QSI Astana Welcome Packet

Getting to Know Astana

Housing

You will likely have an apartment that is located within a 17 minute walking distance of the school or in many cases sharing a common fence line with the school. The school is in the downtown area about 10 minutes from the city center. All apartments are furnished with basic furniture. There is generally an oven and refrigerator. There is generally a washing machine. Most people use a drying rack to dry clothing. The apartment will have one, two, or three bedrooms depending on single, couple, or family. There is also usually a living room. All apartments have a kitchen and a western-styled bathroom. If the apartment has been used before by the school, it will generally be well-stocked with dishes and kitchen items. If the apartment is new to QSI, some of these items may need to be purchased. It will be up to you to purchase the items that you wish to have for the apartment that are beyond the basic furnishings. QSI provides basic furniture and appliances as needed. This is agreed upon in the contract with the landlord. Major appliances and basic furniture will not be the responsibility of the teacher. Our Facilities Manager works closely with landlords to ensure that the apartment is clean, free from leaks, and safe.

Housing pointers for new teachers:

1. When you first arrive, you will be asked to complete a form to note any problem areas in your home. Just like when you are renting a car, early observation of issues will help them to get resolved and for you to not be blamed for something in the future.

2. When something gets broken in your apartment/house or needs our attention, you need to create a maintenance request form. We will either contact your landlord or send our maintenance man to fix things. Whenever our maintenance man goes to your dwellings, we will check with you first.

3. After things are done/partially done/not done, you are kindly asked to send the Facilities Manager a quick e-mail to give feedback.

4. Please record your home address somewhere and carry it with you so that you know where you live.

5. We are going to have house/apartment visits two times a year. These visits are designed to discover any possible problems that have not been reported or to better inform you of the standards of cleanliness expected by our landlords and the school. We will provide notification before visiting and will be happy to make special arrangements if you would like. This will be a great opportunity for you to address housing issues while we are there. Of course, at any time you are welcome to create a maintenance ticket.

Safety

Astana is a safe, family-friendly city! It is common for many people to be out walking well into the evening time. Families play in parks and common areas around apartment buildings, and the school-owned apartments have a 24-hour secure gate with its own play area. People are advised to use the same level of situational awareness you would use if you were in a city in the western world, and many people walk around after dark, especially in the winter. Streets are well lit around the apartments and patrolled often by officers on foot, deterring crime in the neighborhood. There are 2 local schools within a block of QSI and this helps make the neighborhood a safe and inviting place for many families. It is very rare for a foreigner to be stopped and questioned by the police or military in public, but it is a good idea to keep a copy of your passport and most current visa, registration information, and work visa on you. Periodically the police may come to your apartment and request to see those documents. They are looking for people who are in the country illegally and there is nothing to be concerned about. Show them the copies of your documents. Do not give anyone your original passport. Do not pay bribes! This is illegal, and it is very rare. Contact our local staff and they can help with any situation in which you need translation and a greater understanding of what is happening.

Because of the connections our students have with numerous embassies, our school is guarded 24/7 by four guards for each of our entry and exit points. Within the school buildings, we have two safe-havens, that are available in case of emergency, and a plan in place to utilize those, if necessary. We practice standard emergency drills throughout the school year with all staff.

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Dress

Dressing for working at QSI International School of Astana is “business casual.” For men and women in general, dressing comfortably but professionally meets the image of the school.

There are four distinct seasons in Kazakhstan, and it is primarily a Muslim country and the dress can be more conservative for both men and women. Astana is an increasingly modern city, and styles vary and are more liberal than in the villages, smaller cities throughout the country. In these smaller places, it is appropriate to dress in more conservative dress to not draw attention and to be culturally sensitive.

Dressing for the winter as Astana is the second coldest city in the world, you will need appropriate boots, jacket, gloves, hat and other clothes which can be found locally if you don’t bring them from home. During the summer it is dry and warm so dress as you would in your home country to keep yourself cool. The in-between seasons will require sweaters, a light jacket, and some rain gear may be helpful as well.

There is a ski resort within three hours of Astana in Borovoe (Burabay), so bring your clothing and gear if you have it however ski equipment is available for rental. There is also hiking opportunities during spring and summer, so come prepared with hiking boots, pants, and hats; Northern Kazakhstan being the Stepp doesn’t have many trees, so be well prepared for hiking.

In the winter, cross country skiing is available and popular, including within the city, where there are numerous well-maintained trails. Ski equipment is available at reasonable prices and for rent. You can also find sledding (the city creates hills around the city) and skating to be widely available.

Health

It is important to be up to date on your standard immunizations such as tetanus. In addition, for travel to Kazakhstan, it is advised to obtain Hepatitis A and B vaccinations. Some websites and physicians recommend rabies and typhoid. You may also check into taking malaria prophylaxis. Malaria and typhoid have not been issues in Nur-Sultan, but if you plan on traveling into the country, it may be wise to obtain these immunizations. CDC website: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/clinician/none/Kazakhstan

Health Clinics

The American Medical Center (AMC) opened its doors in the fall of 2019. Currently they operate by coming to your apartment and going with you to tests and procedures. They also have a small clinic located about 10 min from school. The AMC has a long history with QSI and is very supportive. All staff speak English, and they take our Metlife Insurance. The phone number and contact information will be provided at orientation.

While modern medicine and clinics are available, serious injury or illness can require a medical evacuation. Most frequently, patients are sent to Dubai or Frankfurt.

Mental Health Practitioners- English-speaking mental health practitioners are not found in Astana. Make sure you bring all medication with you when you come and bring all paperwork/evaluations you have in the US. AMC will find a practitioner and go to the appointment with you to help translate. Psychiatrist appointments are quickly available and very similar to visits in the US. Medication is available, but not easy to find.

Diagnostic Testing- Ultrasounds, X-rays and MRI scans are readily available and easily and quickly obtained through AMC. They will find a place with the earliest availability and take you there to translate. Diagnostics are quick, thorough and state of the art!

Specialist availability- AMC is quick to locate specialty practices when they are needed. ENT’s, Cardiologists, Trauma Doctors (broken bones, injuries), Neurologists, Endocrinologists, Psychiatrists, and Pediatricians have been used by staff.

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Pharmacy- Salamat near the school is a Pharmacy that consistently has medication for the lowest prices.

Weather

Astana is a very windy city, which can make the temperatures feel cooler. The summers are dry, hot, and dusty with temperatures that average around 32 degrees Celsius (88 Fahrenheit). The fall and spring are much cooler. Winter is famous for the snow and cold with temperatures averaging –15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit). In the winter there are many attractions like cross-country skiing, sledding, and snowmobiling that keep people active all winter long. The sidewalks are not cleared during winter, so it is recommended to have shoes with good grips or add snow grips (https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Shoe-Ice-Snow-Grips/zgbs/fashion/3421064011 ) which you can buy in Nur-Sultan.

Shopping

Clothing:

There are some commonly known stores here that are found in the Malls such as LC Waikiki, H&M, Nike, however shopping online is also available with wildberries.kz, zeta.kz and also kaspi. RedPark is also a great option for second hard clothing of brands that are from around the world. Clothing can also be found in the large bazaars of which Astana has several. The largest and most popular within the city is Artyom. The bazaars have many vendors who are selling essentially the same goods as the mall and around the same prices, however you can try and bata with the vendors.

The shopping malls are popular and prevalent, with many movie theaters, restaurants, and family entertainment zones in addition to clothing stores.

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Household Items:

Online shops such as Mechta.kz and Technodom.kz have large “big box” type stores. Shanghai Bazaar, Central Bazaar and Astanlyk Bazaar are places to find cheaper goods. Technodom and Sulpak have many branches throughout the city, and someone can be found that speaks English for ease of shopping. An offline translator app is suggested at the Bazaar if you do not speak Russian, and the vendors are happy to meet foreigners and sell their goods.

Food apps:

Wolt

Glovo

Yandex

Maps:

2GIS app, Google Maps

Art/School supplies:

Abdi (various locations) 

Leonardo's (Mega Silkway) 

Food:

There are many grocery stores and people tend to develop their favorites to meet their needs. Western type food is found in several of these stores listed below. The best produce is found in the green markets (and going to those markets is an enriching experience) and the small local produce stands found on corners. There are several green markets and people generally go to the one that is closest to them or the ones which have what they need.

A unique safety issue in Central Asia is the availability of vinegar which is much more acidic that what can be bought in other countries (up to 70%). Although it can be bought in most supermarkets, it could cause serious health issues if ingested. Be aware and check the percentage. Most vinegar used for cooking is about 7-9%.

Baking Needs – Baker Street Mart

Asdekor (a few across the city)

Grocery Stores:

The following stores cater to many different cultural foods but also have differences in their price tags.

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Supermarkets:

· Janzetto (near school)

· Вкус Март (Tasty Mart) in Saryarka Mall

Interfood $$$ (Located near the school and in Highville)

Gastronome $$$ (Located on the left bank on Saryarshik and near the Khan Shatyr)

Galmart $$

· Located in the Keruen City Mall

· Located in the Keruen Mall (Largest Branch)

· Also in Asia Park, Mega Silkway

Metro $$

· This store is past Highville, and is a “Costco” type shop that also carries imported products.

Arbuz $

· Online grocery shopping with free delivery

Local shopping options are abundant and young people especially enjoy interacting with foreigners, even though they may be shy about trying to use the English they know. With a little encouragement and an offline translating app, you are sure to find someone who is enthusiastic about helping you find what you need. Here are some budget friendly shopping options!

Astykzhan $ · https://astykzhan.kz/?city=1

· This store delivers groceries. Shopping in person is preferred. Meat is excellent, cut fresh daily and lowest priced here. (They have pork available here including small hams.) Gourmet honey shop, clothing store, large toy store, local fast-food restaurants (bibigon, the Kazakh version of Chick-fil-A) and dollar general type store are all located in one building.

Smalls $

This full service supermarket is within walking distance of the Green Garden School apartments. Has a full service deli counter with ready to eat foods, rotisserie chicken, pharmacy and flower shop.

Magnum $

· There are multiple locations around the city and now also in the basement of Khan Shatyr. They range in size from a small corner convenience store, to a full supermarket with other shops located inside their building.

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Apem

This is a meat market where pork and bacon can be purchased.

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Sports Equipment:

The largest and most numerous sporting goods store is Sportmaster (спортмастер), a Russian chain of stores. Several are located throughout the city, with some being larger and better equipped than others. Specialty shops do exist, but their prices tend to be higher. Shanghai Market has cheaper options for sporting goods for kids to play with.

Phone, Cable, Internet

Mobile Phones: There are multiple mobile phone service providers with pay-as-you-go service which is not costly, generally under $12 per month for service including 3G data. Phones are easily purchased here. You can put a new SIM card into unlocked smart phones without a problem. The kiosk for “refilling” your data package is usually pretty easy after someone shows you how to do it for the first time and some even have an English option.

TV Cable/Internet: For unlimited Internet it is approximately $20 per month and the quality generally fairly reliable and nearly always supports streaming and applications. Recently, the government has started to restrict access to sites such as Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram, but for only short periods of time. TV cable can be arranged through the Internet provide for about $8.00/month. There are about 15-20 channels in English.

Kazakh language and culture

Both Kazakh and Russian are spoken in Kazakhstan, although the government emphasis in recent years has been on the promotion and use of Kazakh as the official language. The Kazakh language is a beautiful language with its closest roots in Turkish. Russian is more commonly spoken, but you will hear a mix of both languages. You will often come across a few locals who speak at least some English while you are out.

Being able to read the Cyrillic alphabet and learning some basic phrases in Russian will be very useful for getting around, asking for things at the market, etc. Some basic phrases in Kazakh are nearly always met very warmly and show respect for the local culture. Duolingo and Drops are helpful language apps to get you started.

The Kazakh culture is warm and welcoming. The people love to share their traditions with foreigners. There are several important holidays throughout the year. Naruyz, (a Spring holiday,) is the biggest holiday for the country. Horses are a large part of Kazakh culture. Horseback riding is popular, as well as the Kazakh national dish Bishbarmark, which has horse meat.

Instagram is the most popular way to get more information about businesses in Kazakhstan. Locals use Instagram for everything from making beauty appointments and dinner reservations to finding more information about a place.

Money

The Kazakhstani Tenge is the currency in Kazakhstan. At the time of this handbook, the exchange rate is 430 KZT to $1 USD. Money can be exchanged at banks. There is a bank close to the school to exchange funds when you need to. There are also ATMs available, and foreign staff have used these without issue.

When you arrive, the school will assist you in opening a local bank account into which your salary will be automatically deposited each month.

Mailing

It is possible to mail items from Kazakhstan. There are Kaz Post offices around the city. DHL, Federal Express, and UPS services are also available, but the fees are often high. For example, a small parcel via FedEx will cost 3000-8000 Tenge custom fee. Packages sent internationally can take from a few weeks to a few months. Use your best judgment in sending expensive items; they are likely to be heavily taxed and held at customs.

House cleaning, cooking, and childcare

All these services are easily available from locals and your first best connection is via word of mouth at school or via your landlord. The general rate is $7 per hour. Members of QSI Astana housekeeping staff will often want this opportunity to supplement their income. Another resource for local help is in Steppe n Out, the unofficial publication of the US Embassy in Nur-Sultan. People advertise bi-weekly for these services. Set up exactly what you want from the beginning and be clear about your expectations. Always use a translator when communicating unless the person speaks very good English.