Things I like and don't like about this country
In the spirit of David Letterman, I have decided to do a "top ten" list of things I like and do not like. I don't know if I will be able to think of ten things for each category, but I trust it will give you all a better idea about life here in general.
Let's start with the bad list (got to save the best for last, right?).
10. trash and littering.
This country, as well as Russia, could use a good "Don't mess with Texas" type of campaign. Littering is normal here. The courtyard where our apartment building is located has trash EVERYWHERE. And it is like this all over the city. Our boss says it is one of those things that everyone is so used to, that they don't even notice. He said he was shocked the first time a group of Americans who worked for him before got on to him for throwing a juice bottle on the ground.
9. Infrastructure and design
I just don't get it. I am no genius and I am no engineer. But I think it is obvious that you have to build streets and highways with a way for water to go somewhere other than on the road and sidewalks. There are hardly any drainage systems here for that. Water just piles up along with mud. The auto-entrance into our courtyard turns into a giant water hole when it rains. We call it Lake Bukhar Zhirau (Bukhar Zhirau being the name of our street) when this occurs.
Then you have the pipes. Pipes were build here above ground despite the fact that it is normal for temperatures to get down to -40 in the winter. It is common to drive by pipes spewing out water all over the place. We were told that it is estimated that the city looses 50 percent of its water due to bad pipes.
8. Bad stereotypes and misinformation about life in the US.
This one will spill into my next complaint. Hollywood and MTV seem to feed this, but not always. Sometimes I think people say "that's how it is done in America" to somehow justify stupid behavior.
7. Adultery
This is the most disturbing and sobering problem. I never saw or heard about this in Russia, so I am assuming it is more of a Central Asia thing, but who knows. Basically, having a mistress or a boyfriend on the side is quite normal here. I don't remember this the first time I was here, but I also did not have as much contact with non-Christians when I was here 6 years ago. There are two men who work with us who have 1 or more girlfriends that their wives don't know about. We were told that it is often the case that the spouse knows. This is apparently more common among culturally Muslim Kazak men since Islam permits polygamy. But among the non Kazaks, it seems to be something that is hidden from the spouse. The most disturbing part is that people are very open about it. The one fellow who works with us brings his "side dish" around on a regular basis. All close to people who do this seem to know about it and accept it. We were even told that people think they are living "po americanski" (like Americans) when they do this ( see my previous complaint about misinformation and stereotypes of American culture). I take some comfort in the fact that this is still regarded as scandalous in the US and something folks try not to do publicly.
Things I like:
Ok, I will add to both lists as time and ideas permit.
10. The "womaness" of women
I know this one won't go over well with our politically correct/ "mult-cultural" American mentality, but when I see or talk with a woman here, I know it is a woman. There is a much obvious distinction between the sexes here. It is ok here to dress and be interested in things more "womanish" than in the US. I know this may lead some to call me a sexist pig, but I don't care. I am a man. I don't want to marry myself. Many American women don't understand that a woman having distinguishing characteristics from men is ATTRACTIVE. I have never met an American man who has spent time in this part of the world who has not noticed this.
9. Slower pace of life.
Americans are in a big hurry. I don't feel the stress here that I do when I am home.
8. Food and fitness
Although people over here don't go to the gym or run as much as Americans, never the less, almost everyone is slim and in better shape. This is due to smaller serving sizes at restaurants, less fast food, and lots of walking. There are days when I walk miles to run my errands. Just to get to the internet cafe where I am typing this, I had to walk close to a half a mile.
I will continue this list as time permits.
In other news: we are almost ready to open the complex. For the last couple of days we have been conducting interviews with people for work. It is interesting to be on the other side of the table in this process and also very challenging since we are doing it all in Russian. It will also be hard to turn people away since folks need the work where the complex is located.
That is all this time. So long from the wild wild east.
In the spirit of David Letterman, I have decided to do a "top ten" list of things I like and do not like. I don't know if I will be able to think of ten things for each category, but I trust it will give you all a better idea about life here in general.
Let's start with the bad list (got to save the best for last, right?).
10. trash and littering.
This country, as well as Russia, could use a good "Don't mess with Texas" type of campaign. Littering is normal here. The courtyard where our apartment building is located has trash EVERYWHERE. And it is like this all over the city. Our boss says it is one of those things that everyone is so used to, that they don't even notice. He said he was shocked the first time a group of Americans who worked for him before got on to him for throwing a juice bottle on the ground.
9. Infrastructure and design
I just don't get it. I am no genius and I am no engineer. But I think it is obvious that you have to build streets and highways with a way for water to go somewhere other than on the road and sidewalks. There are hardly any drainage systems here for that. Water just piles up along with mud. The auto-entrance into our courtyard turns into a giant water hole when it rains. We call it Lake Bukhar Zhirau (Bukhar Zhirau being the name of our street) when this occurs.
Then you have the pipes. Pipes were build here above ground despite the fact that it is normal for temperatures to get down to -40 in the winter. It is common to drive by pipes spewing out water all over the place. We were told that it is estimated that the city looses 50 percent of its water due to bad pipes.
8. Bad stereotypes and misinformation about life in the US.
This one will spill into my next complaint. Hollywood and MTV seem to feed this, but not always. Sometimes I think people say "that's how it is done in America" to somehow justify stupid behavior.
7. Adultery
This is the most disturbing and sobering problem. I never saw or heard about this in Russia, so I am assuming it is more of a Central Asia thing, but who knows. Basically, having a mistress or a boyfriend on the side is quite normal here. I don't remember this the first time I was here, but I also did not have as much contact with non-Christians when I was here 6 years ago. There are two men who work with us who have 1 or more girlfriends that their wives don't know about. We were told that it is often the case that the spouse knows. This is apparently more common among culturally Muslim Kazak men since Islam permits polygamy. But among the non Kazaks, it seems to be something that is hidden from the spouse. The most disturbing part is that people are very open about it. The one fellow who works with us brings his "side dish" around on a regular basis. All close to people who do this seem to know about it and accept it. We were even told that people think they are living "po americanski" (like Americans) when they do this ( see my previous complaint about misinformation and stereotypes of American culture). I take some comfort in the fact that this is still regarded as scandalous in the US and something folks try not to do publicly.
Things I like:
Ok, I will add to both lists as time and ideas permit.
10. The "womaness" of women
I know this one won't go over well with our politically correct/ "mult-cultural" American mentality, but when I see or talk with a woman here, I know it is a woman. There is a much obvious distinction between the sexes here. It is ok here to dress and be interested in things more "womanish" than in the US. I know this may lead some to call me a sexist pig, but I don't care. I am a man. I don't want to marry myself. Many American women don't understand that a woman having distinguishing characteristics from men is ATTRACTIVE. I have never met an American man who has spent time in this part of the world who has not noticed this.
9. Slower pace of life.
Americans are in a big hurry. I don't feel the stress here that I do when I am home.
8. Food and fitness
Although people over here don't go to the gym or run as much as Americans, never the less, almost everyone is slim and in better shape. This is due to smaller serving sizes at restaurants, less fast food, and lots of walking. There are days when I walk miles to run my errands. Just to get to the internet cafe where I am typing this, I had to walk close to a half a mile.
I will continue this list as time permits.
In other news: we are almost ready to open the complex. For the last couple of days we have been conducting interviews with people for work. It is interesting to be on the other side of the table in this process and also very challenging since we are doing it all in Russian. It will also be hard to turn people away since folks need the work where the complex is located.
That is all this time. So long from the wild wild east.
posted by moskovki inastranets at 6:23 AM
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