Adoption in Kazakhstan

I have heard of various couples that have considered adoption from Kazakhstan.

There are various sites out there that would provide information about adoption however, the best I believe is hearing from the actual families that are either in the process or went through the process of adopting from Kazakhstan.

I found this great blog http://lotsofkazblogs.blogspot.com that brings together all those experiences to give you a better idea of what to expect and what to prepare for.

For USA nationals the following website would prove to be beneficial http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_info.php?country-select=kazakhstan

Kazakhstani Adoption Authority
Ministry of Education and Science
Committee for the Protection of Children's Rights
Government House
11th Entrance, Rooms 939, 941
Astana, Kazakhstan 010000
Tel: + 10 (7172) 742342 / 742334

http://www.bala-kkk.kz

Other useful sites

The adoption guide  http://www.theadoptionguide.com/options/adoption-from-kazakhstan

Across the world adoptions http://www.atwakids.org/kazakhstan.html

Little miracles International adoptions http://www.littlemiracles.org/index.php?page=programs&progid=15

Rainbow kids http://www.rainbowkids.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=772

Tick season

Ticks are active during April and October, however the peak period in Almaty for ticks is May and June. It is therefore recommended to take precaution during these two months and wear appropriate clothing while walking or hiking in areas that are prone to ticks like the mountains.

The tick born Encephalitis vaccines are available at the International Medical Centre (IMC) for 3 500KZT http://www.imcalmaty.com

For more information follow this link
http://mountain.kz/ru/publications/1537/mai-iyun-vremya-kleshchei-kak-zashchititsya-ili-udalit-kleshcha

Medical Services in Almaty

There are various options for medical services providers and clinics in Almaty, with the following three being highly recommended.

International SOS, is a highly acclaimed international medical service provider with western doctors, but membership is very pricey.

IMC International Medical Center, consulting fees start at 6 000KZT and all doctors can speak English.  http://www.imcalmaty.com

Last but not the least,
The Center of Isreali Medicine, non-member consultation starts at
5 000KZT http://www.cim.kz/

Looking for staples in Almaty (bread & dairy)

I would like to share with you some of my favourite staples.
If you have not moved to a different country before, you will be quite surprised at how depended we can be on our preferred food staples, these are things that we learn over time, or maybe it was what our mothers always bought that has now become staples in our homes, either way it is something that makes us feel more confirmable in our environment.

Coming to a new country and not being even able to speak the language can be frustrating, then on top of it all you can't even find something as standard as bread or milk.
It took me weeks, if not months, to find the staples that I liked, and to make your adjustment easier I thought I should share with you what I like in my home.

This white bread is great for sandwiches, and can be found at your local "магазин" (shop), however I have noted that the ones in the supermarket that looks the same, does not taste the same.
Ps. bread does not last for days...  it is said that there are no preservatives included in the bread.

There are various milk products available, however not everything on offer is cow's milk and
the picture of a cow on a product can be quite misleading : )

There are all kinds of fermented milk products including kefir, and also types of milk, like goat and camel etc. available in the shops. Our favourite fresh milk is made by Food Master "Moloko", the bottle milk (shown on the right) is another great fresh-milk option. You do get long-life milk, which it is much easier to spot as it comes in the standard box packaging that we all know across the world.

Looking for yogurt
There are also various yoghurts available. My favourite drinking yogurt is Danone (which I can't seem to find as regularly as before), Bio Balance and Food Master's Bio C as seen below.

Tubs of yogurt (йогурт) are also available. Note that tvorog (творог) is a type of curt/cottage cheese which is very popular in this region and come in various forms like the great dessert on the far right, pictured below with the other yogurt products.

Unlike the supermarket in other parts of the world, I can't understand their display system (and I truly wonder if they have a system). Products are mixed together in the display areas sometimes under brand names and other times under product types, but most of the time it just looks like it is placed wherever there is a space available. It is therefore advisable that you know the Russian names of products that you want, so that you do not buy the incorrect items (a dictionary will do). However, if you are adventurous like me, it can be an interesting way of learning and trying out new things : ) 

Television services in Almaty

AlmaTV is the most popular cable option in Kazakhstan

For channel options please click on the link below
http://www.almatv.kz/almaty/services/digitaltv/channels/

The set up box has the ability to allow the viewer to change the language setting to the original English, but only for some channels.
Popular English channels available include
Animal Planet
BBC
CNN
Discovery channel & National Geographic channels
DIVA
Fox & Fox Life
MGM
SET
TLC
TV1000
Universal Channel
Viasat History

Satellite television services are also available. The options include Tata-sky and Dish-tv from the Indian subcontinent and Hotbird which provides a selection of European language channels.

Tata sky comes highly recommended as their english channels have more to offer than the Almatv collection. However this will require the you to get a dish installed, which could be a problematic if you live in an apartment block. And keep in mind that during unfavourable weather there will be no signal.

For the satellite options the best contact is Imran +7 701 600 0125

Almaty

Almaty, is the largest city in Kazakhstan located South East. Although it lost the label of being the capital city of Kazakhstan in 1998 to Astana it still remains the country's commercial, social and cultural hub.

This city was founded in 1854, as a Russian frontier fort named Verny on the Silk Route, which was renamed Alma-ata in 1927 meaning Father of Apples, and was the capital city of Kazakhstan from 1929 - 1997. Its current population is estimated to be round about 1 909 200.

It is said that this area of Almaty is the generic home of many of the cultivated apples that we find on the market today. A good traditional story links the taking of the apple from the tree in the old testament to Almaty.  The Turkic name for apple is Alma and Ata meaning forefather, which could lay it open to being translated as the origin of the apple or the garden of Eden.

Almaty has various parks, monuments and fountains scattered around town, as well as a large range of museums, shops, and restaurants. 

During spring time the tulips are in full bloom around town.  Interestingly, most Dutch varieties of tulips can trace their origins back to Central Asia. There are 36 known types of tulips grown in Kazakhstan, half of which are listed in the Endangered Species list.


                                     












During the summer it has a truly European feeling with all the coffee shops spilling out on to the sidewalks. For those, that love being outdoors no matter the season, the mountains  (which are easily accessible from town) are a great place for various types of activities from hiking to skiing. 

Locals pride themselves in being inhabitants of the most cosmopolitan city of Central Asia, and they take pride in their traditions and the beauty of their city. 

Movies at Esentai Mall

For the current movie schedule at Esentai Mall follow the link below
http://www.kinopark.kz/kinopark11-almaty/?lang=ru&shedule

This includes two English language films
Conjuring & Wolverine ( July)

Please note that the English movies only have one or two showings a day, so please check the times on their webpage.
http://www.kinopark.kz/english-club/

P.s People are complaining that they go to see a movie only to find out that its not showing on that day or the specified time... I suggest phoning them to check what is showing.

Ski Season

The ski season is coming to an end in Almaty.

At Shymbulak it is expected that the season will close on the 7th of April, however after last night's snow and the expected snow forecast for the coming days the season might be extended for a few more days.

On another note:
Our prayers are with the families of the two skiers that were in a horrible accident on the 18th of March on the slopes of Shymbulak.
http://en.tengrinews.kz/emergencies/Witnesses-provide-details-of-fatal-accident-Shymbulak-refuses-to-change-safety-17940/

It can get a little hectic on the slopes even during the week, especially when young guys treat the resort as their own backyard and just play around on the slopes, and I hope that the ski resorts will start an awareness drive about safety and what is acceptable conduct on the ski slopes.

Air Quality in Almaty

Many local residence complain about the bad air quality in Almaty. Mercer Human Resource Consulting scored the city 39.1, making it the 9th most polluted city in the world. 
 
The problem is the location of the city.

 
Set at the foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, Almaty is surrounded by a large mountain range (which is labeled the lungs of Almaty) to the South and factories to the North and West of the city... creating a bowl where polluted air is trapped. This effect is quite visible from the mountains. From the Shymbulak gondola you should be able to see the city in the distance, but as the pictures show it is only a smoggy backdrop to the clean mountain air. Fine particles are also a problem in Almaty, which is quite noticeable when walking around town, and can frequently lead to eye irritations. 

In 2011 the GEF started a sustainable transport in the city of Almaty project, with the objective to reduce the growth of transport-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the City of Almaty, while simultaneously improving urban environmental conditions.
http://www.thegef.org/gef/node/4474. But so far no real action is visible on the ground. 

Air pollution is a serious problem in many developing countries, and can play a major factor in the health of its population. The greater the air pollution the less new born babies weight, which puts these children in a vulnerable position, according to Stephanie Lee.  
http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Air-pollution-linked-to-low-birth-weight-4254514.php
Children and newborns are more sensitive to the health effects of air pollution since they take in more air than adults for their body weight and consequently, a higher level of pollutants.  Many families (young and old) in Almaty complain of asthma and allergies caused by the polluted air. 

Much to the upset of environmental groups, a plan is being developed to construct a new ski resort in another part of the unspoiled mountainous areas of Almaty.  

The NGO- Green Salvation is powering a petition against the plans to develop Kok-Zhailyau National Park. On 17 March dozens of people went to protest against the construction project by writing "Kok-Zhailyau SOS!" in the snow. 


For more information please check their webpage http://k-zh.kz 
(BTW- Google Chrome does a great job in translating Russian websites into English)

Lets hope that the local government and industries will take some serous action against pollution and help avoid an environmental disaster in this beautiful region of Kazakhstan.

Kazakh Cuisine

Peter Kenyon, wrote a great piece about Horse meat within the Kazakhstan culture
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/03/04/173448013/in-kazakhstan-no-horror-at-horse-meat
In Kazakhstan horse meat is a very popular and is usually the most expensive meat that you could find it the stores.

The Kazakh cuisine revolves around mutton, horse meat and fermented milk products (including camel and horse milk as well).

At large functions like weddings the starter would include various salads, salmon and horse sausage and other cold meats.
Besbarmak is a tradition dish that includes boiled mutton or horse meat served with a broth, pasta sheets onions and potatoes, and is also very popular dish for weddings.

One of my favourite is Baursaki, a deep-fried dough ball (almost like a doughnut - but without all the sugar).

Lagman is another great dish, which is a pasta dish with a meat sauce. Manti is the local version of dumplings and then there is also Pilaf, a meat and rice dish ( pictured below).

Samsa is pasties or pies filled with meat and/or potatoes and other vegetables.

The traditional bread made here is just as great, the best for me is a flat round bread with stamp patterns on,  as seen in the pictures below.  Unlike other countries, here they don't put preservatives in their bread, so don't expect bread to last more than 2 or 3 days.

Generally, the flavours are not really strong and might seem bland to some individuals that are more accustomed to rich, strong and complicated flavours.

The basics of all Kazakh dishes are meat, onions and potatoes, which is strongly influenced by the Soviet era. Although the Soviet era was marked by long queues and limited ingredients, it also created a whole new approach to food which was about less complicated flavours. An interesting article by Sergei Roganov describe how this Soviet food is finding renewed popularity with in modern day Russia.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/russianow/cuisine/9778200/soviet-food-popular.html
This craze is even stretching as far as the States with the Iron Curtain Restaurant in New York http://gothamist.com/2012/06/06/get_a_taste_of_iron_curtains_pan-so.php

Skiing and snowboarding in Almaty

Maybe this post is a little bit to late in the season but if you were wondering about skiing in Almaty here is the information.

The ski season is roughly from November up to April.

Shymbulak Ski Resort
Shymbulak (also known as Chimbulak) is just a few minutes drive from the centre of town.
Easily accessible and very popular!!!

Read more about Shymbulak -
http://www.shymbulak.com/en
http://prezi.com/ge5bj4vqqfly/welcome-to-shymbulak/
http://www.shymbulak.com/en/о-компании/

Everything can be rented at the ski resort.
Lockers are 500KZT with a 2000KZT deposit.
Equipment is +_ 5 000 KZT for the day
Entrance to the resort is also between 2 000 and 5000 KZT

Transport to Medeu / Shymbulak

Cars and busses travel only up to Medeu the open air ice rink (http://www.medey.kz/en/) .
At Medeu you pay the entrance fee to the ski resort  (you require some form of identification) and take the gondola up to the ski resort.


Gypsy taxis cost +- 2000KZT one way. Don't worry there is quite a few taxis waiting for you at Medeu to take you back to town : )

There is also a no. 6 bus that also goes up to Medeu (80KZT) , it is suggested that this bus runs every 30 minutes during weekends from the Kazakhstan Hotel on Dostik Road and every 90 minutes on week days (frequency of the no 6 bus is unverified)

Travel time from the centre of the city is roughly 30-45 minutes depending on your means of transport.


Other resorts
Both Tabagan and Ak Bulak are not as accessible as Shymbulak and not on the same scale as Shymbulak, this means that they will also be quieter.

I don't know of any busses that will take you there and because it is out of Almaty I don't know of any person that has taken a taxi to any of these ski resorts or how much it will cost.
Hopefully you will find friends that will take you to these resorts if you don't have your own transport.

Tabagan
http://www.tabagan.kz/page.php?lang=3

Ak Bulak
http://www.akbulak.kz
It is said that Ak Bulak attract mainly two types of skiers: beginners and thrill seekers.
Ak Bulak is apparently the best place to learn for beginners as the beginner's slope is very mild : )


More information is available from

http://www.edgekz.com/about-kazakhstan/ski-kazakhstan.html

I hope you found this information enjoyable !!!
PS. I don't like passing off other peoples information as my own, and therefore you will notice the my posts contain a lot of links to other pages : )

How is life in Almaty?

The most difficult question is when someone asks you to describe living in Almaty.

As with any situation, your experiences, personal life, and personal outlook plays a large part in your perception of how a certain destination is like.

For some it might not be harder than any other place that they have lived in before.

For others it is just not easy.. it is just not like HOME!!!

Looking at the facts might put this question in perspective.

Many expats do not choose this destination purely for its metropolitan attraction or quality of life... they choose this destination for career and job opportunities and/or better salaries. Therefore, it can be difficult to compared it to other attractive expat destinations like Dubai, Beijing or Singapore. 

Living costs in Almaty is relatively high while the quality of life is relatively lower than in some other expat destinations.  Of course living in Kazakhstan cannot be compared with living in a developed country nor can you compare it with the top developing countries like South Africa and Brazil.

Many people are divide on the subject about living in Kazakhstan with many educated locals looking for better opportunities abroad and various expatriate and/or their partners/spouses finding it hard to live here, while others see great opportunities for starting their own business or getting a career jump.

There can be various cultural, climatic and other general aspects that might decrease your ability to adapt successfully.  The most important aspect is to make the best of your new destination and emerge yourself into the local culture and try to link into your new community as soon as possible as this will increase your adjustment.  

The expatriate spouse and partner

I strongly believe that spouses should accompany the expats that want to come and work in Kazakhstan. Spouses and partners have the ability to bring some normality to the new location, and it is a helpful way for expats to deal with the culture shock, as they will have someone that will understand their viewpoint and tend to have a similar background as them.

The majority of expat spouses are still women, but expatriate husbands are also not uncommon in Almaty.

Sadly, there are limited activities available for the stay at home spouse, especially if they are not very sport or outdoor orientated. Almaty is great if you have the financial means, time, and inclination to practice winter sports like skiing or playing golf in the summer.

Although the support for expatriates has been acknowledged as key to successful integration, many companies do not believe that the life of their spouses/ partners are difficult, and therefore few companies have the tendency to provide them with support.

The reality is that expats still have some normality in their working life, as the work environment, however difficult, still represents an environment where they are respected and valued. In the work environment they are still surrounded by people that they can communicate with and where they can feel confident in their own abilities.

The same cannot be said for the spouses/ partners who are thrown into a new environment with a no support system.

Unlike the expat, the spouses and partners will experience a greater culture shock as they carry on with the domestic duties in the new environment. In their normal day to day they are unlikely to encounter anyone that speaks English or are unlikely to experience anything that is familiar. Communication will be a problem, finding stuff that you want will be a problem, and commuting around town could also be a problem... these are simple things that can be overlooked by the company and even the working partner.

Therefore the difficulty of adjustment for an expat spouse in a new environment should not be underestimated!

I hope you have enjoyed this post and look out for the follow up post, which will review other aspects of the expatriate spouse/ partner.