6/6/06
I made it back to the civilization yesterday after spending a week in various villages in Kazakhstan and Siberia -- I am now in Barnaul in Siberia, and will travel back to Kazakhstan tomorrow -- to a town called Semipalatinsk. I have done so much over the past week, it will be impossible to give you a thorough account so I will summarize. My first stop was a village in Kazakhstan called Uspenka. I just wanted to visit the village because I knew there were many Germans left living there. I received a pretty warm welcome from the locals, and got a quick tour of the town and was fed lunch. Later, I was taken to a meeting for people who were subjected to repression during WWII -- which means that they were deported to Siberia and Kazakhstan and forced to labor in what was called the "service army" -- in which many people died during and after the war. Most of the participants were Germans, but there were other groups represented as well. During the event I managed to meet and cozy up with the mayor of the village and the president of the county, as well as a member of the local senate. I stayed with a family affiliated with the local German center -- who were very nice. When I arrived at their home, we spent the evening chatting. I left the next morning for Sharbakti -- another Kazakhstan village which dislocated just a few kilometers from the Siberian border. I have chosen this town as my eventual research site in Kazakhstan (after checking out Uspenka, I made that decision). The reasons are its size (it’s much larger than the other villages and has more resources), my contacts there (I am well acquainted with the assistant to the Akim/major which helps), its proximity to my Siberian research site Podsosnovo, and finally because of the presence of the Catholic church. The father here is an American, and there are some other Americans priests here as well as some European nuns (the head nun is a very nice lady from Austria). I think that it will be good for you and the kids to have some people around who seem much more familiar and speak your language. The church runs a center for abandoned and neglected children, so there are always a bunch of little kids running around the church. After I arrived to Sharbakti, I met with Gulnara who is the assistant to the Akim, and explained to her that I wanted her to help me find a place to live when I move there next year. We discussed a few options and she suggested that I go and speak with the Catholic father, because the church has purchased a number of houses. I spoke with him the next day; however his only suggestion was for us to buy a house (we can get a nice big one for $5000 -- haha). Gulnara indicated that there are other options -- we can probably find someone to rent to us -- and I should check back with her when I arrive to Siberia next year. I feel pretty good about the situation because it appears that my contacts there are totally prepared to help us.
After Sharbakti, I crossed the border and traveled to the Siberian city Slavgorod and then later to the village Podsosnovo. This time I didn't want any help from the German org. here but instead I wanted to make my way around the region myself (in the past, the German org. has provided me with transporation). Unfortunately, there is no bus service to Podsosnovo from Slavgorod, so I had to take a bus to the closest road to the village. When I climbed out of the bus, I was disappointed to see a distance marker indicating 15 kilometeres to Podsosnovo (I think about 8 or 9 miles). I began walking and stuck my thumb out every time a car passed, but no one would pick me up. After about 40 minutes an older guy and his wife stopped and let me climb in their car. The couple quickly realized that I was not Russian, and after telling the driver that I am from the US, he almost drove his car into the ditch along the side of the road. He said (what is an American doing wandering around in the middle of Siberia!). Anyway, I finally got to Podsosnovo, got set up in the local hotel, and got Alexei (my buddy the mayor) on the phone. I met with him and his family later at his house, and we went back over my plans -- which are totally all set. He said that there are several houses that have been kept by Germans who have moved to Germany, and they would be glad to rent them. Fortunately, all of the houses here have central, electrical heating and indoor toilets (as opposed to Sharbakti which uses coal, meaning we will have to pay for coal deliveries and figure out how to use a coal burning stove, and outhouses -- meaning a small wooden enclosure with a hole in the floor). The only concern is furniture, which he says we can buy in Podsosnovo or Slavgorod. Of course, I told him that us moving there is totally conditional, however if it works out, I will write him and he will spring into action providing the necessary paperwork. The rest of my time in Podsosnovo, I spent visiting some acquaintances, and going to the local German church (I went to 4 hours of church on Sunday!).
Yesterday (Monday), Alexei drove me to Halbstadt (the county seat), so I could register my visa and where I could catch a bus for Barnaul, to where I arrived last night. I spent today trying to track down people. My main concern is to find Professor Matis at the University of Barnaul. I need to talk to him about getting academic affiliation with the university for my research period in Russia. Unfortunately, I have not been successful -- I have been to his office and have called his office and home phone several times today, but have not been able to track him down. I am
leaving tomorrow and don't think I will be able to get him. Darn! I did pay a visit to the local German House and checked with my contacts there about getting ourselves officially registered when we arrive in Russia. After calling the local migration authorities, I was told that the procedure had totally changed from what I was told last year; and they explained how I need to do it (hopefully it does not change again next year when we get here!) Anyway, it is evening here and I am little disappointed about not finding professor Matis. Oh well - I am going to call him at home tonight, and maybe go by the University tomorrow before I leave. My plan is to leave for Kazakhstan tomorrow morning -- unless I can arrange a meeting with Matis tomorrow afternoon -- and if so will take an overnight bus tomorrow night (ughh!!). This trip (which has been quite fruitful) is winding down -- really meeting with Matis was the last thing I needed to do -- other than getting to Almaty for the flight home.
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