About life
I have been living in Kazakhstan since 2013. I was invited to work in Nazarbayev Intellectual School in Semey to teach English, critical thinking and prepare children for the passing of exams such as IELTS, SET and SAT.
It seems to me that most foreigners coming to Semey for the first time are a bit shocked. This city is very different from Astana and Almaty. Although I have been a volunteer in a small village in Georgia, Semey seemed to me more than it really was.

The most important difference of life here from living in the US is the daily pace of life. In America, people are in constant hurry. Here I can relax and enjoy each day. In Semey life is slower, and I definitely like it.
The only thing I knew about the city was that here Fyodor Dostoevsky was serving his exile. After I found out that I would come here, of course, I began to learn more about this region.

Of course, life here has changed me. It gives me pleasure to work with many students and teachers. It is amazing to see how the place where a person grew up affects him, and so people can be very different.
Here I had to face a language barrier, because I absolutely do not know either Russian or Kazakh. However, local people were understanding and each time tried to communicate with me by showing gestures or with words in English, which they knew.

About the city
It turned out that I still did not have any favorite places in Semey. All the time I spend at work, and free time — at home. There are quite long winters, so it is rarely possible to get out somewhere.

Public transport here is arranged in the same way as in other cities of Kazakhstan. Most buses are crowded during rush hours. On the other hand, it is the cheapest and convenient way of transportation. You can get from one end of the city to another for only 60 KZT.
About housing
I live in a small and cozy apartment in a residential area of the city. Nearby there is everything necessary, so I rarely go to the city center. We have a supermarket, a pharmacy and a hairdresser. In five minutes, there is a big market.

About food
I am a vegetarian, so I usually have to cook myself at home. Most local cafes and restaurants prepare only meat dishes. That is why I did not have a chance to try something from the national cuisine.
About people
It cannot be said that all Kazakh people are the same, as people from other countries. Of course, local people are very different in how they dress, talk and eat. In general, the locals are like Americans.
