Contents
East and West: two different mentalities, two different cultures… What do Moscow and Tashkent have in common, and how do they differ radically? What does our heroine like in her new homeland and what does she never get used to? An honest story from a reader.
I have always traveled a lot. Even in her youth, thanks to her mother, she visited almost all European countries. Traveled to China, Vietnam and Tanzania. And, like many, I thought about life abroad. But the Moscow routine dragged on, these thoughts were quickly forgotten.
A few years later it so happened that my husband was offered a job in another country. Usually, when they say so – “another country”, you can imagine anything, but certainly not Uzbekistan. But he was called to work in Tashkent.
I was scared to move. When it comes to where I live, I’m a terrible conservative. Moving is not easy for me, and I love Moscow. But my husband likes adventure, he chooses very interesting places to work. In addition, after the extreme experience of living in Africa, there is little to scare him. And our little son is happy where his parents and a lot of delicious food.
Uzbekistan used to be part of the Soviet Union, so everything here seems familiar. Only Moscow managed to change, and Tashkent seems to have not. And a lot of it takes me back to my childhood. On the one hand, life here is similar to the one we are used to. On the other hand, of course, there are differences, and quite colorful ones.
Attitude to children
I like the attitude of the locals towards the kids. I am glad that my one year old child is growing up here. He is a sociable boy and is drawn to people.
Here they always smile in response to a child’s smile, they don’t pass by a child waving their hand, they can stop and talk to him.
On the playground, there is no such thing that mothers with children hide in the corners from each other. The children all play together. And in one company, not only peers – older guys also approach the kids, help, teach them.
I have not seen children of ten or twelve years old sitting buried in smartphones, as in Moscow. In Tashkent, they run around the yard, as it was in my childhood.
Mountains in Tashkent
Uzbekistan is actively developing, and near Tashkent, for example, a ski slope has been built. We have something to compare with, and I can confidently say that it is no worse than small European slopes.
local food
Can’t say enough about the products. They are… different. Fresh and significantly different from what we bought in Moscow. Everything is much tastier here.
You can order food delivery from stores, or you can go to the market yourself.
Different prices. Imported food is more expensive than in Moscow (this also applies to toys, diapers and baby food familiar to a child). But local and seasonal are cheaper. The choice on the market is huge. For example, in order to buy rice, we delved into search engines for some time – we were confused by the number of varieties.
You can try everything, and, of course, you have to bargain – this is the East. And you also need to know where the resellers are, so as not to miscalculate. We, as visitors, are often overpriced, but if you buy from the same sellers, it gradually decreases.
About cash and transactions
In Tashkent, cash is more common. Mobile phone, electricity and internet need to be paid through the terminal. And it is advisable to do all this in advance, otherwise you will be left without communication and light for a long time.
With the payment of electricity, everything is strict, we accidentally experienced this ourselves. There is a special application for the phone in which you can track your balance. And when we suddenly found ourselves in the red, our apartment was de-energized. It was an unpleasant surprise for me and my baby. But two hours after payment, everything is turned on.
Roads and transport
I am confused by the local taxi. We move only on it, as we live in the very center, it’s fast and cheap. But they drive in Tashkent according to their own special rules, which is sometimes scary. Baby car seats are not common here.
To transfer a large stroller or suitcase, it is better to call the business class. This is due to the fact that lower-class cars are more likely to run on gas. There are gas bottles in the trunks, which leaves no room for luggage.
Another difficulty associated with a taxi: finding your car can be difficult. In Tashkent, basically everyone has white Chevrolets. Yes, there are other brands on the street, which means that the car belongs to a wealthy family. Unlike Russia, they introduced a large tax on foreign cars. And besides, anyone who wants to stand out with a tinted car, a car number or even a beautiful mobile number must officially pay for all these benefits.
Also, I don’t like crossing the road. On a green light, cars turn right at you, and a red one for pedestrians lights up when they are still in the middle of the road.
Where is this street, where is this house?
Here we have an eternal problem with delivery. Tashkent is divided into fairly large districts. To make it easier to understand how to search for the right house, it is customary to name landmarks. For example, we indicate the address and the main landmark, describe in the order how to get to our house. But every time the couriers are looking for us, and every time by phone we explain again how to find a “house with a green roof”.
Conclusions for yourself
The Russians, who were here a few years before us, say that we arrived at the most opportune time. Tashkent is flourishing, everything is changing for the better. Most of the locals are also happy with the changes. The only thing they complain about is that the city used to be full of trees and greenery, and now all places with vegetation are being built up.
Could I live in Tashkent all my life? Definitely not. Although I feel quite comfortable and calm in this city. I’m just used to a different rhythm of life.
But for now, I try to enjoy what I like here, and not pay attention to what I, apparently, will not be able to get used to.
About the Developer
Ksenia Veselova – SMM specialist. Her .