The Internet and the older generation

Just like Moscow is vastly different from the rest of Russia, Almaty is different from the rest of Kazakhstan. Where it might be playing second fiddle to Astana on the account of not being a capital anylonger, it certainly remains the main center of the country. Just like Astana, Almaty sports advanced communication infrastructure and Internet access is becoming commonplace. So commonplace, that I encounter it in homes and places where I do not expect.

Yesterday I went to visit a friend of my grandmothers'. She insisted we meet at the apartment of her friend since she is getting her kitchen and bathroom redone in her apartment. Fine, I came by and of course, Russian/Kazakh grannies sat me down to a meal. As we chatted over pirogi's, a variety of salads and intermittent pronouncements that I must eat more as I am obviously too thin, the older ladies (both in their early 70s) started talking about the Internet. Both have access at home, use email and wonder in amazement at the offerings of Skype. Certainly they depend on their son in case and daughter in the other, to set things up and to explain their function. Both, however, also know to find information on the Internet and enjoy sending email - cheaper and quicker than mail. Nobody sends regular letters anymore anyway, wouldn't get an answer that way, but with email it works much better.

The opening of the borders - lower restrictions on international travel and money becoming one of the few limiting factors to that kind of travel make such mobility seem possible and even more or less commonplace. People talk of travel to other countries as something they would like to do themselves if they can ever figure out how to afford rather than some wonderous ability of others. There is a firm sense that "we can go anywhere" even in the older generation here, even though most people that I speak with are happy to stay just where they are, here in Almaty.