What is the Influence of the Soviets on Local Cultures in ex-Soviet States?

At the airport in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital city, the author found himself briefly unable to enter the country due to misunderstanding of the country's visa-on-arrival rules.  The immigration staff not only helped him step by step through the process, he also did so with smiles, jokes, and even free chocolate to help him get over the three hour wait at 11pm.  In the subsequent taxi ride from the airport to city center, the taxi driver got lost but remained good natured, joking about how streets shouldn't have same names.

By the time the author arrived at the hostel at the city center, it was past 3am.  The reception is not normally open at such wee hours, but the receptionist, clearly asleep just before the author showed up, still completed the check in process with impeccable politeness and diligence.  His professionalism carried over to the morning after, when he asked the author if anything is needed everytime they met in the lobby.  He made sure to get the author's laundry request completed and even asked if there will be extended stay.

The taxi driver and the hotel receptionist's politeness and friendliness are repeated elsewhere.   In the casual eateries where the author had breakfast and lunch provided great attention to detail even though meals were less than 5 Usd.  Smiles were present throughout, and the staff were surprisingly proficient with English as they never failed to make sure to ask whether the guest is comfortable and everything is alright with the food.  Staff at museums are the same, smiling and nodding even if words failed them.

Such personal anecdotes of friendliness encountered in Baku is all the more mesmerizing considering that the author just came in from Kazakhstan next door.  There, service was marked by classic Soviet style terseness, with no smiles and barely any words exchanged.  English is barely spoken by anyone on the street level, and people certainly did not smile to and greet one another as Azeris are found of doing.  Crossing the national boundary felt like crossing a definite cultural boundary.

It is rather perplexing to consider why such a cultural boundary exist in the first place considering the common history and institutions shared by the two countries over the past century.  Under Soviet rule, both were subject to collectivization and central planning that destroyed private enterprises and supposed need for good service.  Post-independence, both are economically dependent on exporting natural resources (namely oil and gas) while politically ruled by Presidents for Life (Aliyev/Nazarbayev).

Three generations growing up under the same political and economic settings should lead to definitively cultural convergence, especially considering the Soviet regime's concerted efforts at introducing Russian language, religion, and social norms in the farthest corners of the empire.  Yet, the behaviors of Azeris and Kazakhs with regard to how to treat other humans cannot be anymore different.  Kazakhs adopted (?) the cold interpersonal relations of the Russians, while Azeris remained the opposite.

One could argue that the inherent familial and community-oriented nature of Azeri culture ensure people are warm toward one another.  But it is difficult to say that Kazakh culture is not inherently familial and community-oriented as in traditional village and nomadic economies, people depend on good neighborly relations for survival.  And to say that traditional culture keeps people good-natured, it would be to discount the power of Soviets in affecting cultural change over eight decades of centralized, forceful rule.

So what other factors can explain the difference in how people interact with one another?  Is it because one is more experienced with foreign tourists while the other is not?  Is it because one populace is much more serious and enthusiastic about steering themselves away from how Soviets of the past and Russians of the present do things?  Honestly, the author has no answer, and it would be difficult to get any answer aside from "that's how our culture is" from locals.  Perhaps more research is needed on this topic.