People to people diplomacy at work!

Kazakh Visitor Receives Cultural Taste of Tucson

One of the many great advantages that sister cities organizations provide is the chance to show people from other countries some of the many natural features that exist in southern Arizona. Zhuldyz (pronounced Jewell Deez) Kamalieva of Almaty, Kazakhstan has just finished visiting the United States for 1 month. During that time she was able to stay in Tucson for a few weeks.

 Jerry Gary, President of the Tucson/Almaty Sister Cities Committee and Sally Gary, Committee Secretary, gave plenty of caring guidance and advice for projects that Zhuldyz accomplished during her stay. Sally Allison, a local financial advisor, graciously provided lodging and access to community activities during the entire time Zhuldyz spent in Tucson. Zhudyz is a well-known in Almaty, Kazakhstan as an Aikido Martial Arts Expert and Professional Entertainer. One of the highlights of her American visit was to take part in a Marshall Arts action movie while visiting New York City. She relayed to friends in Tucson how helpful and amiable New Yorkers were to her in providing directions. Both Americans and Kazakh nationals living in New York provided lodging and accommodations.  Jay Fulcher, another Committee member, introduced Zhuldyz to Ken and Gigi Sanchez. Ken is a local Marshall Arts instructor and readily provided information to Zhuldyz’s questions concerning the local Martial Arts community. All four took a day trip to Baboquivari  Mountain outside of Sells, Arizona. A pleasant afternoon was spent photographing and hiking amongst the unique natural beauty, and observing the fascinating petroglyphs the area  provides in abundance. A delicious home made organic pot luck picnic lunch, flat tires, rough unpaved roads, and range cattle occupying the highway after sunset, provided added spice to a day already filled with adventure. Upon arriving back to Tucson, the Sanchez’s made up a meal of mesquite flour and organic blue corn meal pancakes with plenty of local honey and aromatic herbal tea. Some of Ken’s Martial Arts students joined the gathering and added to the lively conversations that lasted well into the wee hours of the night. Ken, Gigi, and Jay were happy to have provided to Zhuldyz a unique Arizona cultural experience, and more importantly another link to global understanding.