Where?
 

When I received the list of possible destinations for my new home, Ekaterinburg, Russia stood out, not only because it was the only place that I had never heard on the list, but that I also had no idea how to pronounce it. When I expressed my interest in coming here, my coworkers shrugged and said that I was welcome to it.

After looking it up on a map, not finding it, and then learning that the city used to be called Sverdlovsk, I was even more determined to come.

At this point, I, of course, knew nothing about Ekaterinburg other than it was very close to the middle of nowhere and something about the cold, but I'll get to that later.

The Setup

My previous experience with Russian and Post-Soviet things was during my time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. There, most things Russian were considered better...better jobs, better radio, better television shows, better clothes, etc. Several members of my host family would travel to Russia to find work on a regular basis.

Tashkent is a wonderful place, but it is not for everyone. At a quick glance, Tashkent looks like it is either in the middle of decay or the middle of a construction boom (both are true.) In the winter, in Tashkent, the availability of most food becomes scarce. Potatoes, carrots and cabbage are in great abundance, but good luck finding a banana.

Finally, the fine tradition of excessive vodka consumption is alive and well in Tashkent. Once a bottle gets opened, it does not matter how many people are at the table, the bottle gets finished.

My time in Uzbekistan

First Impressions

I arrived in Ekaterinburg on the late flight out of Moscow. Like in old movies featuring Hawaii where passengers arriving are greeted with leis and hula skirts, I expected to be greeted in Ekaterinburg with a bowl and borsch and shot of vodka. Incidentally, I didn't see any Russian drinking vodka for at least 3 weeks after I arrived.

Rumors that the drinking fountains dispense vodka are greatly exaggerated.

I wasn't so jetlagged that I didn't notice how clean and modern Koltsovo airport appears. The bathrooms had toilets, urinals and sinks!

Strolling around Ekaterinburg - the downtown area, Plotinka

Then followed a quick trip through the city and then to my temporary quarters at the hotel. My first impressions of the city were familiar ones; trams and trolleybuses, Soviet-style block apartments, construction, there was even a tent at the end of the street selling Uzbek food.

Underneath the familiar I began to encounter some surprises.

First were the businesses. Banks and fur shops are on almost every corner, Gucci and Givenchy stores, Subways (the sandwich shop).

Next were the people. I know Americans have a reputation for dressing down a bit, but the Russians, especially the women, put us to shame. I quickly became acutely aware that my choice of footwear, black Merrells with a rounded toe, was not going to cut it fashionwise.

Plotinka at night

Finally, I noticed the billboards. Any doubts concerning the Russian embrace of capitalism are quickly dispensed with a count of the number of advertising signs for any given street corner. Ads on the buses, ads on the fences, ads hung above streets, ads projected onto the side of buildings at night. This is actually one of the things that I find comforting about the city. It reminds me that things are going on. Businesses are opening, new shows at the circus, etc.

Settling In

Getting back to food, my first trip to the grocery store nearly brought me tears. I expected a dairy section, a tea section, a bread section and a root vegetable section. I did not expect sushi, avocados, several types of apple and a dizzying selection of beer and liquor.

My previous store of choice, the Safeway in Falls Church, VA, has nothing on Kupyetz (Rus. - Купец) supermarket. I was also pleased to see that every item had a price tag. No longer would I have to haggle over nickels for a kilo of cherries. Bag them up and a nice girl weighs them and slaps a sticker with a price on them. Nice and simple.

The world-famous The Church on the Blood - Khram na Krovi

Night life is surprisingly lively, despite the recent worldwide downturn in the economy.

There a more than a dozen night clubs from which to choose.

For whatever reason, Scottish seems to be the theme of choice for the bars downtown.

The food at the bars will not blow your mind, but also won't turn your stomach. (The $10 pricetag on a pint of Guinness might. That is what an American gets for drinking Irish beer at a Scottish pub in the middle of Russia!) The music tends to move from Western rock/pop to Russian Pop as each night progresses.

The next big surprise was the music. I knew Russia has a proud heritage of culture, including theater, opera and ballet.

The city of full of these wooden houses. They typically have very ornate wood work. This one is a XVIII century mansion. Now the Ural Culture & Heritage Preserving Society owns this house. Right next to it - the Gallery of Modern Art

I was unprepared for the amount and variety of live music. In the space of a month I saw more rock, jazz and swings bands than I had the entire previous summer in DC. On the weekends, one can find a restaurant, club or arena featuring almost every genre of music.

The music is truly one of the things that makes me love my new home.

Winter
 

As a child, I remember seeing weather maps where the temperature was dipping below -30C (-24F). I used to wonder how it was possible for human beings to live there. In Cleveland, it would, on rare occasions, move towards the negative teens. This was always cause for great concern.

Schools would shut and weatherman would advise against leaving the house. This all came rushing back to me as my coworkers casually joked about the coming cold. I naively asked if people left their homes.

As it turns out, Russians don't even put on gloves and scarves until at -35C.

(I have a fear of losing my nose to frostbite and am not so proud that I won't go out bundled up like I'm hiking the Himalayas). The winter is doable. Life goes continues as normal. If Russia does one thing well, it is home heating and insulation.

Daily Life
 

The view from my apartment window is bathed in the warm red glow of the lights of the Miele and Antey buildings. I am lucky enough to live in the center of town. There is very little to which I cannot walk, though the winter has somewhat decreased the distance I am willing to go.

The Antey Building. Serves as a nice orientation point when lost in the city

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