I am Leaving Tomorrow

I have been thinking about writing a conclusion blog for a few days now and I am not entirely sure where to begin. The truth is that there are so many memories I have made here in Russia, it is impossible to attempt to describe them here. I don’t have the writing expertise to explain how utterly amazing it was to go on the roof of our 22 story hostel to watch the fireworks going off for Victory Day. I can’t put into words how inexplicably beautiful St. Petersburg was with it’s grey skies that made the colors of the buildings stand out like beacons. And to save my life, I can’t describe my strange attachment to this place with these amazing people who have undoubtedly changed my life.

There is something about Russia that is so incredibly intangible, it’s impossible to understand. I will try to describe it though. There have been so many times where I have been walking with a fellow American friend and something inexplicable happens. Perhaps an older woman enters onto the Metro in a floor length fur coat in May. Perhaps a gigantic group of 100 people breaks out into song and dance in the middle of the mall (yes, it happened, I’m not kidding). Or maybe even someone engages in the simplest act of kindness: smiling at a complete stranger (it wasn’t until I arrived here that I realized how precious smiles are). But at any length, these serve as very very small examples of the mystery that is Russia.

I already miss this place. It’s absolutely beautiful this time of year. I never thought that the snow would melt or that I would see the sun again, but it’s stunning here. The sun stays out until 10:00pm and the city just feels alive. We were walking near red square the other day and the sun was shining, the tulips were in bloom and the grass was a perfect, Kelly green. It was just such an extraordinary contrast from the cold and grey (but still beautiful in a magical kind of way) winter I experienced while here. I suppose the weather serves as another token of Russia’s slyness: you never know what the day is going to be like.

So, in an attempt to wrap things up I will simply say that Russia was the most uncomfortable, different, strange, enlightening, beautiful, influential, stunning, amazing experience of my life. I will never trade my months here with anything. Many of the memories I have made here are so incredibly precious (some are too precious to blindly share on this blog- sorry!) that I consider them like a collection of diamonds. This time here has been worth everything to me and I want to come back to this place again. 

I Promise I Am Still Alive...

To those who have been following my blog and have been disappointed in my absence for the past few weeks, I am deeply sorry. I have been going absolutely crazy working and studying for one of the classes I've been taking. It's called "Energy Management Systems: Local, National, & International Implications". So at first glance, this may seem like a harmless pro-Environmentalist course but in think that, you would be extremely wrong.

Basically this course boils down to engineering: rich with mathematics, physics and chemistry (yummy). For those of you who do not know me, to state it plainly- I am not a math and science person. The first day of classes when our professor, Dr. Buffington, was talking about kilojoules, BTU, kilograms and megawatts, I thought my mind was going to explode. I think my face maintained a blank stare for about 45 minutes. (Except when he mentioned kilojoules- as that reminded me of jewels, which reminded me of those little troll dolls with the hair that sticks up and the rhinestones on their bellybuttons. That thought entertained me for the better portion of a half-hour...)

Long story short: I worked my butt of for this class, ended up understanding it and got an A! Thank God for small favors, right? However, as a result of my understanding of this course, the door that was forever shut to math and science has a crack in it. I am rethinking my whole law school path and considering business school because I actually enjoyed the math formulas. Oh, how things can change.

Anyway, as a result of my incessant working, I have been leading a semi-boring life. As you can see, I've gone on many field trips (which is a requirement for the course). I am learning a tremendous amount of information about agriculture, but also about business management, marketing and international trade laws.

This semester has turned out to be far more life altering than I assumed. Well, let me rephrase, it is far more life altering for different reasons than I assumed. I knew that I was going to grow as a person from the basic fact that I am living out of the country, in a completely new environment, without English and sweet tea (one guess which of those was the hardest to get used to...). However, I never thought that this experience could potentially shape my path of study and future career. As I stated before, I always assumed law school would be the next step for me. Now I feel as though my eyes are opening up to an entirely new range of choices that I never considered before. Normally, I would be overwhelmed by my indecisiveness but at the moment I feel like I am standing on a beach marveling at the ocean, and I can't wait to see where the tide will take me.

My Russian Exam

Think you're cool... look what I can write! :) Haha, just kidding. I just thought that this would be an interesting tid bit to share with everyone back home. Russian is such a difficult language and it had been the most prevalent cultural reminder throughout my trip. Read and be confused!

My Family:

Моя семья живет в Америке. Мои отец и мать живут в Южной Каролине. Мой брат живет в Колорадо. Моя семья не большая. Моих маму и папу зовут , Эдвард и Мишель, а старшего брата, Майкл. Мой папа врач, а мама медсестра. Мой брат продавец. Моему отцу 64 года и моей маме 46 лет. Моему брату 23 года. У меня есть бабушка. Она живет в Пенсильвании. Я люблю всех в моей семье. Моя семья щедрая, заботливая и смешная. Моя семья очень дружная и приглашает всех к себе в гости. У меня есть собака. Ее зовут Мэгги.

My University:

Я учусь в университете Клемсон. Клемсон Университет находится в Клемсон, Южная Каролина. Мой университет большой. Мой университет имеет 20.000 студентов. Мой университет является очень старым. Он был построен в 1889 году. В нашем университете работает много профессоров. Студенты могут изучать многие предметы в Клемсоне. В Клемсоне, студенты изучают историю, машиностроение, науку, литературу, математику и многое другое. Я изучаю историю. Я очень люблю историю . Мои профессора отличные. Они очень интересные и умные. Я буду получать степень бакалавра в следующем году.

My Friends:

У меня много друзей. У меня много друзей из школы. В России, у меня есть друзья. Мои новые друзья, и я учимся вместе. Мы изучаем науки. Моя лучшая подруга живет в Америке. Ее зовут Эмили. Она учится в университете. Ей 20 лет. Я познакомилась с ней, когда мне было 2 года. Она, как моя сестра. Мы ходим по магазинам вместе. Мы занимались плаванием вместе. Она умная, смешная, красивая и добрая. Мои новые, русские друзья Инна, Makc, Максим, Алиса, Лилия, Катя, Кристина и Елена. Они студенты.

My City:

Я живу в Южной Каролине. Южная Каролина очень интересная. Это красивый штат . Многие туристы приезжают в Южную Каролину. Они ходят на пляж. Летом, я люблю ходить на пляж. Моя семья и я ходим на пляж часто. Когда я отдыхаю, я люблю читать в парке. Я хочу посетить Калифорнию. Это красивое место. В Калифорнии есть горы , пляжи и прекрасные виноградники. Я хочу посетить Санкт-Петербург. Там есть много дворцов.

Moscow:

Я люблю Москву. Я учусь в университете России. Я знаю немного о истории России. Я также изучала политику России. Я ходила на Красную площадь и в Кремль. они очень интересные. Я видела художественный музей имени Пушкина. Он очень красивый . Метро в Москве очень быстрое. Я ходила в торговый центр. Погода в Москве холодная. Дома не так холодно как в Москве. Там тепло сейчас. Я хочу приехать в Москву снова, потому что я буду скучать по друзьям.

My day:

Я просыпаюсь в 7 утра. Я завтракаю в 7:30. Я ем йогурт на завтрак. В Америке, я езжу в школу в 8:00. В субботу и воскресенье, я хожу в парк. Я читаю там. Иногда я хожу по магазинам с друзьями. Я обедаю в полдень. Я ем дома. Обычно я кушаю суп и хлеб. Потом , я гуляю. Потом, я делаю домашнее задание. Я ем ужин в 7 вечера. Мне нравится смотреть фильм на ночь. Потом я иду спать.

My hobbies:

Я люблю читать и гулять. Моя любимая книга “The Wizard of Oz”(Волшебник страны Оз). Я люблю делать домашние задания в парке в университете. В школе я изучаю много. Я читаю много книг. Я изучаю историю. Я люблю разговаривать с моими родителями. Моя мама очень смешная. Моя мама и я ходим в магазин вместе. Мы также ходим в кино вместе. Мой брат живет далеко, поэтому я не вижу его часто. Я танцую и пою часто. Мне нравится играть в футбол и заниматься гимнастикой.

CLAAS Agricultural Equipment

On Wednesday, April 13, 2011, we took a bus to the CLASS Agricultural Equipment storage facility in Moscow. Our group was sufficient smaller for this field trip, as Helen was the only Russian who joined us and Shelli and Dr. Buffington were both ill. Although everyone was missed, the smaller group definitely provided a more intimate experience and those present had a great time goofing around on the bus. The drive was not as long as the trips usually are, as the facilities are located within the Moscow region.
After our brief drive (only an hour or so) we arrived on the location. CLAAS is a German company that produces agricultural equipment for farmers (tractors especially). CLAAS is the largest agricultural equipment company in Europe and provides numerous products to farmers across Russia. The equipment is very modern and renowned for its quality. The specific facilities we were touring did not manufacture the equipment on site, but was a storage and distribution center for the products.
Three people greeted us upon arrival, the first man being the head of the marketing and communications department. The first man, who actually is a graduate of Moscow State Agricultural Engineering University, showed us around the warehouse that houses the equipment. There is a very specific and complicated process by which the products are categorized and stored. I cannot say that it was not confusing. We were also informed that equipment ordered by Russian farmer must be shipped to this location and then it may be distributed to the farmers. It is a very extensive process that our tour guide deals with, as there are many tariffs and processes required by customs for the shipping of these products. I was very impressed by his knowledge and understanding of the company.
After touring the large (and chilly) warehouse, we entered into the offices of the company. We were shown the places where dealings with customs and technical processes are made. After the brief office tour, the other two people who greeted us initially sat us down in a business conference room and gave us an overview of the company. I was very impressed to learn that CLAAS is a family owned company, It was founded in the early 1900s and to this day is still owned by people within the CLAAS family. The granddaughter and son of the creator are the official owners of the company but other family members hold shares within the company. I thought this was very interesting and I was very impressed that they were able to maintain the integrity of the company this way.
After the initial overview, we were told that within Russia plans have been set into motion to create a manufacturing center in the Krasnodar region of Russia. This would be a great economic opportunity for the Russians as the manufacturing plant would provide many jobs and economic growth for the region. I am happy to see that European countries are investing more and more into Russia. Agriculture is still very much a early business for Russia and I think the more European businesses invest in Russia, the stronger Russia’s agriculture programs will become. CLAAS is a great example of the future of Russian agriculture and I hope to see many more instances of this.

Greenhouses

On Wednesday, April 6, 2011, we took an adventure to the greenhouses own by Moscow State Agricultural Engineering University. As we walked downstairs, we were welcomed with an unexpected surprise- warm(ish) weather! This proved to be a great thing because the greenhouses were within walking distance. I can’t say I wasn’t excited to skip a bus ride and spend some quality time walking to our destination. I knew it was going to be a good day from the start.
As we came upon the destination, I noticed that outside the greenhouses was a small building with many people waiting in a line. After inquiring, Dr. Malashenkov informed me that many people purchase the products of the greenhouse every day. I thought that was really interesting because it showed that not only does the greenhouse cater to research and development but also to providing local produce to the community. It reminded me of the co-op my family joined to receive local produce from the farmers in our area. It reminded me of home.
After our walk, we arrived at our destination. The number of greenhouses at the location amazed me, as there were at least a dozen. The greenhouses were very large and also very impressive. Once we entered the greenhouse, we were met by a young man who proceeded to show us around the facilities. We began our tour by viewing the process by which the plants are grown. The greenhouses specialize in produce, mainly tomatoes and cucumbers, but they also grow grains, cabbages, grasses and flowers.
We were shown the methodology by which the seeds for the grains, grasses and flowers are planted. It consisted of a great apparatus in which the soil, seeds and fertilizers are placed into trays in an assembly line fashion. It was very interesting and very technical. After the seeds are planted, they reside on the floor of the greenhouses, which is kept at a very humid temperature. Some specific grasses are kept in specialized areas that are warmer, as these types of grasses are grown primarily in the southern regions of Russia where it is climatically warmer.
After this portion of the tour, our guide informed us about the astronomical costs of heating and ventilating the greenhouses. It was truly astounding the costs for upkeep and maintenance of the greenhouses. The greenhouses were run on a combination of natural gas and fuel oil. Ironically, this was a direct correlation to the information we learned in Dr. Buffington’s class about energy efficiency. I’m sure that Dr. Buffington could help that facility and teach them some ways to save money.
Once we were informed of the costs, we ventured to the greenhouses where tomatoes are grown. The tomatoes are grown in a very technical fashion with rows and rows of plants. Each tomato plant resides in a bag to contain the roots and each root bag has a small hose connected to it to provide water. Apparently, this is a great nuance in the greenhouse business, one that Dr. Buffington was very impressed with. This prevents water from being wasted and ensures the highest efficiency of delivering water. The water is treated with minerals that provide nutrients to the tomato plants. I was terrified to find that bees are kept within the greenhouses to promote pollination. I am slightly allergic to bees, my body has issues with histamine thus any bite or sting causes the area to swell up like a balloon. It’s not life threatening in the least bit, just an annoyance. I was so nervous that I was going to get bitten, but fortunately all was well!
After visiting the tomatoes, we walked to another section of the greenhouse complex that provided space for research as well as the growing of cucumbers and herbs. The cucumber area was fascinating and definitely my favorite part of the tour. I had no idea that cucumbers were grown vertically on vines (we don’t grow them in my garden at home) and the vines were grown in rows. The area looked a lot like a jungle and our group has a fun time walking down the aisles. I thought for a second that I was in South America! It was a fun adventure. The herbs grown there consisted of dill, mint, basil and several others. They were grown on horizontal trays raised to about waist level height. Although we probably weren’t allowed to do this, Alisa and I picked a few leaves of basil and chomped on them. It was delicious and provided a great ending to a fantastic tour!

Beer Factory

On Wednesday, March 30, 2011, we went on an excursion to the Ochakovo Beer Factory. Everyone was extremely excited to go on this trip, which was evident by the extra participants we had accompanying us. We had additional students from Moscow State Agricultural Engineering University joining us on our trip, whom we had never met before. The company was welcome and served to excite us about what was in store for us (I mean, if people are giving up several hours for an event, it should be a pretty exciting one).
Once we arrived at the enormous beer factory, our tour guide joined us. She was extremely effervescent and eager to tell us all about the factory. Ochakovo is a Russian beer company that makes Kvac in addition to their many variations of lager. Our tour guide seemed very proud to be working at the facilities. Before we entered into the building, she elaborated our group on the agreement between the Russian military and Ochakovo Beer Company. Ochakovo would sponsor the military and supply beer and in return the military would provide support and protection. This was relevant in explaining the two tanks outside of the factory.
Upon entering the building, we changed into white lab coats and placed covers over our shoes. Maintaining a sterile environment is extremely important to the factory, as it is a hub of Ochakovo Beer, providing it throughout the world from that specific location. Once we changed into our attire, our tour guide elaborate on the history of the production of beer. It was a very interesting and surprisingly violent process of crushing, beating, smashing, straining and squashing the grain into a pulp and then packing it into a barrel to ferment. It was quite comical to watch out tour guide bringing out the different tools and going through the motions.
After we were given the history of production, we were led into the room where the mash was stored. There were gigantic vats of mash containing 65,000 L each, and in which gigantic fans churned and mixed the solution. The mash is made from hops bought from Germany and the Czech Republic. It was interesting because this room was the only one we were not allowed to take pictures in. After going through the production room, we were shown the various marketing techniques and logos of the company. This included the stickers on the bottles of beer. The most interesting part of this was that recently they had a contest to find a new man to feature on the bottle. I couldn’t help but wonder how interesting it would be to have your face as the face of a beer company, and your picture on every bottle.
We were shown through the rooms where the yeast is stored. The yeast is also bought from Germany in small quantities. In these rooms, the yeast grows enough to fill several gigantic tanks and is used up to 5 times, after which it is no longer useful. This yeast is mixed with the mash and water and fermented. When it is time to cool the beer it is transferred into a very chilly room containing extremely large tanks. Each of these tanks can hold 700,000 bottle of beer. There is an extremely high number of tanks, so you can only imagine how much beer is located in this factory.
The most interesting aspect of this factory was how extremely modern and European it was. There were very few workers because everything was operated mechanically. The Russian students were not quiet about their awe over the vastness of the factory either. I believe that everyone had an excellent time at the factory and I would love to go back again. Oh, and yes, we did have a beer tasting at the end of the excursion. However, beer does not taste very good to me at 4:00 in the afternoon so that was not my favorite part of the trip. I’m sure others enjoyed that very much though! ☺

Field Trip to an Extension Office

On Wednesday, March 23, 2011, we ventured by bus to the Extension Office in Sergiyev Posad. It is necessary to note that prior to this trip, I had no knowledge of the existence of extension offices nor their functions and applications to farmers. With this being said, I would think it is fair to note that I was thoroughly confused throughout the majority of the field trip. However, after the meeting at the office, my fellow classmates were able to illuminate me about the provisions and function of extension offices in the United States, clarifying a lot of my confusion.
To begin, we set off from Moscow at around 8 am and rode approximately 2 hours to Sergiyev Posad. Several of my classmates and I have previously voyaged to Sergiyev Posad to visit the famous monastery located within the town’s boarders. Thus, the town had an air of familiarity as we arrived at the Extension Office. Once arriving, we were ushered to the office of the man in charge and seated around an extremely long table. After a few minutes, we received an introduction from an assistant, welcoming us to the office. After introductions, the head of administration joined our table and proceeded to explain to us the function of the specific office. I have to admit that understanding was difficult as the man spoke Russian and the overview was conducted through Dr. Malashenkov’s translation.
From what I gathered, there is a hierarchy of extension office in Russia: regional, district and national. The extension office we visited was federally run and thus holds a lot responsibility and performs many functions. In Russia, the extension offices cater directly to the needs of the farmers. The farmers may request to have seminars concerning specific production and farming techniques and it is the responsibility of the extension office to create classes to cater to those needs. As it was explained to me, in the United States, the extension offices will cater to the needs of the farmers and will automatically hold seminars without the mandate of the farmers. In the US, extension offices promote agriculture more extensively than in Russia as they have many promotional techniques. For example, to incite interest with children, extension offices in the United States facilitate 4H and other agriculture groups to stimulate and spread knowledge among the youngest generation. The administrator at the Sergiyev Posad office said that they were attempting to begin planning such programs, but currently none were in place.
There is a lack of workers at the offices in Russia. The administrator explained that is was a result of students becoming educated and wanting to practice their knowledge in other countries. This brain drain directly affected the extension office at Sergiyev Posad and it seemed that the administrator held resentment about this fact. However, the most entertaining aspect of the trip was when the director offered Katie McKee a job. Granted, she did not accept, it was interesting to see the administrator directly recruiting. So, if anyone in the US ever wants to work in agriculture in Russia, I would suggest giving that man a call.
Overall, the extension office visit was very illuminating for me because I learned about the existence of extension offices. I realize that that seems rather glib, but growing up in an environment in which agriculture is not a primary topic, it is easy to miss out on certain things I suppose. I would like to see Russia try to promote agriculture to its younger generations. I think that if students become more excited about the opportunities they can receive in agriculture and it’s enormous global impact, they would be more inclined to seek a job in that field.