Siberia Impressions from Erin

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(Jami writing) A common question that people ask here is: "What are your impressions of Siberia?". Since Erin has fresh impressions, we're giving her this chance to write about them on our blog. If you come to Siberia to visit us, you can write on our blog, too.

(Erin writing) It's been a long time since I've even been able to think about Siberia without a smile. Places that friends love, I start to love. That's especially true now. When Jami first told me (in our dorm room @ CWU) that she was going to Siberia for the summer I couldn't imagine it at all. 8 years later, here I am. Here are a few of my impressions:

• It's not that cold. : ) (At least in April)
• The birch trees outside the city gleam in the sunlight; it's just beautiful.
• The fruits and vegetables here are lovely.
• They serve fish to you here with the head still on.
• The Marshrootkas (mini-busses) are a fantastic & efficient way to get around town.
• Ulan Ude is much more casual than Moscow (fewer polished-looking women in heels).
• It's poor; people seem to live just fine with what they have.
• The babies here are very very bundled; the kids are adorable.
• People don't smile as much as people generally do in the States; the Christians smile more.
• The roads are bumpy (ie: I will never again complain about the potholes in Seattle).
• There is a lot of paperwork, for a lot of things...and it's copied & re-copied by hand.
• Sometimes the shops and Post Office close in the middle of the day.
• The tea, piroshky, salads and soup here are delicious...and a great deal!
• A person can buy just about anything here, but maybe not consistently at the same store.
• Locals are nice to non-English speakers after a short while.
• The music is unlike any I've heard in the States; I like it.
• Most people live in apartments; the older (wooden) apartments remind me of Dr Zhivago.
• There are not flowers yet in the city in April, but there's hope it'll start to turn greener soon.
• The painted window shutters on the houses all over are a favorite thing of mine.
• It doesn't feel like Europe or like Asia...maybe it feels like its own continent.

You should come. : ) The travel is an adventure. The food's yummy. Leif and Jami's apartment is beautiful & comfortable. The company's great (Jami and Leif are awesome, as you agree) & their friends here are quite wonderful.

Erin