About Astana
I’ve been living in Astana since January, 2011. Initially, I was going to Barcelona, but due to the difficult economic situation in Spain I came here. I’m staying here for 3 more years.
I arrived in January, and the first thing that caught my eye was the cold and lots of snow. Although buildings, roads, and infrastructure were new, the structure isn’t well-organized. The cold isn’t a problem anymore, yet gusty wind drives me crazy sometimes.
I’ve visited Kokshetau, Petropavlovsk, Karaganda, Aktau, Shymkent and Almaty. People in the south prefer spending time outdoors in summer cafes or just walking.
Kazakhstanis have some time management problems. Since Kazakhs are constantly late, I’m always asked if “in an hour” means their idea of an hour or mine.
Kazakhstanis pay much attention to the appearance including face, clothes, buildings, and like to make an impression. They’re very friendly.
In comparison with Almaty, service in Astana lags behind. The locals should solve this problem, as, unfortunately, owners tend not to find any solution.
In Astana you can meet a lot of young interesting people eager to learn. People are open to cultural exchange: they study languages, since want to study abroad.
I’ve noticed that this city reveals a person. For example, in Kokshetau people are a bit reserved, as well as in the other cities in Kazakhstan, I guess. Coming to Astana, they open up and start to develop.
At Kazakh weddings people invite about three hundred people, yet newlyweds know only half of them and see the other half for the first time. I was surprised as I consider the wedding as a holiday for the groom and bride, but not for the guests.
I strongly recommend all foreigners to make friends from the locals; that will help better understand the local culture and immerse in it. Many comers, unfortunately, do not join the city life, they sit at home and watch TV. After all, many activities such as Friday or InterNations, where you can communicate and expand your horizons, are regularly held here.
You can find out about the event only before and after it, yet it is difficult to find any information while it’s being held.
I'm hard at Russian, as it is quite much more complicated than English. If you make a mistake in English, your companion will understand you, though you’ll fail, if you make a mistake in Russian, since you can completely change the meaning. I’m trying to learn Kazakh.
I'm a vegetarian, so didn’t try beshbarmak, but I’ve eaten baursaks, which liked very much. Usually I go to Sunday brunches served in Radisson. They’re not perfect, but they obviously have a great desire to make a vegetarian menu.
I like going to Brewery and Arba Wine. I often attend sport events in Astana, hockey and basketball in particular.
Goods in local stores aren’t expensive. Products are available and affordable.
