Comments on: Culture Shock Redux http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/ News, analysis, and what it looks like from the inside by an expatriate American in Astana Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:43:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: KZBlog http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-307 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:52:42 +0100 http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-307 Bakhyt: That makes sense. When it is cold out, you want to limit open doors. But I still don't see why buildings may have 5 or 6 outside doors but only one is open! either open all your entrances or build buildings with only one door! Anyway, glad you like the blog. Thanks for the great comment! Bakhyt: That makes sense. When it is cold out, you want to limit open doors. But I still don’t see why buildings may have 5 or 6 outside doors but only one is open! either open all your entrances or build buildings with only one door!

Anyway, glad you like the blog. Thanks for the great comment!

]]> by: Bakhyt http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-304 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 04:53:58 +0100 http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-304 Hi, Just wanted to put my 5 cents it about the supermarket doors :) Yes, perhaps the shoplifting reason is true. But having lived for 20 years in Pavlodar that has a similar climate to Astana, I can tell you that they keep the doors shut to keep the warmth in. All these girls on the counters are exposed to enough cold draft already, if they had all the doors open it would be as cold inside as it is outside. Hence the tape. Seriously, they are not being rude, just trying to hold on to their health :) Bakhyt PS: Nice job on the blog, btw. Will make time to read all of it. Hi,
Just wanted to put my 5 cents it about the supermarket doors :)
Yes, perhaps the shoplifting reason is true. But having lived for 20 years in Pavlodar that has a similar climate to Astana, I can tell you that they keep the doors shut to keep the warmth in. All these girls on the counters are exposed to enough cold draft already, if they had all the doors open it would be as cold inside as it is outside. Hence the tape. Seriously, they are not being rude, just trying to hold on to their health :)

Bakhyt

PS: Nice job on the blog, btw. Will make time to read all of it.

]]> by: Elena http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-244 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:55:04 +0000 http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-244 Perhaps, I deside to give you a couple more "explanations" for your cultural overviews...:):) About snow and sidewalks - "feel the nature" :) About lift - "we don't know how to fix it" ;) And a few of mine about US:):):) - the best invention in the US - paper towels! - why I couldn't find lamb in the supermarket? - it is a "torture" to have the carpet in the appartment... - why do I need the dishwasher? - "free run" for dogs! - couldn't understand, why americans not speaking on russian language? it would be so much easier for me! Of course, I'm kidding... but maybe it would help you to develop your own style how to overcome uncomfort in the strange and sometimes "not friendly" land, which is so far from your homeland. My best regards, Elena. Perhaps, I deside to give you a couple more “explanations” for your cultural overviews…:):)

About snow and sidewalks - “feel the nature” :)
About lift - “we don’t know how to fix it” ;)

And a few of mine about US:):):)

- the best invention in the US - paper towels!
- why I couldn’t find lamb in the supermarket?
- it is a “torture” to have the carpet in the appartment…
- why do I need the dishwasher?
- “free run” for dogs!
- couldn’t understand, why americans not speaking on russian language? it would be so much easier for me!

Of course, I’m kidding… but maybe it would help you to develop your own style how to overcome uncomfort in the strange and sometimes “not friendly” land, which is so far from your homeland.

My best regards,
Elena.

]]> by: Elena http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-243 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:25:30 +0000 http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-243 Hi, there... Will try to explain about closed doors in the supermarket... Doors are closed (two out of three) because of the fear of "lifting" and, I supose, there is not enough employees to "watch" all three doors. Maybe sounds funny, but unfortunately, it is post-soviet mentality "a-la control"... and "everything for free"... So, conflict of minds... Feel sorry about your troubles. I do have my troubles in US. It is a difference in the cultures and in the histories of the development the whole countries how they are... Regards, Elena. Hi, there…
Will try to explain about closed doors in the supermarket…
Doors are closed (two out of three) because of the fear of “lifting” and, I supose, there is not enough employees to “watch” all three doors.
Maybe sounds funny, but unfortunately, it is post-soviet mentality “a-la control”… and “everything for free”… So, conflict of minds…
Feel sorry about your troubles. I do have my troubles in US. It is a difference in the cultures and in the histories of the development the whole countries how they are…

Regards,
Elena.

]]> by: KZBlog http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-241 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:23:56 +0000 http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-241 Well I wouldn't say it's a trip to the past as if Kazakhstani are somehow backwards people. Just a different culture. I've heard plenty of lists of grips of Kazakhstani in the US too! Well I wouldn’t say it’s a trip to the past as if Kazakhstani are somehow backwards people. Just a different culture. I’ve heard plenty of lists of grips of Kazakhstani in the US too!

]]> by: Mysterious http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-240 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 06:59:50 +0000 http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-240 I meant not in Astana, in Almaty. I meant not in Astana, in Almaty.

]]> by: Mysterious http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-239 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 06:58:52 +0000 http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-239 Hi, I experienced all that, but in Astana. You are right about so many challenges that foreigners have to face, but consider this adventure like a journey to the past, that you are experiencing in a present time :) I do not think it is a time for changes, you can not change it fast at least. But I understand how frustrating it is and I can just advise to look at this with a humor, it will be easier to get by there. Hi,
I experienced all that, but in Astana. You are right about so many challenges that foreigners have to face, but consider this adventure like a journey to the past, that you are experiencing in a present time :)
I do not think it is a time for changes, you can not change it fast at least. But I understand how frustrating it is and I can just advise to look at this with a humor, it will be easier to get by there.

]]> by: oksana http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-237 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:40:21 +0000 http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2008/01/14/culture-shock-redux/#comment-237 Hi. I^m Oksana, from Kokshetau. You blok so intresting for me. It^s so dufficlt to live in diffrent country, but it^s good expirient for life. Hi. I^m Oksana, from Kokshetau.
You blok so intresting for me.
It^s so dufficlt to live in diffrent country, but it^s good expirient
for life.

]]>