Eduard Kolesnikov, 45, from Izmail, commercial director of the Non-food Department at Dana group of companies
From Ukraine to Kazakhstan
I moved to Kazakhstan in 2016. I was invited to work in Atyrau in late March to be engaged in sales management.
I had a direct flight to Atyrau. Coming from a forest steppe Odessa, I was impressed by immense steppes and distances that seemed huge. I did not experience any other cultural shock.
On the city
I came to Kazakhstan to work and was not looking for places to hang out. Locals prefer the embankment of the Urals. As for institutions, first of all I visited "Khutorok” with real Ukraine national cuisine.
Atyrau climate is different, which is felt during boiling hot summers. I had to wear glasses even when it was cloudy, as the sun was shining differently. I experienced acclimatization during the first month.
National events are often held here. There’re many ensembles and collectives performing with national songs and dances. In general, national culture is really respected in the west of Kazakhstan.
On people
Atyrau is the oil capital of Kazakhstan, so there’re a lot of expats and tourists. I deal with locals at work mostly, so all the conclusions are made according to business conduct.
All people are different. As for the nationalities, I felt nothing new. Ukraine is a multinational country as well, Odessa has more than 100 nationalities.
People in Atyrau seem rugged and there's nothing wrong with that as they were probably influenced by harsh weather conditions and social environment. I’ve been to Saraishyk. There I was given the Koran. I’ve visited Aktau, Uralsk, Aktobe and Almaty. People are very different.
On peculiarities
I liked it in Almaty, it reminds me of Odessa: the same cafes, people resting the same way and drinking coffee. Almaty is a perfect city to work and hang out, it’s for people, while Atyrau is a perfect city to work.
Uralsk and Aktobe were apparently influenced by Russian culture. I liked Aktau, it's novelty and radon sources, the port of Shevchenko. The trip was interesting.
I’ve tried Kazakh national cuisine which seemed too stodge for me, even though I liked it. A week after I bought kazi to cook. Now I try to pinch myself in my food except for kazy. Kazy is my favorite. Now I eat more vegetables and exclude flour.
Kazy is my favorite
On service and prices
Comparing to Ukraine, Kazakhstani level of service is at a low level. The ones willing to work don’t know how to do, whereas the qualified once try to work abroad. That’s why foreigners are attracted to Atyrau probably. I believe that Kazakhstanis can handle on whatever they want, but qualified people tend to leave Kazakhstan for some reason.
Fortunately, the leaders at our enterprise are indigenous Kazakhs and respected people who have adopted a new strategy of the enterprise. Now fewer people are invited from abroad and more local staff is being brought up.
Prices both for goods and food in Atyrau are higher than in Ukraine for being imported and being the city with oil production, a shift work and good salaries.
The male population does not work at 9 to 5 jobs, they prefer having a shift work. 80% of my subordinates are women.
On what the city gave
Atyrau influenced my life greatly and introduced me with Kazakhstan. Here I met my person whom I married.
On plans
I decided to stay in Kazakhstan. Now I have a work visa, but I'm doing a residence permit. I will have all the rights of a Kazakhstani except for voting. I’m going to be a citizen of Kazakhstan in autumn.
In autumn my wife and I are planning to move to Almaty to put down new roots there.