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Eric,

but life in St.Petersburg is much better than... in majority of Russia except maybe Moscow. Would you like to go somewhere to Vladivostoc for instance to live there during the winter?

Whatever you say about the USA - at least the level of comfort here does not depend than much on where you live...

Email me... I'm sure we could have some "interesting" discussions.

Interesting you should mention it. I have been offered some opportunities in Vladivostok, but so far, I've turned them down. Also, I came very, very, very close to moving permanently to Gomel, Belarus. And the opportunities there still remain for me, so I can't say "never". I've also had some offers in Moscow. As much as I love the capital, however, I'm not a Muscovite - I couldn't live there. Too crowded, too busy... I would need a vaction in just a week!

Oh come on, Eric! Where did I imply either of those assumptions? I said "life in the US is not perfect!" And I could never say anything about life in St. P because I know nothing about it! I have made no implications about respect or lack of respect - I have twice asked you an honest question and you react like a grumpy person who cannot explain his motivations. It is good you have all those opportunities in Russia and Belarus, so you can escape the hell that working at K-Mart must be. Seems to me that any one of them would be better than K-mart!

If I were to announce I was moving from the U.S. to Canada, or Britain, or France, or Germany - people would say "how interesting", but no one would think much of it afterwards.

Moving to Russia, though, seems to be the same thing as moving to Mars in the eyes of so many in the West, and I am just sick of it already!

One of my scientific colleagues, Vasily R., is from Vladivostock (hope I spelled that correctly). He has spent most of his career trying to find work outside Russia, and recently completed 3 years in Brazil. He said that when he is in Russia, he is often forced by economic conditions to work on fishing boats rather than in his profession. I have not heard from him since he returned to Russia last fall, I hope he is doing well.

Eric,

I understand one of your points. I mean, what is really important in life? Freedom or financial security. It is a hard choice. Since Poles were depraved of freedom for over a hundred of years before WW I, then there was WW II and also a limited freedom afterwards - we feel very strongly about freedom.

But I do not like when the price for the far-fetched freedom is a war, therefore I do not really support this president and I understand your point and a point done by others. You cannot just say - that people who fight against free people are fighting... against freedom. Maybe they are poor, depraved of work etc like in Palestine.

The concept of human wellbeing is much broader than the freedom. Bush and his colleques did not need to worry about bread, health care etc, so they do not understand that for insatnce for people in Russia and in Poland also - the social benefits and the economical security are equally important - if not even more than - this abstractional concept of "freedom" or "liberty".

Probably my post is too broad, much broader than needed for a discussion here.

I still remember the times that the word "freedom" was not liked by our communistic authorities. It was often replaced by "peace". So, for me "freedom" was important, but it is losing its positive value when I think about the war in Iraq. As well as a word "peace", which I never liked - because for me it meant rather "pacification"...

ERIC,
I can recall a case where another American hated America so much that he defected to Russia.
After a short time he found out that he wanted to come back to this terrible country.. He took his frustrations out by killing our President.. His name was LEE HARVY OSWALD

Lee Harvey Oswald was a madman. I certainly hope I am not as insane as he was. And I REALLY don't appreciate the comparison.

Moving to Russia, though, seems to be the same thing as moving to Mars in the eyes of so many in the West, and I am just sick of it already!- Eric

I agree. If you want to move or visit certain places, you're treated as a crazy person. I've told some people (mainly the non-Poles) that I want to study abroad and mainly at UJ in Krakow. The typical response is...They have colleges in Poland?, Must be some barn somewhere!, and some more odd responses. In the parts of Poland I've been, the people are happy with what they have. Life seems totally different than in America. If you want to visit a friend, you just go over and don't call or make a date to visit them. The people will pull out their grills and cook some kielbasa and have beer during the week. Normal, nicely paced lifestyle.