Central Eurasian Mission - Week 16 - July 3-9, 2017

We went to EXPO 2017 this week! Specifically we went on July 4th because the USA Embassy/USA pavilion was putting on a show.

The EXPO 2017 theme is "Future Energy", and it is all about different kinds of energy, specifically green energy.  Kazakhstan is an energy powerhouse in the world with vast resources of oil and natural gas.  The oil is being drilled/mined/sucked up (I don't know the term) currently.  We've been told that the natural gas reserves are vast, but there is no infrastructure to collect it and ship it.   Kazakhstan wants to the the energy center of this part of the world and so is busily promoting themselves as the home of future energy.  Kazakhstan also wants to be viewed as a modern, up and coming country and what better way to do it, than to host a world expo. The Expo center is really quite nice - modern, comfortable, lots of bathrooms (but the automatic lights can/will turn off while you're in a stall, and then.....).  About 56 countries have displays and then there are special pavilions which have all sorts commercial displays.

This is the "death star".  But we have heard that it is politically impolite to call the Kazakhstan Pavilion this ridiculous name.



Here is the DS Kazakhstan Pavilion up close.  We wanted to go inside and take a look at a few of the eight floors, but by the time we got there, the line was waaaassssyyy too long for us.  We'll be going again and maybe the line won't be so bad or the sun so hot.



Hungarian Pavilion - this is for Dolores.



EXPO mascot and some old guy



We visited the Energy Discovery Building which had super interesting displays by private companies showing their new ideas.  One was where solar lights were installed in remote Himalayan villages (less than twenty houses per village) which were not eligible for government help.  Another showed solar powered medical clinics.  Another and another and another.  If I were young now, I would forget about majoring in botany/horticulture  and major in energy engineering!!!  This photo is a mock up of the solar powered health clinic which is being used in refugee camps.



An electric scooter made in Germany.  The young woman at this station could not explain to me how this scooter is different from the many that we saw in China.



We went to Finland, the Vatican, Hungary, ohhh there were so many.  They all showed their ideas and contraptions and displays, etc.  We wanted to go to the German one because we'd been told it was really good.  But there was a line, and we don't do lines very well.

You'll recognize this pavilion



The US Pavilion had an interesting theme with really great videos and graphics.  Instead of showing all the latest inventions and innovations - either because there weren't any or because we didn't want to brag (said in my tiny inside voice) -- the message was that the source of infinite energy is found in us - meaning all of us world citizens who work together and figure out how to manage the future with renewable energy or new energy or whatever energy.  It was very nicely done, and I felt proud of us.

At 3:00 the SHOW began on the outdoor covered stage.  We barely got there in time to have a seat. The embassy always has a fourth of July party at the embassy, but this was a first.....to have it away from the embassy.  Dignitaries, military guys in their dress uniforms, rabbis, American flags waving in peoples hands, goofy Americans.  It was very festive.  Raising of both country's flags along with the national anthems.

  

  

The current ambassador gave a speech (he's on the left) and the first US ambassador to Kaz who came in Jan 1991 just after the 1992 independence of Kaz is on his right. The US was the first country  to recognize an independent Kaz. and open an embassy here.



There was a stage show.  An expat band - The Astana Bluegrass Survivors - were really good



Then the US Expo Volunteers did a dance which brought the house down.  They started off with a traditional Kazakh dance, and it turned into a cowboy dance to Cotton Eyed Joe.  At English Club that evening this dance was taught.  Here is a link
https://www.facebook.com/paul.gallo.752/videos/1775014032515553/



After the show was over there was a parade; flags were handed out to everyone who was close enough to grab one (I could only get one).  There was a Marine Color guard marching with their 'official' flag , a band from Nazerbayev Univ, and cheerleaders....and, wait for it ...two Harley Davidson Motorcycles complete with bikers .  We all joined in and marched a while until the big group got to the US Pavilion.  And then it was over.



We were really exhausted by now, but we had to hang out until later so we could go bowling ..more about that in a moment.

So, we went into the Silkway Pavilion.  For those of you Central Asia historically challenged people, the Silkway was the ancient route caravans took to go from here to there.  Marco Polo probably got out of the swimming pool long enough to travel on the Silkway.  So we were inside, and I saw this guy come in.  He had to be an American - not a Russian nor a Swede.  He had a sports jacket on and had a lapel pin with  a logo that combined the US and Kazakh flag (we are friends, you know).  So, I say to him, "Where are you from?"  He stops, looks at me and says, "America"  I say, "I know you're from America, but where in America?"  He says, Washington DC, where are you from?"  I say Oregon.  What are you doing here at the EXPO?"  He then proceeds to say that he is with the Rand Corporation and is here advising the cooperation of US-Kaz companies...and...that he was the first US ambassador to Kaz.  Holy Cow -I'm talking to a former dignitary!  We spent a great half hour or so talking to him - getting his 'take' on present day Kazakhstan.  He suggested that Astana is a Potemkin city.  We really wanted to have a selfie with him, but we do have our pride.  So we settled with exchanging business cards.  The picture we posted previously in this blog was taken off a TV report about the exposition.

It was a great day at EXPO but there was yet more to do.  Several days previously we'd been invited to go bowling with an NGO we'd visited back in May.  This is the group that supports "Young People with Limited Physical Abilities" in Astana.  This was kinda different....hmmm...bowling...?  Well, okay.  They are partners and that's what we do, work with partners.  So we left EXPO and got on a bus to go to the bowling place.  On a side note - the bus ride to the bowling alley was the absolute worst one ever.  All of our experiences in Japan and China pale in comparison to this one.  First it was hot, dang hot.  And the capacity of the bus was infinitely beyond full.  Personal space had moved into negative numbers, perhaps even into imaginary numbers.  The bus would stop, but no one would get off-yet five or more people would board.  I know how sardines feel.  We were sweating and everyone was a bit smelly.  We finally got to our stop and could barely fight our way through the crowd to the door.  I felt like the bus was giving birth to us - we were out!  If there was a place where we could have stopped and sat down until rested., we would have.

This is the building we're headed for.  We always have a hard time either getting into a building or finding what we want inside the building.  In Kaz, things just are different.



and to the right this a low grey building.  Up in the corner, you can see bowling pins.



And below the pins are two doors.  One is totally locked; the other is the entrance to a trampoline jumping place where numerous children are bouncing.  We walk one way and find some girls where I ask about bowling, and we do charades with an imaginary bowling ball. They know absolutely nothing about bowling. Het, Het, Het.  We go back and Dad thinks maybe the bowling is inside and beyond the trampolines.  I pooh poo this idea.  It is stupid. Why would a bowling alley be at a trampoline place. But he goes boldly ahead and does the bowling charade movements, and the guy points to the other side of the gym!  And yes, there is the bowling alley!  Turns out this place, which is also attached to a hotel is a rec center and in addition to the trampolines and bowling, there is ping pong.

  

We were greeted and invited to join in their bowling tournament.   Yes, we would love to!  Dad especially wanted to do this.  I got my shoes which were too small.  There weren't any more shoes for Dad so he just wore his street shoes - those shoes ruined his approach style.  Our bowling did not make America proud.  We were awful - but so was everyone else.  It was fun.  Absolutely no one cared how well they bowled - they were simply happy to be out and about and be with friends and having fun.  I could have used some pizza, but there was a lot of bottled water.  Apparently they have a bowling tournament several times (maybe) during the year and their sponsors come....which was why we were invited.  Speeches (remarks) were made - I even said a few words-happy to be here; what a great event; we're gong to have fun tonight!  There were seven of us on a team.  We were all awful - it was hilarious.  Half way through the second game, our allotted time was over, and so the lanes just turned off.  Then there were some more speeches and certificates and prizes (must have been participation prizes) were passed out.  Here's ours- a certificate and a lama and yurt made by Silent World, another one of our partners.



Friday we flew to Almaty for our third Zone Conference.  The flight was a bit brutal.  The plane was two hours late taking off, and the Kazakh passengers, fed up with waiting, literally stormed the doors leading to the ramp.  It was --- -different.  Usually people are very polite.  By the time we got to our hotel it was 11:00, and we were more than exhausted.  It was a memorable conference because our new Mission President and Sister President (yeah, I know, that is not church correct) were with us for the first. time.  They are really nice and accomplished people who will be good leaders.  He worked for Shell Oil for years and was in Oman and China.  No Russian or Turkish language skills, but they will well make up for that.  Their vision is that a District will be formed in Kaz which means we will need many more locals in leadership positions.  Maybe not in our time here, but eventually.

Coming back, our plane ride rivaled the previously described bus ride.  The air conditioning in the plane did not work  The temperature outside the plane was 99 and inside it was off the scale.  At least I didn't have to touch the person (Dad) next to  me, and there was no one in the third seat.  Finally, the engines started and the cold air started flowing.  The flight is about one and a half hours, and by the time we got to Astana our sweat had dried off.

I never told you all that we finally received our Permission to Preach certificate from the government division over religion.  With our official certificate, we could now officially speak in church.  We'd been asked to speak about a month ago, but we didn't have the certificate and then someone moved and gave a farewell talk and so on.  So today was the day we spoke in sacrament meeting for the first. time.  Dad gave his in English (no surprise), but I spoke in Russian and had Paul, the EXPO volunteer translate for me.  With so few of us, we'll get to speak frequently.



Next weekend the Mission President will be coming to Astana for four days, and we will be involved with their activities. So stay tuned for President and Sister Davis in Astana.