Single board computers and usage of them

[Daniil]

That's interesting. It seems your other identity is beneficial and not a liability AND you know it's not another person. I would not call it a disorder.

For beneficial - that's truly truth, interaction with her taught me alot. But things are more complicated than you understood. For example, in that case:

I'm not clear what Anna means. ... Is Anna referring to their accent when speaking Russian, or something else?

- that wasn't Annie's words. I wrote "she listened how we interact with locals, and thought to me" with a purpose. That was what my other personality thought. "For" me. Probably it was better to wrote "for" - it'd be more understandable. It'd be more correct to separate her from me and Anna. We calling her Rebecca. She identifying herself with this name.

Is Anna referring to their accent when speaking Russian, or something else?

In that case, Rebecca meant that Kazakh language in some aspects for her sounds like Malay. A lot of similar... How to say... Sound patterns. But Kazakh language sounds much more rough and sorta barbaric.

Of course you know that moving to Malaysia would involve a MAJOR change in climate. Prior to this trip have you even been outside Russia, not including Ukraine? Have you ever been to a place with a tropical climate? If not, let me tell you what you missed.

Of course I know that, mr. Humbert. I need to say that previous fall me and Anna had been in Thailand. We went there to understand multiple important things:
1) to understand, could Thai be our place for escape
2) to find out, would it be difficult for "farangs" to find a job and found a business in Thai
3) to find out, is that possible for us to achieve commercial pilot license there
Before we got to Thai I remembered your words about tropical climate, and was a bit worried about this. Rebecca also warned me about hot and humidity there. But... You know, when we got there, I found out that climate is fascinating! It's hot all the time, it's bright sun, it's wet fresh air, great for breathing... Just superb!

But I would be grateful if you could tell me your thoughts about tropical climate. Because there is no such thing as useless knowledge. And I clearly understand that tropical warmth easily could be same deadly as our Russian cold.

Why was moving out of Russia so difficult? You explained that due to your age and some problems with your health, you were not subject to military conscription. You also said that getting out was a simple matter of going to Pulvoko and getting on a plane. Was it lack of money or maybe your misguided mother wanting you to die for Царь Владимир, or something else?

As always in Russia, it's "something else". I said "everything was counteract us" with purpose. It was like... Silent counteracting in any every deed. If you seriously want to get out from Russia, you'll face silent resistance at any levels.

For example, you need to get real passport (yes, our "passports" in Russia are not real like US passports. They are only for inner usage, outside of Russia they are invalid). But in passport office you facing a lot of questions like "why you want to get out from your Motherland at such difficult times?" "Oh, for business? And why you have business outside of Russia? Are you a foreign agent, or maybe, already a traitor?"
Next example: you need to send your money out of Russia. But you can't, because banks doesn't allow you to do this. Officially - because of western sanctions. Unofficially - you have no right to do this, because it's "Russia's" money, i.e., they are sort of a property of bank and Russia even if they are yours. You trying to convert them into cash, but you have no right to do this - maximal cash you can get is about 300000 RUR per day (about 3000 USD), it's a limit for common citizen. Officially there is no restrictions about this, but in fact banks starting to ask - "Why you need this amount of cash? Are you a criminal? Or, maybe, you want to support Ukraine with this?"
Next example: you, somehow, found a way to get your cash and need to exchange it to USD, or just in some other foreign money. But you can not exchange it. Nobody selling USD in St.Petersburg. Banks allowing to exchange rubles only to yuans (CNY). But it is not real yuans - it's only virtual yuans for virtual inside-bank accounts. You can not sent it to any China bank - Chinese won't accept them. Some criminal-affiliated small banks offering dollars, even with official rate... But you need to fill a great declaration, where you need to mention, from where you have got your money, why you want to exchange your money, and also you need to bring with you all people, affiliated with a contract from which you received the money you want to exchange - to proof that you didn't steal that money. And a cashier, in nonofficial way, asking you: "Is that OK for you if our dollars would be a bit blank?" "What do you mean?" - I asked her. And she took from safe a pack and show them to me. And they were white. I mean - really almost white, like printed on printer paper. Did you ever saw white bucks?
And so on and so on. Everyone telling you - "you can't do that, you traitor, you coward". You can't find any information - all officials saying different or avoiding answers. You can't say anything against - finks are everywhere, you even can't say anything if waitress bulling you in fast-food - in a moment would appear a guy in civil, tell you that he is from one of "public protection services", and ask you why are you so offended, and would you want to go to precinct with him? Planes are not ready for flights - to Thai we flew russian "Aeroflot", and that was horrible, because Boeing was overloaded and pilot, probably because of forcible order of flight company, flew it through turbulence all the time to save fuel. You even can't get your personal stuff with you - when we escaped to Kazakhstan, I found out that I can't get my tools (just average tools - hammer, small saw, wire-cutters, screwdriver etc.) with me. Because this is officially denied for exporting from country. So I dealt with this just by lying to transport company that there is no tools. I tried to take my electric screwdriver with me in a plane (in a box, with unplugged batteries), but at Russian "outgoing" customs they denied me to do this. Accumulators could be taken to a cabin, but screwdriver must be in luggage - and in Kazakhstan you need to declare it. In Kazahkstan, of course, nobody asked me about the screwdriver.

One day soon she will cease to be your girlfriend and become your wife. I congratulate you. You are blessed with a brilliant woman who is an asset in every way. Sadly I haven't been as lucky.

Thank you very much, mr. Humbert. I'll give her to read your heartwarming words. I don't know how would it be with our marriage... You know, after what we saw in Russia, it would be very difficult for us to do this. In modern Russia, marriage is... How to say... Corrupted in its sense. It's only two options - "building new family TO FIX DEMOGRAPHY OF MOTHER RUSSIA, LIVE IN **** AND MAKE MORE GUN FODDER FOR GREAT PUTIN" or "I should force him to marry me to get his money from him through a court after half of a year". So for us, at least now, psychologically would be pretty difficult to marry.

[humbert]

Of course I know that, mr. Humbert. I need to say that previous fall me and Anna had been in Thailand. We went there to understand multiple important things:

I've been to Thailand myself - twice. Bangkok to be more specific. The city is overcrowded. Traffic does not move. To travel a distance of 5 km by car will take 3 hours. And the heat is truly unbearable. Day after day the temp is anywhere from 37° to 41°C and very humid. It's that way all year around. The only relief is when it rains. The people are very nice but the language is hard to understand. Not that many people do not speak English or any other language. This is not to say it's impossible to live there, just more difficult.

Now that you mentioned Thailand, it is a tropical climate. In tropical climates it is ALWAYS hot and humid and it only changes a bit when it rains. Depending on how close you are to the sea, daytime temps are always 32° to 36°C and about 25° to 27°C at night (never cooler). The only "seasons" are when it rains more (i.e., the rainy season). Even then often it's hot and sunny. Then you have a "tropical downpour". This is very heavy rain that lasts maybe 15 minutes. Then the clouds clear, the sun returns and all that water evaporates and all that steam is everywhere. Be sure you have air conditioning. If you don't, sleeping at night is going to be next to impossible. If you must move to someplace near the equator, find a place that's high. To see what I mean, go to a weather app and check the weather in Bogotá (Colombia) or Quito (Ecuador).

As always in Russia, it's "something else". I said "everything was counteract us" with purpose. It was like... Silent counteracting in any every deed. If you seriously want to get out from Russia, you'll face silent resistance at any levels.

What you told me about Russia is absolutely shocking! I once said Putin was a Stalinist. He is exactly that! He has become a Stalinist despot who has managed to change the way the people think. Thanks to him, Russia is unliveable! So let me ask: given all those difficulties, how exactly did you and Anna(Rebecca) manage to obtain passports and get out? Did you bribe somebody? Seems like the only way.

In modern Russia, marriage is... How to say... Corrupted in its sense. It's only two options - "building new family TO FIX DEMOGRAPHY OF MOTHER RUSSIA, LIVE IN **** AND MAKE MORE GUN FODDER FOR GREAT PUTIN" or "I should force him to marry me to get his money from him through a court after half of a year". So for us, at least now, psychologically would be pretty difficult to marry.

Based on everything you've been telling me about Anna, none of this applies to you. I see absolutely NO ulterior motives anywhere. We have a woman who left her country and family to be with you - not knowing if she would ever return. We have a loving woman who has been supporting you in good times and bad times. She will be by your side no matter what happens. It is clear that if Anna marries you, it's for one reason only: SHE LOVES YOU. Do you love her? I'm sure you do. That, my dear friend, is the only thing that justifies marriage. I strongly advise you DO NOT let her go. She is one in a million.

[Daniil]

Be sure you have air conditioning. If you don't, sleeping at night is going to be next to impossible. If you must move to someplace near the equator, find a place that's high.

Yes, sleeping without air conditioner is not so good in that climate, I can agree. But we slept a few nights without it (such big temperature change in short time was too contrast for us caused reaction like running nose without getting cold). And... Well... It was not so comfortable but acceptable.

Also, I need to ask you about water consumption and wound care in such climate. Rebecca taught me and Annie, that it's absolutely required to control our hydration in such hot weather. Like always have two bottles of water with us and consume it in time. And also we always need to have strong antiseptic with us, because even small scratch in such climate would inflamed easily and fast. Her advice worked well, but, maybe, you can add something? What sort of sanitizer would be the best? We kept sanitizer spray with us, it's strong and careful enough.

What you told me about Russia is absolutely shocking! I once said Putin was a Stalinist. He is exactly that! He has become a Stalinist despot who has managed to change the way the people think.

I don't think that's stalinism, mr.Humbert. It's more like German fascism (but also not exactly the same).
I may explain my point of view.
First, I already said to you, that Russian people was deceived at XX century at least 7 times and, after my experience, I understood that actually they wanted to be deceived. That is slave (not slavic, but slave), barbaric psychology as it is.
Next, as you probably know, communism was invented not in Russia, but in Europe (and it was logically wrong, but pretty progressive idea for its time - for mid XIX century). Stalin and other communists (who in most cases was not genetically Russians) consumed this progressive european ideas and changed their mindset.
Next, Stalin and other communists definitely knew typical Russian psychotype, that slave psychology I mentioned. And as a bearers of different psychology and ideas, tried to fight it. Notice very well - I'm not excusing Stalin, who was a bloodthirsty bastard and personally subscribed orders for liquidation of thousands of people. But try to think - WHO WROTE 4 MILLIONS OF DENUNCIATIONS? That number was named by Dovlatov, very anti-soviet writer and historian studied Stalin's repressions (so he could be objective!). And REAL number of denunciations are officially top secret even now (so, probably, it's much bigger)!
Now, Putin, because he is Russian and has SAME psychology as most of them, just sharing their way of thinking. HE DID NOT CHANGED THEIR WAY OF THINKING - HE SHARE IT!
Conclusion: modern Russia dictatorship is not a stalinism. But Russians totally deserved such leader as Putin.

So let me ask: given all those difficulties, how exactly did you and Anna(Rebecca) manage to obtain passports and get out? Did you bribe somebody? Seems like the only way.

And - you're wrong. Ways to survive in Russia are not so straight, mr.Humbert. It's a kingdom of bend mirrors. Bribes are not working on lower levels. You need to understand that punishment for a bribe are greater than for murder (7 years in jail for murder and up to 15 for bribe. For both - who give and who get). And you need to understand also that everyone watch each other. So if you try to give a bribe, all the time there will be some attentive person who will write a denunciation same evening. So bribes are mostly for big business (where amount of profit greater than price of life). If you're an average man, the only way is to develop new decisions all the time, use opportuities, be smart, be stubborn, lie and swirl like an eel.
For a passports - to Annie they gave a passport relatively easily. With me, as I said, they asked a lot of questions - why outside, what business, and so on. So I had to lie that I need to go to Kazakhstan because I am a programmer and I was sent by my company to teach Kazakhstan programmers of Kazakhstan department of Yandex. That was half-truth - I was a programmer, I made a Unity3D and object oriented programming traning courses, and I worked at Yandex - but not the same time and not at moment when I tried to get passport. Then they said that they will call me when everything would be ready.
I wait for about a month and they didn't call. I went to passport office again, there was a croud of people, and passport officials said to us all - nobody can get a passport because we lack of biometric chips.
OK, what if I get passport without that biometric data? That's not supposed - they answered - because we converting all "foreign passports" to biometric. But we have lack of chips for them - they said - because of sanctions (chips for russian passports producing OUTSIDE of Russia).
What if they can't find new chips? Nobody knows, they answered, but you should to pay an additional tax (a fine) - if you don't want to change your passport to biometric, you need to pay a fine. Just in case - because if we can't find a chips we must to give you common, non-biometric passport, and that means that you declined to change your passport to biometric. And better to do this faster - who knows, how situation could change? Maybe tomorrow from Moscow they will send an order to suspend provision of passports, for a time. Or something else could happens.
They wrote me a fine. You need to understand - that wasn't a hidden bribe, everything was very official. How to pay? Only through governmental-controlled bank, by getting personally into their office. Maybe with an online bank transfer or some other way? No, not allowed, only personally with fine ticket. And where is the bank? Oh, there (not so far from passport office, but you can't get there in time). I, running as a boar (russian eufemism meaning rushing fast), got to that bank. Could I pay through my Mastercard? No, you can't, only cash or russian card of our bank. God saved me, I had a cash in wallet. I payed it, got back to passport office - but it was closed. Next day I brought them receipt, they said OK, we will give you an non-biometric passport. When? Well, some time later, about a month or two.
After two weeks they call me and said - suddenly in Moscow they found somewhere a number of chips, come quickly, we have a passport for you. OK. I dropped all my work, came there, got my passport. It was with other photo - not one I gave them on a request, but one they made themself. On this photo I'm not looking like me, which later caused questions from Russian customs. But I took it (because the other option was wait until unknown date). And I was lucky - because a lot of those who made a requests for passports with me, didn't got them (nor biometrical nor common), at least at the moment when I took mine.
What about that fine, you can ask? Nothing. No refunds, you can try to requrest it back, but you can get a tax office decision about returning it only next year. What fall - that is lost. Russian proverb. I said myself where they can go (you understand what I mean), and forgot about this. Actually, it's relatively cheap price.

Based on everything you've been telling me about Anna, none of this applies to you. I see absolutely NO ulterior motives anywhere.
<...>
That, my dear friend, is the only thing that justifies marriage. I strongly advise you DO NOT let her go. She is one in a million.

She definitely is! But not making an official marriage is our both decision we made together. You should understand us - if we'd marry, what would be the difference between us and those who stay there in Russia? We doesn't want to be like them. We declining any way of slavery, even under name of marriage. Annie is free person. If she wants, she can go away any second. I am not holding her, and I have no right to hold her. That's how it works.

[humbert]

Yes, sleeping without air conditioner is not so good in that climate, I can agree. But we slept a few nights without it (such big temperature change in short time was too contrast for us caused reaction like running nose without getting cold). And... Well... It was not so comfortable but acceptable.

What do you estimate the temperature and humidity was in the room you were sleeping? Would you say 25°C or less? If so you'll sleep. However, if it's higher than that and humid, sleeping is difficult. If you run into that situation again, buying a fan will help tremendously.

Also, I need to ask you about water consumption and wound care in such climate. Rebecca taught me and Annie, that it's absolutely required to control our hydration in such hot weather. Like always have two bottles of water with us and consume it in time. And also we always need to have strong antiseptic with us, because even small scratch in such climate would inflamed easily and fast. Her advice worked well, but, maybe, you can add something? What sort of sanitizer would be the best? We kept sanitizer spray with us, it's strong and careful enough.

The rule is simple: water in, water out. If it's hot and very humid you're going to sweat a lot. This is especially true if you're moving around. You won't have problems staying hydrated because your body will ask for water. Give it as much as you can. Don't overdo it. The body will tell you when it doesn't want water.

While certainly it's never a bad idea to carry disinfectants, I wouldn't worry too much. The body is well prepared for cuts and injuries. Having lived in the tropics most of my life I can tell you that cuts aren't very affected by the climate.

One thing I forgot to tell you about: INSECTS! In the tropics they're everywhere including all kinds of different species. Add to this spiders and worms, which are not insects. In every tropical place you visit, ask around if there is an outbreak of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and yellow fever, not to mention malaria. Most mosquitos just bite you but don't carry any of these diseases. Most insects are just unwanted guests who want to live with you in your house or apartment for food and shelter. You might want to hire a fumigator to fumigate the place every few months.

I don't understand something. Doltalov denounced 4 million people to Stalin and his NKVD, and yet he has anti-Soviet? I would think he would do anything he could to aid Stalin's enemies.

I agree with your characterization of Putin in that he's more a Nazi than a Stalinist (not as bad as Hitler, of course). This thing that happens in Russia of everybody denoucing everybody else is nothing new. All dictatorships work like that. They deputize their own people as police agents. And, of course, fascists are notorious for their over-reliance on patriotism. Not being loyal to the dictator is the same as not being loyal to the motherland.

With respect to getting passports, did Annie get a biometric passport> You said there were no chips. The story you told me about getting yours is truly incredible. Just one question. How did you manage to get out of Russia and into Kazakhstan with someone else's picture on your passport? If the face doesn't match it's usually considered forgery, which is very serious.

Have you asked around to see if you and Annie can become citizens of Kazakhstan? Sadly Russian citizenship today is more a liability than an assets, thanks to Putin.

She definitely is! But not making an official marriage is our both decision we made together. You should understand us - if we'd marry, what would be the difference between us and those who stay there in Russia? We doesn't want to be like them. We declining any way of slavery, even under name of marriage. Annie is free person. If she wants, she can go away any second. I am not holding her, and I have no right to hold her. That's how it works.

I strongly agree with you. In my opinion marriage is just a scrap of paper that brings nothing more than trouble. I only mentioned it because of your strong connection. I also love your attitude that Annie is free to be with you or not. That is true love! For all intents and purposes Annie is your wife, only with no scrap of paper signed. Once again I offer my congratulations!

[Daniil]

I don't understand something. Doltalov denounced 4 million people to Stalin and his NKVD, and yet he has anti-Soviet? I would think he would do anything he could to aid Stalin's enemies.

You understood me incorrectly - probably because I explaining things in Russian way (how I'd tell it using Russian language). I'll try reformulate this. Dovlatov was a novelist and historian, escaped from Soviet Union to USA at 80's. He studied time of Stalin's power. By his investigation, during year 1937 4 millions of denunciations was written. This denunciations was written by Russians, against other Russians (in a lot of cases against family members, colleagues and so on). So, we shouldn't think that Russians was opressed preys, suffering under contol of communists. They totally deserved communistic repressions. And now they totally deserved putinism. That's what I tried to say.

did Annie get a biometric passport> You said there were no chips

Yes, she got biometric passport. Most funny and stupid thing that we sent a requests for passport together through internet (with about 2 minutes difference in time of request). But - you already know how things went next.

How did you manage to get out of Russia and into Kazakhstan with someone else's picture on your passport? If the face doesn't match it's usually considered forgery, which is very serious.

Again, you misunderstood my words, probably because I explaining things in too Russian way. I need explain procedure of getting "foreign" passport in details to help you understand.
To get "foreign" passport, you need:
1) Send a request for it through government site.
2) They will check your criminal record, tax payments and loan (credit) history, and then will send back to your email "an allowance" - official paper with requirements what you need to do. This requirements, in a nutshell, are:

• pay small tax
• prepare your photo, standard format. Let's name it "first" photo.
• get to passport office at ordered day
• follow orders of passport official

So, you need to do this all.
3) In the office, after a long queue, you'll reach an official. They'll bring you to special room, where they'll record your biometry - like, skull proportions, eye pattern, fingerprints and so on. During this they'll make an additional photo of you - black and white, specially for biometry. Let's name it "second" photo.
4) After this you need to sign official papers that you need a "foreign" passport, and give this papers and "first" photo to an official.

After this you may left passport office and wait while they'll make your passport. In passport should be your "first" photo.

But in my case, and also in Annie case, this morons glued there our "second" photos. That's it. So, in my passport is my photo, but not nice and color, but ugly, grainy and black and white.

Have you asked around to see if you and Annie can become citizens of Kazakhstan?

It's not easy. Now we can only get residentialship (i.e., papers allowing to stay here for long time). To become a citizens we need to live here for about 10-15 years. But be just residents here is better then stay in Russia.

[humbert]

By his investigation, during year 1937 4 millions of denunciations was written. This denunciations was written by Russians, against other Russians (in a lot of cases against family members, colleagues and so on).

This sort of thing is very common in a totalitarian state. The government, using terror, manages to create a situation where everyone is an agent. To make it worse, either you denounce them or they'll denounce you. History has many examples of such a thing.

So, we shouldn't think that Russians was opressed preys, suffering under contol of communists. They totally deserved communistic repressions. And now they totally deserved putinism. That's what I tried to say.

The Russian people have had to endure over 1,000 years of dictatorial governments who have everything while the people of Russia have nothing. In recent history you have 304 years of Romanov rule, followed by 75 years of Communism, followed by 20+ years of Putin. Not much has changed. The people of Russia deserve freedom and democracy. 1,000 years of punishment is too much for anyone to endure.

Now I clearly understand the problem with the passport picture. You explained it one way, I understood something else.
Also, this is probably a translation error too, but let me mention it. In every other country a "foreign" passport is one that's issued by another country. Here in American, there are American passports and "foreign" passports, i.e., one that is not American. In other words, "foreign" means "not from our country".

It's not easy. Now we can only get residentialship (i.e., papers allowing to stay here for long time). To become a citizens we need to live here for about 10-15 years. But be just residents here is better then stay in Russia.

Do you already have legal residence or are you in the process of applying? I hope your chances are good. With legal residence you and Annie are safe. BTW let me ask: how is life is Kazakhstan? Was it easy to find an apartment to rent? Are you OK with work? I believe you said Annie was working with you. Also: with respect to language, they speak Kazakh among themselves but speak to you in Russian? You said Kazakh is difficult and different from Russian. Have you learned any?

As for citizenship, may I ask: how old are you? About 40 or something? Those 10-15 years will fly by fast and you'll still be young enough to be a Kazakh citizen.

[

[Daniil]

Also, this is probably a translation error too, but let me mention it. In every other country a "foreign" passport is one that's issued by another country. Here in American, there are American passports and "foreign" passports, i.e., one that is not American. In other words, "foreign" means "not from our country".

No, mr.Humbert, in that case it's not a translation error, but some strange twist of Russian language, roots of which are probably from Soviet era. In Russia they have term "заграничный паспорт" ("zagranichniy pasport"), which literally means "foreign passport". In sense "special passport for foreign trips".

Do you already have legal residence or are you in the process of applying?

Yes, we are in process. We applied to get residentalship in the beginning of July, prepared all papers they told us in immigration office, and now we are waiting for their "decision" (in fact, just waiting while papers go all the way through police bureaucracy machine).

how is life is Kazakhstan? Was it easy to find an apartment to rent? Are you OK with work?

Well, in general life is OK. Here in Astana it was very easy to find an apartment (just open local site with renting offers and you have plenty of them). Prices of apartment are relatively high, but most of apartment are in very good places in city (new buildings, very conveniently placed, with a lot of shops and services all around). I'm not "working" yet - I mean, I didn't sign any contract for work still. But, as I said before, I found my private company and I found a guys who are interested in my services as an astrogator. So now I'm supporting Kazakhstan space startup, contacting for them with western and eastern launch companies and developing a constellation of low orbital satellites for data transfer and disaster monitoring. That's for free now, but I can allow myself to invest my work and knowledge into this, to get a part of their stock in future. Annie helping me with this business as a secretary.

Also: with respect to language, they speak Kazakh among themselves but speak to you in Russian? You said Kazakh is difficult and different from Russian. Have you learned any?

They speak Russian with a lot of anglicisms - same as in Russia, but with more clean pronounciation. Well, you should understand, that, first of all, Kazakhstan was one of most advanced Soviet republics (same as Ukraine for example), so soviets sent here our best intellectuals (here is Tyuratam (Baikonur) space launch site, so you may understand how highly trained professionals have had to be here). Also, before this, during Stalin's age, here was concentration camps where best intellectuals (sometimes same who later built here Baikonur space launch site) of Soviet Union was imprisoned. That's why here they using mostly Russian language. Moreover, even in official papers, they using Russian language. Most funny thing that, after we got papers from police, I thought that they need a confirmation from bank (like, that I have money for living) in two languages, Russian and Kazakh. Like, it's how it should be by law. We've got to the bank, and asked them to do this. Operation girl said "Well, OK..." and started to compose this confirmation in Kazakh. I mean - they have this confirmation form ready to print in their software, but written in Russian. So she tried to translate it. She tried about five times, then call her manager. I'm sitting in a chair, staring at my phone and just hear some mumbling between them, like (in Russian, of course): "For God's sake, how the f*ck I should write this in Kazakh?! I've wrote Kazakh last time at school, I even don't have this font in computer!!" So manager came to her, they installed proper font, then together somehow (using Google Translate) composed that paper, and triumphantly gave it to me. We've got back to police, leutenant checked our papers and asked: "And for what purpose did you made it in Kazakh? We need only Russian language."

So that's how things going here with languages. In cities. I don't know about countryside - locals told me that there is some regions where they used mostly Kazakh language. But I didn't see that myself.

Talking about other things - well, everything is relatively OK. I mean, Kazakhstan is comfortable country, oriented to became a brilliant of Central Asia. They doing business - really fast and good, multiple times faster than in Russia. Space business activities requiring multiple years in Russia, solves here in months. They are less in IT than russians, but that's good! (In Russia IT was the only relatively accessible way to do your own business, because officials was really bad in understanding what you're doing).

The only bad thing in Kazakhstan in cuisine. They absolutely know nothing about how to cook tasty and healthy food. We with Annie tried to get to local restaurants, and that was pretty bad. Everywhere food is plain, primitive and bad cooked. They are bad with seafood and vegetables, the only good food here is dairies. We're still safe only because of Rebecca's knowledge in cooking, but it's pretty hard to get proper ingredients - even in korean shops it's hard to find curry paste and spicy sauces.

[humbert]

Yes, we are in process. We applied to get residentalship in the beginning of July, prepared all papers they told us in immigration office, and now we are waiting for their "decision" (in fact, just waiting while papers go all the way through police bureaucracy machine).

Then it's not really a decision. It's just a matter of waiting for the bureaucracy to finish processing everything. As I understand it you see no reason for them to deny your residence. In the mean time you can live there and work without fear of deportation. That's great! You're safely in the right place and you have a wonderful woman backing you up. I'm happy for you.

I found my private company and I found a guys who are interested in my services as an astrogator. So now I'm supporting Kazakhstan space startup, contacting for them with western and eastern launch companies and developing a constellation of low orbital satellites for data transfer and disaster monitoring. That's for free now, but I can allow myself to invest my work and knowledge into this, to get a part of their stock in future. Annie helping me with this business as a secretary.

I had no idea you were familiar with aerospace engineering. That's awesome. But you can't work for free. You have to pay rent, food and other expenses. You have to be making some money somehow. In any case, according to the dictionary "astrogator" means someone who flies a spacecraft. Do you design satellites or write software for their computers? I'm familiar with Baikonur, but I didn't know Kazakhstan was developing some sort of space program. This is great! The more countries invest in space, the better for humanity.

What you told me about the Russian language in Kazakhstan reminds me of what Shadow.97 told us about Ireland. Gaelic is an official language over there, but almost nobody speaks it. English is what predominates.

The only bad thing in Kazakhstan in cuisine. They absolutely know nothing about how to cook tasty and healthy food. We with Annie tried to get to local restaurants, and that was pretty bad. Everywhere food is plain, primitive and bad cooked. They are bad with seafood and vegetables, the only good food here is dairies. We're still safe only because of Rebecca's knowledge in cooking, but it's pretty hard to get proper ingredients - even in korean shops it's hard to find curry paste and spicy sauces.

Are there pre-cooked meals you can warm up in a microwave oven? No sense spending all that time cooking if the end result is a bad meal because ingredients are hard to get.

[Daniil]

That's awesome. But you can't work for free. You have to pay rent, food and other expenses. You have to be making some money somehow.

Yes, I know that, that's why I am still opened for other options. If they wouldn't accept payware cooperation with me - well, I'll lost some money, which is not good but at current time acceptable. In any case, I will get an experience, which I can show to anyone else in aerospace industry, and this is, at this stage, even more important than money! Like - "look guys, I REALLY CAN do what you need, here is proves!".

In any case, according to the dictionary "astrogator" means someone who flies a spacecraft. Do you design satellites or write software for their computers?

"Astrogator" in space is the same as navigator at sea. This is a man who doing navigation in space. So I designing trajectories of spacecrafts, determining their positions in space, analyzing their motion, calculating their maneuvers, and so on.

That's not my first experience in space. In Russia I was a navigator of "Edelweiss" mission - first Russian private company satellite, made in Saint-Petersburg.
This one:
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/geoskan-edelveis.htm

But I participated this mission as volunteer, for educational purposes.

Are there pre-cooked meals you can warm up in a microwave oven?

No, at all. Literally at Thursday we tried to find for us pre-cooked pancakes with something sweet, and absolutely no luck. From pre-cooked food here we have only overpriced chicken nuggets, dumplings (zillion of them and most of them expensive and bad taste), and korean fish cans (and they are great!).

[humbert]

Yes, I know that, that's why I am still opened for other options. If they wouldn't accept payware cooperation with me - well, I'll lost some money, which is not good but at current time acceptable. In any case, I will get an experience, which I can show to anyone else in aerospace industry, and this is, at this stage, even more important than money! Like - "look guys, I REALLY CAN do what you need, here is proves!".

Of course getting experience is important, but it doesn't pay the bills. Certainly you must be doing some kind of work where you're getting paid. May I ask, is Rebekah doing any work other than being your secretary, cooking and normal housework?

I assume you're legally allowed to work in Kazakhstan. If so, then do you have to apply for some sort of tax ID number or something like that? I ask this because in almost all countries, nobody who enters on a visitors visa is allowed to work.

Also: did you and Rebekah rent out a small one room apartment or something like that? If so is it comfortable?

That's not my first experience in space. In Russia I was a navigator of "Edelweiss" mission - first Russian private company satellite, made in Saint-Petersburg.

This is interesting! I had no idea your knowledge was that advanced. When you say "navigator" I'm not clear as to what you mean? Did you design something or were you just at the controls piloting the mission?

The link isn't clear about what exactly these cubesats do. Are they for communication or is there another purpose?

No, at all. Literally at Thursday we tried to find for us pre-cooked pancakes with something sweet, and absolutely no luck. From pre-cooked food here we have only overpriced chicken nuggets, dumplings (zillion of them and most of them expensive and bad taste), and korean fish cans (and they are great!).

So I assume the first thing you had to buy at the market was pots and pans. Based on what you're saying pretty much the only thing available is raw food that has to be cooked from scratch. This takes time. Assuming Rebekah does the cooking, how does she manage with this and work? Do you also cook or is it just her?

Let me just make one observation. Based on everything you told me, without Rebekah things for you in Astana would have been much more difficult. Of course you love her, but just as important, you NEED her. Finding her as your lifetime partner was possibly the best decision you've ever made. I congratulate you. Give her a kiss on my behalf    -- BTW, if she reads English then show her my post.