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How do you want to spend your last summer as a student?

This summer, I knew, I want to fly far away to some place I’ve never thought of going to before and I want a budget friendly way to travel. So, I ended up applying for a scholarship to a summer school in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

I found the summer school through a German educational organisation (DAAD) that gives out scholarships for studies abroad. The summer school I applied for was called “Eurasian Economic Landscape through Space and Time” and took place at the Eurasian Technological ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� in Almaty. Upon arrival in Kazakhstan, I did not know much about the country. I’ve only heard about the mountains rising next to the city and from any point in the city one can spot snow covered mountain tips. In the following two weeks my image of Kazakhstan as a young nation, searching for an own identity and position in global dynamics apart from their post-Soviet status, formed.

Going to study abroad only works under the premise that one is not expecting to sit in the same kind of lectures as at home. Going so far East, the style of education obviously is different than in the Netherlands. Experiencing the city and reflecting on differences to our home universities together with other German summer school participants was an important part of my learnings. Next to that, we got to engage with Kazakh students in the student dorm we lived in and through lectures that were open to local students as well. Being part of a group of enthusiastic students pushed me to start conversations with students in the dorm’s laundry room, with taxi drivers and waitresses who gave me a greater picture of social and political dynamics in Kazakhstan. I got the image, that people in Kazakhstan are aware of their Soviet history, which is also quite undeniable when walking around the city dominated by typical Soviet style architecture. While most Kazakh talk Russian and use Russian apps in their daily life, I’ve heard people wishing for a more Russian independent future. There is a fear of Kazakhstan being invaded by Russia and institutions like the university show great solidarity by employing Russians who left the country after the war in Ukraine started.

The summer school gave me an insight in economic, social and political dynamics in the central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and partly Turkmenistan. One set of lectures engaged with the topic of using the lens of European Integration on central Asia, discussing opportunities and obstacles for a Eurasian Integration. I enjoyed the group works in which each group took position of a central Asian country and analysed the country’s economic strengths and weaknesses. Through this interactive task we eventually proposed a way of Eurasian Integration that could benefit the respective countries.

Next to a diverse academic program (well, not gonna lie, some hours in class at 33°C still felt long), we enjoyed cultural activities where we got to learn more about Kazakh traditions. Trying horse meat and fermented camel milk were not on my bucket list, but definitely added to the experience. After the summer school program ended, I stayed a couple of days longer in Kazakhstan, so I could explore the regions nature gems of deserts, canyons, and alpine mountain lakes. Driving offroad in a Soviet car form 1962 felt like living the visual material to our in-class discussions on post-Soviet Nostalgia.

All in all, I am very grateful for the opportunity to travel to Kazakhstan, for the summer school which gave me great context over dynamics in central Asia and the people I got to meet during the journey. I never felt that I sacrificed my summer holiday for yet more lectures, it rather felt like a really nerdy way of travelling and I loved it!