KZBlog

There’s been a number of small things that have recently become available in Astana that make life a bit easier or more pleasant for me and I suspect for a number of expats out there. I’ve been meaning to post on them, but they’ve tended to get forgotten. So I thought I’d just make one post on all of them.

Nice Things for Expats in Astana

in no particular order

1. Guns and Roses Pub opened recently where Northwind used to be (at the bottom of Republic Avenue, near Ramstor). Good band, nice atmosphere, and burgers and sandwiches and bar/pub food for fairly reasonable prices. Waitresses even seem to speak good English so expats be not afraid.
2. Tengri FM, 104.5 on your FM dial at least in Astana. This station has actually been broadcasting for a few months now but unlike other stations, it pretty much sticks to rock and roll, well over 50% of it being English-language bands. It’s also the only radio station I’ve heard yet here that has DJs who actually talk about the music they play. In the evenings, I often catch one DJ who discusses the meanings of the songs, their history and interesting facts about the bands.
3. Chicken Filets and Nuggets! Suddenly back on the market after 3 or 4 years, you can get quality, yummy, chicken nuggets and filets in your grocer’s freezer. I’ve been buying Willma brand frozen chicken, and they are super yummy. The nuggets also come with cheese or with cheese and mushrooms (which are the best ones). And they appear to be actual hunks of meat instead of ground-up processed, shaped meat paste. Plus they are already cooked, so you don’t have to worry about undercooking them. Much thanks to Chris Merriman for introducing these to me.
4. EDIT: Metro, which I failed to mention in my Shopping in Astana post, is another nice amenity for expats (and local people as well). For those out there who are comforted by mega-stores in the vein of Costco and Sam’s Club, Metro will make you feel at home. It’s nice to be able to buy a bunch of stuff from food to TVs to kitchen equipment in one place and if you buy in bulk, the prices are definitely lower than other stores (although often not by much). I am particularly fond of what I guess you would call the ethnic food aisle, which features Mexican food and Asian food, Shop Rite cake mix, and other things us Westerners enjoy. The variety of cuts of meat is a bit more varied there too and so is the selection of frozen foods. You can also get whole wheat pasta and stuff not available elsewhere. Metro doesn’t have everything I would want in a shop, but it has most things.

   It is a bit hard to find, despite the signs about town. It’s outside the city, though not too far and unfortunately none of the Google maps seem to be updated to show it. But if you go out Ablai Khan Avenue (which goes on to become the Karaganda road, I believe), you’ll eventually see it on the right.

5. EDIT 2: Podcasts! Podcasts obviously don’t have to do with life in Astana but as an expat, I love being able to listen to my favorite radio shows. I miss weekend mornings listening to Car Talk, Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me, and A Prairie Home Companion. And now I can listen to them even here on the harsh steppes of Kazakhstan. That definitely eases the homesickness.

That’s all I can remember for the moment. Anything else you have to add? What can you get in Kazakhstan that makes life more like home?