Week 1, Back in 5gorsk

1. As I left Omaha to board my fight, many emotions were going through my mind. When one travels this far from home and for this long, feelings of excitement, uncertainty, and regret flow through. Of course, most of these feelings happen at various times during the jouney. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a goid traveller, always have been, but the older you become, the more conscious you are of how important your role in your home is and how important certain relationships are to you. It is like having a hole in you chest that you cannot fill, even with the best of memories that you collect when half way around the world because of the simplest fact thst the people closest to you are not there to share these moments with you.

My flights over all were not difficult and when arriving in Moscow Sherematyova, I wasn’t upset and flustered like duting my first time there. It helps when you have been in the same airport mant times and know where to go. Immigration was a breeze as my name is already in the Russian governments system. I walked in snd out of Customs with no problems, get my bags scanned and my registration (arguably, the most important piece of paper that you withh ever have in Russia), was filled out quickly, signed by me and stamped in the dark blue ink, making the process easier this time around. In and out in 10 minutes. Maybe a new record. I was then able to re-check my bags in a timely fashion and not feel rushed. I was also able fed very well on all my flights ( Delta even give out cookies on the flight from Omaha to Minneapolis), which made life easier. Of course by this time in my journey, I was beginning to feel fitgued by it all. The flight from Moscow to Mineralnye Vody was exciting as I was looking forward to being back in the Caucaus again. Looking out the window, my spirits were raised when I saw them. The shapes of familiar formations were getting bigger and bigger and we descended.  Beshtau, in all his glory stood as proud and tall as ever, his five peaks rasing into the air. The sun was setting and the shadows from the various mountains or “gorka”   in Russian (meaning a singular mountain, not apart of a chain) that dot the front range of the Caucasus (also known as the Nogay steppe) seemed to stretch across the green colored plains. We chapped, as is the custom when landing on landing on Russian soil and slowly exited the plane we glew in. I breathed in the crisp Caucasus air and headed to claim my bags.

I waited for a few minutes for the taxi driver to so up from the University. He arrived in a white, unmarked car and shuffled over to me, asking if I was the “one.” I reply the I “was indeed the one,” and shook hod big, winkling hand and we departed from the airport to Pyatigorsk. He started asking me where I was from and the like. I chatted with him and the hard, guttural Caucasian Russian. It was a normal conversation and not one of those that is common among taxi drivers thst involves dirty and distastful jokes about women or sex. I was very relieved. I then asked him if you liked lezginka (the national music of the region), while we were driving amongst Beshtau’s base. He turned his head and looked at me with both surpise and happiness and said “You’ve been here before?” I replied “Yes, of course,” and he then fipped on his radio and started playing the song “Assa,” nice and loud. We drove with the windows down, the breeze flowing through the car, the beat nice and loud. It was one of those moments that are “snapshots” in time, perfect in everyway. I felt blissful. We then saw Malshuk, Beshtau’s lovely wife (according to Kabardinian legend). At her feet, facing west is Pyatigorsk, nestled between them. The sun had set when we arrived by the famous (or infamous) Dorm No. 5 (known as the obshaga) a place that is filled with wonderful memories for me. I was then flooded with those events, a slide show of imagines for all the people that were there in 2013/2014 when I was here last. I honestly was hoping for my old room on the third floor but, I can’t pick and choose. I live on the fifth floor, room number 264. I’ve made it my home, with some photos (including the one of Taylor and I at the Henry Dorly Zoo) and my Confederate Battle Flag which hangs above my bed. I live in a block with two other people. My roomate arrives 4 days ago. His name is Martin, a native of the State of Georgia who studied at the University in Chicago. This is his first year learning Russian. My blockmate is a Frenchman named Alex. He was here when I arrive on the 1st and he is very friendly. It was strange not to have my buddy William here, a moment that slowly sunk in. This is the same place, but different people and though it woukd becfun and I would make wonderful memories here, it would never be the same as the first time. Hopfully when Alina and Vika return from working on the ship this summer, things will start to fall back into place.

The state of the kitch is sad at best. There is very little in regards to utensils and bowls or plates. One of the stoves are in disrepair. Though this is a normal situation. As the phrase goings “this is Russia.” We do have a refrigerator, which os a pleasant surprise. Buying food was the first priority. In walked to the various markets that I know of, but all were closed so I decided to walk around the city to see what had changed. Not much has, only a few buildings that were construction when I was there last where finished. It is very warm here, in the mid 90’s with the dry heat, something I’m not used to. In Russian, they call weather like this in late summer, “the woman’s summer” as women can still wear dresses as its warm enough. I hope the weather gets cool soon, because I’m dying walking up and down this hills. On my walk, I get very thirsty and luckily come across a kvas stand. I purchased a large glass for 40 rubles and enjoyed the fermented rye bread drink. I love kvas, this is a seasonly drink and it’s very refreshing on the warm summer days. It was a much need pick me up during my walk around the city. I also saw the pieces for goods. The sanctions on Russian by both our nation and EU have affected the Russian economy in a few ways. Firstly, pieces have raisen since I was last there. My favorite band of sausage is 100 rubles more expansive. Secondly, because of the sanctions, foreign goods are more expansive or not available. Italian coffee is nowhere to be seen (I buy Armenian coffee anyway for my briki). Thirdly, the sanctions have inspired the Russian to buy local products, so the native foods are less expanse and more available (but, there is still a piece increase) and Russian cheese, dairy and beer industries are booming. Onions and potatoes are still dirt cheap and garlic has gone down in piece. Very interesting developments.

On my way back to the University, I stopped by the photoshop to have my pictures tsken for my ID at the University and the others documents thst I needed. I soon got my 6, 3×4 size photos printing on matt paper and headed back to the Universities main hall. I then startes the large and grievous process of registration paperwork. All the stamped documents and signed papers are all all part of Russian life, that one either gets used to or goes crazy over. The Russian’s love paperwork or at least their administration at both the local and federal levels does. You can’t complain about the DMV after going through Russian bureaucracy. I stopped by the International Affairs Office and spoke to Anna Alfredovna (the dean of International Affairs). She was pleased to see me, however, I like to keep my dealings with her to a minimum. I handed my photos that I took earlier to her and looking surprised, she said “Ian knows how this is done,” commenting on me remebering the the process of registration. I would like to thank William for his step by step directions on this during my first stay here. I now have all my doucments done. I have documents in Health Insurance (Aptechka, a common registration for insurance, taking care of the basic cold or broken leg), in “The Regulations for Foreign Citizens and Individuals with No Citizenship Who Arrive in the Russian Federation for Studies, Probation and or Teaching in SEIHPE PSLU,” (I write the full title of this document to highlight the Russian’s need to use long and overblown titles fot documents) a form thst requires me to inform the International Affairs Office when I travel outside Pyatigorsk, and finally my dorm registration, a document stating that I’m a resident of Dorm No. 5.

After I competed these documents, I decided to visit mybold friends and peers from my old faculty. Zina (one of my friends from Baku, Azerbaijan) saw me and we embraced, talked for a little and soon afterwards, many other friends showed up. Yana was the most excited, running over to hug me, we talked for a little bit too, though she is still very shy, a part of her clarm. It is good to be held in such high regard. In also saw some of my old professors, including Nina Antonova, Olga Aleksavna and Marina Getmanskaya. We talked to up like it was old times, like nothing had changed. It was a very good feeling, as this faculty is like my family. We take care of each other. I’ve also started classes, which is a blessing. The last time I was here, it took a week and a half for my schedule to be finalized. I study with two French students and a Brazilian student. We’re a good group and I look forward to getting to know them better over the next year. They’re all new to Pyatigorsk, so I showed them around and give advice on where to shop and go from goods. The six foreign students (including myself) when out for drinks (and by drinks I mean 9 liters of Maikopskya piva, a beer crafted in the city of Maikop; pne of my favorites) at a pub I like to go to, where we talked snd laughed about anything and everything from 5 in the afternoon to 10 in the evening. I aslo managed to get internet from Beeline (a Russian phone and internet service) after much frustration and good communication skills. I ended up signing up for a 18g a month plan for 560 rubles. Not bad, $15 a month for internet. A them saw my good friend Elberd Kotsev, one of the Russian students who came to Hastings in the spring of 2013. He and I took a walk up Malshuk, shared a gyro and chatted it up like old times. I gave him the coffee and tooth paste he wanted and he gave me a kilo of Russian chocolates, a good trade. All and all, a good start to a wonderful year in the Caucasus.