It’s more enjoyable and comfortable to live this way.

– Agree, every person wants to be aware of what is happening around them, to understand the details rather than just grasp the general outline of the conversation. It makes life more comfortable and interesting, – believes Lydia Ivanova. – All it takes is a little effort to learn the language, if someone, unlike me, wasn't fortunate enough to learn it from childhood. I think no one needs to be convinced of the necessity of mastering the state language. It broadens opportunities for communication, gaining knowledge, and even for employment.

Lydia has known the Kazakh language since early childhood. People of various nationalities live on their street, and everyone communicates in the state language without exception. Naturally, even children, while playing in the sandbox, talk to each other, picking up new words. Thus, the process of enriching their vocabulary occurs gradually and almost effortlessly.

The girl grew up in Saryagash, where her parents and three younger brothers – Pavel, Alexander, and Vladislav – still live. They are all still in school, and each of them speaks the state language as fluently as Lydia. Moreover, multilingualism is a family trait among the Ivanovs. Adults, just like children, speak different languages and take pride in their ability to use them in daily life, at work, and in communication with neighbors.

– My father, Mikhail Alexandrovich Ivanov, is of German descent and speaks Kazakh fluently, – shares Lydia Ivanova. – My maternal grandmother is Uzbek. She lives with us in the same house. So, several languages are spoken in our family. Both my parents and I, as well as my brothers, easily switch from Russian to Kazakh and from Kazakh to Uzbek. It all depends on the topic we are discussing and who started the conversation. It’s very interesting because each language has its unique characteristics not only in sound but also in meaning.

When it was time for school, her parents enrolled their eldest daughter in the Russian class of secondary school No. 58 named after A. Margulan. Her brothers also study there now, having long overcome the language barrier. The Kazakh language lessons help them, just as they did for Lydia, to learn grammar, write correctly and competently, and get acquainted with oral folk art and literary works of Kazakh writers.

Lydia proudly states that reading books in Kazakh has expanded her vocabulary and allowed her to delve into the essence of folk customs and understand their origins. At one point, the schoolgirl became fascinated with studying folk proverbs and sayings, trying to grasp their origins, thus uncovering a whole layer of folk culture. Now, she eagerly sprinkles her speech with them, weaving them into her sentences like pearls.

In just a couple of months, Lydia will receive the coveted document confirming her graduation from the medical college and will change jobs. She has wanted to connect her life with medicine since childhood and has done everything possible to realize her dream. For now, she works as an administrator in a trading company, successfully balancing her studies and work.

Upon entering college, Lydia moved to Shymkent. As soon as she adapted to her new surroundings, she immediately began searching for a job to earn a living independently and not ask her parents, who need to raise three sons.

Finding a job in a large unfamiliar city is not easy, especially while juggling it with studies. Lydia succeeded. The sociable, charming candidate, always with a smile on her face, immediately caught the employer's attention. However, the decisive factor was her knowledge of the Kazakh language.

– Among our clients, we often encounter people who speak the state language but do not know Russian, or who find it difficult or are shy to speak it, – explains Lydia Ivanova. – I am always ready to assist them: to advise, explain, convey important information, and resolve any misunderstandings that inevitably arise in the hustle and bustle of daily life. When I see someone struggling to speak Russian, I immediately switch to Kazakh. People usually react very emotionally: “Ainalaiyn, sen qalai zhaksy qazaqsha soyleysin! Rakhmet sanga, qyzym.” For me, that is the highest praise.