Posts Tagged "streetphoto"
Vera: Family Emigration Story
I will post a few portraits from a short trip to Minsk, Belarus that I hope will shed some light on the people and the country. I will start it off with Vera, whom I randomly met when I lost the keys to the flat I was renting in Minsk.
Vera told me her great grandfather left Czarist Russia to work in a Canadian mine to help pay off land debts. When her g-grandfather returned, he discovered that his wife had left for Moscow with the money and a lover. He remarried at 40 and had six children, one of whom died in a concentration camp during WWII, which took the lives of at least 20% of the population. One of the six - her grandmother - is still alive, age 90, and lives alone in a village, something not uncommon. Vera commented that Belarusians still migrate abroad for work much like her grandfather did a century ago. Indeed, quiet a few of the people I spoke with in Minsk considered working abroad as salaries at home are quite low.
As for the lost key, it had the address written on it. When the flat manager arrived to give me a new key, I raised the question of paying for a new door lock. He was relaxed 'Minsk is quite safe. The person who finds it will be too scared to try robbing the flat.' Four days later, no one but myself entered the flat. Minsk indeed seemed to be a safe city.
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.
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
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
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.
Masha: Following in Mom’s Footsteps
Masha was walking back from university in Kursk sporting her London hat. She said she was studying economics, following somewhat in the footsteps of her mom, who works at a bank. She said the biggest event in 2014 was finishing high school as "it's the start of adult life. You have to become responsible, make your own decisions." She said one of toughest things about university is getting used to new classmates. She said she would like to stay in Kursk post her studies to be near family.
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.
Small Business Owner
As I planned a trip to Kursk in central Russia, I did a search on Instagram to find interesting spots to photograph and saw a few photos of a hip-looking cafe. It was still in process of being built, due to open today. I popped by and found one of the owners - Dmitry - busy working on the final touches. He said he had wanted to open a cafe for some time and was looking for the right idea. He and his friend came up with making it a coffee + donut shop and trained to learn to make donuts. He is so confident there is demand for such a place in Kursk and surrounding areas - and I agree with that assessment post my visit to the town - that he is working on opening a 2nd one and may franchise it. He is not worried about the ruble - people will trend down he says from spending money in expensive restaurants to more affordable spots like cafes.
