One thing that everyone assumes to accompany a move to another country and another culture is something called culture shock. And in many cases, homesickness; but culture shock is generally considered a given.
A week after my arrival, it still hasn't hit. Maybe it's happening and just not shocking me, maybe its flight got delayed and it's just not here yet, or maybe it's there in a million little ways that I'm just not seeing. Or maybe it's just minor compared to all the other things I'm feeling. At any rate, the cultural transition up to this point hasn't been quite as traumatic as one might expect.
Most obviously, there are the things that aren't so different. Most of the things I've been accustomed to having access to, I still have access to. Most of the pharmacies have a fine selection. Same with the hygiene product aisles. The names and brands may be different, but the product is there. You just have to do a little exploring. And while there may not be one on every block, there are a couple Starbuckses in the major shopping malls of the city. And a lot of the signs and restaurant menus include English along with the Russian and the Kazakh, which helped in those moments in the first few days when I would feel a little lost. And my phone has an English language option, and I have access to the internet and all of its helpful features.
But more noteworthy is how unshocked I am by many of the different things. How comfortable they are, and in many cases, downright pleasant. Like stepping outside and being suddenly immersed in a language that I forgot I knew. Or having cars stop for me at the crosswalk because pedestrians have right of way. Or having ready access to public transportation, going anywhere in the city for a dime. Or buying fresh produce at the outdoor market two blocks away, and having practically anything I might need within a 10-minute walk. Or walking everywhere, and having the time to because places are close together and appointments are far apart. Or buying antibiotics at the pharmacy without needing a prescription. Or seeing every brand of bottled water come in two choices at the store-- sparkling mineral or plain. Or passing a store with clothing and footwear in delightful styles that I haven't seen in so long I was afraid they didn't exist anymore. Or reading a menu where "salads" means anything made with raw vegetables and takes up two pages; where rice and buckwheat are the staple sides, hot tea and fruit juice are the basic beverage options, and lamb and fish dominate the menu followed closely by chicken. Or adjusting the climate in my apartment by opening the window to the fresh air, because the heat is on all winter at the same temperature via a hot water radiator, built into the apartment courtesy of the city. Or walking home from work in the evening, surrounded by other people who are also walking-- home, or to meet up with friends, or just as a pastime, because walking in the evening with your friends or with your kid or with your grandpa is just as normal as watching TV. Or interacting with anyone, literally anyone-- and not being haunted by the unsettling uncertainty of whether I read their non-verbal cues correctly.
So far, most of the major changes in my environment have felt less like a shock and more of a relief. Like I've been living for a really long time in a world where things were a little off, and now I'm suddenly in a place where things fit. Of course, most of these things are unfamiliar in the sense that I'm not accustomed to them-- but things that I won't mind adjusting to. It's weird-- like learning to become someone that I've sort of never been, but that I've also sort of been all along.
There is, as with any cultural transition, a list of not-so-great things. I'm still trying to catch up mentally on the fact that I'm actually here, and catch up physically in the sleep department. No, I haven't yet found a brand of razor that I like, or a place to recycle, and Pandora doesn't work in this part of the world. But I really think I'll be okay.
I do miss Pandora.
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