these factors directly affect their mental outlook, communication skills, creativity, logic, and decision-making.

5. One Small Step Can Change Your Life A book is much better. It doesn’t require any equipment. It has unlimited battery life. The text Robert Maurer is always high-definition and it’s always in sync— “The journey of thousand miles begins with a single step,” a Japanese wisdom instructs. Starting wherever you go. Once you buy them you don’t with a smaller book about Japan-style effectiveneed to worry that it is going to be outdated ness may also be a good idea. The book of only soon as previous versions of iPhones are. Also, �82 pages is small in size and can be read on you don’t need to switch off books in planes. the fly. What is kaizen and how it works? Read KIMEP students have to read a lot in order Maurer. Librarians will allow you to borrow it for to meet the study requirements. A survey one week. conducted by me shows that 67 percent of them prefer printed editions to e-books because of 4. Motivate like a CEO Suzanne Bates specific “smell, feel and touch.” Many of them are interested in self-development literature that A must-read for those who are looking for additional motivation and self-improvement. Library aims to increase motivation and helps incarnate has 30 copies of this book (more than any other career-building ambitions. KIMEP Times offers publications from our list), which may indicate a quick review of the most popular personal the significance of “Motivate like CEO.” Check development books available in hard copy at the it out for one week and learn how to speak with KIMEP New Library.

A special thanks goes to Nurgul Mussipova, a library officer, energy and confidence, turn challenges into for her assistance in this adventurous search. opportunities and inspire people you work with.

3. Forbes Greatest Technology Stories Jeffrey Young

IBM, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates... Are you al­ready interested? Technology is the fastest developing sector in modern world. Inspiring tales of the entrepreneurs and inventors who revolutionized modern business were published under the Forbes trademark, signaling the high quality level of this reading. Students may not know about this book because technology is not taught at KIMEP, but Young’s research is the one that excites everyone in the 2� st century.

2. Alchemist

Paulo Coelho

This light fiction book with a philosophical touch has both changed and inspired a lot of minds to find their destinies. According to Agence FrancePresse, it has been sold more than 65 million copies in 56 different languages and set the Guinness World Record for the most translated

The bestseller on top of our list is a globally acclaimed handbook of the personal development maniacs. Start taking responsibility for your own life and prevent it from being conditioned by circumstances, stay focused and take full control of it and let your decisions shape the future, Covey says. His book remained among the most popular releases in the world for a whopping 270 weeks after it left the print-house. At KIMEP Library you can borrow The 7 Habits for two days only due to stably high demand, but you also can read it at the library reading hall with no limitations. Ω

THE 7 HABITS 1. Be proactive 2. Begin with the end in mind 3. Put first things first 4. Think win-win 5. Seek first to understand 6. Synergize 7. Sharpen the saw

Time Off

��

KIMEP

as we know it

Our good old KIMEP, it seems like students will never stop writing about it. So much humor, so many stories and photos to share that Twitter, Instagram and VK are loaded with KIMEP hashtags here and there. Incredible, huh?

Book thrift

The Grill is probably the most visited place at the KIMEP University. Have you ever noticed the books on the right side of the entrance? Some think that they are for decor, others suppose that these books are for reading. Nobody knows exactly what is the purpose of these books. But what we know for sure is that the number of them is decreasing.

Zhuldyz Sanbayeva, Aigerim Kaparova

A

ccording to Svetlana Anischenko, manager of the KIMEP Grill, “the little library” is not part of the décor. It was created by an ex-manager of the KIMEP Grill, Elena Barkova. She brought her own books and put them on the shelves granting them to students prior to her move to Vienna.

Anischenko says the library was created approximately in November of 20�3. Barkova brought about 30–35 books, most of them were in English. As for now there are only �� books left on those shelves. What happened with the rest?

According to the rules established by the Grill personnel, any student of KIMEP University can borrow a book from the “little library” in exchange for his or her Student ID card. However, it seems that the only rule existing for some of us is “No Rules.” So, many books were taken without the deposit of Student ID cards, and silent thieves were not noticed by KIMEP Grill personnel. Let’s hope that those books stolen were read from cover to cover and brought benefit to their new owners. Ω

GLOSSARY Ground, n.

1) ground floor of the Valikhanov building, one of the three main entrances into the KIMEP campus 2) main rendezvous place where everyone meets, talks and smokes 3) runway for KIMEP fashionistas 4) battle place for promo actions of partyorganizing student organizations

Big 4, n.

1) four auditing companies known all over the globe: Deloitte, PwC, EY and KPMG 2) a desperate dream for the majority of KIMEP accounting students 3) sometimes called “slavery companies” for irregular working hours and the absence of private life

Conrad, n.

1) a legend of KIMEP 2) more a common noun, rather than just the name of the professor teaching Principles of Management 3) a fan of Ani Lorak, Roger Federer and Coca-Cola 4) a passionate lover of exams at 7 a.m. in the Great Hall

Opera, n.

1) the name of a famous Russian cop show, or an art form 2) Operations Management course taught by Yevgeniya Kim and required for every business major student 3) the majority of the students have no idea what it is about when they register 4) a very useful course interconnected a lot with Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Statistics, and Decision Tools and Techniques.

lab, n.

Pregnant building, n.

1) computer laboratories that can be found in every KIMEP building besides Dostyk 2) printing problems for most students including restrictions on printing PDF files, L-Drive files, or number of pages limits 3) a “moody” guy in the New Building’s lab

1) part of the Valikhanov building where halls 1 and 2 are situated 2) from the top view it reminds a belly of a pregnant woman

Text: Aliya Tapalova

KIMEP Times Editor-in-chief Kristina Nikulina Managing editor Daria Iugai Supervising editor Adil Nurmakov Editor Sergey Sayapin Photographers Lauriza Abildayeva Safon Issak-zade Daria Iugai Daniyar Zhakullinov

#6 (��5), December 20�4

Reporters Lauriza Abildayeva Zhansaya Akberdiyeva Karimkhon Bukhadurov Alevtina Dudnik Daria Iugai Aigerim Kaparova Sitora Khaldarova Zarrina Mulloboeva Dariya Orazbayeva Anton Reznikov Safiya Sadyr Zhuldyz Sanbayeva Aliya Tapalova Alina Tuleugazy Layout design and editing Alexander Konovalenko, www.tonkayagran.com

Editor’s email kristina.nikulina​@kimep.kz State license #1689‑A, Janu­ ary 13, 2001. Registered by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Printed by Asia Poly Press.

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Tel. (+7 727) 397‑84‑62.

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�2 Time Off

KIMEP soul kitchen The first-of-a-kind event, organized by KIMEP Times, kicked off early November bringing together students who are interested in rhymes and verses. The Poetry Nights, meant to help people meet and share their own and other poets’ work in an intimately friendly atmosphere, will be held regularly in the university’s most romantic place—the legendary Tower, which is the home for KIMEP Times editorial office.

Lauriza Abildayeva

H

uman souls are all prone to experiencing the same feelings—love and hate, attachment and solitude, devotion and jealousy. Some are stronger and lingering, others may explode only to fade away overnight, but poetry can capture the spirit of tormenting thoughts and sentiments and seize the people with words that strike a deep chord in their hearts.

Young poets—both the experienced ones and those who are making their first steps in poetry—master the skill of doing so at the Poetry Night parties. In the subdued light of candles and garland lights, dozens of students studying finance, journalism and management recite their poems, drifting away from the earthly fuss.

“We wanted to create a warm and comfortable atmosphere,” the masterminds of Poetry Nights say. “There is just one rule for everyone: Of the poems, no comments unless good.”

Photos: Kristina Nikulina

The first Poetry Night on November 6 was devoted to original poems, written by the event’s participants, who shared their views on contemporary art and modern society, self-reflection and the bitterness of losing the loved ones (including pets) through verses. Lyrics about unrequited love have been especially touching in all times, and KIMEP students certainly contributed to this genre too.

On November 28, when the club flung its doors open for the second time, the guests were reciting their favorite poems, written by various authors—from Vladimir Mayakovsky and Marina Tsvetaeva to contemporary poets self-publishing their works on the internet.

Some participants were open to discussion about their choice, others preferred to quietly leave the improvised stage between the wall and the audience seated in semi-circle.

The KIMEP Times team is planning to continue the Poetry Nights series, cosily housed in room 40� A (Dostyk), and invites everyone—be you a poet or a listener—to join the club. Ω