“When we hired you, I thought you were such a good Asian girl!” That was my boss two months into my new job in 2010. He and the head of H.R. were writing me up for disallowing a $400 receipt for alcoholic beverages on a federal award and not budging on it under pressure. I was fired from that job a few months later for refusing to sign a $15,000 check for a local auditor, who received the contract unethically and illegally. I was never fired before, especially not for being legal and compliant with the federal and state rules and regulations on alcohol and procurement. I can laugh about it now because I obviously wasn’t good enough! I Am Probably The Only Kazakh You’ve Met In Your Life My name is Gauhar; my tribe is Argyn, of the Middle Horde. I was born and raised in Central Kazakhstan. Growing up, I didn’t have to say that I was Kazakh, because Kazakhs identify themselves by their family names/lin...