top of page
Daniya Urmurzina

Generation Z in Kazakhstan: modernization coupled with traditional values

Updated: Mar 26, 2021

Looking through many articles that my colleagues were writing before I saw that Gaelle’s blog post was talking about the difference between us and this was a moment when the light bulb went off in my head. Procrastinators, individuals, hard workers... it makes our generation so versatile. Here, in Kazakhstan, we all try to be the same, diverse with our wants and needs. However, here comes the cultural and spiritual values of my country. Probably now you are wondering what do I mean by all these. Well, you see we are growing in a year of financial stabilisation, technologies and so on. But growing under the supervision of the older generation makes us stop doing certain things. For the elderly in our families, traditional values are playing the main role in life, and we, Gen Z have to comply with them. But for us “the buzz and the busyness” are now the new rules of life. We like to be everywhere no matter how impossible it could sound and learn as much as we can. Previous generations consider this as ignorance of the values and all we have in mind are parties, travelings, and 0 responsibilities. As much as we try to point our view and prove them opposite it doesn’t seem realistic.


Figure 1. The picture with my friends in the airport before I left to Switzerland.

Example from my life that happened recently: I was having lunch with my family and relatives and our grandmother came to join. She was talking to my cousin which is very determined to study abroad and later have a job in her field, such as me. No secret that our generation is very motivated to achieve our goals in life and we won’t stop until we get what we want. So back to the conversation: the elderly of the family has all the respect among the members and her word against ours is adamant. She was telling us that the only purpose we have in life to marry and have kids and she cannot understand why we chose to study abroad if later we still MUST marry someone and have kids..? Me and my cousin went all defensive, especially my cousin, and for the moment I just stopped and thought: well, Daniya this conversation won’t lead to anything so you better shut up now and won’t regret later. Of course, the conversation led to nothing (as I said) and the rest of the lunch was dead silent.

What I want to say is, here, my generation is growing in a completely different mentality. I can say this with confidence because I saw others from other countries with completely opposite ones.

We try to combine all of the wants and needs that the whole gen Z is desiring but with the traditions and values that are coming all the way from our previous generations make it a bit hard. Have a balance and please both sides seems almost impossible.


And as a cherry on top: My parents also won’t understand many things that I want from the life they think that this is too much, you are too young to even think about this or don’t even think about this. And especially I love the conversations with my parents when they say: no boyfriends until marriage or you will go out when you will become 40. Well, maybe I broke some rules here:)) but still, I know that certain things may be inappropriate or even unacceptable for my parents if I will share, so, I keep the most in me, as 80% of my generation here in Kazakhstan (a bit sad).

Traditions and family are still staying in the first place in my country, I am not saying that I disagree but besides these two aspects the older generation does not accept anything else and doesn’t see any other possibilities in life. They don’t think that we can mix work, hobbies, and family and keep the traditions with all it. But I think we can and I truly believe that I will do a great job in balancing all these as the rest of my fellas.


So, the moral of the story, well, I won’t show this blog to my parents or grandparents, but I want others to know that Gen z is not a lazy and irresponsible generation with only parties and travelings on their mind we also think about the balance between traditions and family and we want to keep them as long as possible.


What are your parents/grandparents like? Share your opinion or if you lowkey can relate to some parts in comments, I would love to read them;)


Author: Ms. Daniya Urmurzina, Hospitality Bachelor Student at Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM), from Kazakhstan.

224 views4 comments

Recent Posts

See All

4 Comments


roman.mak
Jan 19, 2022

Really common situation and truly said about goals and characteristics of Gen Z. We as well as each Generations are special and unique.

Like

alisa.kim
Oct 06, 2021

Interesting to read opinion from you:) Thanks for sharing your story

Like

yana.tumbeva
Apr 13, 2021

You are very right about mentioning that today we believe we can handle everything and balance all, that's very important and it's good that you shared your own story! :)

Like

georgii.onyshchenko
Feb 05, 2021

Totally agree with you. It is very important to find the right balance between things that are important to you.

Like
bottom of page