Interactive lessons take place in... a puppet theater.

“You see, this all comes from deep within my soul. Sometimes I feel like I was born into a Kazakh family, even though my mother has Ukrainian-Russian roots and my father is Tatar,” shares Anastasia Serikova.

The young woman is also passionate about learning the state language. It would be more accurate to say she is perfecting it. She received a foundational education in it back in school, which came to her without much difficulty. Anastasia has perfect pronunciation, so to speak, a "pure language." This unique feature caught the attention of the librarian at the college where she was training to become a chef. The librarian suggested that Anastasia learn Kazakh songs for performances on stage, and later instilled in her a love for the culture by showcasing recipes for national dishes and telling her about the uniqueness of Kazakh attire and jewelry.

“They say there are no coincidences in life. This was also true for me. After finishing school, I wanted to enroll in the acting faculty, but nothing suitable was available in Kostanay, and my mother wouldn’t let me go outside the city. So, I chose... the profession of a chef. But I don’t regret it at all, because it was during this time and in this place that I had a fateful meeting that allowed me to see our culture in a different light,” asserts the young woman.

Soon, Anastasia was able to fulfill her childhood dream. She became a puppet theater actress. However, she didn’t stop there. She wanted something more. She earned a diploma in directing and recently debuted with her original play at her home theater. It was here that her knowledge of the state language came in handy. The play is titled “Let’s Learn Kazakh Together.”

“I am a patriot of my country, and I have always wanted to do something useful. One day, I had the idea to stage an educational play for children. The main goal is to popularize the Kazakh language, and to do so in a way that sparks the children's desire to learn it with great interest. As a result, we created a performance in the form of an interactive lesson. The action unfolds in a forest school. The main character is a very kind Мұғалім who teaches Kazakh to a lazy bear cub named Bori and a cheerful bunny named Beki. All of this happens in a playful and relaxed manner, making the lesson enjoyable and interesting. Along with the characters in the play, our young viewers learn specific letters of the alphabet and words in Kazakh. They watch with great interest, remember, and participate in the action. Just like in any school, we even have a physical activity break during which everyone dances together,” explains Anastasia Serikova.

Anastasia considers the play “Let’s Learn Kazakh Together” to be her first major and, most importantly, significant project. And certainly not her last—she plans to prepare a production for May 9. Right now, the young director is searching for interesting material. Of course, she continues to improve her Kazakh language skills by working with a private tutor. These skills will undoubtedly be useful in the play dedicated to the Great Victory.