From Moscow to Astana: What Five Cities Taught Me About Systems

I didn’t plan to become a traveler. I never had a dream of changing cities every year. Yet in just a few years I moved from Moscow to Bishkek, from Bishkek to Almaty, from Almaty to Tashkent, and then to Astana. Five different cities, five different lives.

At first, I thought the cities would change me. New people, new streets, new opportunities - maybe each new place would unlock a new version of myself. Moscow would make me ambitious. Bishkek would make me slower and lighter. Almaty would inspire creativity. Tashkent would teach me discipline. Astana would finally bring stability.

That was the illusion.

Because here’s what really happened: the city never changed me. It only changed the background of the story. The same me woke up every morning, carrying the same habits, the same weaknesses, the same ways of working.

When you arrive in a new city, everything feels different. The light, the rhythm, even the air. You imagine that this will be the turning point. A chance to reinvent yourself.

But after a few weeks, the city fades into routine. You realize the same problems followed you across the border. Procrastination doesn’t disappear in a new apartment. Lack of clarity in work doesn’t solve itself because the skyline looks different.

We believe in the myth of new beginnings: “Once I move, once I change jobs, once I buy this tool - then I’ll be different.” It’s comforting. It gives us hope. But it’s not real.

What really matters is not the setting, but the system.

By “system,” I mean the structures you build for yourself:

In Bishkek, I had no system. I thought the calm of the mountains would give me calm in my work. It didn’t. In Almaty, I started to build routines - morning planning, clear boundaries for deep work. Suddenly things moved forward, not because Almaty was magical, but because I had designed a structure for myself. By the time I reached Astana, I knew: if I don’t bring the system with me, the city will only expose my chaos.

Cities don’t save you. Systems do.

Looking back, here are the five lessons I took with me - and they have nothing to do with geography.

1. Control the micro-frictions. Every delay, every unnecessary choice eats time and energy. A city can overwhelm you with distractions, but your system can protect you.

2. Rituals create stability. Morning notes, weekly reviews, clear time for learning - these rituals turned constant change into something manageable.

3. Tools are not the system. I tried to rely on new apps, new notebooks, new keyboards. They helped, but only when I had clarity about the process. Without process, tools are noise.

4. Environment matters - but less than you think. Yes, a comfortable workspace and inspiring view help. But if you don’t know how to use your time, no skyline will fix it.

5. Systems travel. This is the most important one. Once you build a system, it follows you. Like a portable infrastructure. You carry it into each new context. That’s real freedom.

This lesson is not only personal. It’s professional.

I work in marketing and technology across different countries and cultures. Every market is different. Every client has their own expectations. Every partner has their own way of working.

At first, I thought success depended on “the right market” or “the right product”. But over time I realized: success depends on the system we bring.

At Leica Geosystems we work in some of the most challenging and diverse environments across Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Markets are fragmented. Regulations shift. Teams are spread across multiple countries and cultures.

What makes it possible to grow in such a complex environment is not luck or geography, but repeatable systems:

Markets don’t guarantee success. Systems make it possible.

When I think of all those moves - Moscow, Bishkek, Almaty, Tashkent, Astana - I no longer see them as separate chapters. They are just different stages where I tested the same lesson: external change is not enough.

The story we carry is stronger than the setting.

And this story isn’t over. I know there will be more cities, more moves, more unexpected turns. Each new place will challenge me to adapt again. That’s why I need my system even more: it’s the anchor I take with me, the invisible infrastructure that allows me to build on any soil.

The next chapter hasn’t been written yet - but the system is already ready for it.

So here is my takeaway, the one thing I wish I had known earlier: