Three months in Atyrau: warm hospitality and a very hot summer
I spent three months in Atyrau in the summer of 2018 and have very fond memories of Kazakhstan.
The food was delicious, and the hospitality really stood out. On more than one occasion, I was treated to food at local places without being charged. Those little acts of kindness made me feel genuinely welcome.
The biggest challenge for me was the summer weather. It could get extremely hot during the day, and the wind sometimes carried so much sand that it felt like a sandstorm. Once, I forgot to close a window and came back to find sand everywhere inside! 😁
As for rent, groceries and eating out, the prices felt fairly reasonable to me. I wouldn't describe everything as particularly cheap or expensive. Everyday costs just seemed manageable for my budget at the time.
Of course, this was in 2018, so I can't say what prices or living conditions are like today. Three months in one city also isn't enough to judge an entire country.
Still, my experience was very positive. What stayed with me most was the food, the generosity and the people who made those three months feel special.