Archives for: "August 2010"
Shocking heat
August 1st, 2010We made it to 102°F here today. The city has melted down and is spookily inactive. Sweat is running down my back in streams as I type. Kazan-dwellers don't remember ever having a summer this hot. more »
City covered in smoke
August 2nd, 2010This morning I woke up and smelled smoke. I looked out the window. The sky seemed cloudy, and the land almost seemed slightly foggy. Then I realized the entire city was covered with smoke. The summer heat has enabled grass fires to spring up in the… more »
Living conditions
August 2nd, 2010FSK presented me with some numbers today. Recently they sold their 2-bedroom apartment for 1.2 million rubles. (Exchange rate is about 30 rubles to the dollar.) The young couple that bought it got a mortgage with a 30% annual interest rate.… more »
Dachas
August 5th, 2010What an interesting day! I had the opportunity to go two Russian dachas, which are like summer houses. Those Russians who can afford them spend as much of their summertime there as possible, and usually they have a garden as well where they grow a… more »
Tatar village
August 6th, 2010Tomorrow we head to a Tatar village where we will spend the night. Should be interesting. more »
