"I have a tender heart, and I dislike to dwell on the spectacle of a human being groaning under the iron heel of Fate. Such morbid gloating, I consider, is better left to the Russians." -P.G. Wodehouse (.)
April 05, 2007
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Kostya and I went to a new church on Sunday, and afterwards they had brunch at an apartment. Upon leaving, Kostya noticed an odd number of identical shoes, literally. We subsequently found a fourth shoe hidden away in a nearby...
March 31, 2007
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Kostya (short for Konstantin) is one my closest friends over here in St. Petersburg. We've know each other for about two years now. Last night a bunch of us were at a friend's house until 3am. Normally, I have to...
March 29, 2007
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One of few drawbacks to St. Petersburg, vis-a-vis Moscow, is that it is less technologically developed. Almost every cafe in downtown Moscow has free wi-fi access, even McDonald's. Here, however, there are only a handful, and all off the main...
March 28, 2007
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The Belorussian is my favorite train station in all of Moscow. I am fortunate to be staying at an apartment with a great location, a fifteen-minute walk from Belorussky Vokzal, which doubles as a metro station on the circle line...
March 20, 2007
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I have long wondered why Russia was taking such a lenient policy towards the Iranian drive for nuclear weapons. If there is anything that Russia values, it's the status of regional power. In fact, they ideally want to get back...
March 19, 2007
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This is my favorite picture that I've taken so far here in Russia. It's the door to the metro, and on top is written "Entrance." On the door, however, is written "No Entrance." Well, that sums up a lot of...
March 10, 2007
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I came back again to St. Petersburg yesterday. A good friend from America, who I haven't seen in two years, is in town for a week, and I wanted to see her. Of course, I'll take just any excuse to...
March 07, 2007
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St. Petersburg is a stunningly beautiful city. My first direct experience with Russia was in June 2002, when I came over and taught debate. The first stop was Moscow, which was interesting, but my schedule was so full that I...
March 01, 2007
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Seasons begin early in Russia. Today is the first day of Spring, and people are congratulating each other on making it through another winter. Though I'm afraid it's a tad too soon. After living over here, I understand why our...
February 28, 2007
February 19, 2007
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Unfortunately, I still have problems with my comments. If you have anything to add, please post in the comments section of my livejournal page. It's the exact same entry, but I would love to hear any feedback or differing opinions....
February 16, 2007
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Not exactly the most romantic way to pass time, but I unexpectedly spent Valentine's Day on a train from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Last time I was here was Christmas, and a lot has changed in two months. One of...
February 08, 2007
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A couple of us went to the movies yesterday to see the new Russian horror movie, Dead Daughters. I had read the review in the Moscow Times which raved that it was a phenomenal film, and like a fool, I...
January 26, 2007
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Yesterday it was about -15C (5F), and fresh snow covered the city. Minus fifteen in Moscow is nothing compared to St. Petersburg. I had heard people talk about the humidity making a difference, but I had never really experienced weather...
January 16, 2007
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I leave Chisinau on Friday to return to Moscow. I've had a good trip overall, rested and explored the city. The sun was finally out yesterday and today, so I wandered around the city and took some pictures. Cathedral of...
January 09, 2007
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The main square in Chisinau is still all decked out for the New Year, and on Sunday night (Orthodox Christmas) there was quite a crowd. The square is located in the center of town. Stefan cel Mare, the main road,...
January 06, 2007
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After ten years of almost constant travel, I am finally getting the hang of packing light. I have, for two weeks, my backpack and a small gym bag. Three shirts, two sweaters, two pairs of pants, underwear, sleeping clothes, and...
January 05, 2007
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I leave tomorrow morning for Chisinau. The flight leaves at 10:15am, and arrives at 10:15 am. It's like a time machine. I'll be there approximately 2 weeks visiting friends and taking a breather from Moscow. As always, it's the night...
December 30, 2006
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Over the past three years, I have noticed a marked increase in the complexity and attractiveness of the New Year's decorations around St. Petersburg. As a quick recap, everything that we in the West have for Christmas, the Russians have...
December 20, 2006
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I was standing in the entryway to church on Sunday, when an elderly woman approached me. In her hands was a stack of paper. She explained that it was a list of prayer requests, and asked if I would be...
December 17, 2006
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Most Russians will claim that their education system is far superior to the American one. If we are talking about high school, then they are absolutely correct. The average Russian high school senior would easily wipe the floor with an...
November 28, 2006
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A very good friend of mine is a returned Peacecorps volunteer who taught in Bulgaria. Missing his home of three years, he found a Bulgarian restaurant in Los Angeles. I remember, from my time spent visiting, that Bulgria has pretty...
November 06, 2006
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Exactly three years ago today I left the US for Russia. Therefore it is somewhat fitting that I should return to the US on the same date. I'm exhausted from my Moscow-LA flight, and I'll try to put something up...
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There was a little performance at the Souvenir market yesterday:...
October 26, 2006
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I quite enjoy the richness that is inherent in any language, but especially English, which is commonly estimated to have the largest vocabulary of all. When I was a child, and I used to ask my parents what a word...
October 22, 2006
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"Is it really true that only women with perfect skin can be beautiful?" Someone on the metro in St. Petersburg marked in the box for "yes."...
October 14, 2006
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One of the bridges in St. Petersburg, taken at 2:30am a week and a half after the peak of the White Nights....
October 10, 2006
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I returned on Sunday from my mini vacation. Unfortunately, I waited so long for the visa, that I missed most of the events that I went for. That said, I met with the most important people and got my winter...
September 27, 2006
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I'm supposed to be on a vacation in St. Petersburg right now. Instead, I'm waiting for a visa to enter Russia. I gave my passport over a month ago, and I've been sitting in Almaty for the past week. Every...
September 15, 2006
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The corner store near my house has a television, and when I stopped in last night, they were showing news. On the screen was a standard, drab Russian city, the caption read "Mordovia." I had heard of this place, but...
September 03, 2006
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In fine Soviet tradition, (almost) every profession has its own day. Today, "Oil and Gas Industry Worker Day."...
August 02, 2006
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The modern city of Aktau was created a little over 40 years ago, and was designed in a very Soviet modern fashion. There are no street names in the whole city. I'm sure you're asking yourselves, "how can streets not...
July 25, 2006
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Two suitcases - one large, one small - and a back pack are all that I took from two and a half years in St. Petersburg. My departure was sudden, abrupt, and unexpected. Perhaps it's better that way. I have...
July 19, 2006
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I arrived in Kazakhstan yesterday, and have been extremely busy since. I would like to use this post to apoligize to everyone who has contacted me in the past few days. I haven't had any time to respond. Tomorrow I...
July 14, 2006
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I was here one day, and found a job. It's an immediate opening in Alma-Aty, and I fly to Kazakhstan on Tuesday. In principle, I'm not opposed to this, the problem is that I have nothing with me. I brought...
July 12, 2006
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I leave tonight for Moscow. I'll be there for about two weeks, taking advantage of a friend's high-speed internet and generally being physically in the location where I would like to work. It's hellaciously hot here in St. Petersburg, and...
July 01, 2006
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Moscow has eclipsed Tokyo as the world’s most expensive city. The survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting ranked 144 cities around the world, measuring the comparative cost of more than 200 items such as housing, transportation and food. The survey...
June 29, 2006
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This time around I've actually become quite fond of the White Nights. I'm sleeping more normally than before, which was the main cause of insanity. I never thought I'd say this, but it's nice to have a couple extra hours...
June 22, 2006
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Yesterday was the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. To give you an idea of what the sky was like at midnight during the height of the White Nights, I went out and took some pictures: The White...
June 21, 2006
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I haven't had hot water in my apartment since the fifth of June, and it'll be another week before I have it back. I've only once tried taking a shower in the ice water coming out of my pipes. I...
June 16, 2006
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After paying my rent yesterday, I have a grand total of 500 rubles in my wallet. Unfortunately, I don't get paid again until the 20th, so I have to make it last for five days. That works out to 100...
June 05, 2006
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No, it's not a Russian Nativity Scene. It's at the train station....
June 02, 2006
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In Russia, seasons start on the first of the month, so yesterday was the first day of summer. Like everything else this year, it was exceptionally cold, with a high of about 10C (50F). It was also pretty dreary, the...
June 01, 2006
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My Russian has become noticably worse in the past month and a half. I think it's because I'm living most of my life right now in English. I'm either teaching English, or working on my dissertation. I hope that when...
May 29, 2006
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If you thought that America was having a rough time trying to maintain a positive public opinion in Europe, take a look at Russia's numbers: GlobScan poll shows positive perception of Russia has considerably shrinked in 2005, in old EU...
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I find this advertisement extremely disquieting. There's just something about a hair-covered lightbulb that awakens a deep-set revulsion. What's even stranger is that it's an ad for furniture. How does the picture represent that???...
May 25, 2006
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Haiku We wait for the grades. Quiet. Where are professors? I want to go home. Tanka Yet still we sit here. The results have not come in. How long can we wait? Saakashvili not agree. This is not democracy....
May 23, 2006
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Here's a picture of the former monestary (turned girls finishing school, turned Lenin's command post) that now houses the international relations department. One of my classmates, Boris, is trying to hail a gypsy cab (a normal car that stops and...
May 21, 2006
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There are three requirements for the completion of the MA program here at St. Petersburg State University. You have to pass all the exams, defend your dissertation, and pass the State Exam. It consists of three questions, and you have...
May 19, 2006
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I've been without hot water for 4 days now, and I'm told it might not be back for at least another two. This is just a warm-up. The city shuts off the hot water completely for a month in June...
May 15, 2006
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I've found a church reasonably close by that I like. The only problem is, they tend to run long. They have an auditorium in a hotel, and the room is booked from 11 to 2. As if three hours weren't...
May 05, 2006
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I'm leaving tonight to see the May 9th celebrations in Moscow. I've made some progress on my dissertation, but still have a lot of work to do. However, I've been meaning to visit Moscow for some time now. I've still...
April 27, 2006
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The past two days have been ridiculously hot. It's gotten to 16 Celsius (60F), and I've been walking around without a coat. Back in LA, 16C is a cool winter day. Does our body really adjust to temperature change? Over...
April 23, 2006
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This was the first time in a two and a half months that I haven't worked every evening during the week. My Tuesday-Thursday group finally finished! They were good students, and I'll miss them, but I had absolutely no time...
April 20, 2006
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Hitler's Birthday is enthusiastically celebrated by Russia's approximately 60,000 active skinheads. This entails attacks on anyone darker than translucent, and everyone who speaks with an accent. Since I'm nearly transparent, as long as I keep my mouth shut, I'm fine....
April 07, 2006
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The callback wasn't exactly what I expected. I was there by one, because I was assured that if I was late, I wouldn't get a chance to be interviewed. When I get there, however, the place is eerily empty. I...
April 05, 2006
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From what I've gathered, the single most popular Russian tv show is a reality show called "Dom 2" (House 2). Roughly speaking, there are 15 twenty-somethings living in a house that is completely wired with cameras. The goal is to...
March 19, 2006
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For the past two weeks, I've been looking forward to what was supposed to be a wonderful weekend. A friend's church is having a retreat in the countryside, and it would have been a great opportunity to take a break...
March 01, 2006
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As of today, I am an illegal alien in Russia. Don't worry too much, though. This mostly means that if the police stop me, they'll take whatever money I have on me, maybe my cell phone too, and let me...
February 24, 2006
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Last weekend I participated at the University of St. Petersburg's conference, Russia and NATO: Towards Effective Cooperation in a Changing World. I presented a modified version of my last NATO publication. Essentially, I offer a pretty radical proposition that the...
February 13, 2006
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I live in a standard two-room Soviet apartment. The building is a 9-storey Khrushchevka, named after Khrushchev, who built them - though not personally, he was too busy banging shoes on podiums and arguing about kitchens. When I moved in...
February 08, 2006
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I've finished the classroom part of my Master's, and now all I have to do is write my dissertation. Two months of free time ... sounds grand, doesn't it? Unfortunately, my finances aren't in the best shape. I have less...
January 24, 2006
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My power was out again from Sunday until Monday afternoon. And once again, I was the only one that I could see using candles. What's the problem??? Do they need helP? I'm on vacation, and without my computer I've got...
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January 22, 2006
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Brief Overview of a Very Rough Week: 1. -30 Celsius 2. 4 days without power 3. Very important final 4. No coat 5. No phone 6. No clean Clothes Last week started out like any other. I pulled an all-nighter...
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I'm not sure if it's being covered in the States, but Russia is in the midst of its coldest winter in almost 30 years. It's been below -25 (-13F) for the past five days, regularly hitting -30 (-22F), and feeling...
January 12, 2006
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A good friend came out to visit me for New Year's, and we decided to make it memorable by going to Moscow and feting on Red Square. I was deathly ill, but since it was to be my friend's only...
December 31, 2005
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In Moscow, going to be on Red Square for New Year's. Sick, very sick. I know this won't help, but I plan on being home by 2:30am. Hope it'll be worth it....
December 20, 2005
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This is just freaky: Stalin's Half-Man, Half-Ape Super-Warriors...
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For some time now I've heard from European students about the insanely low prices of Easyjet and Ryanair, but as my primarily air travel is intercontinental, I've never had the occasion to use them. In fact, when planning to come...
December 17, 2005
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A small explosion near a western Russian nuclear power station has injured three people, local media reported on Friday, but there was no radiation leak. The explosion happened on Thursday at a metals smelter near the Leningrad Atomic Power Station,...
November 24, 2005
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As Ben Franklin tells it, Thanksgiving was originally slated to be a day of fasting and beseeching the Lord to help carry the Pilgrims through these difficult times. Instead, one farmer suggested that things were indeed getting better, and perhaps...
November 23, 2005
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The snow has settled in, and it's not going anywhere for the next four to five months. Last year I posted about a tree that was holding on against the prevailing currents around it, and this year, during the first...
November 10, 2005
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I stumbled upon this masterpiece the other night. If you'll look at the left tubes, you can see that they've been used as a trash receptacle. This is actually quite considerate of whoever put their refuse there, most people would...
October 30, 2005
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Our first snow was on Wednesday. It was predicted the day before, and I was expecting a light sprinkling. You know, October, the very first snow. I didn't even think it would stay on the ground, just melt upon impact....
October 27, 2005
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Today marks the one-week anniversary of my having heating. The two weeks leading up to that precious event were atrocious. It was constantly below 10 Celsius in my apartment, and often times, it was warmer outside. All heating is centrally...
October 25, 2005
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It finally dipped below Zero Celsius long enough for ice to form in all the puddles on the ground. Moscow had its first snow, but it was dry up here today. The sun was shining, making it was deceptively cold....
October 18, 2005
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Two nights ago, the power would intermittently turn off and back on again. There was nothing that I noticed that might be the cause, there was only a very light rain, certainly not enough to qualify as a storm. I...
October 12, 2005
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I'm back from my three week vacation. My little brother graduated from Marine Corps Basic Training, and I wanted to be there for that. Luckily, his training took place in San Diego, which is only a three hour drive from...
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September 13, 2005
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Summer has left the building. In America, the seasons start on the 21st of the month. For example, the 21st of September is the offical first day of Fall. In this part of the world, they decided to use the...
September 08, 2005
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Since Russia is a controlled society, I can't get into the university without a student card. I really don't understand this concept. You'd think that the biggest problem is that too many students skip classes, not that strange people wander...
August 31, 2005
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As I was walking home today, I turned onto my street and noticed it was a little bit brighter than normal. Well, one of the two dumpsters was engulfed in flames. It was a decent sized fire because it was...
August 20, 2005
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As I was attempting to clean my apartment yesterday, I came across a flyer that had been given to me long ago. I never looked at it, I rarely do, but decided to actually read it before throwing it away....
August 19, 2005
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Having attended many schools and done a fair bit of traveling in my time, I've figured out something about how I relate to time, and it's effect on me. I'm stuck right now in what I refer to as a...
August 07, 2005
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I just got into Finland yesterday, and due to the rather expensive nature of internet time here, I won't be posting much. Not that I have been recently anyways, but that's the story. When I return to Russia, I will...
July 24, 2005
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I've been home a week and am relishing the cool-down period after my vacation. Overall I had a great time, though there were moments when I wanted it to end. The best part was teaching at the debate camp near...
July 15, 2005
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I leave tonight at 1am on a bus to Sofia. I'll spend all day tomorrow watching movies in English! I plan on seeing "Mr. and Mrs. Smith, " "Batman Begins," and "Sideways." Perhaps you're saying to yourself, "Owen, shouldn't you...
July 04, 2005
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I just got back today from the camp. It was an awesome experience. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to go swimming in the river, everyone assured me it was too dirty. Though there were plenty of Moldovans having fun...
June 26, 2005
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It's 83F in Chisinau, and I'm burning up! It's not that hot, but I guess I finally understand what people mean when they talk about wet heat versus dry heat. I can't imagine that 83 in Los Angeles would feel...
June 22, 2005
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I made to Chisinau, and true to form with this trip so far, I had problems. The person I was supposed to meet was at the wrong bus station, neither my Russian nor Bulgarian sim cards have roaming in Moldova,...
June 19, 2005
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I'm currently in Iasi, Romania. I'm having problems getting a visa into Moldova. Yesterday was a nightmare, many things went wrong getting from Bulgaria to Bucharest - including money, phone, train tickets, and schedule. All in all, it's been a...
June 13, 2005
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I'm in Silistra, the town on the Romanian border where I'll be spending the better part of a week. You can read about the hellish seven-hour busride to get here, at Rob's site....
June 12, 2005
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I'm made it to Bulgaria, it's beautiful here. I almost missed my plane ... again!!! I set the alarm for 6am and opened the curtains wide so that the sun would help wake me. But I woke up at 8am,...
June 11, 2005
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As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm not a big fan of the White Nights. Just to give you an idea of how this magical event looks (and to procrastinate from packing), I wandered out at midnight and took some...
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I leave at 9:30am tomorrow for my working vacation. I'll be flying first into Sofia to spend some time with an old friend I haven't seen in ages, and who thinks I'm a flake :) I'll hand around for about...
June 04, 2005
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These past two weeks have been full of exams, and today was supposed to be the end. I stayed up way too late last night trying to finish a paper, and working with four hours of sleep I got stuck...
May 09, 2005
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Happy Victory Day "Patriotic War"...
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I've been stalling on my NATO paper, before tonight I hadn't even looked at in three weeks. It's due on Wednesday, and I decided that tonight would be a good time to start on it. Of course, I had already...
May 05, 2005
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This sounds like the behaviour of your typical foreign student in Russia: An Inverness man was arrested Saturday after breaking into his neighbors' house and threatening them, shocking himself by sticking his fingers into a lamp socket, threatening a deputy...
May 01, 2005
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"Wishing you success in work and wages." I think we need to take this holiday away from the communists/socialists and use it to celebrate economic freedom....
April 29, 2005
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Strays run rampant in the district where I live. I never noticed it before because I lived in the center, but now that I'm in the middle of the projects, it seems like at any given moment there are more...
April 23, 2005
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Russia has contributed more than its share to the advancement of scientific knowledge, and it's good to hear that they keep on making breakthroughs: Alexei says he was an irredeemable alcoholic until he met Marina. He gave up drinking...
Posted by Owen at
05:47 PM
April 21, 2005
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It's almost May, and it's been sub-zero the whole day. I stayed in finishing my NATO paper, that I should have had done this weekend. It's not so great, but I consider it a rough draft for my research paper...
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01:33 AM
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April 14, 2005
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I currently have a backlog of papers that I'm working on. I have a couple of theme-based picture posts, but no time right now to put them up. Some of the ideas are: the library, school, IKEA, churches, and medical....
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12:42 AM
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April 08, 2005
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This is a picture of the Ladozhskaya Metro Station, which is in front of and attached to the the Ladozhskij Train Station (ладожская и ладожский вокэал): The train station was very recently renovated, I believe it was done for the...
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07:57 PM
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April 03, 2005
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Last time I spoke about buckwheat (греча), it was in less than flattering terms. Recently, however, I have become addicted to it. I was first introduced to this marvelous grain two and a half years ago. I was in Ukraine...
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March 24, 2005
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I presented on Tuesday, saying the Atlantic Alliance in trouble over a possible European Common Foreign Policy that would create a monolithic single decision that all members would be forced to uphold, thus ruling out the participation of some in...
March 21, 2005
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There's a conference at my school this week on "New Europe and New Russia," for international young researchers. I'm giving a presentation on Tuesday about the changing role of NATO. Not my favorite sphere, but tangentially related to it. I'm...
March 16, 2005
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My University has a computer lab, comprised of approximately thirty machines. Old does not come close to describing these machines, they don't even have USB ports, and most can't open pdf files. Loading the simplest of graphics takes minutes, and...
March 13, 2005
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This is me standing on a little square in front of my school, which is situated to the right, just out of view. I'm surrounded by government buildings of some sort or another. For example, the one on the...
March 01, 2005
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Or, Owen's kilo a day habit. Overall, good fruit doesn't make it's way up to St. Petersburg. Tomatoes here are tasteless and tough, strawberries expensive and rotten, pears sickly and bruised. The only exceptions to this rule are banannas and...
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The past couple of months have been pretty hectic for me. First was enrolling in the Master's program in the last week of the semester, then the month of January was spent taking exams and catching up on the work...
January 16, 2005
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This is a ridiculously warm winter. Today is the first time in well over a week that there's snow on the ground. It's been raining for the past two weeks, and there hasn't been snow that you had to walk...
December 22, 2004
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I haven't posted in a while because I've been ridiculously busy. The bureaucracy in this county is everpresent and oppressive. Here are some pictures of my classmates and my roommate, Boris. He's actually present in some pictures more than once,...
December 05, 2004
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A very good friend of mine, Anthony Crawford, has started a company helping Westerners travel to and do business in Russia. He's brilliant, has over 10 years of experience in and with Russia, and has very high contacts in the...
November 15, 2004
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I celebrated my birthday (Friday) by going out to an Indian restaurant down the street. It was also Diwali, so I thought we could celebrate two things at once. I'm all about efficiency :) When we arrived, I figured...
November 08, 2004
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On the way home from school, I walk by what used to be a "Palace of Culture." It's an interesting concept. I've gathered so far that during Soviet times it was a place for the community to get together...
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I live on the second floor, which is the foreigner floor. There are about 50 rooms, and 45 of them are owned by the "Center for Russian Language and Culture," otherwise known as Smolny. There are two main parts of...
October 29, 2004
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Yesterday, I was walking home from school when I saw this tree standing poudly in the park. All the other trees around had already shed their leaves in resignation to winter, yet this one held on. Though too weak...
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In Russia, you need a flashlight, even during the day. A couple of minutes ago the lights went out in my room. This happens far more often than I find acceptable. Fortunately, my room is broken up into two circuits,...
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With everything that's happened these past six months, I think it's pretty clear that my immune system is sub par. Well, I'm coming down with a cold. Actually, I think/hope that I'm already in the getting better phase. I think...
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I'm finally back in Russia, I arrived here on Tuesday. It was the most pleasant trans-atlantic flight I've ever had. The plane from LA to Paris was literally only one third full. Practically everyone had an entire row to themselves,...
October 24, 2004
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For what it's worth: Russians Most Miserable People in the World, Second Only to People of Zimbabwe Research shows that citizens of ex-Soviet countries are the most unhappy people in the world. The organization World Values Survey has surveyed 81...
October 21, 2004
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This is me, last January, standing on the Neva river. Normally it looks something like this. In winter it freezes over, and I was told that you could walk across it. Being the idiot that I am, an Aussie...
September 23, 2004
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I hope to be back in Russia by the 19th of October. Surgery is scheduled for Sept. 30, which will be followed by a two week recovery period. Two weeks later than I wanted, but earlier than first suggested. Damn...
September 22, 2004
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In general, the past month has possibly been the worst of my life. In such a small four week period, so many things went wrong, and to such a serious degree, that by this point I feel pretty empty. You...
September 07, 2004
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Recently I've noticed that once vibrant leaves were turning yellow and falling from their host trees. My first instinct was that some strange arboreal disease had stricken St. Petersburg. Then, in a dream, I remembered reading stories in school about...
September 01, 2004
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This past weekend a bunch of us decided to stay in and make Mexican food. Admittedly, authentic Mexican food is hard to come by around here, but when I went to Germany last Christmas, I brought back around 30 packets...
August 27, 2004
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There is no way to convey the enormity of these apartment buildings. You have to see them in person to really understand. As always, click on the picture for a bigger version....
August 26, 2004
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Last Friday a friend invited me to a Jewish summer camp in a resort town on the Gulf of Finland. The camp had brought an Israeli professor over to give some lectures, and she was working as their Hebrew to...
August 21, 2004
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When I left here in June, I made sure that I was set up to come back to this dorm. It is by far the best of SPBGU's (St. Petersburg State University) dorms. I was assured and reassured that there...
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It's now Saturday, a week from when I left the States, and I'm only just getting settled in my dorm room. Everything was deceptively simple leaving Los Angeles. I had my bags all packed several hours in advance (a triumph...
August 16, 2004
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A combination of jet lag and a ten hour day of walking has left me rather exhausted. To give you a brief taste of what you'll see when I actually have time to write: 1. Lufthansa lost my luggage. 2....
August 09, 2004
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This is my last week of vacation in America. I leave Los Angeles on Saturday, and I arrive in Saint Petersburg on Sunday. Fortunately, this time there's no forced stay over in London. Thank G-d for Lufthansa, I go straight...
June 16, 2004
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So I'm finally back home in Simi Valley, California. I got in on Sunday night, and immediately crashed. I've spent the past two days relaxing with friends and family, and of course, doing yard and house work. That's just the...
June 11, 2004
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Very bad news. A combination of a late start, horrible traffic, a derelict British Airways staff, and an incompetent Russian factored together to produce the result that I missed my flight. Tomorrow I'll probably buy a new ticket on Lufthansa...
June 07, 2004
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Today is Monday, and my plane leaves on Friday. I've already started packing. This is the earliest I have ever started. Normally, I wait until the night before, if it's a morning flight, or the day of the flight if...
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I know it's horrible, but I love Europop. My favorite new song is called "Dragostea Din Tei" by O-Zone. For those of you who haven't heard of them (unimaginable), O-Zone is Romania's biggest boy band. I really can't explain why...
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On Saturday, I went over to my ex-roommates apartment for a psuedo-going away party. We had both brought over some Mexican food, and wanted to finish it off before returning home. While approaching his door, one of the people I...
June 04, 2004
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Some days I feel like I'm making progress. Others, not so much. Today was a good language day. I had several complete conversations in Russian. Mind, nothing too important, but it was done in Russian nonetheless. Awesome, just when my...
June 03, 2004
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When you apply for a student visa to Russia, they allow for a one way trip ... into the country. You can't get back out on that visa. Within three days of your arrival, you need to register your visa,...
May 31, 2004
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The weather here is very ... versatile. It varies from warm and sunny to overcast, rainy, and cold in minutes. Now, I love rain, but what's aggravating is that it doesn't rain so much as it drizzles - sporadically. It...
May 28, 2004
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It's very surreal when two doctors are leaning over you, with masks covering their mouths, talking in a language you don't understand. This is the second time in my life that my primary doctor has called over a younger, less...
May 26, 2004
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First, I have my anti-biotic, which is supposed to be taken 1 hour before "dinner." Unfortunately, due to a translating error that every Russian makes, I think that by dinner, they mean lunch. I also have bacteria replacements that I...
May 23, 2004
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So, the gist is that I not only have Mono, which is apparently bad enough, but I also had a very aggressive, very severe Staph infection on my tonsils. Which is odd, because it's usually a skin infection. Anyways, I...
May 19, 2004
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I've been hospitalized. I went into the follow-up on Sunday feeling like Death, and they threw in a bed and started shoving liquid in my arm. I'll be here until Friday. Expect a major post this weekend about my weeklong...
May 14, 2004
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With titles like this, I feel like I'm writing a 90's sci-fi story television script. No real good news today. I was expecting that I would wake up a feel ever so slightly better, but no such luck. This morning,...
May 13, 2004
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Some progress, some not so progress. Good news, the pressure in my ear is going down. I take this to mean that the swelling in my tonsil has decreased, or my inner ear is going numb. I prefer to think...
May 12, 2004
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For the past two or three days, I've been having excruciating pain whenever I would swallow, specifically on my right side. Before this, I'd say for the past three or four weeks, I've been constantly exhausted, and have had recurring...
May 09, 2004
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Saturday we had a beach party about 90 minutes outside of the city. It was on the shore of Lake Ladoga. Tony, our resident Alaskan, was out looking for a place to stay over summer, and he happened across a...
May 08, 2004
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In the past three days, everything has gone from dead to green. All the trees have leaves, and the grass has sprouted out again. It's always amazing to me that these plants basically die in winter and then come back...
May 06, 2004
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Primarily owing to the psuedo White Nights, I have been sick, and exhausted for the past week. It's light until 11pm, and the sun rises at around 5:30. My room comes equipped with very thin curtains, allowing 97.3% of all...
April 26, 2004
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As I stepped out of the shower on Friday, I heard a very loud, rather frightening, knocking on my front door. I hurriedly dried myself, and put on some clothes. Looking frazzled, and still with wet hair, I answered and...
April 22, 2004
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While the vast majority of Russians that I have come into contact with have cell phones, phone booths are still prevalent and used. You can't use them by putting change in, you have to buy a phone card. They come...
April 20, 2004
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Russia is not the most tolerant place on Earth. While back home, I'm still waiting for my "white privilige" check to arrive in the mail, this is one place where my appearance has benefited me (unlike in the American higher...
April 15, 2004
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Each floor in the dorm has a дежурная (dezhurnaya), basically a "floor lady." She's the one who brings new sheets, and takes care of various administrative details. Mine is very nice, but she speaks really fast. Today, she came in...
April 14, 2004
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Since last week, they've been "working" on the dorm building. This means that half of the outlets in each room don't work. Specifically, those would be the outlets that the stove and fridge are plugged into. This "work" started the...
April 08, 2004
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Now that the snow has all melted, I'm noticing something about the city I didn't before. Sure, I always knew it was really dirty. Most people here complain about the air quality, but coming from Los Angeles, I think it's...
April 07, 2004
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For the first time since I arrived here in November, I walked around outside today without my coat on. Not even a sweater, just strolling around the edges of the island in a t-shirt. It wasn't hot, and sometimes, especially...
April 06, 2004
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I finally found an internet cafe where they play Counter Strike ... all the time. It took 5 months of psuedo-semi kind of intense searching, and it paid off. Not only do I like the game, but it's an environment...
April 01, 2004
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I finally had my first banya experience. Everybody's been trying to get me to go for some time now, apparently it's a staple of life for many over here. With stories like "You instantly go from 90 Celsius to 0C,...
March 29, 2004
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I just bought a bunch of movies from the tech market in the South of the city. It's called Yunona, for anyone who cares (Юнона). Anyways, on these DVDs they often list what languages the film comes in. Usually Russian...
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I've bought quite a few (25) DVDs in my five months over here, but the amount of viewing is far from uniform. I'd say that a third I haven't yet watched, though some of those I had already seen before...
March 28, 2004
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It has begun. Today the clocks were moved forward. As if it didn't stay light long enough already, now it's 8:30 and looking out my window it's still bright as day. We're not even near the apex yet. In summer...
March 19, 2004
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A couple of months ago, when doing some continuing electrical work, all of the fire alarms/ smoke detectors in the dorm were disconnected. Mind, this is the best dorm in St. Pete's. There are still random wires hanging from the...
March 17, 2004
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I played a crazy game today. My roommate invited me, and I'm told that it's essentially a made-up game by the people here at St. Petersburg State University. So it's badminton, but without a racquet. Instead you attach foam pads...
March 09, 2004
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While Rob may have written off Winter, I'm not quite at that stage yet. I'm getting ready for warmer temperature, to be sure. But all things considered, I liked the psuedo endless nights. Oh, how I remember the days in...
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Didn't happen. Well it did, but I wasn't there. Instead, I had to teach a class on Friday night. I spent half of last week trying to find out if I did, indeed have class, and I found out at...
March 04, 2004
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While trying to plan a trip yesterday to Karelia, a friend and I ran into some trouble reading the train schedule. For the train we wanted it would list departure time, and then say that it leaves on "odd days."...
February 26, 2004
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Starting on Monday, I will be teaching English at the Philological Faculty. I'll be in charge of conversation classes for the last semester students who are studying to be English teachers. Essentially, I have the job because my native language...
February 23, 2004
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This weekend was downright balmy. The temperature got almost up to zero Celsius (32F), and there was sunlight. Today we've delved back into the minuses, with snow. But for a while there I was walking around without gloves (hands in...
February 20, 2004
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As mentioned previously, I went the the Mariinsky and saw a ballet performance of Don Quixote. Overall opinion, I wouldn't do it again. The people I was with loved the show, so my tepid reaction probably just reflects my lack...
February 15, 2004
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Tomorrow, I have tickets for the Ballet at the Mariinsky Theater. Supposedly, what with St. Petersburg being the culture capital of Russia, the Mariinsky is the best theater in the country. Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of ballet, so...
February 13, 2004
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Today I finally broke down and bought a keyboad. I have a laptop, so it's not essential. However, I wanted to a) sit farther away from the screen b) type in Russian, and c) type easier on a larger layout....
February 11, 2004
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My internet hasn't been working for the past couple of days. Hence, no posting. It just came back online, and I hope it holds....
February 08, 2004
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As is to be expected, Russian television plays a lot of American shows and movies, and some from other countries as well. I've even seen Spanish language soap operas. Are those things shown everywhere? Forget Halliburton and Bechtel, Telemundo is...
February 07, 2004
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In my last year of university, and for reasons unknown, I studied Persian, the language of Iran. I quite like the lanugage, and would like to study it further, though that doesn't look like it will happen anytime soon. In...
February 04, 2004
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I've already given you a basic run down of the water situation here, now for an applied example. I haven't had hot water for the past week and a half, and it doesn't look like that is going to change...
January 27, 2004
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Ex. 1: So You Want on the Plane ... Sunday night a good friend left St. Petersburg, setting out on his way home to Australia (by way of Siberia, Mongolia, and China). A large group of us decided to accompany...
January 25, 2004
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UCLA, my alma mater, is one of the most well known brand names around the world. Besides having the best college basketball record ever and being the shooting location for practically every college movie (including Legally Blond and Old School),...
January 21, 2004
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Russian troops have retrieved 10 tons of beer trapped under Siberian ice, the Itar-Tass news agency has reported. The rescue team of six divers, 10 workers and a modified T-72 tank from the Emergencies Ministry managed to save the load...
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People here keep telling me that this winter is unseasonably warm. If that's true, then I don't want to be here during a 'real' winter. This morning, on my way to school, it was -18C, and with windchill it felt...
January 17, 2004
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I was stopped by the police on Thursday. I've been made well aware that this was a possibility, so I was prepared. Police controls happen for no apparent reason, depending solely on the whims of the particular officer. As is...
January 13, 2004
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I reregistered for new classes, officially ending my Christmas vacation. I enrolled for three months, so it'll be up on the 12th of April. I'm not sure how long in summer I'll be here, so hopefully I'll have a better...
January 10, 2004
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Why is it that every time I shave, every 7 or 8 days, it happens to be the coldest day of that week. For example, today was -21C (-6F), but weather.com says it felt like -28C (-18F). That's really freakin...
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Many of you may not know that I wrestled in high school. I was never very good at it, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I wrestled my 9th, 10th, and 12th grade years. In my senior year, I wrestled junior...
January 08, 2004
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Background: The Russians (and other Eastern Orthodox) celebrate Christmas on January 7th, the date on the old Julian calendar. I spent the evening visiting a friend who lives in the other dorm, about a 30 minute walk away. I left...
January 06, 2004
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As many of you may know, I'm not a big fan of "days." By that I mean all those holidays and other special days. I don't really understand why people get so worked up, and it's suddenly ok for people...
January 02, 2004
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I was supposed to be on a train to Murmansk today. Two importnant factors made it so that I am instead still in St. Petersburg, and out a $50 ticket. I have an important application due tomorrow for an internship...
January 01, 2004
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Last night, I learned something ... Russians love New Year's. The kids in the dorm went collectively crazy like I've never seen them before. Everyone got all dressed up, even though they weren't going anywhere special - girls in elegant...
December 29, 2003
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I got this post from Cinderella Bloggerfeller. I can't, as of yet, confirm it's veracity. To this point, the only interaction I've had with Central Asia has been Uzbek food and Tajiks in the dorm who speak Persian. I found...
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It's an odd feeling to be back in St. Petersburg. I've not even been here two months, but getting off the plane, speaking Russian to the bus driver, taking the metro and arriving at Primorskaya all seemed completely natural. As...
December 24, 2003
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Well, I've had a productive trip so far. I bought a new digital camera, that seems to be a pretty good deal so far. I got some shoes to wear around the dorm, and I hope to get a nice...
December 22, 2003
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I'll be spending the next week in Germany, so expect more limited posting throughout this Christmas week. I have plent of Russia things to blog about so check back every so often. Additionally, I'll be going to Murmansk, which is...
December 20, 2003
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Perhaps this entry should fall under the heading of "Stupid Southern Californian," because I know that there are parts of CA where people are not stricken with this particular problem. This is my first time (since I was seven) that...
December 19, 2003
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Just a little post to let you know I'm still alive. The mafia haven't got a hold of me ... yet. It's two in the morning, and I still have a massive amount of homework due tomorrow morning. I've spent...
December 14, 2003
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It's frustrating not being able to communicate with others. I don't expect to carry on conversations about the intricacies of Derrida, I'm just want to convey what food items I would like to eat. I can't express even the most...
December 10, 2003
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As any guidebook will tell you, don't drink the water in St. Petersburg. You're not even supposed to brush your teeth in it. It's quite annoying having to brush my teeth with bottled water. My toothbrush never seems clean. The...
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As judged by the television (is there any other way to judge?), juice is a staple of life over here. It's about the only way to get a dose of vitamin C. Of course, what passes for juice is little...
December 08, 2003
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Having already related the fact that my diet consists of massive amounts of carbohydrates through mostly grain products, it is with great joy that I announce the newest acquisition to the "Owen Food Family." Recently, I had some dates from...
December 05, 2003
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When I first arrived here, evey time I got my hands on a food item, I would turn it about, perplexed, looking for the nutritional information. Oh right, it's not there. It must've taken 20-30 times before my muscles finally...
December 04, 2003
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Over here, people seem to cover every important document they own, and even not so important stuff. For example, passport covers are extremely popular. The come in all sorts of colors and designs, and I'm thinking of buying one that...
December 03, 2003
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I'm glad to see that my last entry sparked such emotion in the comments section. I'm going to briefly return to my regularly scheduled fluff. As always, click on the small picture to get a bigger one. Here is quite...
December 01, 2003
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Yesterday was time for my weekly, 3 and a half hour celebration I call “the laundry.” It started out with it's usual frustrations, a 30 minute walk, all the machines taken so another 30 minute wait there. After a while,...
November 29, 2003
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Monday was the first real snow since I've been here. It started in the late evening, and by morning there was at least a foot on fresh powder covering the ground. I've already described the benefits of snow, but it...
November 27, 2003
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While I never fully realized it until now, Thanksgiving is one my of my favorite holidays. What it lacks in presents, dressing up, or green beer, it makes up for in food. Quite possibly the best meal of the year,...
November 21, 2003
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As if life wasn't difficult enough over here due to natural shortages, certain Russian institutions have decided to create some out of thin air. The subway system gets ridiculously crowded around rush hour. Very often you will see a massive...
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I've decided to add a new category to the blog. "Stupid Californian" will be a place where I relate anecdotes based on differing cultural assumptions. For example: I've already explained the minibuses, technically called "marshroutes," that careen around the city...
November 18, 2003
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Internet Cafe Dorm where I almost lived Bridge crossing near the metro...
November 17, 2003
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I woke up this morning (still dark at 8am) expecting a vigorous, yet enjoyable half hour walk to school. Instead I found a slush covered nightmare of a trek. While the snow does magical things in terms of covering up...
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Bring Your Own Toilet Paper: While searching for something with which to blow my nose today at the university, I found out that the bathrooms there don't have toilet paper. It's not as if they just run out and never...
November 14, 2003
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In America, pedestrians are only supposed to cross at crosswalks, violating this law will result in a jaywalking ticket. I know, I got one, for the sum of $77. If people don't follow this law, cars are still expected to...
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I can't believe it's only been a week since I left America. It feels like at least a month has gone by. I'm somewhat out of that bad spell that hit in the very begining. I've met a lot of...
November 12, 2003
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Today was my birthday, and to celebrate it I did ... nothing. Well that's not true. I did treat myself to KFC for lunch. It was ok, the ketchup here is really sweet. I got a chicken sandwich called the...
November 10, 2003
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I arrived in St. Petersburg at 4:15 saturday afternoon, and was quicly whisked away by my driver. In the confusion, I forgot to change money at the airport. This presents a very particular problem when you are hungry, in a...
November 07, 2003
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I'm at the hostel in London, on my stupid forced layover. The hostel's actually pretty nice, very clean facilities. The trip didn't start out so easy, and it hasn't gotten much better. My flight was scheduled for a 8:45 departure....
November 06, 2003
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Sorry about the lack of posts, I've been preparing for my departure. I leave tonight and arrive tomorrow in London, where I have an overnight stay, and by Saturday I should be in St. Petersburg....