Posts Tagged "russia"
Stanislav: Future Police Officer
Stanislav, a high-school student, was walking along the streets of Poronaysk early one February evening, sporting a Yankees winter hat and yellow sneakers. He said he wanted to leave Sakhalin for the Russian mainland as ''there aren't a lot of career opportunities'' in Sakhalin. Stanislav, who likes to play soccer, said he would like to become a policeman. ''They rid the world of crime,'' he said, explaining his career choice. ''I want to be on the side of the law.''
Slava & Nina: Moscow Rally Participants
Slava and Nina were holding hands as they walked amid the rally. Slava was carrying a Russian flag in his other hand, while Nina was carrying four red roses, a camera wrapped around her neck. They said the came as a group of five, including parents and a grandparent. ''My mom doesn't like such rallies, but she was so shocked by what happened that she decided to attend,'' Nina said.
Artеmy: Moscow Rally Participant
Moscow: Artemy, 23, took part in the Moscow rally that paid respects to slain activist Boris Nemtsov. He was carrying two white roses tied together with a ribbon representing the Russian flag colors. ''I walked alongside Nemtsov during the last rally for peace in Ukraine. He was an important representative of the opposition and one of its longest-serving members. He represented liberal values, which I share.''
Oleg & Anna: Rally Participants
Oleg, 30, and Anna said they traveled from St. Petersburg to take part in the Moscow rally to honor slain activist Boris Nemtsov. ''We want to say that Russia is us. We are a European country and we want Russia to take a western route. Therefore we are here.'' ''We don't want a revolution. We want reforms to be carried out even if its not done quickly. But we don't see evidence of it.''
Boris Nemtsov Supporter
He was standing a few feet from the spot on the Moscow bridge where Boris Nemtsov was shot less than 24 hours earlier. He was holding a photo of Nemtsov and a small sign that read ''Heros don't die.'' He said he was part of the opposition movement and knew Nemtsov personally. ''I almost died when I heard the news,'' he said. ''He was probably the most honest opposition politician. He was someone you could trust.'' He said he was going to stand all night on the bridge to ensure no one removes the flowers. He said he wants people to see just how many flowers are left for Nemtsov.
Dmitry: Self-Described ‘Average Russian Family’
Dmitry said he moved to Sakhalin with his mom as a young boy from Siberia after his father drowned. He went to work for a pulp and paper factory after schooling, but that company went out of business during the Russian economic turmoil of the 1990s. He then joined the Russian military in 1993, serving three years. The military food rations were large at the time and ”lasted a year,” Dmitry said. ”Unlike many others, we lived fine during the 1990s.”
Masha: Born in Small Village, Getting 4th Degree
Masha grew up in a village with three residential buildings and 50 people, including her parents and three siblings. Like most tiny villages, there was no plumming, which made a lot of basic chores more difficult. Masha got a scholarship at a university on the Russian mainland, has received another two higher degrees and is working on getting her fourth. She works for one of the largest companies in the world and plans to adopt a child.
Korean Selling Chinese Clothing on Sakhalin
She owns a clothing shop at Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk’s outdoor market in the center of town. A native Sakhalin resident of Korean ethnicity, the 60-year old was dressed colorfully on this slow day. She said her clothing sales have suffered because Chinese goods have become more expensive in ruble terms. She said she travels every six weeks to China to buy clothing….
Kristina: Sakhalin Equestrian Rider
Sakhalin: Kristina, a highschool student, was standing near the Lenin statue in the center of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on a recent Russian holiday offering people to ride a horse for a fee. She said she has been riding horses since age 9 and can race 80km/hour and do jumps. Kristina said she rides with her dad on the weekend for two hours. I asked if he taught her to ride. "I taught him," she said. "I said dad, why don't I teach you. He said 'why'? I told him so that we could ride together." She said it took two months to teach him to ride confidently. Kristina said she would like to become a veterinarian.
Sakhalin Youth Playing Hockey
As we traveled by car in the small Sakhalin town, we passed a group of children playing hockey in front of a Soviet-era residential building. There were seven boys and one girl. She said her name was Yana and that she was 11 years old. She was too shy to say much more.
