Shopping in Astana

This event took place on February 23 (about a week and a half in Astana).

After being here over a week, and having been shown around town by some friends on Friday, and shuttled to the grocery store by the University on Saturday I decided it was time for me to bite the bullet and go out into the city by myself with the children. I knew that this initial step would be a big one, and while I was anxious to get it over with and reclaim my independence, I was nervous to venture out on the buses.

Some things you should know about the buses. There is no bus schedule, you just wait for your bus and when it comes, it comes (but they do come very often). Nothing is in English, everything is in Russian. When you come to a stop if the bus is full, the conductor will get out and get behind the crowd trying to get on the bus and push them on (this can be a problem if you are trying to get off). Also, I have never had to stand. When I get on with the children, inevitably someone will stand for myself and Olivia to have a seat. Very gracious.

So I bundled the kids up and off we went. We have established a good system of Noah pushing the button to summon the eleveator and Olivia pushes the internal button of what floor we want to go to.

We walked the block down to the bus stop to wait. I had planned to go to a mall nearby that had the electronic store as well as a grocery store to purchase a few items and knew we needed the number 40 bus. At the bus stop there were some older women and a gentleman, and all watched us with great interest ( I have since gotten used to people staring at me and my red-heads, but a week and a half ago I was still self conscience). Imagine my surprise when the gentleman starts to talk to us in English. He was quite excited to practice his English as he was traveling to the UK for business soon and had been taking English classes. I was also happy to oblige. While we were chatting the number 32 pulled up. He told me I could also take this bus to the mall and assisted me onto the bus with the children.

Suddenly alarms are going off in my head. "Jessica....you don't know how to get the mall from this bus..." While I am getting the kids situated I turn and see that he has already payed my bus fare. I tried to tell him we were okay but he brushed me off and began telling me about the architecture of Astana. After a couple of stops he indicated that it was time to get off--and I KNEW WHERE I WAS. :) It was the same stop we had gotten off with our friends the Friday before. I was elated. I informed our guide that I knew where I was and he looked at me in surprise. In response he took Olivia's hand and started leading us across the street in the direction of the mall. Noah had not taken a nap and was starting to feel tired from all the walking so he asked me to carry him. As I picked him up our new aquantience scolded me, telling me to put him down. "He is getting you dirty" he chidded. OK?!

About the time I am thinking it is time to ditch this guy we arrive at the mall and walk up the steps to the doors. A funny thing about malls in Astana is that while there are many doors to use only one is unlocked, so as you approach them you have to locate the door with the green circle on it and this is the door you may enter from...it is also the same door for the exit, thus creating quite a bottle neck.















Once inside this chivalrous man asked if I had been here before and if I needed anything else. I admit it, I lied and told him I had been there before and thanked him profusely for his help. The kids and I made our way up to the top floor where the electronics store is. I was proud of myself for remembering to lock my bag away at the cubbyholes at the front of the store (they don't like you carrying your bags around) and I also remembered which brand to avoid purchasing because their products tend to explode. Feeling quite chuffed I grabbed a hand mixer and we marched to the front of the store to pay. The woman's eyes bulged as I placed the mixer down and grinned at her. She spoke rapidly in Russian and gestured to another woman who came over and took the mixer away (I now know that they take it to a computer in the middle of the store and generate a card with a bar code on, and THAT is what you take to the check out). She came back with the card and took my mixer over to customer service. After paying I was gestured over to the service desk where my mixer was out of the box and running on full speed. I gathered that they were showing me that it worked. I smiled and nodded, and then almost snorted as I watched them struggle to eject the beaters. Finally successful we made our way downstairs to the grocery store.

(If you are exhausted reading this, don't worry, it is almost over :)

As we descended the escalator a stunning purple store greeted us. I was thrilled. It was beautiful, clean, and VERY American/European looking and I was feeling tired. After depositing our bags at the cubbies, Noah was plopped in a cart, Olivia grabbed one of the little shopping carts (Hooray) and shopping began. While we were walking up and down the aisles, Noah began bobbing off. (He was still bundled up, and the heat is pumped up to 800 degrees (approximately). I was trying desperatly to keep him awake as I could not picture myself carrying him (he is a block), the groceries and my bags, while holding Olivia's hand, to the bus, on the bus, and home. It was to no availe, he was unconscious. My sweet Olivia says, "Don't worry Mom, I'll help you." And we tried. We made it out the store half way into the mall and I said "Olivia, we are taking a taxi." We marched out the doors to where the taxis were waiting. I know they took advantage of the situation (what taxi driver doesn't) but they offered within the mental budget I had calculated in the 100 yards or so to get there, so we took it. Of course as soon as we exited the mall (through the one door) the cold woke Noah up :).
We took the cab home and the kids and I had a snack on the couch. All's well that ends well.