As we talked about a bit on our video call, I recently had the opportunity to visit a village outside of Almaty. The village was called Satu, and while my group and I were there, people were celebrating Nauryz. In addition to seeing some beautiful nature and trying some awesome food, my group and I got to learn more about the holiday while we were there!
Every spring, Nauryz (pronounced "Now-ruz" and sometimes also spelled as "Nowruz") marks the celebration of Persian New Year. The holiday is primarily celebrated in Iran, Central Asia (where Kazakhstan is located) and the Balkans. The celebration is meant to mark the arrival of spring, and this year, it lasted from March 21st to March 23rd. During this holiday, people dress up in national costumes, spend time with friends and family and participate in national games! While spending the weekend in the village, I had the opportunity to try traditional Kazakh foods, watch a number of national games and competitions and see some beautiful outfits!
