Dear Kaz 7,
Welcome to Kazakhstan! Give me an e-mail at kzldtek@astel.kz, and we can
talk. I can hook you up with a year and a half worth of letters that will give
you an in-depth look at life here and what you might want to bring. I also
think that my wife covered many of the intangibles of living in Kazakhstan, so,
along those lines, I’ll cut right to the chase and talk about gear. Back in
the states, I spent countless hours agonizing over what to bring. As my loving
wife, Joan, says, I am a gear head to a fault.
Footlockers - Rubbermaid brand makes these great, waterproof, lockable,
stand-on-able, lightweight footlockers that fit the luggage measurement
requirements. They’re only about $20 and are great for storage once at site
since the landlords and ladies often leave their stuff in your closets! REI
has them for sale and will send them UPS for free...
Camping gear - if you like camping and hiking, bring it all! The
opportunities near the capital and other sites are fantastic, and you will use
almost all of it in your daily life here. If you have questions about specific
camping stuff, contact me via e-mail, and we can discuss them.
Sleeping bag and sleeping pad - even if you don’t camp, definitely bring
these two things. When you visit other PCVs at their sites or when people
visit you, the floor will be a popular sleeping spot. Without these two items,
you will have an uncomfortable night and kick yourself for two years. A
sleeping bag is always useful; I slept in mine all winter in our ice-box
apartment. In terms of sleeping pads, I recommend the Thermarest Long sleeping
pad with stuff sack and repair kit.
Clothes (general) - this is a tough one. Think about two years of hard
wear. Think about two years of washing by hand in cold water and drip drying
in a cold, damp bathroom. Think about leaving it all behind when you go home.
I recommend all dark colors (hides the dirt), synthetic/polyester (drip dry),
and pretty nice looking (people really dress up here - I feel uncomfortable
wearing a t-shirt). I went to Goodwill and scored a bunch of great clothes for
nothing that I will have no problem leaving behind. Also, fashion here is
definitely behind the scenes, especially for teachers, so don’t worry about
being hip. Guy teachers - bring a sport coat that will go with all trousers
and jeans - maybe a tweed or some sort. My sport coat goes with one pair of
trousers, and it is a real pain.
Clothes (winter) - Wool socks are the best in the winter! You can buy hand
knitted wool socks here for about $2. They wouldn't be good for long hikes,
but for hanging around the house or teaching, they are more than fine. Think
about living and working in the cold. Layering is really important when you
have to go from hot conditions (apartment, classroom) to cold conditions
(street, apartment, classroom). A pair of fleece (sweat) pants are also a good
idea.
Clothes (summer) - It gets darn hot here. Bring really light-weight
clothes that look good, yet are really cool. Again think about getting them
dirty and handwashing. Guys, you’ll be spending lots of time wearing trousers
and short sleeve shirts in blistering temperatures without AC. Think breezy
and cool.
Boots - another tough one. If you’re a hiker or camper, bring the ones you
use at home, and you’ll use them all over the country here. Winter boots can
be a real problem. I know a lot of people who brought -40 degree Sorrel super
winter boots but didn’t wear them because they were too hot and too big and
clunky (see Clothes (winter)). I hate having sweaty feet; your feet feel cold
and clammy all day... You could just buy a local pair of boots and wool
socks. They are really cheap, keep the locals warm and take pounds out of your
luggage. You could also get some sent from home. This one has no easy
answer and just has to be a personal choice.
Cook wear - forget it. You can buy Teflon, spatulas, etc., in Almaty.
However, a Swiss Army knife with a corkscrew is invaluable. Also a
Leatherman/Multi-tool thing is life saving.
Music - bring it. Dance, dance, dance your culture shock away. I brought
75 cassettes and am already burned out on them. CDs pack small, but CD players
are much more expensive here than cassette decks. Don’t bring one from home;
it’s heavy, and you need a power transformer/converter. Although more
expensive, you can get anything you want in Almaty. Only bring rechargeable
batteries if you can’t live without a walkman. Remember that Almaty is a
pretty hip city, and there is little you can’t find. Go capitalism!
Film - can buy it here and it’s cheaper.
Books - There are way too many good books floating around the PCV community
here to weigh down your luggage. Your grandparents can mail you the best
sellers and Reader’s Digests.
Dictionary/Russian books - If you are serious about learning Russian, bring
a really good dictionary. Peace Corps gives you a good one for carrying around
in your backpack and survival use. However, if you want phrases and idiomatic
use, you need a more comprehensive one. We have a copy of Kenneth Katzner’s
English-Russian/Russian-English here, and it is fantastic. It may be big and
heavy, but it can be worth it. Also, if you want to learn Russian at site,
bring or have sent a good quality, serious Russian textbook for self-study and
working with a tutor.
Miscellaneous - good pair of tennis/basketball shoes if you want to play
sports. Heavy duty space blanket/reflective tarp - not one of those flimsy,
single-use emergency space blankets. We brought two and have used them a lot
to keep our apartment warm. Short Wave radio - only if you are a total news
hound. Newsweek keeps you up to date, and the reception here is not very good.
Good luck, and I look forward to talking to and seeing you in the future!
Peace,
Rich Bailey