From Mangystau to Warsaw

For many people, Amsterdam is a dream destination. Whether for the quaint canals, amazing museums, good food, or some other reason, this city has drawn people from all over the world to live here. However, this is not the city that Bayan, a Kazakh woman living here in Europe, would have originally chosen to move to. After spending 10 years studying and working in France, mainly Paris, Bayan grew accustomed to the lifestyle there and loved it. A year ago, though, she moved to Amsterdam after her husband found a job here. Although at first Bayan was bummed to be there, she has since grown to love this city and the community here. Bayan lives in a suburb of Amsterdam where about 10 other Kazakh families live. These people and other Kazakhs in Amsterdam have helped her to really begin to think of Amsterdam as home for her. We met up with Bayan at the opening of Nomos Coffee, a Kazakh cafe that just re-opened in the southwest of Amsterdam near Vondelpark. You could see her love for the community here and how she has become a part of it! Bayan took us all around the cafe and introduced us to almost everyone in the room. It was so great to meet so many Kazakhs and hear bits and pieces of their stories. She is not leaving France behind forever though! She and her husband hope to move back there one day and buy a house in the countryside. What a dream!

Living far from home can be a rewarding yet challenging experience. For many international students, the journey is as much about personal growth as it is about academic achievement. Recently, an inspiring mathematician originally from Afyon, a city near Antalya in Türkiye, shared reflections that beautifully capture the importance of community when living abroad. Four years ago, Kubra moved to Edinburgh to pursue a PhD in mathematics. Though she appreciates the cleaner environment and stronger economy in Scotland compared to Türkiye, she sees this as a temporary chapter in her life. She will return to Türkiye after completing her studies and work there for five years. In the meantime, Kubra visits Türkiye every six months to reconnect with family—her sister and father—and rejuvenate her ties to home. Her husband, whom she met in high school, studies physics and astronomy in Edinburgh, giving her a partner who understands the exhilaration and isolation of academic life abroad. Cultural connection plays a crucial role in her life overseas. Celebrating Turkish holidays with the community organized by the Turkish Consulate General in Edinburgh brings warmth and festivity reminiscent of home. Kubra also emphasized the challenges of adapting to Scottish life—particularly the local accent and the many rules that can feel restrictive. She misses the hospitality and vibrant nightlife of Türkiye, staples of the Turkish culture. Kubra’s story highlights a universal truth for many living abroad: while academic and economic opportunities may draw people away from home, it is their community that anchors them. By nurturing bonds with fellow nationals and embracing cultural traditions, expats create a bridge between their roots and new surroundings. It is this cherished community—both old and new—that sustains them through moments of homesickness and cultural adjustment. For anyone embarking on life far from their homeland, her experience offers valuable insight: invest in relationships, celebrate your culture, and slowly but surely you will build the connections that will make anywhere feel like home.

Mary and I finally made it all the way down to Krakow on our adventure in Poland. A short train ride down from the capital city put us among the other tourists there to see the rich history of the city. We even got to stay perfectly positioned between the old town and the Jewish Quarter. With so much to see and so little time, we made sure to make the most of it. It was during our time there that we got to meet Aigerim. Aigerim is from Kyrgyzstan but moved to Poland in 2019. She came through the Erasmus exchange program, but soon after COVID hit, she made the quick decision to apply for the spring semester. She was approved, and that was the beginning of choosing to live and study in Poland. She has now finished her bachelor’s in international relations and her master’s in project management. Students in Poland are allowed to work full-time and go to school, so she found a job. Aigerim has worked in several spheres, spending some time in the restaurant business, Uber, and consulting. She has since moved into the corporate world and now works in HR in QVC in Krakow. Danaker Diaspora of Women from Kyrgyzstan in Poland has also benefited from Aigerim, as she has volunteered to help to organize and do outreach for the organization. The Kyrgyz diaspora wanted to create an organization that bolstered the presence of Central Asians in Poland. The organization seeks to support migrant women and host events to educate the diaspora on cross-cultural living. Aigerim is very passionate about the organization and helping those who want to further their horizons with education and jobs in European countries. Aigerim has made a home here in Krakow. She told us about how it was hard at first to leave her family in Bishkek and move to Poland, but that the move helped her to see who she wanted to become. Living in Poland gives her the opportunity to see other European countries easily and work for any company anywhere in the world. She says she has become more independent the more she lives in Europe, and living here can open your eyes to other cultures and ways of living. We couldn’t agree with her more as we continue to learn about Central Asia and love the people who are from there.

On a typically gloomy day in Amsterdam, we met with Aruzhan in a cafe in the south of the city. She has now lived in the Netherlands for two years, initially moving here because her husband received a job offer from a company in Amsterdam. Although she has made Amsterdam feel like home in some ways, there will always be a part of her that misses living in Kazakhstan amongst her friends and family. Even though she is living over 3,000 miles away from her home, there is a strong Kazakh community here in Amsterdam that helped her as she was transitioning to life abroad. Whenever there is a get-together, they all love the opportunity to connect with people from their home and to speak their own language again. There is even a Kazakh cafe opening in Amsterdam this upcoming weekend that Aruzhan told us about. One of Aruzhan’s favorite things about living in the Netherlands is the work/life balance. Not only is there a good balance in her weekly schedule, but living here has offered her the opportunity to travel to places all around Europe, most recently France. She has also started running and wants to run in the Amsterdam half-marathon in October! “Moving abroad helps you to grow up, and I have learned a lot about contentment from Dutch people,” Aruzhan told us. Dutch people care more about the quality of their life and do not let things like weather ruin their mood or their plans. This aspect of the culture here in the Netherlands appeals to Aruzhan and is a mindset that she would want to take back with her if or when she moves back to Kazakhstan. We had a lovely time chatting with Aruzhan and hearing about her life. Hopefully this is not the last time that we will meet!

While walking through Scotland, it's impossible not to feel a sense of beauty and wonder that seems to exist only when you're wandering its streets. As you stroll, you catch glimpses of stunning architecture and rich history. The sights and sounds captivate you—the melodic hum of bagpipes and the comforting aroma of freshly brewed English tea fill the air. These were the very things that enchanted Ayca when she moved to Scotland from Turkey. Upon arriving to pursue a degree in architecture, she couldn’t resist spending hours outside, mesmerized by the breathtaking scenery around her. Her passion for architecture came alive as she admired the uniqueness of Scotland’s buildings. Inspired by her brother, who had studied in Scotland a few years earlier, Ayca followed in his footsteps after being accepted into her dream program. Unfortunately, shortly after her arrival, her brother left to work for a German company. Though this made the transition harder, Ayca found her footing and met a few kind-hearted friends along the way. She even discovered a Turkish community that celebrated cultural events, helping her feel more at home. Still, she experienced moments of loneliness and homesickness—after all, she had moved to a new country and was studying in a foreign language. Despite the challenges, Ayca often wandered the streets of Edinburgh, reminding herself why she came. The beauty of the architecture continually reignites her dream of becoming a renowned architect. Her passion and creativity have been with her since childhood. She grew up dancing and was soon enrolled in dance classes, mastering the Tango and various Latin styles. Her talent led her to compete internationally, and she became a professional dancer at a young age, winning numerous competitions. As time passed, Ayca discovered a new passion for architecture and eventually stepped away from competitive dancing to pursue it fully. Now, she’s thriving at university in Scotland, loving every moment of her studies. Her determination and resilience have carried her through the toughest transitions. Ayca shines in the face of adversity—and the world should take notice, because the next great architect is on her way!

When you think of Paris, you probably imagine baguettes, crepes, or maybe even escargots. Did you know that you can find Central Asian food here as well? There are multiple restaurants that I checked out while I was there, and all of them were delicious. So, if you’re interested in trying some Central Asian food during your trip to Paris, look no further! In the 11th Arrondissement, there is a small but delicious Uzbek restaurant called Plov and Samsa. Their menu is small, but it has all of the essentials, including plov, samsa, manti, and salads. They also have desserts including baklava and medovik, a honey cake common in Central Asia. I sat outside and enjoyed a pot of tea while I waited for my usual order of plov. Now, I have had a lot of plov since moving to Central Asia, and the plov from this restaurant had the most tender beef of any plov dish that I have had. It was absolutely delicious! This restaurant also does delivery, so if eating out is not your thing, you can order this to your door with a food delivery service. In the 9th Arrondissement, you will find Ouzbekistan, another Uzbek restaurant. This menu has a lot of options for a meal including plov, lagman, manti, samsa, soups, and of course salad. All of the food comes with complementary brown bread that is a standard fare in Central Asia. It is perfect for dipping into soup on a cold day! I had the plov again, this time with a tomato and cucumber salad and of course a pot of tea. All of the dishware here had the traditional Uzbek blue and white designs, which made it feel like I was back in Central Asia. While checking this spot out, I met up with Begimay, a Kygyz woman living in Paris. She completed her bachelor’s degree here in France. From her, I learned more about the differences in Central Asian dishes across the region. Begimay is from Bishkek, which is in the northern part of Kyrgyzstan. Her grandma taught her how to make plov when she was young, and she has made it for years. Here in Paris, she lives with some other Kyrgyz women, one of whom is from southern Kyrgyzstan. They have made plov together for different holidays, and Begimay said that she has learned different techniques from her roommate and now makes more of a north/south fusion plov! If you want to learn more about the different areas of Kyrgyzstan, check out our other articles here . Aside from Uzbek food, there is also Uyghur food here in Paris. Right across the street from Ouzbekistan in the 9th Arrondissement, there is a Uyghur restaurant called Muqam. Not only do they have the Central Asian dishes that I am used to seeing like plov and lagman, but they also have unique dishes from Uyghur cuisine. The staff here were kind and accommodating, and the food was filling and delicious. This is a must try if you are wanting to get a taste of Uyghur food! All of the addresses for these restaurants are listed below! Plov and Samsa: 46 Bd Voltaire, 75011 Paris, France Ouzbekistan: 37 Rue de Trévise, 75009 Paris, France Muqam: 36 Rue de Trévise, 75009 Paris, France

From the time of the Silk Road to now, the peoples of Central Asia have expressed themselves and their culture through textiles. There are unique textiles of each country in Central Asia, and even within each country, every region has their own specialized techniques and designs. Khulkar, an Uzbek woman living and working in France shared with me her love for Central Asian design. Khulkar is an inter-disciplinary artist, who in 2021, began creating scarves inspired by Uzbek culture and traditional patterns. She often incorporates motifs like pomegranates, motherhood, and folklore into her designs. As she explained some of her designs to me, I could see how she pulls from historic styles while still making her pieces unique and original. During our conversation, I loved seeing how thought out each aspect of her scarves is, from the patterns to the materials used to create them. She partners with a manufacturer in Italy to create high quality 100% silk scarves. Central Asian textiles are full of symbolic patterns; I loved the opportunity to learn about the different aspects of each piece. Khulkar was inspired to make scarves by liberty values. She was also influenced by women like Nurkhon Yuldasheva and Tamara Khanum. Yuldasheva was an Uzbek actress from the early 1900s, who made history as one of the first women to perform publicly without a paranja, a garment similar to a burqa, and who sadly was honor-killed by her brother in 1929. Khanum was an Armenian woman who grew up during the Soviet Union, who made history as the first woman to perform publicly without a veil on. Khanum revolutionized female dance performance in Uzbekistan and the Soviet Union, and her influence can still be seen today in the Uzbek school of national dances. Tamara Khanum was a champion for women’s rights, and she advocated for those rights her whole life. These ideas of liberty and freedom motivated Khulkar to explore and create as well, and eventually led her to France and to her passion of art. Her projects are inspired by the idea of vitaculture, the urgency of joy. One of her projects that began in 2017, is the Insitute of Uzbekistan, which helps to bring contemporary Uzbek art in dialogue with other nations and their art. If you want to see Khulkar’s designs, go check out her Instagram or her website ! Or you can go to her Etsy Shop to purchase her scarves here . If you want to learn more about female artisans in Central Asia, go check out this lookbook made by the Smithsonian here . If you want to learn more about Nurkhon Yuldasheva, you can check out this article . Or if you want to learn more about Tamara Khanum, you can check out this article .

As humans, we all desire community and friendship, especially with those who understand who we are at our core. This is what the Kurdish community in Austria is seeking as well. Today, many Kurds have made a new home in Austria. As more and more Kurds settled in the area, the need arose to start a community center which would serve as a place they could obtain the community and friendships they were longing for. At the Kurdish Association for Culture and Integration in Linz, this is exactly what happens there today. They support and encourage each other as they seek to adapt to a culture that is not their own. At the organization, there are many classes and experiences offered to support Kurdish children who are balancing keeping their own culture while living in another. Kurds from various backgrounds come and celebrate what makes them who they are together. When they celebrate together, especially during Nowruz, they get a taste of home. The air buzzes with rhythmic drumbeats and joyful melodies as dancers perform cultural dances. The dancing and festivities last late into the evening as everyone joins in on the party! If there is one thing the Kurds of Austria haven’t lost, it is their culture. One key component of this culture is endless hospitality. As we walked into the Kurdish Association for Culture and Integration, we were immediately welcomed. New friends sat down with us and shared their inspiring life stories over tea. Even though we were foreigners, Azad Barakat, the founder of the organization, took the time to invite us into their community events and even into his home. In the same day that we met, we felt welcomed as if we were family! At Azad’s home, we met his beautiful family and sipped tea as we chatted about Kurdish culture. We marveled at all the food his wife had prepared for us! We dined on Içli Köfte, Hummus, Sarma, and a special cold soup made with yogurt and spices. We learned so much about Kurdish culture that day, and our eyes were opened to new and interesting details about their heritage. We were struck by the kindness that was shown to us. Even while we were there, Azad and his wife opened their home to more visitors that were seeking to learn about their culture. Kurds, Americans, and Austrians all sat around the table that day as we laughed and ate together. It didn’t matter where we were from, just that we had the chance to experience a welcoming community.

Meet Akinai and Adiya, two inspiring women from Central Asia who met at the International Institute of Geneva while pursuing their degrees in International Relations. Despite coming from different countries - Akinai from Kyrgyzstan and Adiya from Kazakhstan - their shared passion for global affairs and a love for their cultural roots brought them together in Switzerland. As they approach their graduation, these two friends reflect on the incredible journey they've had over the past three years, navigating their studies, internships, and personal growth in a city that has become their second home. Akinai, who initially studied at the International Institute, switched to the Geneva School of International Relations. She has a love for adventure and new experiences, which led her passion for travel. Whether it’s exploring new places or trying out a new Pilates routine, Akinai thrives on discovering what the world has to offer. She’s excited to take the next step in her career with an internship at the Kazakh embassy in Switzerland. Adiya has always been fascinated by languages and cultures. She taught herself French, a testament to her curiosity and determination to understand people from all walks of life. Her love for painting and the arts is another way she connects with the world around her. Adiya has obtained an internship at the United Nations, growing her experience in the field she’s passionate about. Both women have cherished their time in Geneva, where they’ve discovered that with the right people, life can be unforgettable. Their shared experiences - from late-night study sessions to exploring Geneva's beautiful lakeside views - have created lasting memories. Both Akinai and Adiya love to share the richness of their Central Asian culture with others. From wearing traditional designs and patterns to telling stories about their countries, they’re proud to share about the beauty of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. It's one of the ways they keep their roots close while navigating life abroad. As they approach graduation and step into their professional futures, Akinai and Adiya are excited for what lies ahead. But no matter where their journeys take them, they will always carry the experiences, lessons, and friendships they’ve built in Geneva - a city that helped shape them into the women they are today.