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Highlands Today

Russians Embrace Highlands' Warm Welcome, Weather

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

From left: Students Olesia Provotorova, 16, and Veronika Hamickaya, 17, look at a rendering of a mural during a stop at the Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce on Monday.

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By Bill Rettew Jr. | Highlands Today

Published: October 30, 2007

LAKE PLACID — Americans play more sports and are polite and friendly, or so believe 12 Russian snowbirds visiting Highlands County.

A dozen Russian 10th-graders from St. Petersburg are returning the favor after a group of Lake Placid students visited Russia 10 weeks ago.

Student Dima Bofodin likes the "nearly perfect" Florida climate, compared with nine colder months a year at home.

"The local people play more sports, (especially) with wakeboards and jet skis," Bofodin observed. "And the school's compete against other schools in sports."

He also gave a thumbs up to American manners.

"Everybody is polite and very friendly," Bofodin said.

Laurie Weber is a volunteer coordinator and was surprised with the ease the Russian students acclimated to America.

"They're taking in every aspect of Highlands County they could," said Weber. "I'm impressed that they want to taste, try and do everything."

School Principal Igor Karachevesev spoke through an interpreter. He said the two-week long trip was a chance to favorably compare America's "big spaces" with Russian agricultural areas.

The principal especially enjoyed local food, including alligator and American steaks — and the local beverages.

"Any kind of beer is good," Karachevesev explained. "There is no bad beer."

The Center for Russian-American Behavioral Studies organized the trip. Students are next headed for Fort Lauderdale.

"The kids have an instant connection that grown-ups don't," said organizer David Optekar. "We get the kids to connect globally."

Optekar said the program allows students to learn about each other through early exchange at a younger age. he hopes that as adults they will mix and work together easier.

"We're trying to break down stereotypes, such as, Americans are just materialistic or that Russians never smile," said Optekar.

Yakov Steinzeig and Vanya Ultin visited a local school and agreed that Americans are friendly. They prefer American clothing styles.

"It's warmer here and in Russia they have to keep warm," said Ultin. "And they wear less clothes here. We like that."

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