Teaching English in Kazakhstan

It is a country that not many people have heard, of or at least don’t know much about. Kazakhstan is a landlocked Central Asian country that borders Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It is a former Soviet state, but gained independence in 1991.

Kazakhstan’s mystery lies in the fact that it has continuously evolved through its history and its associations with different countries, including Russia. It has large oil and natural gas reserves and recently this has led to a huge influx of capital. As a result, new cities are springing up and more and more business opportunities are developing.

If you’re not keen on city life, there are many smaller mountains, desert towns, or villages based around markets. For fun in Kazakhstan, you hike mountains, visit museums, or experience falcon hunting. If you are keen to go somewhere a little bit alternative, consider the home of the cosmodrome site, which is where the first manned orbital flight by Yuri Gagarin took place.

Cuisine in Kazakhstan might not appeal to all tastes, especially vegetarians. The typical diet consists of mostly meat and vegetables and everything seems to have a slightly meaty flavor. A popular speciality is horse meat or horse sausage, washed down with some vodka or Kumyuan – fermented camel’s milk. There is a large Korean population here so it’s easy to find Asian-inspired restaurants.

The country name “Kazakhstan” has an interesting meaning once translated from the ancient Persian language. The word Kazakh represents the word “wanderer” or also “outlaw”, and “adventurer” in ancient Persian. And the word “stan” has the meaning of “land” or alternatively “nation”. As a result, the name Kazakhstan was often referred to as the “Land of the Wanderers” or “Nation of Adventurers/Outlaws”.

The term “outlaws” is probably more relevant to the fact Ancient Kazakhs were the first horsemen in the world, taming wild horses to domesticate them for farming and hunting.

Looking at the world map, it’s very notable that Kazakhstan is one of the largest countries in the world. Although with a population estimated just shy of 19 million, the population density stands at only 6 people per square mile. Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world but incredibly still owns a navy, based in the Caspian Sea.

Traveling around Kazakhstan can be quite easy. They have an unofficial taxi culture across the country. Simply wave at passing vehicles, any member of the public can pull over, you say your location and price and off you go!