How to spend a winter Saturday in Seattle? With Uzbek journalists, of course! Too much fun!! Continue reading
Category Archives: Russia & Beyond
Stories on USSR, Russia, Uzbekistan
Moscow in Photos: Why I Love Russia’s Red Square and Kremlin (w/videos)
I don’t usually post stories or videos that I create at work on my personal web sites, but I do like this Russian one, “Moscow in Photos: 12 Reasons Why We Love Red Square and the Kremlin,” published today. Continue reading
Sent to Siberia (w/videos)
When my employer sent me to Siberia, it wasn’t punishment at all. It was a “once-in-a-lifetime” $25,000 train ticket on the Trans-Siberian Railway, creating on-the-fly videos and stories and unforgettable memories along the way. Continue reading
Changing names: Leningrad
What’s in a name? These days, it’s not Leningrad, anymore. It’s not the USSR, anymore. And my “‘Baby Lenin”‘ pin isn’t worn anymore, but rather a sought-after relic for collectors. Change in St. Petersburg is the real name of the game: mind-boggling change. Continue reading
A bygone era
Soviet military veteran joins others in a May Day parade honoring their service… service of a bygone era… Continue reading
Russia: Some Things Never Change
While working for ABC News in Moscow, Russia I found this refreshing non-news: life goes on. Continue reading
Russia’s Soup Kitchens
“SOCIAL UPHEAVAL MEANS SOUP KITCHENS, STRUGGLES FOR SOME RUSSIANS”(First published in The Seattle Times, 05/08/1994) [My note, years later: I like this story as a reflection of the times, showing the resilience of Russia’s elderly struggling to adapt to changes, even as they wondered where their next meal would come from. I later volunteered at … Continue reading
Russia Keeps Calling
By 1994, Helen Holter had been to the Soviet Union 10 times – living, studying, and working there. This time, she reflects on the stunning changes that have opened her heart, once again, to this country and its people. Continue reading