The Couple Who Left Canada to Live in Former Soviet Central Asia
Married teachers Zora and Dave Keffer moved first to Kazakhstan and then to Uzbekistan, where they found life offered key benefits that have now vanished in the West. Despite initial concerns about settling in an austere, post-Soviet area plagued by power outages and extreme heat, they ultimately found the experience remarkable. Zora, originally from the former Czechoslovakia, remarked that it was the right moment to revive their nomadic lifestyle after their daughter moved out. The couple spent nearly five years in Kazakhstan before moving to Uzbekistan in March 2020, where they accepted job offers at a school for gifted children. They found the locals to be exceptionally polite and welcoming, and they enjoyed numerous traditions from the vibrant society. However, they struggled to adapt to frequent power outages, especially during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Zora emphasized the importance of flexibility in such a dynamic environment, suggesting that those relocating alone might face greater difficulties. The couple returned to Canada every summer to reconnect with loved ones and plan to spend the next year traveling before determining their next steps.
