Who is Santa's Helper?

Yesterday, my organization held our biggest New Year’s philanthropic event: a New Year’s party for handicapped kids in our region. In Kazakhstan, many handicapped children and kids in wheelchairs do not go to school. All of the schools have New Year’s parties, and we felt that no child should be left out.

my Director, me, and children from the Ecik.

All of this month, my organization with our small group of volunteers asked businesses, other NGO’s, banks, and private citizens on the street to give presents, candy, or whatever they wanted so that the children could have a great holiday party. I’m still amazed at the response and generosity of the people who gave in the town.

The party was a great time that was enjoyed by all. I know some of the pictures look weird; that the children are in costumes dancing around the Christmas tree “Maypole style”. In Kazakhstan, New Years is a chance for children to dress up, like the US version of Halloween. I think Kazakhstan is the only place on Earth where you can see a mouse whirling a princess around a Christmas Tree on New Years!

Mayday meets Halloween and Christmas

As with all parties, there was singing and instrument playing. The great talent came from a school in the next town over, who generously gave their time to hang out. They are great kids, respectful to everyone, and we even had a “Peace Corps” moment together. A couple of them approached me and asked what a volunteer was. I told them “what we are doing right now is volunteering: working without pay to help other people.” The lights that turned on in their heads was enough to power that big tree in Times Square. They were awesome. If it wasn’t so difficult to get to their town, I’d help them out more.

They may look creepy now, but they are great students!

Дед Мороз, “the Freezing Father”, or simply “Russian Santa” also got into the act. He appeared with his helper, and assisted us in giving out presents and candy to the 81 children and families we had at the event.

For two years, I've wondered: Who is the woman in blue?

I’m still not sure who exactly his helper in blue is. I asked a couple of families what she was, and I got a lot of conflicting answers such as:

• "She’s Santa's granddaughter.”
• "She’s Santa's wife.”
• "She’s his niece.”
• "She’s not married. You COULD marry her, you know. I know her aunt/sister/mother! Let me introduce you…” (this happened more than once, especially when I asked a babushka).

I really don’t think anyone knows exactly who she is. If you know who Russian Santa's helper is supposed to be, please tell me. I don’t want to marry her, I’m just curious.

All in all, it was a great event, and it made me really happy to see all of the joy on the kids (and their parent’s) faces. It was clear that the party made their day! It also made my day too, as seeing happy kids and parents. It was a good reminder of why am here.

Today is our last day at work. We are all very happy with the work we have done this year, and look forward to working together in 2010. While we have a break until the 5th of January, for me, the New Year brings a new adventure: a trip across the steppe to central Kazakhstan to help out at a culture camp.

To all, I wish a happy New Year and the best of luck in 2010!

Scrooge: not welcome in Kazakhstan

Although it is hard to get into a working groove because of the numerous holidays in December, my organization and I have been busy this month. For the couple of weeks, my organization and I have been working on a project to buy presents for low income handicapped children in our area. They did a similar project last year, but wanted this one to be bigger and better. Together, we located 80 children in our region who fit our qualifications and invited them and their families to a New Years celebration.

An interesting thing about the project was how we were able to get money to buy the gifts for over 80 children and to finance the celebration. We went to the local banks, stores, and individuals asking if they would help us. While many stores and individuals did not want to give money, they gave gifts instead. Larger businesses donated a "holiday tree", food, candy, and sound equipment for the celebration. In-kind donations seem to be the rage in Esik, and personally, I prefer it when someone gives an item or a service to a charitable cause than money.

Store in Esik that gave a boatload of candy

My job was to help out the newest volunteers to the Local Community Fund. We took the philanthropy to the streets, going stall to stall at the bazaar talking about the event and encouraging people to give money or presents. They are a rambunctious group (and the fastest Russian/Kazakh speakers I have EVER heard) that love to have fun. It went way better than I expected. We had a lot of fun, and I think that they are interested in helping out with future projects.

everyone together!

volunteers with hats

at the bazaar

I'm a bad poet. Now everyone knows it.

Christmas, as many Americans know it, is not celebrated in Kazakhstan. This day is a working day, and I’ll be at the office. Although I wish I could be home with my family, I don’t feel so bad about working. This is because I really haven’t worked a lot this month. There are so many holidays in the month that it is hard to start projects; something that I was angry about last year, but not this time around. (Independence day: December 16-20, New Years: Dec 31-Seeming like whenever people want to go back to work) Christmas for Orthodox Christians is celebrated on January 7, and for Kazakhs, March 22-24. I love the idea of celebrating multiple Christmases, although I miss my own.

Because there are so many days off, it is hard to start any sort of project in December. Last year, I was angry about not working, This year, I feel better about it, perhaps because I wrote a poem. I needed something to do with my free time! Why I'm placing this on my blog, I don't really know. Enjoy it. Go ahead and laugh it up at my horrible prose. It's ok, because something like this will never happen again. Perhaps OCAP stands for "Oh Crap! Abysmal Poetry!"

Anyway, Clement Clark Moore wrote my favorite Christmas poem. He was American, but if he lived in Kazakhstan, I think his famous poem “Twas the Night before Christmas”, probably would have turned out like this.

Enjoy! Happy Holidays!

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the land
Not a single soul cared, for this was Kazakhstan;
No stockings were hung by the fire at all,
For fear they would burn if they would fall.

Children were sleeping all snug in their beds,
While visions of beshbarmak danced in their heads;
Babushka in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap.

When out on the street there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away out the door I flew like a flash,
Then I slipped on the pavement and fell on my ass.

The ice on the top of the new-fallen snow
Added to the pain in my bum below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
Not a miniature sleigh, and not eight small reindeer,

But a little red Lada, that pulled up so close,
I knew in a moment it was Дед Мороз (1).
He opened the door of his rusted red car,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called out afar;

"Where’s Aslan? And Pasha? And Arman? Давай (2)!
And Sergi! Where’s Maxim? And you! Let’s ride!
Get into the Lada! We’ll go far away!
Hurry up! Come on, and do what I say!"

The Lada was ancient, but oh could it fly,
Where the roads were too slippery we took to the sky.
Over the houses and rivers we flew,
The Lada full of friends, and Дед Мороз too.

And then, in a twinkling, we were on the ground
And I got out and looked all around.

A yurt was the only thing I could see,

My friends saw my face and they laughed with glee.

“

"Come on in!” they said, “and do not be scared!”

“Our guests are all here and everything’s prepared!”

As I entered the yurt I was royally stunned
Because the big feast had already begun.

Bottles of kumis(3) stacked eight cubits high

Mountains of beshbarmak(4) touched the sky!

At the head of the table sat Auezov (5) and Abai (6),

Writing poetry so beautiful it made Nazerbaev (7) cry.

…And the man in red?

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his task,
And filled all the glasses with his hidden flask.
And standing up as quick as a flash,
He said the first toast, and then drained his glass.

The time passed quickly, we had so much fun
All too soon the night was done

We were there ‘til half past four

.Дед Мороз dropped us at our doors.

As we shook hands goodbye hand he gave me a grin.

And I heard him exclaim, as he left faster than sin,

Zhanga zhyl kutty bolsyn!

Russian/Kazakh Words Explained (it rhymes! I just needed 3 languages to do it!):

1. “Ded Moroz”: Russian version of Santa…but for New Years

2. “Da-vi”: Lets go in Russian

3. “ku-miz”: Fermented milk. Very traditional, but not very fun to drink.

4. “Besh-ba-rmak”: National dish of Kazakhstan

5. Mukhtar Auezov (1897-1961): Famous Kazakh writer, poet, and storyteller

6. Abai Kunanbaev (1845-1904): Famous Kazakh writer, poet, and storyteller

7. Nursultan Nazarbayev: President of Kazakhstan