How to make friends in Kazakhstan

Making friends is an interesting topic.  I believe you make friends anywhere in the world the same way, you become one.  What I mean by that is if you want friends the treat people the way you want to be treated and you will have friends.

Now having said the above I have to tell you that I have few if any expat friends here.  Mostly I don't have any because I don't hang around them.  I am surrounded by local people where I work and where I like to hang out so I have mostly local friends.  I think it is a choice.  I choose to have local friends, I didn't come abroad to hang around people that I could hang around back home, I came here to immerse myself in the culture and meet new people.

I believe that making friends isn't hard, of course it helps to know how to cook,   I usually invite people over to have a meal and over good food and tea you get to know people.  I have done this no matter where I have lived.  I love to cook and I love to eat, and the best part is most people I meet enjoy both of those things too.

I have found Almaty people to be very open and warm.  Just remember that being a foreigner and speaking English is a great opener for meeting people here.  Be open and kind and in turn others will respond back in the same manner. 

I have met people where I work teaching, I have met people at gatherings thrown by other friends, and finally I can meet people just by being out and about.  I have no problem striking up a conversation on a city bus or in a city park.  I think if you just try to be friendly it will pay off.