Siberia, Russia Part 5 - Khabarovsk and a Little Russian

In this continuing series, we cover my move from San Diego to Chita, Siberia to be a professor at Chita State Technical University. We pick up the story outside the airport in Khabarovsk, Russia.

Khabarovsk

Khabarovsk is an amazing city. Museums with works from Picasso, Rembrandt and other masters. A bustling downtown area with cafes, a lively music scene and architectural triumphs. Then again, maybe not. We were far more interested in finding a hotel with hot water and never ventured into the city.

Outside of the airport, we were a bit flummoxed by the fact there appeared to be no taxis. We quickly learned that practically any Russian with a car is also a taxi for hire. After 5 minutes of egging each other on, Grae made taxi arrangements and we were off. Apparently taking in out disheveled appearance after 3 days of traveling, our driver suggested the Intourist hotel. We readily agreed.

During communism, Intourist hotels were set up for exclusive use by foreigners. Ours was fairly nice and, importantly, had showers with copious amounts of hot water. You can see a picture at http://www.lodging.ru/hotels/intouristkhab.asp. After having returned to humanity with one of the best showers of my life, it was time to brush up on my Russian skills.

I am a huge fan of ice hockey. During the eighties and nineties, many of the best players were Russians. In interviews, they almost always talked about learning English by watching television. If it worked for them, it would work for me. Not exactly.

As Grae showered, I flipped through the eight available channels. Sitcoms were a non-starter, but I eventually found a news channel. I see the images. I know what the images are. I hear the words being spoken by the reporters. I have absolutely no idea of what words go with what images. Okay, lets back up. What words do they use over and over? Damn, do they have to talk so fast? After 30 minutes, I have learned nothing, nada, zippo. My respect for Russians playing in the NHL has never been higher.

Might as well sleep on it. Yes, day three of the trip was finally done. My original prediction of a 2-day trip was out the window. Still, we were in Russia, so how much longer could it take? Pull out a map and take a look at the country. It is twice the size of the U.S.

Next When Stairs Attack

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Hiring a Contractor

When it comes to home repairs, you will want to make sure that you hire a reputable contractor. A good contractor can get the job done as inexpensively as possible and at the same time can provide you with quality service. In fact, finding a good contractor is a crucial move and if you fail to find one you may find that you will pay heavily for the mistake in the future. Let's take a look at what one should do when looking for a professional contractor for home repairs.

First, when you are looking for a professional repair person, don't just hire the first person you find in the phone book that has come to your home to give you an estimate. This is a common mistake that many consumers make. Just because the professional repair person that visits your home seems like a nice guy or gal doesn't mean they are. Remember, finding someone to make repairs in your home is not a personality contest; it's a quality contest, a contest that you are the judge of. Ultimately, your payment is the prize money and you don't want to give the prize money to a repair person that is really undeserving of it! What you must do then, is have several professionals visit your home and provide you with estimates. Review the estimates and use them to make your decision.

When the professional in question is visiting your home, ask them if they are properly insured and what that insurance covers. Find out what their established rules are and ask them for a copy of their contract so that you can review it if you so choose. Also find out about their experience: what kinds of jobs have they successfully completed in the past? What are their recommendations in terms of the work you need done? Ask them for recommendations if they have them and see if they possess and photographs of previous work they have done. Finally, don't be afraid to ask if you can call one of their previous clients for a recommendation.

Next, contact the Better Business Bureau or visit the Better Business Bureau on the web. See if any complaints have been lodged against the professionals you plan to hire. See if you can find out anything about their credentials and don't be afraid to ask questions when you are hiring a professional. If they have nothing to hide, they won't be uncomfortable answering your questions for you. Remember it is your hard earned money and your home that will be affected should the professional not be a true professional!

When you are hiring a contractor, remember that in essence, you are the employer. Just like any other job you will need to be thorough and interview the people you plan to hire. Ultimately, you are in charge of your money and your home and any professional will be completely aware of that fact and not be affronted by your investigative strategies.

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