Teaching English in Kazakhstan

•   Kazakhstan is still not very open to the West or Western ways. English tends to be taught by Kazakhs (badly) and it is generally thought that native speakers aren't needed. The cost of living in Almaty, Astana and Atyrau is very high. Make sure any ESL job includes a base salary of at least $30,000 paid outside the country PLUS housing, utilities and local supplement and air fares (very high). Ensure any ESL employer gets visas sorted out in advance or you won't get into the country. Don't hand over your passport after arrival. Stick to a one year contract only. Very strict on visas!
  
  Kazakhstan is still very Soviet with lots of bureacracy and red tape. English is not widely spoken anywhere and signs are all in Kazakh or Russian. It isn't a tourist destination as yet and they are not geared up for it. Alcoholism is a major problem - supermarket shelves are stacked with hundreds of different vodkas - the only thing apart from cigarettes that is very cheap here. Winters are cold and miserable and summers hot and dry. Avoid the police as you might be fined for just being foreign or not having your passport handy."
  Jodie, 02/11/07

• "That advice is pretty gloomy! There are some great aspects to life here, too. You will never feel as appreciated as you are made to feel by your students here. They are very respectful, and very interested in people from other countries. In the bigger cities, people are very interested in the west and western ways. Sometimes to a startling point (I've had three people in the last three days ask me if I could either help them get to America or help them study English because they (or someone they know) want to go to the west).
  
  It is pretty hot in the summer and can be very cold in the winter, but the spring and fall months are delightful. Plus, in Almaty, it is one of the few places in the world that has four healthy seasons.
  
  It is very expensive, with Almaty being one of the most expensive cities in the world (literally). And rental prices are also expensive. But, as a foreigner, you can also get a pretty good salary for teaching. Probably much better than you can in the west in a public school!
  
  But you do need to stay on top of things like visas and so on. And you need to be vigilant just like you would be in any big city.
  
  I would say come, if you are adventurous, and want to see a part of the world not many westerners have seen."
  Chester, 15/07/08

Other links for Kazakhstan

TEFL jobs in Asia
Travel information for Kazakhstan
Teaching in Asia Forum
Practise Kazakh

Kazakhstan

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