From Point A to Point B: Transportation Moscow Style
Activities
By Tyler Wiltgen, Montana State University

    One of the first areas that must be mastered when traveling abroad is transportation. If you want to see or do anything, you have to be able to get from point A to point B. In Moscow, the easiest way to travel is the Moscow Metro System.

    Russians pride themselves on their metro system that is very clean despite the heavy traffic. Each station is ornately decorated with chandeliers, murals, stained glass, or other artwork. Passengers rarely wait for more than two or three minutes for a train, making it a very efficient way to travel. Metro tickets cost about five rubles per ride, or roughly 20 cents. Tickets entitle riders to as many line changes as necessary once underground. Approximately 8 million people ride the metro everyday. Compared to similar systems in the United States, the Moscow Metro System makes the city much more accessible. This system has lines running out of the center of the city like spokes on a wheel. There are also lines that run opposite these lines near the center, and an outer ring that connects the lines.

    “The system is well organized with many stops,” says Olivia Yu, of the University of Maryland, “you can get anywhere in the city, even to the suburbs.”

    One part of the metro system that takes some getting used to is holding on for dear life while the drivers accelerate and slow down. Riders can brace themselves by gripping overhead bars, by sitting on benches, or trying to stand against inertia.

    “Riding with the metro drivers is like riding a bronco,” said Heather McCartney, of Montana State.

    Besides the metro system, NSEP students have also used train, bus, and car to explore the Moscow area. When students arrived at Moscow’s Sheremetevo 2 Airport, they were met by Moscow State Agroengineering University staff members who drove them to the hostel. The car ride to the hostel was somewhat nerve-racking due to the fact that Russian traffic is different than American traffic. In six lanes of traffic, drivers stayed in their lanes and traffic crept at a snails pace. However, in two lanes, with a lane going each way, drivers passed one another, with many near collisions.

    Becky Kossler, of Montana State, quipped, “I wasn’t sure the car was going to make it to the hostel.”

   On January 25, the students visited St. Sergei Square, just outside of Moscow. The chosen mode of transportation for this trip was the train. After a short metro ride to the train depot, the group bought one-way tickets for a student rate of fifteen rubles (fifty cents). The train ride was about one and a half hours while the train traveled approximately thirty miles per hour due to frequent stops. Conductors jammed as many people that could fit into the train cars. Vendors yell over the crowd noise about the many wonderful items one could purchase on the way to their destination. Travelers could buy anything ranging from eyeglasses to candy to dictionaries. Beggars also made their way through the cars, pleading their cases.

    “The train was a good way to see the outskirts of Moscow,” says Dan Fyock of Penn State, “but it was very slow.”

    For some of us, adjusting to Moscow weather has been difficult. While most of the other American students had comparable winters in their respective states, I (as a Floridian) had some trouble getting used to the cold. Most days have been in the 20s and 30s degrees Fahrenheit, which is around the normal high for this time of year. However, Florida in the winter averages 67 degrees Fahrenheit. We have found that most days are cloudy and windy. So far we had three sunny days and only about five days have not been windy. Most of us have been having problems getting used to the cloudy days, which cause us to be more lethargic in the mornings and sometimes during the days. Moscow wind is brisk and especially gusty around our hostel, but while walking, the effects of wind are not as noticeable.

    Another aspect of weather that took a bit of familiarization is the conversion factor from Celsius to Fahrenheit temperatures. Since the United States does not use the metric system, converting the daily temperature from the morning news requires the use of a calculator. However, most of us have gotten used to the Celsius temperatures without a problem. Here’s a quick refresher: from C° -> F°, take F° and subtract 32, then divide that number by 1.8, i.e.: (F°-32)/1.8 = C°. For F° -> C°, take the C° and multiple by 1.8 and then add 32 i.e.: C°*1.8+32 = F°. For those of you that are interested, The Weather Channel has a great website that gives the local forecasts for locations all over the world. I have found myself checking their site to see the weekly weather updates. They even have the option to see the temperature in metric. The web address is www.weather.com.

   Due to a milder Russian winter than we anticipated, we dress with fewer layers than our first couple of days. Instead of a couple of under layers, one layer plus an outer coat is sufficient. During the past week, we have noticed that during the day the temperature will get above +2C° and at night it gets below -2C°. This causes the snow and ice to melt during the day. At night the water refreezes into huge ice-slicks on the sidewalks. These ice-slicks, literally, has been the downfall for most of us. So far, five out of our group has been victims of sleek ice, and a few of our Russian friends have also fallen, so the ice shows no partiality.

    If you happen to be thinking of visiting this beautiful country in the winter, keep these tips in mind. 1) Bring lots of warm clothes. Although outside may not seem overly cold, sweaters may be needed after defrosting. 2) A tip from our Montana students, if the liquid in our nose freezes, the temperature has fallen below 320F or 00C, so always be aware of your nose as it is a great temperature indicator. 3) Bring boots. Puddles may not look deep, but boots are good for keeping the dirty slush from dry feet. 4) Ice cleats may be a necessity for those of who need extra security. 5) Carry a scarf, gloves, and a hat with you, even if you think you won’t need them, due to the wind and cold. In addition, all Russians wear hats and gloves. 6) Don’t let the weather keep you inside, do lots of sightseeing!

Adventure in a Russian Water Closet
Education
By Becky Kossler, Montana State University

    Just as languages vary across continents, toilet paper and sanitation systems also vary. During our first days in Moscow, many of us noticed that our favorite two-ply, cotton-soft Charmin was replaced with paper that looked recycled, brown, and crepe paper-like. Our new bathroom buddy was the Russian 1-ply. The next surprise of our water closet experience was the toilet flusher handle. Usually the handle is on the left side of the toilet. A look in that vicinity draws a blank. However, in the center of the lid is a black, plastic stick that requires a pull toward the ceiling. This device is a simple plug-n-flush system that requires no chains or lever actions. A simple rubber plug at the end of the stick seals the bottom of the water reservoir. Lifting the plug releases a torrent of water into the bowl and gravity completes the action.

    Available public restrooms range from the typical American restaurant restrooms to outdoor stations. These “port-a-potties” as we call them in the United States, are usually recognizable by the blue and white interior and exterior. Depending on where you are in Moscow, you may or may not have to pay. For example, within the Kremlin the service is free of charge. Outside the Bolshoi Theater requires payment and has an attendant.

     Deposition of garbage is another interesting topic. In our hostel, green garbage bins that can be placed in the alley or on the curb, are non-existent. Instead our hallway has two garbage chutes. One is next to the fire escape and the other one is located in the communal kitchen. We place our garbage bag (no larger than a plastic grocery bag) on the garbage door and close it. The trash door is connected to a chute that runs the height of the 22-story building. The free falling trash is deposited on the ground floor. This is a great example of natural trash compacting. Public trash receptacles are usually available, although are not readily visible in many areas. Sanitation workers are frequently seen all over the city. They can be seen shoveling snow, clearing sidewalks of ice, and picking up street litter as well as occasionally washing the trashcans of their Moscow mud.

     Recycling in the Moscow area is an interesting subject. There are programs active in Russia that deal with recycling old tires, aluminum, and nuclear waste. There is not an equivalent to the recycling programs for other things such as newspaper, plastic, or glass that are popular in many American communities. So while many cultural differences are evident and appreciated in our everyday activities, many of us are still missing our Charmin.

     At first glance our coral concrete hostel looked like it was going to be an adventure. All the buildings in the area, including our hostel, are constructed of cement and tile. Most apartments in this northern area of the city consist of at least twenty-two floors. The American students are located on a cozy fifth floor. Each floor is equipped with a communal kitchen. The hostel security is very tight with two guards, stationed at the building entrance, checking resident passes. The mailboxes are a set of pigeon holes in the main lobby, organized by first letter of your last name painted on them. Mail is open to anyone to pick up from the distribution area. Another interesting note about our hostel is the two sets of elevators. One set of three serves only even-numbered floors and the other set of three for odd-numbered floors. One of the nicest things about our hostel is that our classroom is located on our floor. The 20ft x 22ft room accommodates twenty-two students and one teacher.

     Some of us have never lived in a dorm while others have had this privilege however, we all have ideas of how dorm rooms looked. Most of us were hoping for at least some furniture and a place to lay our heads so when we first glimpsed our rooms, we were delighted at what we saw. The room was furnished for a college student: two beds, a desk with two chairs, an armchair, an armoire, a telephone, and a television. Lifting up the mattresses of the hollow beds revealed a pillow, one sheet and a bedcover. The bed serves as additional storage space. When opening the closet door I was surprised to find a toilet room, which is very small and in a separate room from the sink and shower. They were behind the adjacent door, and share one faucet.

     After discussing with Russian students who also live in the hostel and would be taking classes with us, we discovered that our equipped rooms are not typical of Russian student hostel room. While we share a medium-sized room and bathroom with a roommate, a Russian student would share the same size room with as many as four other people. Furthermore, students are not furnished with a television or a telephone. Thus, many students carry a cell phone with them to communicate with family and friends. An interesting observation about Russian student cell phone conversations is that they are less than ten seconds long. The reason is because cell phone plans give the first nine seconds free. Another luxury that Russian students don’t have is a washing machine and they either hand-wash their clothes or take them to a laundry service. Fortunately for us, the American students from the previous year bought a washing machine that is installed in one of our bathrooms.

     Another aspect of our student living in a foreign land is the amount of identification we must carry at all times. We are required to have our passport with us when we leave the hostel. Policemen, performing random checks, may ask to see your passport for authorization to be in Russia. We carry a document from the police stating we are registered to reside in Russia for more than three months, an International Student Identification Card (ISIC), and our Russian student identification card. These two cards are important for getting a student discount on admissions to museums and theaters. Finally, as mentioned earlier, we must carry our resident passes for admittance to the hostel.

     We were fortunate to have the Russian students make us a Russian meal the first night. They made such a feast that we ate the dishes for the next four days! The feast included a chicken dish, boiled potatoes, bread, and two vegetable salads. One salad was composed of beets, peas, corn, and onions; the other one resembled coleslaw in texture and color. We often frequent a local supermarket called Verona’s that is two blocks away to stock our small refrigerators. We can buy most necessities there such as milk, produce, cereal, water, and bread. We buy bottled water because water purification can be inconsistent. Furthermore, there is a larger grocery store located inside a mall, twenty minutes away. This store is set up in a Super Wal-Mart style. Lastly, we have the option of buying many different food items from many venders along the street. These venders are like those at local hometown fairs. One can purchase roasted chicken, pastries, dried fish, and other native foods. We cook in the floor’s kitchen or the microwave located in one of our rooms, where much of our cooking equipment is also located. A couple of times, we have bought food from venders like chicken and pastries, which was quite good. So far, we have eaten at McDonalds thrice and TGI Fridays once. As a standard, McDonalds in Moscow give large fries with combo meals and ketchup is an extra item, and TGI Friday’s portions were the same as in the United States. Overall, we eat seem to eat smaller portions due to the lack of storage space for food, the lack of big plates, and the hesitancy with new foods, but more frequently.

     Although we are in a country far from home, our living arrangements are very similar to what most of us are used to at school. We live comfortably in a warm room and have ample food however, we have discovered there is nothing like sleeping in your own bed.

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