An American in Moscow

да́ча

Dacha (pronounced "die-cha").  The Russian summer home or cottage.  Many urban Russians own a second home in the outlying country areas.  For example, residents of Moscow might own an apartment in the city and a dacha 40 to 50 kilometers outside the city.  In Soviet times, many of these summer homes were relatively spartan affairs, some with no heating, etc.  Some however, are on an acre or two of land and can be used as year-a-round homes.  With the new economic boom in Moscow, the "New Russians" (i.e., those lucky or corrupt enough to be rich) are building huge, sprawling compounds (often many acres in size) that costs millions of U.S. dollars to construct.  Many of the New Russians live in these home year around, commuting into the city.  This includes many of the country's politicians, as well as members of the Russian mafia.  Their homes are guarded by heavily armed guards, and caravans of black SUVs and BMW's form motorcades that take these people into the city center during the week, causing the already nightmarish Moscow traffic to grind to a halt.  These motorcades have a single flashing blue light on the vehicles.  There supposedly has been a crackdown on individuals who obtain such lights improperly. I'm not sure if I believe that.  There seems to be an awful lot of cars with flashing blue lights around.

Regular Russians (middle class to upper middle class) have smaller summer homes outside the city.  I've become quite close with my interpreter, a Russian woman named Ludmilla.  I'd guess that Ludmilla is in her early 50's. She and her husband, Sasha (short for Alexander -- don't even get me started, this is the subject of another blog post) have a dacha about 40 miles to the South of Moscow.  During the ABA seminar on the European Court of Human Rights, we'd been discussing our gardens, and I had told her about my parent's properties in Northern Michigan (a smaller full-time home on a lake and a larger acreage on the Manistee River).  Ludmilla was very intrigued about this, as well as my home in Washington, D.C. (she was surprised I did not have a summer cottage outside of the city -- I wish!).  Yesterday (Saturday), on the final day of an ABA seminar in Moscow) Ludmilla invited me to visit her and Sasha that evening at their dacha. I readily agreed.

At about 3:30 p.m., after the seminar had ended, we took a taxi to Ludmilla's summer cottage.  I have to tell you, it was absolutely beautiful.  The property sits on about two acres, and the gardens were glorious.  The flowers will still blooming, and the property was full of birches, maples, chestnuts, and apple trees.  They also had wonderful raspberries bushes.  It totally reminded me of Michigan!  Ludmilla's father was an engineer in the Soviet military, and the government granted him "use" of the property after WWII.  Originally, he had four acres, but he gave half of the property use to his brother (a point of discontent with Ludmilla, who clearly wishes she had the full four acres today).  Ludmilla's father built a two story home on the property.  Inside is knotty pine and gorgeous wide-plank hardwood floors.  Their dacha is fully functional year round, and they live there most of the year (they still have an apartment in the city, as well as a vacation home in Spain).  The property has has a separate guest house with a banya (Russian sauna or steam bath).  The place was very, very nice.

It was interesting, though, to hear about the state of private property ownership in Russia.  Ludmilla's father was not the "owner" of the property -- the state was.  After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia has gradually instituted the right of private property ownership.  However, users of former state-owned property, like Ludmilla, have to go through a complex bureaucratic system to shift property into their private names.  Ludmilla is still in the process of getting this completed.  As you  can imagine, the Russian government is in no hurry to complete this process.  Land outside of Moscow is VERY valuable, and the government has been known to stall the process to keep such property in government hands (and perhaps shifted to corrupt government officials).  I asked Ludmilla if she was worried about the whole process.  She sighed and said, "Why should I worry -- it is not in my control.  I must only worry about what I control.  Do I control this process?  No.  I'll worry if a problem arises."  Good advice, I guess, and probably healthy, but I'm not sure I would be able to follow it.  In any case, Ludmilla said she was confident that the process would work out fine.  Apparently, several other property owners have already gotten their certificates of title, and Ludmilla's should be coming soon.

Ludmilla's and Sasha's hospitality was great.  We drank wine, ate fresh raspberries, apples, and peaches from the garden, along with cheese. I had a great time -- hopefully, one day I can repay their hospitality in the States.  Ludmilla has never been to the United States.  I had a great time.

Russian contradictions

Moscow is a city of contradictions.  As I noted in a previous  post, Russia wants capitalism.  The democratic ideals and policy that normally come with it -- well the government doesn't want so much of that.  I got my "papers" (passport, visa, registration) checked for the first time this week.  I was just walking down the street and a couple of policeman decided it was time to screw with a foreigner.  My papers were all in order and they let me go on my way, but its commonplace for the police to demand a bribe to let you go, otherwise threatening to make you spend a few hours in jail to sort things out.  I'm working on an anti-corruption project in Russia, so its not like I feel like I'm in a position to pay anyone bribes.  Corruption is an epidemic in this country.  Some say it's a carry over from Soviet times, others say its a product of unchecked capitalism.  Either way, Moscow makes Tammany Hall look like a kindergarten.  Bribes. Bribes. Bribes.  I tell my Russian friends that the United States went through the "growing pains" of corruption and that it will probably take generations to truly change the problem.  But I also think it was much easier for a country in the 1700's, 1800's, and early 1900's to forge a real democracy isolated by two oceans and isolationist economic policy.  Russia is a totalitarian government with a rogue capitalist economy in the modern age.  That makes a strange and sometimes lethal (see my friend Woody's comment below) combination.

On a more pleasant note, I found a great diner in my neighborhood.  It's called the Starlight Diner and it serves great American style breakfasts, burgers, ets.  I'm sure I'll be frequenting this place often.  A picture is included in the new photo album.  The album includes some more shots of St. Pete and some new ones of Moscow.  I've been at a seminar that the ABA is putting on for Russian defense attorneys on the European Court of Human Rights.  Were putting it on here in Moscow for 25 attorneys, training them on applying and presenting cases. I haven't got a lot of experience in this area, so it's been a learning process for me, too.  On the plus side, my interpreter, Ludmilla, invited me to use her family's vacation home in Spain this winter.  Hopefully, Rachel and I can take her up on that offer!

It's not that I'm lazy.....

It's that I just don't care. 

That line, immortalized in one of my favorite movies, Office Space, captures the Russian attitude toward customer service.  They just could not care less.  Most people are paid a set salary in the customer service industry and do not rely on tips like their American counterparts.  Accordingly, service in cafes, restaurants, even airports, makes the equivalents in the United States look like five star quality.  On the way home from St. Petersburg, we waited in a line at the ticket counter to register for our flight for almost 45 minutes while the three women behind the counter discussed the newspaper, the sad state of the public transportation system, and whatever else they could think of to avoid serving the 100 people waiting to check in for the flight.  I told Anton about the line from Office Space.  He loved it.

Capitalism, however, has certainly taken hold in Russia.  Everyone looks for ways to make money in whatever way possible.  In the three weeks I've been here, it has been strange to discover just how far Russians have taken the concept.  For example, absolutely nothing in this country is free.  Small things, like ketchup at McDonald's or cream for your coffee, comes at a price.  In the U.S., we're all accustomed to getting the condiment for free with our fries.  In Russia, you have to pay an extra 15 to 30 rubles (.40 to $1) to get a ketchup.  Milk for your coffee -- that will be 30 rubles please.  Even more disturbing is the separate system of prices for Russians and "foreigners."  For example, while in St. Petersburg I visited several museums with my Russian colleague, Anton.  The price for Anton might be 100 rubles (about $4), while the price for me was 250 rubles ($10).  Anton and I had a long discussion on this discriminatory system of pricing.  I explained that if museums in the United States implemented such a practice, the hue and cry from the world would be deafening.  Anton agreed, said the practice was completely unfair, but then added this gem of wisdom -- "You're living in a totalitarian state, what do you expect?"  We both shared a good laugh over his analysis.  The photo above gives one of the best examples of the extent of Russian capitalism -- in order to use a disgustedly foul porta-potty in Moscow, you have to pay 15 rubles.  There is a woman sitting in the open doorway who collects the toilet fees. Thank you, but I'd rather crap my pants.

Russian capitalism -- pay more for less!

St. Petersburg, Part II

 From Wednesday to Saturday, I was in St. Petersburg.  The trip was officially for business, but I had the chance to do a bit of exploring on my visit. On the business side, I met with representatives of the city prosecutor's office (including the Chief Prosecutor) to discuss how the criminal system works in Russia, as well as the extent of cybercrime prosecutions that occur in St. Petersburg.  I'm hoping to begin a cybercrime project in Russia, and am hoping to start it in St. Petersburg.  I also met with several professors (and former prosecutors) from a prosecutor training institute in St. Petersburg.  The meetings went really well, and the Russian officials seemed receptive about working on a cybercrime training program for Russian police, prosecutors and judges with me.

St. Petersburg is a phenomenal city.  I was only there for three days and I can already tell you I like it much more than Moscow.  It is very European and, as the locals like to say, is the "cultural capitol" of Russia.  We didn't have much time, but we managed to visit the Peterhof, one of Peter the Great's summer palaces that lies across the Gulf of Finland from St. Petersburg, as well as the Winter Palace (shown above), winter home of the Russian tzar's and now home of the Hermitage Museum, the largest collection of art in the world behind the Louvre.  We only had about 2 hours to view the collection, however, so I'm sure I'll be making another trip back to St. Petersburg on a purely touristy level.  I've posted a few shots of my trip in the photo album section of the blog.  More information on the Peterhof can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peterhoff

St. Petersburg has a distinctly different vibe than Moscow.  Anton Alferov, one of the attorneys working with me at the ABA, said that St. Petersburg doesn't have the "dark energy" that permeates Moscow.  That description is very apt.  A slightly slower pace, more beautiful architecture, and friendly people were the three big things I noticed in St. Petersburg.  I loved the city and hope to go back soon.

St. Petersburg

After many promises, I finally figured out how to upload photos to the blog.  At the right, you'll notice a new option in the sidebar entitled "Photo Albums."  I've posted a few shots of my apartment in the first photo album.  Enjoy.  This evening, I am leaving for St. Petersburg with two of my co-workers.  We're headed there to have several meetings with representatives of the bar association and prosecutor's offices in the hopes of starting a pro bono legal aid clinic in St. Petersburg.  We're flying up, which should be an experience as we are using Aeroflot, Russia's primary airline.  My first experience with the Russian airline industry.  Yesterday, I met with the President of the Moscow Bar Association and two of his colleagues.  They were greatly interested in my former work in wiretapping, and asked me to present a lecture for the bar association.  I'm sure everyone will think I'm a spy once they find out that I worked for the U.S. government handling eavesdropping matters.

The weather has again turned quite nice.  It reminds me of late fall in Washington, D.C. or early Fall in Northern Michigan.  The air is cool and crisp, but the sun has been shining the last two days.  I walked home from work yesterday to enjoy the weather (about a 40 minute trip).  I stopped at a department store called Kalinka Stockman and found a western supermarket -- Fruity Pebbles, Lucky Charms, Aunt Jemima pancake mix, and a ton of other staples and luxuries available in the States.  It all comes at a cost, however.  The pancake mix cost 250 rubles (about $10).  There are no real bargains to be found at Stockmans.  I bought a box of Lucky Charms, some milk, and a can of Pringles.  I don't think I'll be shopping much at Stockman's for my food.  Luckily, there is a supermarket right across the street from my apartment that is quite nice and a little more affordable (but still pricey by Russian standards).  It's really convenient and I'm sure I'll be shopping there quite a bit.

Several people have asked me what I miss most in Moscow.  In descending order they are: (1) my wife; (2) my dogs; and (3) my shower.  The shower in my apartment kind of sucks.  Good water pressure, but the shower head is hand held and little awkward to handle.  I'm sure I'll get used to it.  I think I'll be bringing Emma (a/k/a Jones), one of our Jack Russell Terriers, over to Moscow in October.  I may have found a dog walker and someone to dog sit when I am away on travel. If those two things work out, Jonesy will be battling the street dogs in Moscow soon.

I hope to have pictures from St. Petersburg on the blog over the weekend.

Finally, an Apartment

I've officially moved into my apartment.  I live on Bolshoi Bronnaya in the Patriarchie Ponds area of Moscow.  If you like, read more about my new neighborhood here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriarchie_Ponds

The lease signing process was a bit of a nightmare.  On Friday night, I met with the landlady and her daughter (who speaks a bit of English), their real estate agent and my agent at the apartment.  We went over the lease, which was written in Russian with a side-by-side English translation.  Russia is a total cash economy, so I handed over first and last months rent to my landlady.  I felt like a mobster or drug dealer -- I've never had that many bills on my person before.  The exchange rate of the dollar to ruble is roughly 25 rubles to the dollar, so you can imagine how many rubles I was carrying.  I'm just glad to be done with the apartment search. I'm still waiting on several items that the landlady is furnishing for the apartment, namely, dishes, pots and pans, etc.  I'm sure that's another story waiting to happen.

Thank goodness I moved out of the hotel.  I stayed almost two weeks at the Mir Hotel.  See pictures of the rooms at the Mir here: http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g298484-d299985-Mir-Moscow_Central_Russia.html Definitely not the Ritz -- I was ready to move out, that's for sure.  The Mir was definitely not a Western hotel.  Most, if not all, the guests there were Russian.  Whenever anyone found out where I was staying (Russian or American), they gave me a sympathetic look and usually made some comment about how the hotel would be a good incentive to find an apartment quickly.  About the only redeeming feature of the hotel was its proximity to work.

On Sunday, I decided to make the trek to IKEA to get a few things for the apartment.  I took the Metro for about 40 minutes to Rechnoi Vokzal, the last station on the green line. A map of the Moscow Metro: http://www.hotels-moscow.ru/metro.html After exiting the Metro station, I (and about 500 other people) waited in a pack for one of the free buses that takes you to a mega shopping mall that includes IKEA.  All I can say about my first introduction to "queuing" in a line with Russians is "sweet Jesus."  It was a total free for all trying to make it onto the bus.  I missed the first one (and was almost crushed to death trying to get on the bus), but made the second.  After about a 15 minute bus ride, we made it to the mall.  I got off the bus and the first thing that came to mind was "Holy. Crap."  Imagine the worst day of Christmas shopping crowds in the States.  The crowd at the mall was similar.  I bought some kitchen stuff for the apartment and then took a taxi home.  No way was I going to engage in the hand to hand combat needed to get back to the Metro station, especially not with a bag full of kitchen crap.  What a day -- I guess I still have to adjust to a city of 10 million people.

Finally, I finally got my digital camera working and plan on spending tonight downloading some pictures.  Please check the blog to see if the pictures worked out.

Apartment -- Part II

Patience and flexibility, I am quickly learning, are definitely virtues in Moscow.  On Tuesday night, I was expecting to sign a lease for an apartment in the Kudrinskya (Seven Sister) building.  My agent was an hour late in picking me up from the hotel.  When I got in the car, I realized why -- there were a couple pots and pans, a few dishes, a cheap set of sheets, and a thread bare blanket in the backseat.  Turns out the landlady, who had agreed to fully furnish the apartment, had apparently backed out on the deal.  The items in the agent's back seat were her attempt (somewhat pathetic, but I'm surprised she even tried) to "furnish" the apartment for me.  I started to have a bad feeling about the transaction.  Then, I was informed that the landlady would not accept U.S. currency for payment as she had originally agreed.  She wanted rubles.  By this time, it was 8:30 p.m., all the banks (with good exchange rates) were closed.  My agent wanted me to go to an exchange kiosk near a metro station to change the money.  I may be a rube from Manton, Michigan, but there is no way I'm getting screwed on the exchange rate, let alone risking being robbed near the free-for-all at the Barrikudskaya Metro Station.  Needless to say, I bailed.  I hadn't even signed the lease yet and the landlady was being a pain.  The apartment was fantastic, but there are other apartments in a metropolitan area of 10 million people.

So, to make a long story short, I'm apartment hunting again.  I've got my eye on a place in the Patriarchy Ponds area of Central Moscow.  Very nice neighborhood and a great location.  The apartment is not nearly as nice as the one in the Kudrinskaya Building and I won't be able to walk to work, but it's cheaper and only two metro stations away from work.  Plus, it's in a better location in Moscow as far as being centrally located. We'll see about how things work out.  I'm waiting to here from my agent on the negotiations.

Apartment

After much searching, negotiation, and hand wringing, I've finally found an apartment.  A bit more expensive than I wanted to pay in Moscow, but I am beginning to learn that everything is more expensive here than I assumed.  That seems to be a recurring theme in my blog posts lately.  In any case, I'm set to sign a lease tonight on an apartment in one of Moscow's "Seven Sisters" -- buildings built by and for Stalin after World War II.  My apartment is on the 17th floor of the Kudrinskaya Square apartment block.  You can see a picture of the building here: http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2799595510065714915tZpSgc

I have a great view of downtown Moscow and the apartment is furnished, etc.  I'll post pictures (I've been promising that a lot lately) once I move in.  I've been very busy -- looking for an apartment, meeting with representatives from the U.S. Embassy, meeting local partners in the rule of law business and trying to adjust to Moscow.  I can't wait to get into the apartment, as I am sure I will feel much more settled.  The hotel is already wearing on me.  Lease will be signed tonight and I hope to spend the first night there as well -- I'm still waiting for the landlady to furnish the place with linens, dishes, television, etc.  My landlady is an older Russian woman (babushka) and the apartment has been in her family since the building was built.  She told me through my real estate agent that she never thought she'd be renting the place to an American.  Apparently, I am the first American to rent the place from her.  She even commented that she would have to learn English now that she had an American tenant.  Hopefully, my Russian will also improve.  We have to talk somehow.

Can't believe I've already been here a week!

 

Russian Water

Vodka.  I knew it would play prominently in my social and work environment in Russia, but little did I know how quickly it would thrust itself into my existence.  On Friday night, I went out with two co-workers for drinks at a local English-themed pub.  After a couple of beers, the topic of conversation and drinking turned to Russian water, or vodka.  Needless to say, our choice drink changed quickly.  Russians generally drink shots of vodka followed by a pickle (a sweet gherkin) as a chaser.  The typical sized shot is 50 grams, but you can order larger glasses or even a fifth for the table.  After two beers and three shots of vodka, I could have used a few more sweet gherkins.  I was feeling no pain.  Following a quick dinner, we then went to a local music venue to watch some jazz.  Anton, one of the Russian attorneys who I am working with, had reserved a table and six of his friends were already there.  When we arrived, a fifth of Ukrainian vodka was waiting.  After we finished that, we got another one.  The strangest thing to get accustomed to was drinking the vodka straight.  In the States, I might have one or two vodka tonics.  In Russia, I quickly learned I'll have to get used to drinking vodka neat.

Needless to say, we all got completely bombed.  I was proud of the fact that my new Russian friends complemented my drinking abilities.  They also commented that my Russian seemed to get better the more I drank.  I'm not sure if I attribute that to my Russian skills or their inebriation. 

The next morning, Saturday, I was a bit hung over, but nothing too bad.  We were drinking high quality vodka -- I can't imagine what the day would have been like if the cheap stuff was flowing through me.

On the apartment front, I think I've found a place.  Hopefully will sign the lease on Monday or Tuesday.  I'm still trying to figure out how to post pictures to the blog, but I should have photos up of the apartment soon.

On an unrelated note, I can't think of a better year to be out of the United States than this one for purposes of Michigan football.  I hope I don't run into any Ohio State fans over here.

First Impressions

Things have been crazy here in Moscow. I'm settling into work, looking for an apartment, and trying to get use to the city all at the same time.  The apartment hunt, so far, has been somewhat of a disappointment.  I was warned that Moscow was expensive (rated as the world's most expensive city for expats the last two years running), but I had no idea until I arrived and started looking for a place to live.  The majority of the apartments I've seen have not been particularly nice and were, in my opinion, way overpriced.  I have my eye on one apartment, however, and am in the process of negotiating the price.  Hopefully, things will work out.  I'm already tiring of living out of my hotel room and am looking forward to getting more settled.

Now, without further ado, here are some initial observations of Moscow:

1.  The city is far greener and with more parks than I expected.

2.  The weather has been fantastic.  70's and sunny everyday.  If I could bottle the weather I would.  Absolutely gorgeous.  With typical Russian pessimism, everyone in the office has promised me things will get much colder next week.

3.  Traffic is an complete nightmare and parking more so.  People park anywhere and everywhere.  Sidewalks, curbs, you name it, they'll park there.

4.  I need to learn more Russian. Fast.

5.  Russian women are generally quite beautiful.  Men, not so much so.

6.  Did I mention the city was expensive?

I hope to have some pictures up on the blog soon.  I hope to be in an apartment by next week and will have better access to post to the blog.  Right now, my hotel doesn't have Internet access.  Overall, I think I am going to like living and working here.  The jet-lag is still killing me, but I'm slowly getting over it.