Aitzhamal Amanzholova, 42 years old
From Omsk, the founder of PRO Business Lab, business coach
About moving
I moved to Kazakhstan in 1996. I was living in Omsk, when my aunt brought me to Kazakhstan. I was impressed a lot, I liked Almaty, Borovoe, local people. I thought that it would be great to come and live in Kazakhstan, so finally I moved here.
About life in Kazakhstan
I am the youngest in the family. When I decided to move here, my family called me crazy. I don’t regret anything and am happy to be here. I tell my guests from Omsk about Kazakhstan, I say that Kazakhstan is our historical homeland. I love Russia, yet not as much as Kazakhstan.
It was hard to get a job in Russia, while here I found a respectful job. That’s nice. I worked in the Parliament for many years, then was invited to the Department of Presidential Affairs. I met various people, I developed myself. I worked for the branch of Samruk-Kazyna as the head of HR department for the last eight years, a year ago I left it to start my own business. Now I conduct business trainings and have an HR-school. So, I could fulfil my potential here.
It’s much easier for me to live in Kazakhstan. I don’t have to be crazy over the safety of my children; all the foreigners say that it's safe to live here. Kazakhstanis are warm and welcoming, there’s no such hospitability in other countries. My daughter and I travel a lot, yet we’re still patriots of Kazakhstan. I tell her that we might move to another country, but she’s not willing to do that. “I’m Kazakh and will live in Kazakhstan” she says.
About difficulties
Having just arrived, I did not speak Kazakh. It was not customary to talk in Kazakh in my family. My office was next to the department of translations in the Parliament. The guys from this department always talked with me in Kazakh, helped to improve the language. I started attending additional language courses. It’s not a problem anymore, I understand, I read, I can write.
Obviously, there were some difficulties at the very beginning. I had no money. The winter was coming, and I didn’t have winter shoes and money to go by bus. Yet I was still happy! I found a part-time job and managed to overcome all the difficulties.
About people
I was amazed how warmly I was welcomed here. Kazakhs are hospitable and friendly, here I found many friends and acquaintances. People tend to believe each other.
Foreign guests say that we’re well-brought. Whatever city I go to - Kokshetau, Atyrau, Shymkent - I am always welcomed.
Amina Ismailova, 23 years old
From Novosibirsk, marketing specialist of "Kazakhstan AgroInnovation Corporation" LLP
About moving
We moved to Kokshetau in 2002. I was eight, my mother insisted on moving here. She was born in Kazakhstan, and believed that children should be brought up in a historical homeland.
About life in Kazakhstan
There is no a big difference between living in Russia and in Kazakhstan, yet "It is better to be a sole in the homeland than a sultan in a foreign land." I managed to fulfil my potential in Kazakhstan better than I could in Russia. Therefore, we must return to our historical homeland.
Living in Russia, you have a barrier, you understand that you are of a different nationality. You feel it despite the fact that everyone talks about tolerance. When Kazakhstan celebrates republican holidays, all different nations realize that they are residents of one country. In this regard, the level of tolerance in Kazakhstan is higher.
In addition, it is much calmer in Kazakhstan, there are no foreign-policy conflicts, we have no bias towards Muslims. So, Russia is my little homeland, but I love Kazakhstan more.
About difficulties
I still have some barriers living in Kazakhstan. I mean language issues, as I’m still shy to talk in Kazakh. In addition, there are slight differences in mentality, traditions, even in some words pronunciation.
About people
I think all people are different, it doesn’t depend on nationality. There was no prejudice to me while I was living in Russia.
Asyl Seydalieva
From Tyumen, entrepreneur
About moving
We moved here in 2004. My husband is from Kazakhstan. We lived in Tyumen for a while, and then decided to move here. That was the period when Kazakhstan had already begun to develop rapidly, life standards had been improving day by day. So we moved to Shchuchinsk.
About life in Kazakhstan
At the very beginning I thought that I wouldn’t work. I had a second child, and it was my husband who supplied the family with money. Having got used to working, one cannot remain still for a long. So when my son turned a year and three months, I decided to go back to business.
We had run business in Russia, so did not feel any particular difference starting a business here. Starting the business in Kazakhstan we had a special tax encouragement, there were no inspections at the very beginning. In this respect it was more troublesome to do business In Tyumen.
I am sociable and can get on well with anyone. Therefore, it was not difficult for me to communicate with people both in Russia and Kazakhstan. My children do not notice a big difference too. We can easily adapt and feel comfortable both in Russia and Kazakhstan.
About difficulties
I have a big family and we’re close. In Kazakhstan I had my husband and children, but not relatives by my side. That seemed to be a real problem at that time. I didn’t have any trouble with language.
About people
At first I felt a great difference in mentality and world view. When we moved to Shchuchinsk, I realized people to be different. Now I understand that it’s all up to a person and the attitude towards people.
