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A Kazakh Golden Week   

Hello!
How was your Golden Week?
Here in Sapporo, the last three (four?) days of GW were rainy (((but I very much enjoyed it, falling into a deep hibernation (now I knew that sleeping is my favorite hobby ^^).
Well you know, actually, my country has its own GW. We do not call it “GW” though))
So maybe that’s why *May holidays* in Japan feels very natural to me. In Kazakhstan, the holidays start on the first day of May; it is the Kazakhstan People’s Unity Day. At the café I am always asked about people, culture, language, food (!!!)… of my country. And I believe many of you already know that I am very happy to live in a multiethnic, multi-linguistic, multicultural, multi-religious…many and many “multi-s” Kazakhstan.

There are more than 120 nationalities in my country who speak different languages and practice different religions. I told some of you that I did some dance in junior high (not a professional one though ;D). It always makes me happy when I look back on those days of our dance rehearsals. The May 1st dance was the most exciting))) Because we learned a wide variety of different traditional dances for this day. Just imagine how different are Russian and Uzbek dances, or Caucasian dance and Tatarian dance (sure, most of you cannot imagine it, haha)…Really an amazing experience! I will share with you guys one of my most vivid memories from those days. You know, once I have fallen down on a stage (!), when I was dancing Russian Kalinka (a very famous Russian folk dance). That time that’s not fun, at all! I felt so ashamed of myself, but got back very quickly just like Beyonce did :D. Thankfully, none of my friends could record video of my great fall))

After May 1, we celebrate Defender of the Fatherland Day on May 7. In other words, this is a day of the Kazakh armed forces. Although I believe that many people celebrate this day as the men’s day))) since a man is widely perceived as a defender of women, a family, the fatherland.
And finally, on May 9th, Kazakhstan celebrates the Victory day in WW2. Actually, we have some activities for days. and this year the 9th and 10th are not working days. Before coming to Japan, I thought that Kazakhstan is a country that has most holidays))) I remember my ex-boss, a Chinese guy, often complained that Kazakhstan has too many holidays. But now I know that Japan has no less... hope one day we will call the GW May Holidays “Golden Month”)))) sounds cool doesn’t it?

Assel (Kazakhstan)

by chitchatcafe | 2012-05-11 15:02 | 札幌 英会話 教室 求人

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