...And on to year 2...

Home for the holiday

The year started out great...with a week at home! Thankfully with a non-Christmas, but generally similar timed holiday in Kazakhstan, Kazatomprom allowed me to have a solid few weeks back with my family in Canada. Christmas was great with some hockey, snowboarding and spoiled kids. 

 

I brought back some traditional arctic fox winter head wear for the kids...but the first picture involved too much smiling to be wearing a Russian hat. 

 

Better.

And back home...quality time with family. And the Treager. New Year's 18-hour brisket!

Paired with some Georgian wine, some Goldcock Whiskey, and Slivovice liqueur from Czechia  (the last one being a very bad plum alcohol).

...and amazing New Year's brisket Benedict!

At home, we were trying to determine if it was harder to leave the first time in January 2019, not knowing what it was going to be like, or this time in January 2020, knowing what it's like to be apart. One thing was for sure: Mollie still doesn't get it and must think I die and disappear every couple months.

At year end, a gift came from Air Canada - but it's not just any old gift...it's hard earned. The next time you travel and see the tags, keep in mind that they're not all created equal! The big-shot business execs flying around at the pointy end of the plane, in the lay-flat seats with warm towels...earning "200%" miles on those flights with big bonus miles to get to 100K. Mine were not quite the same. Every. Single. Mile. In. Economy. Because Kazatomprom is a National Kazakh company, the rules align with government rules, where only ministers and CEO's can be flying business class. So to go all Canadian on you...I feel justified in saying that my goal was via a McDavid breakaway, while most others get there with a scrambling tap-in while the puck is half under the goalie's pad. Goal still counts, but one took a little more effort ;)

Back in Nur-Sultan Kazakhstan

First things first - a full conversion away from Apple to a much more mobile-office-work friendly Samsung ecosystem.

So much better, wide-angle photos to come!

Next was supposed to be a move to a new flat to change it up for fun - to something more modern and a little lower rent, since I was expecting to pay Canadian taxes on the "benefit". But when the place fell through at the last minute, I agreed to stay where I am for another year. Redecorated instead (and talked the landlord into a few concessions - from water filtration to a new bed and high end steam iron, to a parking spot in the parkade for the motorbikes). 

Celebrated with some homemade meals (for the second and third time in a year) - pub nachos, cold rolls, and whiskey pickles.

 

  

One thing to avoid in the off season in Kazakhstan: Cherries. These small clam shells, containing about what - like 40 cherries? - 14,000KZT. The equivalent in CAD is just over $48.00 each!

A Kazakh Wedding

In January, I had the opportunity to attend a Kazakh wedding - brother of a good friend over here who's the CEO of one of our subsidiaries. It was a bit of a power wedding between a family deeply dedicated to Kazakh politics, and another dedicated to the country's security, with generals in the crowd - so it was all quite traditional.

Bit of a different process. First, in the ballroom, family comes an hour early for the "ceremonial" part. Quite religious-looking with a ring ceremony, signing the register, etc...but all completely secular with a JP equivalent. Perhaps the Soviet era changed traditions up a little.

Next, the reception. Parade of dancers in traditional attire, leading the bride and groom to their head table. 

Speeches begin from the bride's parents and groom's parents, all while the head table stands in respect. The parents then go around the room and toast every table.

Then comes the first round of food...

So you sit and eat, right? Not quite. While eating, the first table of about 10-12 close family then head to the front and one by one, each grandpa, grandma, aunt and uncle go through their speeches (again, head table standing the whole time). Then they head around the room, to each table, for toasts.

Next comes the meat! A shit-ton of meat, prepped all day, brought out in a parade to each table.

There were about 15 tables, so the 15 elders in the room - most senior and respected from the families - head out to serve the meal!

After that, as people started eating, the lights went down for a dance. 

A person got the sense that the night was beginning...but again, not so. Lights back up, next table goes up. Speeches from everyone, with head table standing. And again, some food, a few songs with strobe lights, eat a bit...and then the NEXT table. All 15 tables, speeches from everyone - family, friends, business partners - ranging from a few mins to 10+ mins, but averaging at least 5 each (all in Russian and Kazakh, so I have no idea what was being toasted - though the former Kazakh ambassador to Japan sat with me and kept me generally in the loop)! The event started around 5 pm and the last table (at which point it seemed those giving the speeches were trying to get attention in the British Parliament during Brexit negotiations) finished at nearly midnight. It was broken up by live entertainment on occasion, including a famous Kazakh opera singer who was a family friend.

Eventually, the cake came out, signalling it was getting close to the end. But not before more food. 

Midnight lunch wasn't cold cuts, but instead, an AMAZING fish dish.

I was toasting with Hennessy cognac the entire night, and one of the uncles (I was told a former Deputy of the President's administration) immediately congratulated me on my tasteful choice of beverage, and he was sure to toast each and every time. No English, but made good use of Google translate - unfortunately, with every toast, Google indicated he was saying "Kazakh tradition - out of respect it's bottom's up with every toast."

Despite being 70 years old, at one point, he indicated I was drinking too slow and sent a second:

 

So on with 2020 - same old story of Nur-Sultan weather mirroring the weather in Saskatoon.

Happy Chinese New Year!

End of Year One...

A year spent working in Kazakhstan - lots to learn and challenges to overcome, and it was long at times, but hard to believe it's been a full year.

One thing that kept me grounded in reality was the weather. In most instances, temperatures shifted up and down on opposite sides of the planet in Saskatoon and then in Nur-Sultan (or vice versa), within days. December was fairly mild, but when it dropped, it dropped fast, and it was чертовски холодно.

Many areas of the city looked pretty cool for a couple weeks - fog set in for days, and rather than a thin layer of easily-knocked-off frost on everything, it built up like icicles.

Apartment on the left, Khan Shatyr mall on the right

And when it gets cold, time to pull out the extra layers - Canada Goose if you splurged on one...maybe a Shymkent Chicken jacket if you didn't...

Speaking of Geese and Chickens...there was a wildlife show right outside my window the other day.

Living in Nur-Sultan

Going around the city to various shops and malls, the prices, product quality, and even store layouts vary considerably. Take this mall - it was 5 stories, and on each floor hundreds of these smaller pop-up style shops, sometimes dozens of them with all the same products. Mostly imported products from China and lower cost...not the place you want to pick up safe toys for a toddler.

Then the other extreme at a different mall...this store had traditional Kazakh clothing, and I wanted some formal wear to compliment my suit. But with hand-stitching and all authentic high-quality fur, cost was over $1,500 US!

Further to the topic of culture, when I was faced with an unexpected long weekend in December, I ventured out to the national concert hall (in front of the presidential palace) to take in a concert of traditional instruments, like the Dombra.

Work

Work is work - year one closed out with improvements to the way the company discloses information, and great progress towards greater credibility and a solid reputation. Of note, while we're listed on the historical London Stock Exchange, our primary exchange is local - the Astana Stock Exchange...which is brand new! For most of this year, Kazatomprom was the ONLY company with shares listed on the exchange, but they're making good progress and we've been joined by a couple other listed companies.

The exchange is housed in the Expo Centre (area around the Death Star museum in the picture above). Front entrance and ticker is pretty spectacular.

A quick photo with our board chair, Jon Dudas, who has now left our board to join the board of our majority shareholder, the state-owned Samruk Kazyna Wealth Fund.

Emerging Markets Investor Conference (Prague)

The year wasn't quite over in terms of work travel - one more conference in December, this time to Prague, Czechia (Czech Republic is re-branding itself...though I'm still stuck in the 90's for my European geography, apparently. I often find myself saying "I was in Czechoslovakia", a country that has not existed for more than 25 years...). 

Of the big, historic cities I've been to for work, Prague is at the top of the list as a place I'd want to take the family back to visit some time. 

In the main areas, it's all cobblestone sidewalks and streets - but not London's "break your ankles" bouldery cobblestone - instead a mosaic of 2" x 2" x 1" blocks, perfectly set and level.

 

And food: generally low-cost and quite exceptional. This was a traditional Czech pork-knuckle - skin was like crispy candy outside, while the bright-pink ham (like grandma used to make) inside fell off the bone. Served with dry horseradish, a baked onion, salad, and three types of mustards. Far more meat than one person could finish, but washed down well with a draft dark Kozel Czech beer, which was far better than any Kozel out of a bottle. Back in Canada now...and already bought the pork knuckles in order to get this dish going on the Treager smoker this weekend!

Touristy restaurant visited by the Czech greats!

And good company, with the managing director of marketing and chief commercial officer representing the company. We were seated at a bizarre table, where the three of us sat side-by-side on an elevated platform, facing out to the rest of the restaurant. Great place to people-watch and be judgmental in observing the staff and other patrons.

Bit of an aside under the category of "stupid shit you value when you travel too much". This was the bedside clock at the Czech hotel - no overpriced "Bose dream machine" or complex ipad-like clock or bizarre iHome device with dozens of settings - just the best and simplest hotel clock I've ever seen: Digital display, and on the back two button: Alarm hour up/down, Alarm minute up/down. Set the alarm time and flip the clock over to the "ON" side, alarm is set. Tap the top to snooze. Flip the entire clock over to "OFF" for no alarm. Brilliant.

Wandering around Prague

Had a few hours between the end of the conference and the flight back...so made the most of it. Which is rare, I usually dislike "touristy" stuff when on my own and not with the family - but I like the unique Christmas market atmosphere in Europe, and found a communism and nuclear bunker tour that was up my alley this time.

Climbing the 287 spiral stairs to the top of St. Vitus' bell tower

Christmas Markets

Mulled wine, sausages, pork hocs, Trdelni'k, street food available throughout the city - great atmosphere for Christmas...

 

Nuclear Bunker and Historic Communism

Entrance is at a spot where expression with graffiti is encouraged and constantly repainted.

HOMEWARD BOUND!

In Kazakhstan, there are Christmas trees and presents given, but I've learned that for the most part, they are "New Years" trees, and presents are given for New Years...not so much the Santa and Jesus stuff. 

So I left behind my festive flat to head home:

...5 hrs to Istanbul, 8 hrs layover in their massive airport and lounge, 11 hrs to Toronto, 1h15m to SPRINT through Pearson customs, pickup and recheck bags (the impossible only made possible by Nexus and priority baggage, with bags rechecked literally 2 mins before the 45 min baggage cutoff...), then 3.5 hrs to Saskatoon! 

 

Merry Christmas!