Random facts about Khabarovsk

1) Children go to school for ½ a day, they either have morning school or afternoon school. (We had to ask as we saw so many kids with backpacks on throughout the day).


2) The orphanage caregivers work in 12 hour shifts. There were 3 care givers on the day shift in V’s groupa (about 15 kids).


3) Little V’s orphanage diet consists of beets, carrots, and onions. I offered to buy green vegetables, but was denied they said it would mess up the little guys’ diets.


4) The red lights all have timers on them. It counts down how many seconds until the light changes. And believe me, when it gets to one that light changes fast, there is no delay like the US.


5) Traffic jams are very common, the streets don’t seem laid out very well (just our opinion)


6) Hmm.. The driver was actually wearing a seatbelt this time. Of course the back seat doesn’t have them, but progress.


7) They do clear the roads very quickly after snowstorms. We saw this in action. After they plowed, truckloads of men had shovels, brooms and other interesting looking tools and were cleaning off the side of the roads. Irina said the roads are often dry within 24 hours of a storm. Wow! They could teach Alaska a few things!


8) They have studded tires. However, they are starting to fine folks who use them, as they cause more accidents! How about that! Irina said if the car in front of her stops with studded tires and she slides she will hit them. So it’s better if all the cars slide! Only Alaskans would appreciate this one, with the hours and hours wait to get those studs on up here!


9) Hamburg Risola is their translation of a real hamburger. It tastes pretty good. If you want bread, ketchup, cheese. It’s all a separate item you have to order though.


10) If you order coffee, it’s served at the end of the meal.


11) Coke and Sprite are the only soda products.


12) The Amur river was frozen in November; however the winds blew every day to chill the air.



13) Women seem to be very well educated here. All the officials we met with were women and 5 of the 6 doctors were women. I asked what the men do, and Irina said other things. Hmm.. Alcohol is very prevelant here as well. Med school is expensive, but Dentistry is the most expensive school of all.