Well time is still a scarce commodity, but a distressing contrast arose that was worth trying to resurrect the blog. Kazakhstan has a strict health and safety code, but a new building was opened and faculty moved in. Whilst one faculty member was showing his children his new office, he noticed that the safety glass for most of the hand rails, which protected pedestrians from a 6th story fall, was missing. He contacted me as I am leading the Health and Safety Ad Hoc Committee for the Faculty Senate and I immediately forward this to 2 of the leading managers (the Provost and the Executive Vice President) plus an individual appointed to implement the Health and Safety policies at NU. Soon after this individual responds to me alone thanking for the notification but asking me to never copy the senior management into such emails again for a minor health and safety issue. My response was very direct.
It seems that Kazakhstan has a different mentality. Had this happened in the West, a building with clear H&S violations was allowed to open, there would be an instant investigation, fines and potential criminal proceedings. But here it was a case of “don’t ask, don’t tell”. Unless there is a reform of attitude, I do not see how we can influence the changes necessary to make NU a leading institution, not just in Kazakhstan but in Eurasia and beyond.
This may seem like a critical point and actually it becomes a deal breaker. The UK (and Europe, North Americas, Japan, Australia, etc) have well developed policies for health and safety, which comes at the price of membership – the cost of living in such countries. Of course accidents and incidents occur, but there are procedures and watchdogs providing active protection. I know this will come in Kazakhstan, but the question is when? There are H&S laws in place, but strict observance, transparency is lacking and this “don’t ask, don’t tell” mentality has me worried that something serious will happen before the situation gets better.
This, the bureaucracy and the availability and accessibility to goods are the starkest points of contrast. Naturally the earliest days in Astana highlight a plethora of other issues that seem hard, difficult or just plain dumb-founding. But one can try and understand what it would be like for a foreigner invited to come to the UK to work and live, especially one that does not speak but a few words of English. There are severe restrictions in this exercise, but recall that not all UK Border Control Agents are that friendly or talkative. The South East of England often is regarded as less friendly than other areas of the UK, how would the foreigner survive, how would they be treated, how would they cope with local transport, etc? Ali recalls a friend coming from South Africa tried to pay for a bus ride with a £20 note. How do the UK police interact with people on the streets? Quite a variety, people always have tales – although there is a greater accountability with the IPCC – so they say.
One can dismiss Kazakhstan as a hostile, unfriendly, unwelcoming place. I could do it based on experience, but equally and trying to be fair, I could choose to focus on the lifestyle it affords, the positives that it brings for the family, how safe it is (seems) from street crime and alcohol related violence. Kazakhstan certainly has its issues. But we know from close friends who have been here for many years, who speak the local language, that there is a greater cultural wealth and warmth than may at first meets the eye.
Life in Astana in deep winter has become almost manageable and we are very fortunate in our position here. We have friends who have been here over 8 years who have not been to the number of restaurants we have, but equally we have single friends who have sampled almost every restaurant Astana has to offer. Perhaps it’s the distraction needed for Ali and I and the children, trying to last till the next stretch of holiday.
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| Nazarbayev University in deep winter |
Whilst one should never judge a book by its cover, there is still hope that the story can be changed for the better. The children are dreaming of warm weather and Ali of prawn baguettes. And salt and vinegar crisps.
