The Banya

Note: I promise that I will post more blog entries including my summary of my brother’s wedding. But I am super busy and haven’t had time. You will have to live with this description of banya-ing.

Banya-ing is one of my favorite activities in Kazakhstan. A banya is basically a sauna, a dry or wet sauna in Kazakhstan (I believe this comes from Russian tradition, but I am not really sure. I know I read about it in my books on the Tsars). This is a tradition here and pretty essential when you don’t have running hot water or a shower. It is basically the only way you are really going to get clean on many days. It is also really nice when its -20 Celsius outside. Even if your family doesn’t have one in their yard or home, you will probably go to the public banya or visit a relative’s.

My family actually has there own banya that is located in a separate building about 15 feet from our front door. Our banya has a large outer room that includes a futon, shelves, chairs, etc. We also have hooks for robes and towels. This is the room where you get undressed or if there is a crowd, you hang out. During my first few weeks here I had a great time on a Saturday night when my brother’s friends came over to hang out, drink beer, eat, and banya. The second room is pretty warm and located directly outside of the sauna room or par. This room in our banya has shelves that have our shampoo, soap, sponges, and other bathing utensils. There are also plastic buckets with handles to use to scoop out water. We also have a barrel full of cold water and also a large metal heater that has a spout for hot water.

Once in the banya you pour water on to the stones to create steam and then sit on one of the bleacher or shelf like seats and sweat profusely. Depending on your family or when you go in, it may be super hot or just really hot. I can usually only stay in this inner room for about 15 minutes before I feel like I am going to pass out. While inside it is also pretty common for people to use a bundle of branches to beat themselves. I believe the thinking is that this improves circulation. I haven’t tried it yet, but I know my family does it pretty often.

After remaining inside the inner most room of the banya, you move into the next room and wash off the sweat. My family has many sponges, pumice stones, and other utensils to rub off your dead skin along with soap, shampoo, and other cleansers. I usually pour water from the cold water tap one of our giant basins and then add a little bit of warm water to get a decent temperature. Then I simply pour the water over myself with the small buckets. It may not sound like it gets you that clean, but it really does. Also, do too the extreme temperature, I usually come out with my face completely red. And sometimes when its cold, my body actually steams after coming out. After you are done with washing, you throw on a bathrobe and go back to the house. In the winter you throw on a coat first of course.

I think when I come back to America I may just have to build myself a banya.