Technology

***I have gotten a couple of technology-like questions recently, so I will attempt to answer them:
Russians aren't very big on technology. I would say that it is a very safe bet that the majority of Russians have never used a microwave.
So when it comes to computers, you can guess that there isn't a lot of experience there either.
Some students have asked whether it is worthwhile to bring a laptop to Russia. I am under the impression that the American students who have brought computers only use them for playing DVDs or music. Though, that can be nice.
I don't have a computer, and I can't say that I miss out by not having one. It really only serves entertainment purposes here.
You can buy Internet dial-up phone cards. They are cheaper than the internet cafes. The internet cafes run nearly $2.5 an hour.

. There is no wireless, anywhere.
You can buy computers/computer parts here... Though they are a great deal more expensive than what the average Russian can afford.
Entertainment in Russia is less computer/TV centered than in the US.
Russians (at least historically) were really into reading/literature... though I feel that that is being replaced by the TV.
Russians go to movies. We have two theaters in Vladimir. Movies cost about $1.5-2 for a matinee, and about $6 for evening showings. Due to the cost, movies are also not too terribly popular.
Cell phones are very popular. Everyone has a cellphone.
Cell phones also act as a status symbol. Russians spend a considerable amount of money on cell phones. In the 7 minute walk from here (the Internet cafe) to my house, I will pass atleast 6 places that sell cellphones.
All of the cellphones are imported... I would estimate that Nokia (a Finnish firm) is the most popular. The cheapest cellphones go for about $45 (that's the one I got). And calling plans seem less popular than pay-as-you-go. Beeline is the best firm in Vladimir (also the one I got).
They also charge you to call a cellphone from a house phone.
To call another cellphone is about $.28 for the first minute.... So calling is not as popular as SMS (text messaging) that cost around $.05. My cellphone (like most of them) can type in Latin letters or Cyrillic (Russian) letters.
If you are coming to Russia to study, I would suggest that it is better to buy your cellphone in Russia, than in the US. First, not all (most) US phones will not work in Russia. Secondly, having a phone that types in Russian is very important.
My phone's settings (and all Russian phones' settings) can be switched between Russian and English.
A lot of people are hesitant to give out their house numbers, so cellphones typically act as the basis of communication.
So, I hope that clarifies some of technology in Russia!
Poka!

Internship

The internship opportunities in Vladimir are rather few and far between. Though I managed to finally find something: Я работаю на стройке (I am working construction)!
This is exciting for a number of reasons. For one, I work with a bunch of guys who are my friends. So it is really not that bad spending eight-ten hours with a group of ones' pals.
All of the guys are immigrants from Uzbekistan. They take tremendous delight that an American wants to learn from them. They are also thrilled by the Uzbek phrases that I have learned.
When I proposed to the foreman, Komil, that I be his intern, he seemed really excited. He is apparently a master of tile work.
What I do all day is slab concrete on the bottom of tiles, and hand them to the master. I also get the privledge of running up and down three stories of stairs to fetch wet concrete.
I typically also eat lunch and dinner with the workers. They (the Uzbeks) eat everything with their hands... They never use forks, etc.
They are also tremendously patriarchial. The lone woman that lives with at the construction site cooks and cleans. I don't think that she is allowed to leave the house.
Uzbekistan is a muslim country. Though they are really like Muslim-light. They eat pork and drink beer (and vodka only on holidays). They always say prayer after eating/drinking (even after drinking beer). Only the senior members of the community are allowed to drink or smoke. The younger ones (in their 20s) are not.
They are also much more into formality. Older persons (even if they are only a month older) are always addressed using the formal "Вы" (the equivalent of "you"). Whereas younger persons are spoken to using informal "Ты" (the equivalent of "thee"). Also, children refer to their parents using the formal. As wives also speak to their husbands using the formal, though husbands speak to their wives using the informal.
I am allowed to use the informal ("Ты") with everyone.
Last night I was invited to a wedding feast at the construction site. The wedding was for the sister of one of the workers. Since the workers couldn't attend the wedding (the wedding was in Uzbekistan) they decided to make their own celebration.
There were about 10 Uzbek guys, and one other American (I brought him with me). The two Americans got the "places of honor" to sit at the dinner table.
The event consisted of lots of food (mostly all rice based), vodka and dancing. The Uzbeks impressed me by their tremendous hospitality. They also impressed me by their sincerity in speech. Really, the Uzbeks are fun to spend time with.
***I hope to upload some pics soon!***
Poka!

Opportunities

Russia is a mixed bag of opportunities. For Russians, there really aren't that many tremendous opportunities (that I have seen). I have heard that the number of people studying at the higher levels in academia have fallen-off in recent years... What the point of getting (the equivalent of) a PhD if you will only be making a couple hundred dollars a month?
I have a good friend, who upon completing her pedagogical degree (in being a teacher of English, German and Russian), found that there were no jobs available for a candidate with such qualifications. She ended up moving to Denmark to work as an au pair.
Her friend, who had the same qualifications, had done the same (moved to Denmark to work as an au pair) the month before.
I think that Americans may (incorrectly) suppose that there are many opportunities here, after reading about the multi-million dollar oligarchs in Russia. These oligarchs are an extreme minority in Russia.
Though, there are many Americans that come to Russia for business. Americans even come to Vladimir for business!
Last night I met up with Mat Cote, an American who owns a construction firm based in Seattle. He is here doing building inspections for insurance companies and banks. He only arrived two weeks ago, and he has found that business here is really good.
Of course, specialized skills always pay better (i.e. an astrophysicist has a greater value in the marketplace than does someone with a BA in philosophy).
To give an idea of what a job in the Russian world pays, let me give a couple of anecdotal stats: I have a friend in Kyiv, who is completing her degree in Business Admin. At the university that she attends in Kyiv, classes are taught only in English. She speaks English, Ukrainian and Russian at the translator level. She wrote me a very excited email telling me that she was was looking to sign-on with a company that would pay her $150 a month. This was big money.
Additionally, a teacher in Vladimir was telling me that the going salary was about $200 a month. Though a teacher in Siberia makes about $120 a month. A principal in Siberia makes around $180 a month. And a pensioneer (retiree) makes around $150 a month.
So, as I said, it's a mixed bag.
HEY: As I write this, the clerk in the internet cafe is berating a customer for shortchanging the cafe 16 cents. Oh, it looks as if they're going to fight. There is going to be some free entertainment!
I have to go,
Poka,
Jason

Scholarships (spending other peoples' money)

For all of the students who have sent me e-mails/facebook notes, asking about financial aid/scholarships/fellowships, etc, I have worked hard, and found answers to your questions! Actually, I sent an e-mail to Alissa Bibb of the American Council's Outbound Office, and she did me the tremendous favor of directing me to the below link:
http://www.acrussiaabroad.org/pbRLASPFinancialAid.php .
I have very little to add to what the above link states.
It is true that I won scholarships for this program. And if I can win a scholarship, I think that everyone should give it a shot! Really, give it a shot, you have nothing to lose.
Please e-mail me if you know of any other scholarships... I will post whatever I hear.
Poka!
Jason

The Convenience of Moscow

*** Hey! I wanted to start my article by thanking all of you who continue to read my blog/online-article! Readership is doing really well, and I am delighted by the e-mails that I am getting! Please keep sending questions that you think would be interesting to have answered, or discussed.
I've gotten a good number of e-mails regarding funding/scholarships/grants for study abroad programs. I am doing some research, and will post on that topic in the near future!
Please keep telling others about this site! Thanks! Jason
***
One of greatest conveniences of life in Vladimir, is that Moscow is a mere 2/5 hours away (depends on if you take the train or the bus). And so, if you have the crazy urge to visit the concrete (literally, it's like the only building material used) capitol of Russia, it is an easy trip.
Yesterday I took that easy trip. A friend of mine, Nastja, was moving to Denmark, and she asked if I could make the journey with her to Sheremetyevo 2 (Moscow's central airport).
In a great stroke of luck, I also have a good American friend who was in Moscow yesterday.
I met my Vladimirite friend, Nastja, yesterday morning, and we took the 0900 train to Moscow. Arriving at Kurskii Vokzal, we then headed to Ploshad' Revolutsia (its in the middle of the city, next to the Kremlin).
We met my American friend, Anastazia (despite the name, she is not Russian) and her British colleague Alice, in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Both have just recently finished their Maters in Russian Political Studies, at the London School of Economics.
We did the touristy walking about Red Square, and then we toured the Armory. I had not been to the Armory before, but thanks to Anastazia (she had the tremendous foresight to buy a ticket for Nastja and I before we arrived), I got the chance to see it.
There are such tremendous treasures there. There are lots of icons, dresses, crown jewels, and (most famously) the Faberge Eggs.
After touring about the museum, and catching-up with my former George Mason University classmate Anastazia, we went to lunch.
We (suprisingly) found a reasonably priced restaurant not more than a 15 minute walk from Red Square.
After a fairly typical Russian lunch, Nastja and I had to split so that she could catch her flight to Copenhagen.
I had planned to meet Anastazia and Alice after the trip to the airport, but we didn't manage to connect.
Well, Nastja and I got to the end of the Metro's Green Line, where she then caught a marshutka to the airport.
I then took the metro back to Kurskii Vokzal. After a while there, I boarded a bus back to Vladimir. We made it to Vladimir in only 3 hours!!!
It is nice that Moscow is close, though we are not a suburb. There are so many cool opportunities here!
More later,
Poka!

Vladimir: Vital Statistics

Recently I discovered that the newspaper Molva lists statistics for the city of Vladimir everyday.
Vladimir has a population of only about 314,000 (about the same size as Buffalo, New York). Between January 29-30, all of the below occurred:
- 8 traffic accidents: 6 deaths, 5 injuries
- 11 fires: 1 death
- 55 burgluraies
- 5 suicides
- 5 disappearances
- 15 counterfit bills were fouund
- 24 bodies, without ID, were found

What do the stats tell us? That the FSB (the Russian FBI/CIA) is doing a good job on fighting counterfiting! Think: You are more likely to find a body than a counterfit bill! I now feel much more secure about my finances in Russia.
Really, these numbers (according to one of my fellow students who is a cop in Denver) are not as bad as the numbers for Denver, Colorado.
Vladimir is a very safe city. The only two fears I have living here are: The stray dogs and the drivers (they don't yield for anyone).
Other than those two concerns, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Vladimir to people. DC, the capitol of the most powerful nation in the history of the world, is a far more dangerous place than Vladimir.
I will post more later,
Poka!

New Semester

So, the new semester has begun! We have a wide variety of new students. There are new students from the University of Kansas, Notre Dame, Georgetown and West Point.
It is exciting to see the various levels at which they speak Russian. When I came, I am certain, my Russian was worst than most of theirs. But to imagine how far I've come, in just a few months, is pretty invigorating.
Also, to see what they struggle with (i.e. life with a family that you had never seen, until you arrived) is also pretty funny. Russia is one very big "growing experience" on several levels!
I have a new classes this semester: writing. It looks as though it should be a great class.
I have the same teachers as last semester, which is a blessing. All of the teachers are true professionals. To teach Russian to a foreigner must be the most stressful job in the world... But they are always so patient and helpful. They all understand what areas of the language are the most difficult for us.
Also (remember the classes are taught only in Russian) the teachers are temendously skilled at explaining difficult concepts of the language, using vocabulary that can be understood by the students.
I am also pleased that our Residential Director, Tom, is back. I went with Tom and the new group as they toured the city on their second day here. He showed them the Post Office, the school, the bus stops, the train station, etc. He spent hours with them and answered all of their questions and concerns... As he had done when we arrived in September.
Tom is also tremendously patient. Seeing as how he is forced to deal with such minutia everyday (i.e. "My host lady makes me eat too much, what should I do?") I am impressed that he manages to sincerely answer everyones' questions.
Tom also gets to deal with students who may very well not be too prepared for life in Russia (i.e. "Tom, I need to buy a coat. I didn't think it was going to be so cold in Russia.") The patience he has is remarkable.
Tom also tried to convince me to go to the hospital after getting mugged. Actually, Tom has been asking me how I am doing for everyday of the past week.
Tom deserves a medal.
In other news, I am trying to find an internship for this semester here in Vladimir. I will let you all know how the search goes.
Poka!