Sh**k in Kazakhstan: Baby, It's The Weekend

Almaty, Kazakhstan
2/18/2012 6:51 am

So, I'm here in Kazakhstan. In what I'd like to say, Chillin' Like A Baws Apartment. Well, it is pretty nice. Still getting used to the living arrangements. I got the couch which turns into a bed. It's pretty dark outside right now. It's the black of night over here. For fuck's sake, it's nearly seven am over here and the sun has not risen. Seeing how my sleep schedule was all kinds of fucked back in New York, I think I've adjusted here pretty well thus far. However, I'll let time tell.

The temperature in Almaty is a little bit colder than it is in New York, with snow all over the ground. It feels good to experience a real winter in another country. You know, cause 2012 ain't got real winter for New York City. It's not the cold over here that bothers me, there seems to be this dust or smoke in the air that you know is bad for you in nearly every capacity. It is as if the earth is on fire underneath us and you can smell it in the air. There seems to be this proper mix of charcoal heating from old houses, new construction of apartment buildings and infrastructure to improve the city, and dust from the surrounding steppe that gets into the air for your precious lungs to breathe in and soak up. Fuck.

View from the apt. City of smoke & cranes.

This smoke/fog/air ain't fucking normal. Who lives like this? That was at 11:00 am

Yesterday, my first full day in Kazakhstan, was a mixed bag of half excitement, boredom, and jet lag. I found out my phone will not work here, the SIM card is way too small - Fuck you, Verizon! But it's ok, I got a nice phone here that's got some 90s SWAG (What was the equivalent to SWAG in the 90s?) I'll upload the photo when I get the chance.

Also, found out I'm in the "Queens" section of the city - the part where you can drive your car and public transportation is shitty but, you still live within city limits. And if that isn't something, the specific area I am living in is called the "Manhattan Project(s)." I love the name as it brings the idea of the U.S. atomic weapons project, that existed from the 1930s to the 1940s, to my mind. Living in the "Manhattan Project(s)" in Almaty, especially after leaving New York City, is just bizarre. O the irony!

Good morning from "Manhattan Project(s)"

Driving around Almaty has been an experience. I would not dare do it, not cause I still don't have a license but, there are no lanes of traffic. Over here in this part of the world, anything goes - if you think you can sandwich your car in between two others, you do it cause if you don't someone else will swivel through. Or, you don't do such a thing cause that's how you are going to get into a fucking car accident.

2/18/2012 4:26 pm

The warehouse that my dad has his auto parts business set up at is bizarre. Let's just say cs_assault and cs_office smashed each other and birthed out cs_kazakhstan.

I've been at the warehouse all day. I think we get to finish up soon. I just wanna chill at the apartment. But, we've got a guest tonight! My good ole' buddy, Yerlan. He's coming over for dinner and, I finally get to start diving into getting this coffee business. Yerlan is one of the people interested in starting a coffee business in Kazakhstan. He also is the project manager for the new mall that is being built out here in Almaty (THE ONE WITH SAKS FIFTH AVENUE).

Anyway, I won't have internet access at the "Manhattan Project(s)" so I might as well update the blog again and shout it out to my peeps. Enjoy the rest of your weekend people. I will try to enjoy my very first weekend here but, we'll see.

Miss you all. Enjoy the photos.

'Till next time,

Shaak.