4th anniversay..

[deccie]

So just recently the wife and I celebrated our 4th year of marriage. Boy has life changed since then...
2 new arrivals and almost constant fighting of corruption all around.

My wife and I are very, very close indeed and I could not ask for a better person to be my life partner.

It's kinda funny but even though I went looking for a Russian wife my wife has to be one of the most atypical Russians here!

Her grandparents instilled their values in her and what a fine job they did.
 

[msmob]

Nice to hear from you Deccie and congrats - you are truly living the dream

[deccie]

Nice to hear from you Deccie and congrats - you are truly living the dream

I have the dream partner but the corruption around us has been endemic and very stressful. One day I hope to be able to relate just some of what has gone down here. I'm sure it will go down as one of the most eventful of all those who  have gone before. Our family has literally changed the law in Russia... but I won't detail what just yet..

[ML]

. . . almost constant fighting of corruption all around.

What and where is the corruption of which you speak?
Are you living in Russia or Australia?

Congratulations to you.

[ML]

. . .  my wife has to be one of the most atypical Russians here!

You are very lucky indeed.

[BillyB]

Our family has literally changed the law in Russia... but I won't detail what just yet..

All you need to do is change Putin. Grats on the anniversary!

[deccie]

All you need to do is change Putin. Grats on the anniversary!

Thanks for the congratulations Billy. Our first child together will be three this year - just that fact alone stuns me sometimes.  Alexandra (our little girl) and I are very close and I'm glad our time here has allowed me to build those bonds with her. If I was doing my normal work still I would have been unable to do so.

Sorry, but I disagree with you about Putin. The odds actually favour the Russian view  which I have detailed before - i.e. if you were to replace him the new guys would just steal more. Stealing is completely endemic here. Two types - those who must to survive and those who can because of power and position.

The Moscow Times recently had a column that observed that there is no such phrase as "conflict of interest" in Russian.

The depths of theft know little bound here. We have personal experience of the local authorities stealing from our kids when they were doing paid work at school over the holidays.

I've said it before but I really do have to thank Anna's grandparents for the woman she is. Her Grandad was a Hero of the Soviet Union who fought at Stalingrad amongst other places. Her Grandmother was so revered as a teacher when she died some of her former pupils flew internationally to be at her funeral.

Unfortunately, their son is a complete and utter asshole.  He sold his father's medals illegally to a German collector... He also destroyed the house his father built as well as the  fruit tree garden.

[deccie]

What and where is the corruption of which you speak?
Are you living in Russia or Australia?

Congratulations to you.

We are in Russia still. I don't plan to go back to Australia to live. Been overseas now too long for that. It's been a decade now since I left. I do not like what my country is becoming politically. Both major political parties are completely worthless in my view these days. Energy policy is in complete disarray to the point manufacturing businesses are closing across the board. My own industry of Aluminium Smelting will never see a new, expanded or redeveloped smelter built again in Australia. It is just not going to happen.

That said we don't want to remain here either so we are currently pursing options. I'm wary of going back to Oman given the Saudi politics going on (also with the Yemeni war next door) plus the health issues of the current Sultan. Qatar is definitely out. That leaves Bahrain and UAE as options.

[ML]

Why the focus on the Middle East; is that your original homeland area ?

[deccie]

Why the focus on the Middle East; is that your original homeland area ?

Most Smelter development is Middle East based now.

[2tallbill]

[tfcrew]

                       ~~~~~~ Congratulations ~~~~~~

[BillyB]

if you were to replace him the new guys would just steal more. Stealing is completely endemic here. Two types - those who must to survive and those who can because of power and position.

Putin is estimated to be worth 200 billion dollars which makes him the richest man in the world. Not bad for being a public servant. Hard to imaging anybody stealing more than him. One thing we agree on is a lot needs to change over there. For that to begin to happen, it needs to start with the leadership.

http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2017-02-17/vladimir-putin-could-be-worlds-richest-man-with-200-billion-net-worth-report-says