Obninsk, Oak Ridge bond remains strongDate: August 2, 2006Our first stop in Obninsk is to check in to our accommodations. We are not staying at a true hotel, although there are several good hotels in the city. Rather, we are staying at a Soviet-era “sanatorium,” built for scientists from the city’s research laboratories needing some rest and relaxation. The facility is sparse but very comfortable and affordable — about 1500 rubles or $56 per night. Although the architecture and uses were very different, it is relatively easy to compare this facility to The Guest House in Oak Ridge.After a change of clothes, our group travels to the Obninsk City Administration Building to meet Mayor Nikolay Shubin. In our hour-long meeting, Mayor Shubin stresses the importance of the relationship between Obninsk and Oak Ridge, and of his desire to strengthen the relationship. Near the end of the meeting, the mayor and I sign a joint resolution pledging to continue our exchanges of science and technology, to cooperate in the exchange of information relative to technology parks and business incubators, and to share information on commercialization and technology transfer.The local press covers the meeting, and I am even asked follow-up questions after the meeting adjourns. The reporter wants to know if I was satisfied with the meeting (I was) and what my initial impressions of the city are (very good). The question of my impression of the city is a common one throughout our entire stay.The next stop is to a Linguistics Center, which is an advanced school for students wanting to learn English. The school is fee-based and is attended by students after their regular classes. Our group is encouraged to talk to small groups of these students and, after just a few minutes, it is clear that these students are extremely bright. The five students I talk to are planning to attend college, and their areas of interest range from engineering to marketing. One student has been awarded a tennis scholarship at a Texas university and will be traveling to the United States in the fall. I ask the students about Obninsk; the students are proud of their city, but, somewhat like Oak Ridge, the students wish there was more to do in their city for kids their age.It is clear that the Big City — Moscow — is a big draw for students as they make college decisions. We next attend a senior center that is teeming with activity. The center has grown significantly because of the partnership between it and organizations in Oak Ridge. The men and women of the center treat us to tea made from herbs just picked earlier in the morning … and to a wonderful medley of Russia songs.Special to The Oak Ridger Obninsk Mayor Nikolay Shubin, left, and Oak Ridge Mayor David Bradshaw sign a joint resolution continuing the two cities’ sister city relationship. We are also offered a very large sweet bread, a traditional friendship gift in Russia.For the rest of the evening, our group attends a tremendous dinner at a dacha (summer home) of a local businessman. We must drive away from the city to get to this home and, for the first time, I notice single-family detached dwellings (rare in Obninsk, but becoming more available). I also notice that the condition of the roads has deteriorated significantly! The dacha is several acres in size, and contains a large pond, a four-story home, a log cabin for guests, a deer herd, and a two-lane bowling alley under construction. Our meal and tour of the grounds is spectacular and lasts until after sunset. Sunsets in Obninsk are about 10:30 p.m. due to its northern location.The next day is devoted to visiting a laboratory, a business incubator which is very similar to Technology 2020 in Oak Ridge, and a rehabilitation center for handicapped children. We also visit an ancient monastery that was significantly neglected during Soviet times (it was used as a car garage for a while), but is now being repaired and returned to its former condition. It is clear that in addition to business entrepreneurship flourishing in Russia, religion and religious practices are also thriving.I attend lunch with leaders of several delegations and the governor of Kaluga (similar to the governor of Tennessee). There are many toasts, speeches, and interpreters at this lunch. The Chinese delegation received their speeches via a double translation (from Russian to English to Chinese), which proves quite interesting. Dining in Russia consists of small, non-lettuce salads, several finger foods, soups, a main course usually of fish or meat, and several beverage choices such as juice, bottled water, vodka, and wines. Our day ends at the House of Scientists with a public celebration of Obninsk’s 50th anniversary. There is even a short movie shown about the history of the city — not unlike “Secret City: The Oak Ridge Story”. The theater is completely full, and it is clear the citizens of Obninsk are proud of their accomplishments.Our final day in Obninsk is less structured. I find a beautiful quilt at an outdoor festival that was hand-made by a lady at the Senior Center we had visited earlier. The quilt would fit nicely into my luggage after leaving all of the blue jeans I brought for the orphanage, so I negotiate a good price, and purchase the quilt as a 16th wedding anniversary present for my wife (we celebrated our anniversary while I was on this trip — 5,300 miles apart!). We travel back to Moscow late in the evening to prepare for our next day flight back to America. Our flight from Moscow to Atlanta arrives 45 minutes early, but as luck would have it, our flight from Atlanta to Knoxville is delayed over two hours, and we don’t arrive in Knoxville until after 9:30 p.m.The trip to Obninsk was wonderful, but the hugs I get from my wife and kids upon arrival are very sweet indeed. EDITOR’S NOTE: This article concludes a series of articles Oak Ridge Mayor David Bradshaw has contributed to The Oak Ridger regarding a local delegation’s trip to Oak Ridge sister city Obninsk, Russia. Bradshaw is penning a personal column on this trip which is expected to publish in Thursday’s edition of The Oak Ridger.
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