More Moscow

It’s a challenge trying to do a post each day. The internet at my hotel is extremely slow, and I can only log on if I get up early. I’ve had a full schedule the last few days.

Since Monday I’ve traveled extensively (as extensively as one can travel over 2 days) using the Moscow subway. In the process, I’ve observed many faces and conducted several interviews in an attempt to both enrich my experience as well as to gather information for my research. While I’m not yet ready to say Russians are not racist (I’ve only been here 2 days), I get the feeling that the majority of Russians are warm. While I get a few curious stares, no one has tried to dismember me because of my race.

The Moscow subway is amazing! I am slowly learning Cyrillic (Russian alphabet) but doubt I would have much of a problem even if I wasn’t able to read the most basic Russian words. The subway stations are spacious and clean, and the trains are fast. The only U.S. cities that I’ve seen with comparable stations is DC, and even then, the D.C. station may only be comparable to the worst station I’ve seen.

Yesterday after my first interview, I returned to my hotel to relax a bit. On the elevator, a lady exchanged pleasantries in English… she asked me what I was doing in Russia… after I told her, she invited a colleague and I to her floor for coffee. I was very skeptical, but we agreed to visit (thinking it may be good for her research). Later, over tea, we learned that she is the owner/CEO of the largest market research firm in Russia… her office spans 3 floors in our hotel… her operation stretches across three countries and she has a staff of 300. We will be doing lunch on Thursday.

On Monday a few chicks tried to pick me up at a university we visited in Moscow. Fun times. I’ll be meeting up with a few friends later today… to… hang out and further explore the city. Got some good news from NYC as well. Received a summer internship with a law firm there.

Oh… Moscow is extremely expensive!