Tracking Changes in Photoperiod Around the Globe
Today's News
A/CPB
Introducing Mystery Class #1
map of Chukotka
Chukotka in the far eastern part of Russia, is adjacent to the United
States, across the Bering Sea from Alaska. This land of tundra is a virtual ethnographic museum. From the Coastal dwelling Yupik whose ancestral lands were separated on both sides of the Bering sea by the cold war... to the reindeer-herding Chukchi, who live a semi-nomadic life on the tundra and
are believed to be ancestors to the peoples who crossed the Bering land sea
bridge to populate the Americas ... to the Slavic Russian population, who
are relative newcomers, settling in the remote eastern frontier of Russia.
The following letters are from two teachers who's students have been corresponding with students in the US. Sergei Burlaev a science teachers in the Chukchi village of Amguema, and Tanya Rabisheva an English teacher from the neighboring community of Ozerny. Telecommunications to this part of the world is very difficult. Attempts have been made to telecommunicate via Packit "Ham" radio, but with limited success. These letters were received through the mail, and took several months to arrive. As you can see from Tanya's comments life in this part of Russia has gotten worse, and many Slavic families are choosing to relocate back to their homes in the western part of Russia.
From Sergei Burlaev
Amguema, Chukotka, Russia
I am very happy to greet you from snowy Chukotka Land.
I was very glad to receive your letter which was brought from USA by Yuri Skorobogatov in January. It is obvious, much time will pass before you can get our answer. Our children's letters translation from Russian into English takes a lot of time too. But I think it can't be a bar for our friendship!
This winter is very cold in Amguema. Our old residents don't remember such winter since 18 years ago! But, now spring is coming. There is the bright sun and it isn't very cold. All our children take part in correspondence with USA friends with great pleasure. It is very interesting for them to learn how American children live, go to school, and amuse themselves. It is stimulus to study English too. Every one of them has a blue dream to visit USA anywhen.
In the future we are going to send our letters with the help of Telecommunications. Now it makes some difficulties. Our present telefone communications on Chukotka has many problems and it isn't perfect. But I hope during the time all difficulties will disappear. I've got a permission to use HAM RADIO. The next step was to put a suitable antenna for long distance communications. I'll write in detail about it. The thing is that Amguema is situated in such a place that there are some difficulties in propagation of electromagnetic waves. It is caused by different geomagnetic anomalies. Besides the most time of the year it is very cold and strong winds blow in our place. All these peculiarities make us be very careful choosing the type of antenna. It must be very good quality and of very simple model, so that it must resist strong winds. I have already made two antennas but they don't satisfy me. Now, I'm going to make the third antenna of 2-QUAD type.
While broadcasting I made acquaintance with some amateur radio operators who use Packet Radio. They help me in mastering this kind of communication. I've already send some Packet messages to America, but I haven't received any answer yet.
I work hard at school, and spend evenings broadcasting. There was influenza epidemic and we all have this disease, Lena and Victor and me. But we are all right now. My son Victor began to study English and I'm very glad we have lessons of English this year.
Remember me to all my friends in America. I miss you greatly. I wish you health, wealth and happiness.
Sergei Burlaev
More recent message from Tanya Rabisheva
Ozerny, Chukotka, Russia
. We tried to find a new job for us in Siberia this summer. But we were not a success. Now we came back to Chukotka. The life here seems to be worse and worse. Se we decided to leave Chukotka forever. I hope it will happen next summer. I'll give you to know when I change my homeplace. Hopefully it may happen in May 1977. Sergei Burlaev also is going to change his place for living and working. His family has already moved to a new place to live. He is going to join them next summer. By the way, he still has problems with his Ham radio. We have very bad communications here so I don't know exactly what is the reason. He promised to explain to you everything in his letter.
My daughters changed their school. They study in Egvekinot, another settlement, because there are no teachers left at school in Ozerny. Practically all of them moved from Chukotka because of living and no salaries. We have winter here already in Chukotka. But two days ago it was raining cats and dogs and we had skating rink everywhere.
Have a good time and good school year,
Tanya Rabisheva