Hi all,

As some of you may know…I’m on sabbatical this semester, just kicking back and thinking about all the things I’d like to do.  A few weeks ago I thought…”hey, I’d like to take a long train ride…but where can I take a really, really, really long train ride?”  Then it hit me…RUSSIA (it took an embarrassingly long amount of time to realize the train potential of Russia…being such a big country you’d think it would come to my attention a bit sooner).

So…Russia it will be. I am leaving on September 30th (this Friday) for Moscow, then after a few days I will get on a train and take a 6 day ride (yes…six days on a train) across the Ural Mountains…across Siberia…through Mongolia…and finally into Beijing, China.

Red Square, Moscow

Epic trip for sure…but the thought of doing this in a vacuum gave me an empty feeling inside.  So I called my brother to invite him on the trip…he said yes, but that wasn’t enough…so now I am inviting you.

What I need is a sense of direction and purpose.  I will be traveling around the world in 14 (too short) days, and I want to share it (well…at least a part of it) with you.  You will be with me from Burlington to NYC to Oslo to Moscow to Beijing to LA to Newark to Burlington-by plane and train (can’t find a boat…yet), vicariously through this blog and my iPhone.

Tiananmen Square...a bit hazy.

I know, I know…most of you don’t really care (and I don’t really blame you), so…to make it more interesting, I want you to direct me.  I want you to ask me questions about Russia and China that will send me on mini-missions…to seek out something you’d like/need to know.

I know you’re about to study Russia (and later, China) so…SEND ME ON A MISSION!  Send me (via the comments on this blog) questions/quests/mission to seek out knowledge and/or answers to your questions.  I will post my replies in image/text/video form on this blog as I travel these two weeks.  Your questions should be for Russia and China and cover focus on the following themes:

1. Cultural Question…on Russia and China

2. Economic Question…on Russia and China

3. Historical Question…on Russia and China

I’m going to ask you to be careful if you feel the desire to ask a political question…my access to this blog will be very difficult in China as it is.  I will do my best however to maintain contact with you throughout the trip.

I will be in Russia until October 9th…and in China from then until October 15th.  SEND ME ON A MISSION to find some cultural/economic/historical answers to your questions…and follow along as I make my way.

Aubin