The other day news spread that the Circus was coming to town. Now, Central Asian circuses have had a reputation for being very risque, so it is always worth asking yourself if watching dogs jump through hoops outweighs the other visual onslaught. We decided we'd go, and so did half of Astana. It turned out to be quite funny in a good way. But to get there... Michelle called the Astana City Help Line, which is usually anything but, and they gave her the number to the Circus. She called up, connected with a Russian first who then transferred her to a Kazak. This lady was so pleased to meet this American gal who speaks Kazak over the phone that she volunteered to pick the tickets up for us (she does work in the ticket office after all), and bring them to our house. When she arrived, she didn't have tickets, but she did speak French! And that is one of the more interesting aspects of Kazak life we weren't expecting. We have met Kazaks who speak German, French, Chinese, and even Spanish. And all better than, or in place of, English! So, if you know any German, French, Chinese, or Spanish speakers who want to come to Central Asia but think they can't maybe due to language, you go put them on the first plane out here!

Michelle was at a birthday party tonight (we are back in Astana) and was talking with a Kazak lady about our Fund. She explained that we have a goal of recording traditional music with a view to possibly organizing an international music exchange or festival of some kind. At that point the gal's eyes went big and she burst out asking "Can you bring Justin Timberlake!?". To which her mother added, "Yeah right, it'd cost a million bucks to get him here!"