Kazan — summer 2014

Washington has contacted our administration in Tempe to confirm our emergency plans. Apparently either the destruction of the Malaysian airliner or the fighting in Luhansk has spooked someone. Things are as peaceful as can be here in Kazan. I'm thinking we will complete our program as scheduled in four weeks without having to evacuate.

In terms of evacuation we will essentially follow the US Embassy's directions. If the embassy says that all Americans should evacuate, then we will evacuate. If not, then we won't. From my own observations here on the ground there is no need to.

How much food do you need to live in Russia? There is an official living wage shopping cart that the Russian government uses to calculate minimum wages in Russia. I link it here. Take a look at it. What surprises you about the list?

Who is this grafitti artist who is so wise in the ways of science?

While I'm in Russia, I eat all sorts of things I would never eat at home. This is a salted-almond chocolate bar with caramel.