Stepan the Chemist

Day 24 of 1000

I get into work a little earlier than everyone else at the place where I work.  A couple of the other early risers usually stop by my desk after they get their coffee to talk for a few minutes.  One of the guys who stops by is a PhD chemist from Moscow State University in Russia.  This is his first job in the private sector after he did a couple of post-docs at University of Texas and University of Houston.  We have very interesting discussions about a wide range of topics.  He often speaks about life in Russia compared to life here in the United States.  There are some great things about life in Russia, but there are big challenges, too.

Stepan currently lives in an apartment with his wife and little girls.  I asked him why he does not buy a house.  Of course there are economic reasons, but those are balanced with the consideration that he and the vast bulk of people in Moscow have never lived in anything other than a small apartment.  His plan is to stay in a small apartment long enough to get a HUGE down payment together for a house.  Stepan views his apartment as wildly opulent relative to the apartments where he lived as he grew up.  He said he would be very happy to live there for the rest of his life, but will get a house when the time is right.

I asked him where his kids play.  He said they never stay in the apartment.  They do not even have a television.  On weekends they go to parks, museums, libraries, and a host of other public places where the kids can plan and run to their hearts content.  I met his wife and kids at this years company picnic.  What wonderful little family.  I think I have had the wrong attitude about houses for my entire house.  As soon as I can downsize, I want to do that.  Then Lorena and I will start getting out more–maybe even in time for my second childhood.