Job Discussion Forums

Silver_Queen · Joined: 06 Dec 2012 Posts: 5 Location: Georgia, USA

They have an ad on ESL Cafe right now. Anybody have any experience with them? Granted, they seem to be a pretty new school.

kazpat · Joined: 04 Jul 2010 Posts: 140 Location: Kazakhstan

I can't comment on the school but I lived in Aktobe for over 2 years, let me know if you have any questions about the city.

mandapotamus · Joined: 07 Mar 2013 Posts: 2

Hi, kazpat. I just received a job offer from Alem Education in Aktobe for a summer teaching gig-- have you heard of them?

Also, in the event that I accept a position with them, what's Aktobe like? Does it have much of a foreigner population? Easy to get around? Cost of living? Anything to do with free time?

Anything you could tell me would be great, thank you!

kazpat · Joined: 04 Jul 2010 Posts: 140 Location: Kazakhstan

Answered your PM.

For the benefit of any others interested in Aktobe. In my opinion it is a great city but there is not a large expat population. It does not have the presence of major western oil companies like Atyrau, Aksai or Aktau. I should add that there is a new NIS that has opened so there will be several foreign teachers living in the city come fall 2013.

There is an excellent gym and a good football club with a centrally located stadium. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, night clubs and a "MEGA" shopping mall. In the summer the parks are full of people just relaxing. It is very easy to get around, buses run from early morning to about midnight I think and taxis are readily available and fairly cheap at 300-400 tenge. Shopping is simple to get done with several major supermarkets located around the city.

I was treated incredibly well and the students appreciated having a native speaker. There is ample opportunity to make friends, play sports, enjoy nightlife etc. For those wishing to see a part of Kazakhstan that is different from you get in Almaty or Astana it is a very cool place to live.

Si�n · Joined: 16 Jan 2012 Posts: 10

Aktobe is (probably) one of the best cities in Kazakhstan. Well, it is ugly (Soviet blocks of flats everywhere), but people are always ready to help. Moreover there are lots of supermarkets where you can get anything. Well, just the opposite of Astana