Settling In

After taking the last ten days to settle into my new apartment and something approximating a routine, I now have an opportunity to sit down and write about some of my latest adventures in Almaty. It’s nice to have a free evening—one in which I’m not too exhausted from teaching, walking around the city, and hours spent trying to improve my Russian. So now it’s time to listen to some music (The Beatles—a nice break from all of the techno-pop you hear on the radio over here), enjoy a glass of “Old Tblisi” red (for those of you unfamiliar with the post-Soviet states, Tblisi is the capital of Georgia—a country known for its good wines), and catch up on writing.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate with my apartment here in Almaty. Housing prices are incredibly expensive—it’s not unheard of for an apartment to rent for $2000-$3000 per month, which the Fulbright stipend simply wouldn’t cover. However, our embassy contact arranged for an apartment near the old city center that has a very modest rent. Her friend owns the apartment, and lives next door with her family. Surprisingly for the city, my apartment is very private—it overlooks a tree-filled courtyard away from the street. Even better, the building has a southern exposure. Around here, that means only one thing—it faces the Tien Shan mountains that rise up just south of the city. My apartment is on the 4th (and top) floor, and each morning I wake up to a beautiful view of the mountains. From a certain angle, one peak in particular looks just like the Alpspitze in Garmisch—it’s strangely comforting.

The apartment is typical of Soviet-era apartments (although much nicer than the huge Soviet style apartment buildings on the edges of the city). It’s only about 450 square feet, with a small bathroom (complete with toilet tucked away in a room smaller than a broom closet), kitchen, and bedroom/living room combination. My landlords ensured that I had the most essential item before I moved in—they bought me a new tea kettle, so that I can sit in the kitchen and drink tea all evening long. The kitchen is rather standard—if a little on the larger size. It had most of the necessary equipment—pots, pans, plates, etc. I have had to go out and buy a few things, though. A few good knives, cutting boards, and mixing spoons make all the difference in the world. Monday, I was able to add the one essential that, as an American, I found incredibly difficult to live without. Yes, I was able to find a set of actual drinking glasses that weren’t smaller than juice tumblers. Before that, I only had a set of tea mugs. I was so thrilled that I didn’t mind having to walk 4 miles back to my house—in 3-inch heels. But more on that in another post.

Back to my apartment…the bedroom/living room is very Russian in character—rich carpets hanging on the walls, a large schrank occupying one entire wall and filled with items of importance. And books. Wonderful, wonderful books. Agatha Christie, Joyce Carol Oates, Truman Capote, Victoria Holt (yes, that author of the Victorian-era tripe, that I loved so much in 7th grade before developing at least some critical faculties). There are shelves and shelves of books, both in Russian and English. Lyudmila (my landlady) has shown me the bookshelves in her apartment and invited me to go over to get books any time I want. My first night here, I sat listening to the rain (the only rain we’ve had since I’ve been here), and reading an Agatha Christie. Absolute bliss. So if you think of me over here in Almaty, picture me enjoying a cup of tea in the evening, a wonderful pastry from one of the many bakeries, and reading a good book on my balcony—occasionally looking up at the mountains and thinking of how fortunate I am to be able to enjoy these simple things.