Kazakhstan: Teagan Benson (A New Experience)
A significant component of the Russian Flagship Program includes excursions within the city of Almaty and throughout Kazakhstan. Excursions offer students the opportunity to learn and experience our host country and culture while practicing our language skills in various real-world situations. Our first major excursion was to Turkistan – a small, historically significant city in southern Kazakhstan.
Turkistan was a major resting area on the silk road, an ancient route that helped establish trade networks between China, the Middle East, and Europe. For many centuries the only building in Turkistan was the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi offering travelers a place to break and pray while travelling. Turkistan has expanded and developed greatly within the last 10 years. Spreading out from the Mausoleum at the center, the green and modern city stands in contrast with the surrounding bare steppe.
On our excursion we visited mausoleums, temples, and fortresses which began construction in the 14th century. We observed many holy sites and were able to partake in prayers. It was fascinating and humbling to stand in places with such a long history of human occupancy and to follow their same path of travel.
I was especially shocked when we arrived at a cavernous cave in the middle of the Kazakh steppe. Akmeshit cave is a designated holy site as legends explain it was a place of refuge during a Dzungarian invasion. Our excursion to Turkistan provided us with many laughs, unique memories, and maturing moments for personal development.
A side note: if ever travelling the silk road through Central Asia, prepare yourself for less than preferable bathroom conditions and always bring toilet paper.
Teagan Benson
Hometown: Cumberland, Wisconsin
Major: Russian Language & Civilization
Program: AC Russian Overseas Flagship Capstone Program
I chose to study on the intensive capstone program to improve my Russian language skills and cross-cultural competence. I hope to reach superior proficiency upon completion of the capstone. This opportunity will provide real-life context to my studies and greatly enhance my education.