Cultural Enrichment

The Language Flagship believes that cultural literacy is a critical aspect of a global professional’s skillset. In light of this, developing cultural understanding is one of the primary goals of the Russian Overseas Flagship. Opportunities for enrichment are built into both classroom-based activities and extracurriculars.

Throughout the Capstone year, students engage in a wide variety of cultural programming, including excursions to the many historical sites and museums of Almaty, trips to the theater, university festivals and conferences, opportunities to participate in KazNU’s many clubs, and extended field studies in diverse regions of the country. Additionally, participants attend a weekly course, “Language of Dance”, that not only acquaints them with movement and anatomy-related vocabulary, but also highlights the ways in which Kazakh and Russian traditions have been preserved in folk dance.

In order to share their observations and reflect on their growth, students meet with the program’s Resident Director on a monthly basis for a Cultural Roundtable. During these events the group analyzes scenarios inspired by their own experiences with locals and discusses how various environments (public transport, classrooms, workplaces) influence social norms in Kazakhstan. By working together to examine how their American backgrounds affect their perceptions of the host culture, students are able to more easily identify the strategies that lead to successful integration.