My Trip to Kazan

[AugustD]

I do not contribute much to the site though I have read for many years.  From time to time I will make comments but nothing of substance mind you.  I hope my trip report will be welcomed.

My background.  I have been in a relationship prior with a woman from Odessa that did not work out.  I made 4 trips to Ukraine and actually brought her over here 2 years ago.  The relationship did not work out because of the individual (or individuals!) and not the process.

November 2007 I met another woman from Kazan while participating on EM.  We met for the first time in a trip to Prague in February of this year.  Because of the health of my parents my trip to Kazan was postponed until August.

Now that the background is covered….my first trip to Russia.  My trip is less about the dating aspects of what I saw and more about my perceptions of Russia and Kazan and of meeting Larisa’s son and mother and friends.  And, of course, my first trip to the banya.

August 19.  I took the new flight from Chicago directly to Domodedovo.  What a great flight.  Took just over 9 hours to get there.  I never sleep on the flight without chemical help.  The staying awake seems to help a bit with the jet lag though.  I ran out of movies to watch though and the Grisham book I took was a bit lame so it was a long ways.  Huge anticipation after reading each and all the reports about the airport over the years.  Now most of those reports were Sheremetyevo and DME ain't no Sheremetyevo!

I had a long layover at Domodedovo so I wasn’t in a huge hurry to get off the flight.  Customs and passport control were not a problem at all as I simply went through the window with no questions…grabbed my bag and walked on out…no questions.  Now the Russian people are a bit more aggressive than what I am use to in the Midwest (understatement) and I made the mistake of asking a few if a seat was taken to sit down in the large common area of the airport.  Finally learned just to sit down and ignore whatever Russian they were speaking to me.

From there I took the flight on Siberian Airlines to Kazan.  Not as bad as I have read and just a simple 1.2 hour flight.  Got to Kazan around 9pm.  Not the biggest airport you will ever step in but I couldn’t care less because Lara was waiting for me.  Man..you want to talk about a good feeling.

So far my impressions of Russia is very similar to US except for the aggressive people.  Probably little difference to people in NYC.  Yes?

[AugustD]

Kazan is an incredible city.  Now mind you I was not there for the nightlife or necessarily the tourism but this is a fantastic city.  New buildings are being razed and the infrastructure is clean and safe.  The people?  Well I would describe them as tolerant.  It is a city made up of half Muslim and half Christian (I am not speaking from fact but from how I understand).  Both religions are embraced.  The Tatars are beautiful people with very interesting culture.  I found walking through their Kremlin and museums very interesting.  Visit this city if you can.

My perceptions that were quickly dismissed were that for some reason I thought I would see more of a military presence or policing.  Not at all.  They actually could use a bit more in their traffic which is a “rules be damned” situation.  Just a very comfortable place to be.

Lara’s sons name is Nikita.  Nikita is 9 years old.  Simply a normal boy that loves Harry Potter (we argued for days as he says “Garry” Potter) and video games and playing army and all the normal things you would expect.  I worked to form a relationship with Nikita shortly after my trip to Prague and I was confident I was in a long term relationship. I have been in relationships in the past and can understand that this is a bit confusing for a young fella so I have been careful with this relationship and try to form it over time.

Nikita was aware of me but I needed a way to be involved with him.  Woman’s Day was approaching and I was aghast at the skyrocketed cost of flowers and was unsure what to possibly do for Larisa on this day.  I read enough here that I needed to do something but was not sure.  I thought about cheesy things on the internet.  I waited too long to send something via Post.  So I asked Lara if it was OK to send an email to Nikita.  She agreed.  So I sent him a letter telling him who I was and that his mother was very important to me (I used the Google translator by the way so I probably sounded like an oaf!) and I asked if he would do me a favor.  He responded he would and I asked if I sent him some money if he would go and buy some candy and flowers for his mother for me.  If he would do this then they could be from the both of us.  He once again agreed and asked some questions on what to buy and we built a relationship that continued.  Nikita has taken on the task of being my Russian language teacher.  Good teacher – bad student.

First day Nikita tried to teach me some new word that he used when he tickled me.  Apparently I could not say it correctly as I returned the tickling so we worked on it for a while.  The word (phonetically or the best I can spell) is Zippetachki.  Or Zipyatachki.  Or something like that.  Everyday…it was..no…repeat please…ZE…PYAAAA…TAAA…CHIIIII.  Well I never got it right.  Finally a week later I had to ask…what in the heck does this word mean?  Well I found out is means nothing!  So who cares how I say it!!!

Frankly my biggest regret on this trip was that I did not take my Russian Language learning more seriously.  I had plenty of time and I did not do it.  Larisa speaks reasonable English and we Skype and email and phone daily so our communication is easy and high and with depth so I didn’t worry about it.  The issue was there was a young boy that has some English from school but we couldn’t communicate easily.  He led me around and took care of me fine but he could not convey his thoughts to me without his mothers help.  I felt really bad about that and have popped in the Pimsleur cd daily since being home.  I certainly could have used Russian in other areas of the trip but ideas with Nikita were critical and I really missed the boat not studying harder before going.

[Faux Pas]

  I took the new flight from Chicago directly to Domodedovo.  What a great flight.  Took just over 9 hours to get there. 

Huge anticipation after reading each and all the reports about the airport over the years.  Now most of those reports were Sheremetyevo and DME ain't no Sheremetyevo!

AugustD

Sounds like the AA flight, not a bad one at all.

I've had a couple of layovers at DME and really didn't mind it as much as I would have thought as I detest waiting especially in an airport. There are several pretty good restaurants, beer gardens and a convenience store. My last time there was this past July and it was hot, outside and inside the terminal building. But all in all I found DME to be as pleasant (except no A/C) and modern as any airport in the world. They were undergoing some construction but it wasn't much hassle at all.

I actually met some really  nice people and had some very colorful conversations (alcohol was involved) outside the far end exit door where people were smoking. I spent a lot of time out there. Quite an experience all it's own.

[TwoBitBandit]

Simply a normal boy that loves Harry Potter (we argued for days as he says “Garry” Potter)

This is a side-effect of Russian transliteration conventions.  They take any proper noun that starts with H and change it to G.  For instance, yhey say "Gavaii" instead of "Hawaii".  The famous Shakesperian play is called "Gamlet" instead of "Hamlet."

[ConnerVT]

Gamburger, anyone?   

[KenC]

August,
I am enjoying your T/R and hope there is much more to come.  Your relationship with the boy is heart warming.
KenC

[AugustD]

Thanks for the nice thoughts.  When you put out something so near and dear to your heart like your family it can feel very vulnerable.  I guess one doesn’t quite understand that until they share do they?  When writing thoughts of strong sentiment you hope others don’t find it boring but rather get some value from it.

The food in Kazan was great.  The first morning my coffee was a bit different as the last sip of my coffee was like taking a spoonful bite from my used coffee filter at home.  Note to self:  stop at last sip.  Actually she let me switch to the French Press after this so we didn’t battle the coffee grounds anymore from cooking the coffee on the stove.

Larisa is a bit of a honey nut so we had honey in our coffee.  I also had to drink hot water with honey to start my day.  Besides the influx of healthy ideas in my diet the food was really good.  She makes a wonderful borscht and we had fantastic veggies with each meal.  The tomatoes were to die for.  Basically the food was very similar to the US or at least to what I am use to eating.
Kasha?  Well haven’t made friends quite yet with the old bowl of kasha but I will over time.  Every time I eat it I expect oatmeal but really it is more potatoes.

Now getting the food…THAT is a different story.  I am not a fan of the Russian grocery stores.  Now remember I mentioned about Russian people are openly a bit more aggressive than I am use to in the Midwest?  Remember I said traffic does not abide by any norms or rules?  Well both apply in the grocery market.  Also there is something up with their grocery carts.  In the US we have carts that have one set of wheels that move freely to steer and one set that does not….yes?  Well in Kazan they have these carts with freely moving wheels…period.  So you can pull your cart sideways or behind or however you see fit and they do.  If I went to the grocery without Larisa I still would be there trying to get a watermelon.  It was a free-for-all.  People going every which way.

Food choices were good.  Now if you are thinking you can go in and pick up a T-bone…well you cannot.  Red meat choices were poor.  If you want to go in and try a different kind of sausage then you will have a hard time figuring which kind to get as the choices were abundant to say the least.  Cheeses were quite good also.  Milk was surprisingly good as the milk in Ukraine was a liquid extracted from the cow NOT through an udder.  Chicken was good.  Not plump but good.  Pork was good.  Hams were good.  I had no complaints.  I fell in love with this smoked string cheese they have also.

We had a shashlyk (sp?) at a friends dacha one weekend which I will speak of next and it was tremendous.  The shashlyk we had was wonderful pork chops cooked over an open pit grill.  Question:  does shashlyk include ALL meats cooked over a fire the same way we say barbecue?

[AugustD]

Ok…so like my second weekend in Kazan we went to the Dacha of some friends.  This is the vacation home of Olga and Yura and their two kids.  It is in a “Dacha” village on the lake Yalchik.  Olga and Yura are fantastic people so it made for a fun weekend.  Olga has her degree in languages so a very bright and interesting person and Yura is strapping hard nosed boxer that smiles and laughs all day long.  Perfect new friends.  Their dacha is an older house but it is huge.  Actually it is in like a compound with a gated area surrounded by the dacha and the banya on the other side. 

Yalchik is a lake that the government does not allow gas powered boats on.  Similar to what some of our state DNR’s do here in the US.  Very nice lake.  The village is now all nice sized dachas.  There are still villagers that work there but they seem to mainly care for the dachas.  There was a very cool old fashioned well that I wish I would have gotten a photo of.  As you walk the narrow dirt streets the men outside shake your hand as you pass.  Very friendly.


So for lunch Yura asked if I drank vodka.  I explained yes but probably not how he is accustomed to so he poured me a tall shot of vodka with lunch.  I am not a heavy drinker so 3 vodkas for lunch were enough for me.  The vodka was delicious and we used a dill pickle as the chaser.  It was fantastic.  Yura was a good guy and did not push me too much to drink so it was real comfortable.

After a tasty lunch and toasts with vodka it was banya time.  Now if you have entered into this Russian spousal exploration without hearing or reading of banya then you should start over.  We have all heard of it and read of it.  Now I have experienced it.  And what an experience.

Larischka and I head to banya.  She calls for Nikita to join us.  I question her.  “Nikita is coming into the sauna with us?”.

“Yes” she replies “But I will leave on my underwear while he is in there”.  How comforting.

“Well I will also” I say.  I am told not to be silly and am so grateful that Nikita passes.

So we enter the banya.  It is a very nice cabin looking room with a nice rustic table in it a and bench seating.  It is warm but not hot.  As I comment on how it is not so hot I am told this is only the room we undress in and we will go into another.  Makes sense.  I hang my jeans on the hook and fold my boxers nicely and I am ready to banya!

So we enter this next room.  It is a small room with a couple of empty plastic wash tubs in it and a big ashy fire pit looking thing.  Hot but not too hot.  Banya isn’t so bad!  This is not the final room I am told as she starts to smear honey mixed with salt on my face and chest and arms.  Wow.  Now I am ready for final room..yes?  Yes I am told.

So we go into this final room.  I am not kidding you when I tell you that it is Hades.  I mean the devil is sitting in the corner laughing at my fat honey sticking naked being.  So we sit on the wooden grills..not benches…grills and we proceed to sweat.  The honey is turning to water and the salt is sizzling into my skin.  I feel like a pizza on the broiler with the cheese bubbling.

She asks if it is too hot.  Nooooo….I am an American in banya.  I must do my countrymen proud.  It is not too hot at all.  I smell the pepperonis are just about done. 

We finally exit the room after seemingly hours though it was probably only a few minutes and we go back to the little room and she turns on some water.  Good I need some water and I sit down.  She points the hose right into my lap over my stomach.  Remember how hot the other room was?  Well this water is like the opposite.  I do not know how deep the well is for this water but it is really really really cold.  As a good strong man would do in the face of such a difficult situation I shriek.  We continue to pour the liquid ice over our bodies then it was time to move again.

Back into the first room we went.  We came in to make hot tea.  What a nice thought.  So we sat there with our tea which was too hot to drink and naked and some honey starting to stick again and really not the deepest of conversations.  What do you speak of?  Well I don’t remember.  I am sorry.  Time to move again.

We head back for little room.  Oi..more honey.  Well I am delighted to find out that this round no honey.  Instead I am given this goofy hat to put on.  It is some felt looking thing the basic shape of the straw hat the donkey wore in Hee Haw.  I know, I am dating myself.  But it was a silly hat.  She put one on too.  She told me to lay down on the grill this time face first.  I guy my rear hadn’t baked enough.  She started to drip hot water on me as I looked it was only to find out she was about to beat me with some sort of willow or birch branches.  I lost it.  I started to laugh and laugh and laugh.  She stopped and asked me if I was ok.  Well I explained that it was a very unique experience to be laying with my manhood frying on the grill, wearing a goofy hat, being beaten with switches by a naked beautiful woman that was wearing the same ridiculous cap.  It was funny.

After my beating was completed (I enjoyed if very much) we went back to freezing water room but I was now in control of the hose.  It was quite refreshing this time.  We proceeded back to the main room to sit and drink tea.

The next round we went the beating process and the silly hat one more time as I got to beat her.  She liked it very much also.  Possibilities for the future are opening up in my creative mind.

We go back to freezing water room.

We go back to have some more tea.

Our final banya run was with water in soap in the little room. 

Then back to Hades.

Then back to freezing water.

Then back to finish tea and towel off and dress.

All in all this banya experience was 2 hours.  We went back in and I watched Yura finish up our dinner on his open pit.  We had dinner and I toasted with vodka and my pickle 4 more times.

After toasting Yura invited me back to banya and I turned him down.  There was something about the vision of him in that hat beating me that was not sitting good.

The next day we left Yalchik and returned to Kazan rested and refreshed.  I will never forget banya as I was told I promised to have one built someday.  Oi…the things I say when I am on a pickle high.

[groovlstk]

The vodka was delicious and we used a dill pickle as the chaser.  It was fantastic. 

Never tried it, but I saw an episode of Anthony Bourdain's show where he and a friend in St. Petersburg did shots of vodka w/horseradish followed by cucumber juice. He raved at how refreshing it was:

Instead I am given this goofy hat to put on.  It is some felt looking thing the basic shape of the straw hat the donkey wore in Hee Haw.  I know, I am dating myself.  But it was a silly hat.  She put one on too.

If this hat also looks a bit like a dunce cap, I just received one as a gift from a Russian friend after he saw me looking longingly at the silly hats people wore last time I visited a banya I believe it's to protect your scalp - your hair gets super-heated in the hot rooms and can get painful to the touch after just a few minutes.

I loved the bucket of cold water after the dry, superhot room, there's nothing like a long evening at a banya for relaxing.

Here's another segment of the Anthony Bourdain episode where he visits a traditional banya, great stuff:



Great TR, by the way.
 

[ConnerVT]

Actually, the hat is to keep your head cool, and protect from the heat.

My wife's family also have a nice banya in their yard, built by my FIL and one of his brothers.  The story I always like to tell was also about my first time to the banya.

Sitting in the living room before my first experience, my MIL pulled out her blood pressure cuff and stethoscope.  She has high blood pressure, and checks herself 1-2X daily.  It then makes the rounds, where everyone got their pressure checked, even me.  I didn't think anything of it, until a few days later, when it finally dawned on me.

They wanted to make sure I was healthy, as how would they explain the dead Americanitz in their banya?!      

[Vaughn]

Question:  does shashlyk include ALL meats cooked over a fire the same way we say barbecue?

Good question. My dear wife says no, not ALL - but we've enjoyed shashlyk made with
lamb as well as the traditional pork. Beef ? Maybe somewhere, but generally not in Mari-El
and Tatarstan Republics.

Nice report - looking forward to more.

Vaughn

[Diplomacy]

Conner, well at least the checked lol.  The felt hat is a must if you boys want to play in the sauna.  It does in fact keep your brain from overheating.  They may look silly, but act as a wick with heat.  Use a felt one.  It creates a chimney of sorts.

The hot drinks make you sweat more and get more of the toxins out of your body.  There are a lot of remedy that you need to look twice at, but many have merit also there. 

[AugustD]

Well I wish I could fill my report with generalizations or wild stories or military coup activity but I will have to stick with the facts as I see them.  Once again, I hope I include something…anything…that will be useful for someone.  By the way..I miss BonAqua... with gas of course.

Lara’s Mother was kind enough to travel into Kazan to meet me.  She travelled in from Nizhnekamsk to do so and I really appreciated the effort.  While waiting for her arrival, it gave me and Nikita a chance to go out and throw around his new American Football.  Our deal was he was going to teach me to play Russian Football and I would do the same with my country’s favored sport.  I sign languaged how to grip the ball with the laces to try and achieve a spiral effect and he caught on quickly.  Not a bad arm at all.  After throwing it a bit I was going to show him how to tackle but I quickly found out I did not need to.  A couple of other kids were observing and they came out to join when I threw the ball their way.  Once one rounded the ball up then American Football simply happened!  The other two annihilated him.  What evolved from that was some unique game that they would run like a bat out of hell toward the soccer goal eluding the oncoming tacklers as much as they could.  Once approaching the goal, they then tossed the ball across triumphantly.  Might I proudly say that Nikita did so with a nice little tight spiral….It reminded me of the Australian Football we use to watch on ESPN in the 80’s in between ping pong and Jai Lai.  The only thing missing was that cool official in the white coat that runs up and points a finger with two hands or one.  I miss old ESPN before they had any contracts…

In speaking of meeting her mother while preparing for my trip, Larisa had asked if I was bringing a jacket.  I said no.  We went back and forth on it and I stubbornly stood to my decision and did not.  I think I should have.  Well her mother wasn’t difficult but it would have been respectful.  Larisa’s family lost her father a few years back so with my intentions I did need to speak with her mother and I did need to show some formal respect.  She was awesome and did not bust my chops over it but if I had to do it over again I would have taken a sportcoat.

I had purchased a couple of gifts for her mother Nina.  Something simple for the house and a digital camera that Lara had requested I get.  Nina arrived from her long bus ride and greeted me very warmly.  I presented her with her house gift (just a coaster set with lighthouses on them) and she was very taken by the gesture.  I left the camera for Larisa to give to her as this was her idea.  From there Nina quickly went to pickle a bunch of cucumbers she brought.  She pulled the jars out from behind the couch and washed them up.  I did not see how she sealed but she didn’t do it the way I was taught to can…that is for sure.  Nonetheless I loved the pickles I ate on my visit so I should just shut up about it.

After a tasty dinner and putting Nikita to bed we sat down to talk.  I wish I had a sportcoat.  Actually the only question about my attire was why I did not wear a white shirt to dinner.  I mean we ate dinner in and I guess I should have gotten up from the couch to put one on.  Next visit I will just to give her a hard time.  So we sat down and I was ready for the questions.  Actually she was very easy on me.  She simply wanted to know why I was going to take her daughter and grandson so far away.  My answer was equally as simple in that right now our best opportunities are in the US.  In the US I have business and property and I believe it is best for us to live there.  She accepted my answer.  One thing that I must state is that I am willing to live in Russia IF it is the best thing for us.  I made sure she understood this.  I think she knows that it is not.  Nina is an educated and well read woman the translated conversation with her was delightful.  She did wonder about the calamities that she read about like hurricanes and tornadoes and how we would overcome these things.  She also wished to know of my family and their history.  Currently my father is in his last couple of months of a battle with cancer and my mother is in the late stages of Alzheimers and she was aware of these things and wanted to know how it was going.  I think she respected that I would not talk much of it but rather to explain how incredible her daughter was for me during this time.  Allowing me to postpone my trips to Kazan and to emotionally help me get through their care.

I wanted to know more of Larisa’s father.  What kind of man he was.  I  really enjoyed hearing about him and am disappointed I missed out on meeting him though I think I BETTER have had a sportcoat!  We ended our long conversation (Larischka was exhausted from talking for all) with me welcoming any and all questions.  She was going to visit her sister the next day and would return with more questions.  We walked Nina to the bus and she was on her way the next morning.

Upon her return for a morning and lunch, Larisa’s mother decided she did not have any more questions.  She told Lara that she approved and she liked me very much.  I guess I made it without a jacket just fine.  Now I know there are many traditional things I could have tried to pick up on and include but in such a short meeting, they would have gotten in the way.  In followup I have sent a thank you letter to Larischka’s mother and included a typed translation in Russian as she remembers no English from school.  On my next trip I look forward to more time with her and meeting Larisa’s sister. 

[Zmejka]

Hello AugustD!
It's nice to read your trip report, especially because Kazan is my home city ;)i wonder if you've been to Novosavinovskiy district (New Savinovskiy), that's where i lived. Did you like Baumana street? What other sightseeings did you visit? The ballet of the Tatarstan Republic is great, we saw them here in Holland when they came with the "Swans' lake".
My friend liked Kazan when he visited it 2 times - once in winter and once in summer. And in summer he enjoed to live on our Dacha (50 km from Kazan) and eat shashliki

[AugustD]

Thank you Zmejka.  No I do not believe we made it all the way over to Novo Savinovskiy.  Yes I thoroughly enjoyed Bauman Street!  Obviously the shopping but just the walking was thrilling for us.  We walked to the Opera House on Sunday but disappointingly did not go in.  Swan Lake holds a special place in our heart as we saw this ballet at the Opera House in Prague in February.  Something special sitting in box seats with a beautiful Russian woman in Czech Republic watching a Russian ballet!

Most of the tourism we did was withing walking distance of Lara's apartment.  She was in the district on the other side of the river from the Kremlin.  I do not know my districts but I will ask.  Favorite tourist stops for me were the Opera House, the Kremlin, the museums and fort within the Kremlin vicinity, and Kazan State University.  We walked on a Sunday to the University and was floored by the architecture.  What is the square called where the Boy Lenin statue is?  It had a clever name.

Also what is the name of the island with the monastery?  This is next trip that the weather is appropriate.  Days went just too quickly just with normal life.

I do not have to tell you Zmejka about my understatement of how beautiful and interesting Kazan is.  I think there are lessons in this city for the rest of the world.

[AugustD]

Birth and Evolution of our Relationship

So often on this website readers get to see the growth and blossoming and sometimes the demise of relationships.  It is pretty cool.  I am a bit of a private person so I have cheated a bit and not shared along the way.  Though I have communicated with a few here personally including but not limited to Dan who runs one of best open forums on the internet and a man of incredible integrity and Anastassia who could teach courses on customer service and care in the US, I have not shared much about my story.  I guess I am not much to opening my personal business to scrutiny however I think it is only fair to do so in return for letting me share about my family.

This is my second relationship with a woman from FSU.  The first relationship ended because of the individuals and not the process.  Frankly I should have ended it earlier than I did but nonetheless not a good relationship.  Not because she was from Ukraine and not because of the process.  Just not a fit.  In April of 2007 I closed down my office in Indiana and moved to Western Michigan to be closer to my parents.  My mother was not well and I felt I had the opportunity to be close for a few years and help.

I am currently in a rural part of Western Michigan.  I mean rural.  Now I have the lake close and I love to hunt and fish so not a total waste of time here but it is lacking in social opportunities.  In November 2007, I went back on EM to spend a month to meet women.  The letters alone would do me good I surmised.  I wrote many letters with reasonable success.  I have read the 10 Commandments on this site and knowingly broke half of them.  I still read them though.  My whole take on the process is not that I am going to go to Russia and I should line up 5 strong possibilities for my arrival.  Instead I wrote women and was very willing to go to Russia or Belarus or Ukraine or Moldova but would only do so when I felt compelled to make the trip.  This would be upon meeting one or two or three or whatever.  Many many holes in my process and theory of course and I certainly cannot argue against this particular commandment that I passed over but it is how I am and I was gonna do it my way and fail the way I fail or succeed the way I succeed.  It worked out well for me though I do not want anyone to take my process decision as a way to accomplish what you set out to do because I agree with the Commandment I broke…I just didn’t follow it.

I met Larisa in a first letter on November 21, 2007.  After a few “canned” letters, she really started to open up.  We both agreed to be extremely honest to a fault in sharing our opinions and agreed

First Day of School

Larischka had pointed out to me that being there for the first day of school would be good.  Sure.  I figured that we would walk the little fella to school, meet his teacher, settle him in and be on our way.  Uh…no.  It is a bit different than the first day in the US. 

From what I understand, all schools in Russia start the same day, September 1 (If I am wrong correct me please).  We got out Nikita’s suit the night before and went to get flowers for the teacher.  Man it seems that this was a bit of a fuss but “As in Rome…”.

We get to the school and all the students and all the parents are gathered outside for a massive ceremony.  Welcome speeches, dance performances by children, singing and kids running up from time to time to give flowers to a special teacher.  It was really cool.  Huge celebration.  Nikita goes to an English speaking school that costs a bit more but seemed solid.  They actually said that 100% of the graduating class the previous year were, once again, all eligible to attend the university.  Very impressive statistic I thought.

After the ceremony and the children being led by class into the school we waited only a short bit for his exit.  From there we went to the museum located by the Kremlin which was awesome because it was closed the day we went earlier.  Now the only problem is that this is not the only class of the only school in all of Kazan that was going to the museum.  Wow.  What a munchkin mob.  Quite unsettling.  I survived though.

We took the wonderful bus system home for a final day.  Massive depression was starting to set in.  I am telling you that if you are not ready emotionally for these long periods of being apart then do not enter this process.  It really really sucks.

I left Kazan the next day with no complications.  We were late for my plane but the incredible taxi ride more than made up for it.  Talk about no rules.  We were on sidewalks embankments, easements, empty lots, parking lots, alleys, and God knows what else but we made it.  I made the goodbye at the airport a brief one as it was gut wrenching for me.  You spend 24 hours a day with someone you love for a couple of weeks and it is hard to leave them.  Very hard.  I got on one of S7’s finest and on my way to Moscow.

Passport Control in Moscow took freaking forever but it was not a concern.  Just make sure you have a strong layover and you will be fine.  Mine was about 3 hours and I used up most of it in Passport Control.  Just go and register yourself as you are supposed to and keep your paperwork and you will be on your way.

I got home safe and sound to Chicago once again and started the long drive back up to Michigan.  I cannot wait for my return trip.  Cannot wait.

Observations from my Process

• It is hard as Hell to have a long term relationship like this.  I am so thankful I found the woman I did or I might not have lasted through to my visit.
  I think before you consider if a woman can accept living in your culture, you should decide if you accept hers and where she is from.  When you face your future MIL and see the sorrow in her eyes that you are taking her child far far away, you realize you are a 2 country family.  If you cannot accept Russia and the culture as part of your life then stop the looking now.
  Study Russian language.  Being able to say thank you and I cannot speak Russian and hello and goodbye is cute but not enough in my opinion.  We speak together well because of Larisa’s efforts with English and the help of our electronic translator.  We are never lacking for conversation though sometimes misunderstood.  It is Nikita that I did not think about.  Her mother that I did not think about.  Her friends…
  If you think your hometown is perfect for a woman from a big city in Russia then consider if a woman from NYC would be happy there.  If not then find a comparable city.
  Russians are good people.  They are similar to everywhere in the world.  You will find good and you can find bad.
  Once again this relationship has been a lot of work.  If you are looking for an easy way to meet a beautiful woman then go get a massage in your own city.  It is not easy but it is so rewarding. 
  I miss Kazan.  I look at places on Google Earth and I look forward to my next trip.  If you are searching for a place to visit in Russia, please choose Kazan.
  Make sure you are ready for the commitment in this process before you enter it. 
  If you are itching to go to Russia then for God sakes get on the plane and go!

[Zmejka]

Also what is the name of the island with the monastery?  This is next trip that the weather is appropriate.  Days went just too quickly just with normal life.

It's Holy Dormition Monastery of Sviyazhsk
http://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Dormition_Monastery_of_Sviyazhsk
Myself i don't remember going there - or may be as a child so someday i'd like to visit it to with my friend.
I'm glad you liked Kazan. I hope your relationship will grow stronger with time and amazing experience of a family with a Russian woman is waiting for you.
By the way - did you hear Tatar speaking people? How did you find the language? Does Larisa speak or understand it? We had to learn Tatar in school and university but now i forgot it competely. 

[AugustD]

I did hear Tatar a couple of times and Larisa pointed it out.  She does not speak Tatar but Nikita does.  Actually it is a bit of a predicament for us now.  In school on tests Nikita got 100% in math, 100% in Russian but 70% in Tatar.  When his mom obviously questioned him she got this reply, "In the US I will not need Tatar.  There is no reason to worry Mom".  The poor boy is studing Tatar.

Tatar sounded unique but difficult to describe. 

[Diplomacy]

August:

I had not had a chance to write about the first day of school.  I have been to political rallies with less flare.  I heard the band a good KM away, thought it was just some street performers at first.  I am so glad I got to see it, and share the life experience with him.

We did all the shopping the day before.  In the Market I told her to get roses for herself(odd number of course).  She tells me we must be careful with my money.  They charge much higher prices the day before school.  I finally negotiated her getting one, but she is used to only fulfilling needs for the both of them.  The charge $6 American, and she spent a half an hour looking for the perfect one.

I did not take a single Taxi ride.  The buss or walking were the two options.  We had a ton of bags one day.  I said that we need a taxi, she said you want a taxi not need.  I then asked if it is $6 UHA to take the taxi and $5 to take the buss and hold them it was worth the $1 UHA.

Then I decided that the argument was not worth having and we took the bus.  I knew she had no money usually, so I just wanted things to be as she it usually is.

The worst part going out to eat the last night.

Is there any place you have wanted to go?

No

Not even one place in the whole city?

No

Chomy?(Why in Ukrainian)

Never had the money to waste at a place to eat.  So no reason to waste looking into them.

Ok, now I feel horrible.

Well it is not a waste spending money on  both of you and taking you both out for your first Lugansk dinner.  I took the damn bus or walked all week, and you saved me a ton on the flat.

This true, we can go find one Called Texas. 

That is where I live in the USA.

As for the language, you got time my man.  Get Rosetta stone online membership.  3 months $149 and worth every penny.  I had about 100 words down in my free time.  It went a long way.

Think of it this way, they will be very impressed that you cared to learn after meeting them all.  Hindsight is 20/20, but learning from a mistake and doing something about it.  That is being a good man.

[dispozo]

Observations from my Process

I think before you consider if a woman can accept living in your culture, you should decide if you accept hers and where she is from.  When you face your future MIL and see the sorrow in her eyes that you are taking her child far far away, you realize you are a 2 country family.  If you cannot accept Russia and the culture as part of your life then stop the looking now.

I agree total!!!!!

You will gain much respect from her family. If you show that you repsect there culture.

On my last trip I asked my lady to marry me. I felt bad a little when I was leaving. Her mother was sad, but she was also happy because she knew how much we care for each other.

I also agree about the language and I am slowly learning. Her mother and her think I speak very good Russian with no accent. The other day she told me, how her mother was tell her sister that the other day she thought she was talking with a Russian guy on the computer.

[Ooooops]

Well I explained that it was a very unique experience to be laying with my manhood frying on the grill, wearing a goofy hat, being beaten with switches by a naked beautiful woman that was wearing the same ridiculous cap.  It was funny.

 

I'm in tears.... 

[Jalapeno]

I'm in tears.... 

That makes 2 of us.....
Nice TR AugustD and very entertaining to say the least.

I'm thinking of making this same trip soon as I have gotten to know this woman in Zelenodolsk, so it was nice to read a TR from someone that has made the trip.
I might start a new thread on this city, but I need to re-familiarize myself with all the trip procedures again as it was 05 when I last went to Russia.