An American who knows your city better than you do - Dennis Keen, Walking Almaty | 90
nFactorial School is an online university for IT professions and IT skills. Get a 10% discount on any course from nFactorial School using promocode turpentine: shorturl.at/JPkmE
How to fall in love with Kazakhstan? What is it like to be a foreigner in Central Asia? How do American students react to Kazakh culture?
Our today’s guest is Dennis Keen - an American who became truly Kazakh. He is a Central Asia specialist with Kazakh history, culture, and language expertise.
We’ve started our discussion with an exploration of Almaty. Dennis shares personal stories about interesting people he's met and the city's history. We highlight local attractions such as the Green Bazar, Kazakh cuisine, the Kunayev Museum, and the Viktor Tsoy monument. Dennis discusses his experiences teaching about Kazakhstan at UCLA, the Kazakh community in Los Angeles, and the cultural surprises American students face.
Dennis offers practical advice for tourists and suggests ways to improve tourism in Kazakhstan. We also reflect on cultural exchanges between Kazakhstan and the USA. In the end, Dennis told his thoughts on what Kazakhstan can learn from the USA and vice versa.
Arman Suleimenov: / armansu
Dennis Keen: / walkingalmaty
Producer, Daniyar Akhmetzhanov: / good.years
Timestamps:
00:00 Show must go on!
1:13 How did Arman and Dennis meet?
4:21 What do most people in Almaty not know about their city?
6:16 The most interesting people Dennis has met
10:07 Golden Quarter tour
11:23 Stalinist vs Socialist Modernism buildings in Almaty
15:21 Unique bus stops in Almaty
19:18 Unique architectural objects in Almaty
20:57 Lower Quarter tour
21:50 Malaya Stanitsa tour
22:53 How was Almaty founded?
23:36 What is the Green Bazar known for?
25:44 What is Kazakh food about?
27:12 Kazakh cuisine restaurants in Almaty
31:31 All about the Academy of Sciences
36:26 Why are house museums important?
37:11 Kunayev Museum: How did Kunayev live?
38:01 Viktor Tsoy monument
41:32 Why must you visit Barakholka?
45:52 Best murals in Almaty
52:08 Monumental art in Almaty
54:50 Top 3 most famous mosaics in Almaty
59:18 Courses he teaches about KZ at UCLA
1:04:43 Kazakh community in Los Angeles
1:06:15 What shocks American students about KZ?
1:08:09 Why is the Russian language still so dominant in KZ?
1:14:18 Eagle hunting
1:20:51 Origin of his passion for Kazakh culture
1:24:06 TV show "Discovering Kazakhstan with Dennis Keen"
1:25:17 Almaty guide school
1:28:07 Advice to foreign tourists visiting KZ
1:29:53 Recommendations to improve tourism in KZ
1:36:48 Opinion about Borat
1:41:53 How do foreign people find out about KZ?
1:45:01 Tactics to improve proficiency in different languages
1:46:29 Future plans and upcoming projects
1:53:43 Software tools he uses in research
1:55:34 Top 3
1:59:50 What can KZ learn from the USA?
2:01:02 What can the USA learn from KZ?
2:02:49 Fun fact: born as one of the quadruplets
2:04:41 His values
2:08:30 Community of people passionate about KZ
2:09:26 Bus tours
2:11:42 Unforgettable experiences in Almaty
2:14:38 Question to the audience
#nfactorial #culture #podcast #kazakhstan #tourism
Пікірлер: 35
Question from Dennis: What is something in your neighbourhood, in your town, in your city that not a lot of people know about, but you think would make an amazing experience?
@diaskywalker
Күн бұрын
good roads that don't exist
@lqbez
11 сағат бұрын
I am originally from Almaty, however I moved to Astana three years ago and I am starting to love it here. In Astana's botanical park, there are hideaways within the radius of inner ellipse, where you can have amazing picnics in the shades sitting next to flowers. Also if you are from Almaty, I advice you to try out Bibigon, Romanovski sandwiches, Kokshetau's ice cream, and spiral fried potatoes.
Dennis - нағыз Kazakh patriot. Where others talk the talk, he walks the walk. He glows with passion and love for our country and culture in its sincere and pure form, unlike the majority of pseudo-patriots. Proud of you bro
The best interviewer forever
I met Dennis in Astana at the students meeting organised by American Corner some years ago. He passionately talked about Almaty walking tours and showed us, common Astana citizens, that old unpretentious ground houses can be really beautiful, interesting for guests and especially foreigners, and make up the city soul itself. Thank you for your hard work, your experience‘ share and respect to our country, I personally highly appreciate it. Good luck with new city tours in Almaty and hope to see you in Astana again 🍀👏🤲 Maral, GE guide 🤝
What an insightful podcast! Dennis Keen's deep knowledge and passion for Almaty's architecture truly shine through in this interview. It's fascinating to hear about the city's hidden gems and unique architectural styles from someone who has immersed themselves in its culture for over a decade. Dennis, your tours must offer such a rich experience of Almaty's history and beauty. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us!
Dennis is legendary Almatian:)
The host English is so great. I didn't expect him to speak English so well.
@armansuleimenov
3 күн бұрын
Didn't expect it either!
To answer your question Dennis: there is a lovely walking path along Essentai that starts 100 meters to the left from the Agroleshoz bus stop. Take any bus going to Medeu. You will forget about the busy city the same time you are not in wilderness.
@denniskeen3248
6 күн бұрын
Great hike! Thanks for sharing - Dennis
Арман, акцент қайда, әһәh) Almaty has become a popular destination for tourists (especially from India) in recent years. They have 14 days visa free to our country. So, it’s obvious that it’s becoming a good business for someone. Btw, your video popped up under one of those Indian tourists travel vlog, lol
Amazing 👏🏻
Ағылшын тілінде тыңдау қызықты
+1 LEVEP UP, KEEP FORWARD!
Wow! Sometimes, it sounds like Dennis knows more about Almaty than the host does. It’s absolutely impressive how broad and detailed Dennis’ comprehension of Almaty’s history is. The guy has done a brilliant job diving deep into the facts and real history of the region. Unfortunately, the modern Kazakh government has been putting a lot of effort into wiping out the Soviet history of the city, remodeling the facades, and erecting new residential complexes instead of the one- or two-story buildings from the Soviet era. Obviously, this reinvented history has little to do with the real past of the region. Instead of denying the past, it might be best to embrace it, which, in turn, will likely allow people to reconcile with some of the most contradictory moments in Kazakhstan’s complex history.
Amin🤲
Get the PhD before the entrance 😂😂
Эмпатичный, уважающий нашу идентичность, историю гость. Уже даже не гость - уже патриот Казахской степи
5:38 he pronounced it as "Al-Farabi" but the majority of the locals pronounce it wrong. they say "Alfa-Rabbi" 😁
Менде де əр көшені көріп жүрмін.
Бірдеңе бар дейді мына жігіт😅
Plies👍🌹🌼🏵🍁
Бірдеңе түсімсем,биюрмасын😂😢
First 😊
It's so strange to hear Russian speech among English
Можно было организовать перевод для людей, хотябы субтитры....
@armansuleimenov
3 күн бұрын
Settings -> Subtitles -> Auto-translate
@xo_vallee
Күн бұрын
@@armansuleimenov doesn’t work, seems you have turned this functionality off before uploading video
@kstar_ca
6 сағат бұрын
Seems like this interview is meant to work for English-speaking audiences only 😀
It’s 100% that he works for special force of US and provide info.
@dancingbarefoot8349
2 күн бұрын
Express Kazakh language courses, Langley, Virginia ))
ou, are you from England ?
Second😅