Posts Tagged "streetphotography"
Valeria: Lover of Animation
Valeria, 17, said she is a big fan of Japanese culture and wanted to study the language at university. As it wasn't offered at university, she signed up for Chinese, the closest thing in her view. She said every Friday fans of animation in Minsk meet, which is where she met her boyfriend. She said 'finding her soul mate' was the most important event in her life in 2014.
Sergei: English Translater
Sergei, a translator like his father, studied in America and I interested to here about his experience there. He highlighted that religious organizations were quite active on the campus and he was invited to events. He said he was surprised to see a church service where the music was performed by people with guitars and other instruments. He felt overall it was an advanced attitude toward religion. He pointed out that the more religious students from the US university are the ones that have tended to keep in touch since he returned to Russia.
Svetlana: ‘New York’ in Kursk
Svetlana, 15, was walking along Lenin St in Kursk with her two girlfriends when I noticed the New York winter hat, which is very popular right now - i see at least one a day. She spoke good English and said she wanted to be a translator. Her older brother also spoke good English she she said because he spent time in New Orleans. I asked her about her wishes for the New Year. She said she wanted to visit St Petersburg in the winter time.
Anna: Kursk TV Journalist
Katya is a TV reporter for a local news station in Kursk and asked to speak with me about city infrastructure for people with special needs. As I went to meet her in the center of the city, I looked at the city buses that passed me. It would have been impossible for someone in a wheelchair to fit inside, much less get on the first step. It is not just a Kursk issue, but a Russia-wide issue. At least local TV is raising awareness, though many years may pass before there is money for such buses.
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.
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.
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.
Margo: Stylish Muscovite
Margo was sitting on a bench near Red Square, using her phone when I stopped to ask her about 2014 and plans for next year. She said the most important event in 2014 was her grandfather recovering from an illness. As for next year, she hoped to go visit Prague.
Georgian Flower Seller in Moscow
This Georgian sells flowers at a kiosk near a Moscow metro station with her fellow country women. There are about a half dozen of them working different stalls, which remarkably are opened 24 hours. The women call out to people passing buy, offering both imported and local flowers. Most of these women were born in Abkhazia, but haven’t seen their homeland since they had to flee during the Georgian-Abkhaz war in the early 1990s. When I mentioned I was in Abkhazia in September, they started to call out names of places in Abkhazia like Ritz Lake and Novi Afon Monastery, asking if I went there. They were keen to see photos, which I showed them on my phone. This woman, who said she was over 70, mentioned that she had traveled a bit around Europe and didn’t see any place that had better natural beauty than Abkhazia. I asked her about the flower business and she said it has been tough lately because flower prices have risen sharply. For instance, flowers from Ecuador are up 50%. I asked what she would do if she loses her job. She said she would go Georgia to live with her children.
Islam: Afghan in Moscow
Islam grew up in Afghanistan in a family of 10 children. A good student, he was sent to study in Russia for six years during the 1980s just as USSR troops were in his country. He returned to Russia in the 1990s as the Taliban took power. He now works in trade at a massive Moscow market that feels like a Asian melting pot. He counted off several countries where his siblings live - Austria, Norway, Canada. Of the 10 children, only two are in Afghanistan. He says he is getting to the age where money is less important and the desire to do some good greater. Islam says he would like to return home someday to help young people looking to start their own business.
