Air Astana landing in Almaty, Kazakhstan, with Alatau Mountains in the background

Into the heart of Eurasia.

A Japanese Amerasian's Life and Travels in the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

When people ask me where my home is, my thoughts always go to Kazakhstan. My motherland is Japan, and my fatherland is the USA, but Kazakhstan will always be my heartland.

US Peace Corps Volunteer in Kazakhstan (1997-1999)
Kevin Miller Matsunaga
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Kazakhstan)
Former Program Recruiter (ACCELS Kyrgyzstan)
Former Media/Drama and ICT Teacher (Kazakhstan)
My Kazakh students in Spring, 1999, at the Karatau Lyceum in Karatau, Kazakhstan

Salaam Central Asia

Welcome

Qosh Qeldiniz!

Welcome to this website. AmerasianWorld.com focuses on my experiences as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kazakhstan and as a Program Recruiter in the Kyrgyz Republic (1997-1999). This site developed in the year 2000 under the name Salaam Central Asia.

From June 1997 until July 1999. I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kazakhstan. My Peace Corps site was in Karatau, Kazakhstan, in southern Kazakhstan. I taught English as a Foreign Language and Computer Keyboarding at the Karatau Lyceum. My two years in Karatau allowed me to live with a Kazakh host family and experience the Kazakh language, culture, and food.

I returned to the US in July 1999 and was offered a contract as a Program Recruiter with the American Councils for International Education (ACCELS/ACTR) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I got to see much of the Kyrgyz Republic and live with a Kyrgyz host family. I even got to visit Uzbekistan.

After 13 years, I was offered a teaching position at the Miras International School in Almaty. I stayed for three years and visited my host sisters in Aktau. On the way, I got to fly over the Aral Sea. While in Almaty, I trained with Nikolai Ge, the former coach for the Kazakhstan National Weightlifting Team, at Reactor Crossfit.

I decided to update this site in May 2021. The format will be much different than the past versions of this website. I want to tell a story about my experiences.

This site is large so visit the Sitemap. You can always find the link at the bottom of this website.

Contact me if you have any questions. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this site.

Photo: I am with my Grade 8/9 Karatau Lyceum students. We shared the Napolean cake in my classroom.

Website last edited on: February 26, 2023.