jonniboy
Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 751
Location: Panama City, Panama
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 Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2017 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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| coffeespoonman wrote: |
Hi Hiua25 (or others),
A few questions from me if you don't mind. I'll ask them out here, but feel free to PM responses to anything you don't want to answer publicly.
Based on your description, I think I'd like KIMEP. The currency worries me, but other friends of mine who work for similar establishments are now paid in dollars (or at the dollar equivalent), so I'm hoping KIMEP does the same. I can ask that to them directly if no one knows.
I'm mainly wondering a bit about living in Almaty, so I'll just ask a few short questions if you don't mind.
- Since the devaluation, how is the cost of living? I know it used to be fairly high, but some sources are now saying everything has become quite reasonable. But then I have difficulty trusting expat websites anyways (I don't consider a pool villa standard accommodation). So, specifically, approximately how much would it cost to rent a good quality, 2-3 bedroom furnished flat in a good area of town (considering commute and proximity to entertainment/shopping)? What about a few beers and a mid-range meal at a local pub?
- Any idea about employment prospects for my wife? She's Turkish, which could be an advantage or a disadvantage. I understand there's a sizable Turkish population there which could make it easier for her to find some work in her language (though probably not her discipline - psychology), but she also won't be as "Western" as she is here in China, and it will probably be much more difficult for her to find backup work teaching children. Thoughts about that?
- Overall, is it an enjoyable place to live? I lived in Turkey for 6 years and China for almost 6. Turkey was fun but a bit mental, and China is boring but super convenient and comfortable (where I live, anyways). My impression is that Almaty would be somewhere in the middle? Is it easy to maintain a good quality of life? Fun place to be? Any info you could share would be great. Yes, I've looked at plenty of websites, but I think the perspective of someone who works in the same sector as me would be much more useful.
Thanks again for any information you can give!
CSM |
I worked there 2012-13. Quite honestly, I found Almaty a bit boring, there was a lack of cultural activities there. If you like snow related sports it can be ok, if you hate snow, as I do, you're limited. You're also a target for whatever cops want to shake you down for bribes or locals who mistakenly think you're a millionaire to burgle. The economy has also been useless in recent years, with devaluations in 2014 and 2015. The Tenge has lost 55% of its value against the dollar since then. They have a weird hero worship of the leader going on which gets really grating, haven't they heard of Tito and Yugoslavia? There are pluses, the students and people are great and the scenic backdrop is superb, but ultimately a year seems to be enough for the vast majority of teachers as the turnover at lots of these schools is huge. |
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