Capturing Russia from white to black, north to south, east to west

Posts Tagged "story"

St. Petesburg:Bound

St. Petesburg:Bound

He said he had just finished his mandatory military service and would like to attend university in St. Petersburg. However, he said he needs to save up money first so he took a job as an administrator in Kursk in the meantime.

Lera: Student, Street Worker

Lera: Student, Street Worker

Lera, 15, was standing on Lenin Street in Kursk handing out flyers for an electronics store along with a woman about 4x her age. Lera said she didn't want to depend on handouts from her parents. I asked what job she would like to have in the future. First she said she wanted to be a banker. When I asked why, she said she really wanted to be a policewoman. She said she loves watching a tv serial called 'Trail.'

Oleg: Kursk Painter

Oleg: Kursk Painter

Oleg is a well-known character in Kursk, running a gallery showing off local artists including himsdlf. Oleg was dressed in a denim jeans jacket, bell-bottom jeans and pointy black shoes, a reflection of his afinity for the 1970s and its music. He said he loves Robert Plant and listens to Led Lepplin sometimes when he paints. Indeed, a TV in the gallery corner was showing a LZ concert. Oleg said he was studying for an engineering exam some 30 years ago at a friend's house when he picked up a brush and started painting on a canvas belonging to his friend's brother. The brother told him he had talent and he gave up engineering. Oleg, who is surrounded by his paintings in this photo, doesn't just have an affinity for bell bottoms. He claims to have one of the largest horse bell collections in Russia with more than 1,000 pieces.

Alexander: Johnny Depp Fan

Alexander: Johnny Depp Fan

Alexander said he would like to move to Moscow to study acting when he finishes a technical school in Kursk. He said Johnny Depp is one of his favorite actors and Pirates of the Caribbean one of his favorite movies. We actually met in front of the Kursk theatre, which is visible behind him. 

Denis: New Home Owner

Denis: New Home Owner

Denis, an IT engineer, said the biggest event of his life in 2014 was buying a flat, a near decade-long dream. I asked if he took a mortgage. He said no because - as he put it - he didn't want some banker hounding him and ripping him off for the next 20 years. Russian mortgage rates are around 12-14%, so it is a burden. Denis said the ruble weakness was a problem as inflation is outpacing wages increases. 'I am earning more, but have less left over.' 

Alona: Future Nurse

Alona: Future Nurse

I asked Alona why she decided to attend Kursk Medical School. She said she grew up in a village and visited a hospital as part of a school program. She recalls watching nurses bandage an amputee and decide she wanted to help people as well. 

Malaysian Medical Student

Malaysian Medical Student

One thing that surprised me about Kursk was the number of foreign students there. Kursk is the home to one of Russia's top medical schools with classes in English language. Jeevith An, the first Malaysian I have ever met in Russia in more than 10 years living here, studies at Kursk Medical University. He said it is attractively priced, about half the cost of med school in Malaysia. With the recent fall in the ruble, the school has become even cheaper for foreigners. Jeevith said he wants to be a heart surgeon and will intern back at home during the summer.

Kursk Couple Recently Engaged

Kursk Couple Recently Engaged

Dmitry and Polina, music students, were sitting on a bench on ice-covered Lenin Street on a late December night. There were few people about in this weather and late hour. I asked about the biggest event of 2014 and he started talking about the many concerts he took part in. Polina, who was sitting on his lap, then whispered something in his ear. Dmitry looked up at me and said the most important event was proposing to Polina. He said they met a year ago and will get married next year before he goes into the army.

Roman: Wander with a Story

Roman: Wander with a Story

Occasionally, people I photograph tell some unusual stories, that I question their validity. This was the case with Roman, who approached us in a church in Kolomna (Moscow region). Quite knowledgable about history and religion, Roman said he has been traveling around Russia for the last few years after his wife and daughter were killed, leaving him with nothing really to live for as he put it. He said he was Uzbek by nationality, but raised in an orphanage mainly in Russia. He went into the army and served in Afghanistan. He said he was headed to the south of Russia where it would be warm and where the people are hospitable and may settle there.

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