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Back- left to right:
Victoria Kurson, Vladivostok; Slava Stepashkin,
Moscow; Elena Grabchak, Moscow; Galina
Karaketova, Volgograd; Timofey Belyayev,
Tomsk; Jim Gibbs, Woodbury; Svetlana
Serova, Vladivostok; Svetlana Potapova,
Nizhny Novgorod; Elena Poliakova, St. Petersburg
Kneeling in front:
Vladimir Timokhin, Tula; Vladimir Kondrashkin,
Kondrashkin; and Aleksandr Lebedev, Izhevsk |
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Who
could have imagined that a group of real estate professionals
from Russia would be in Woodbury listening to an introduction to
farm economics being presented by Cannon County Extension
Service agent Bruce Steelman. But there they were in the meeting
room at Union Planters Bank listening intensely and through an
interpreter, asking very serious questions. Next on the agenda
was real estate appraiser Bruce Todd to discuss the appraisal
process of rural land, followed by Union Planter's Steve Smith
on the topic of financing farms. The real twist to this story is
this: Russian farms are all still owned and controlled by the
government. In fact, only four percent of all land in Russia is
in private ownership.
The nine Russian delegates and two interpreters are part the
Productivity Enhancement Program that is an ongoing effort to
teach free enterprise to Russian business people. In short,
Americans teaching Russians to be free.
Concentrating on rebuilding production, PEP brings non-English
speaking Russian and Ukrainian business people and municipal
leaders to the US for intensive study in a variety of
professions for about one month. The Russians analyze and
document each day's learning and prepare themselves to be
trainers of producers or leaders upon their return to Russia.
The group of Russians visiting Woodbury are all in the real
estate business.
Until 10 years ago, there was no private real estate industry in
the old Soviet Union. “Everyone was a tenant in a government
apartment,” translator Slava Stepashkin explained.
With private real estate ownership taking hold, Russian real
estate agents are trying to catch up. Each of the nine in
Woodbury, most of whom speak limited English, paid part of the
cost to take a three-week crash course in real estate — American
style.
The program is co-sponsored locally by the Murfreesboro Rotary
Club and the Middle Tennessee Association of Realtors. Cannon
County Realtor/Instructor Jim Gibbs coordinated the two-day
visit and educational tour to Woodbury.
On Monday the Russians also visited the Cannon County High
School, ate lunch, and attended the geography class taught by
Tim Knox. The Russians responded to questions from the students
through an interpreter. The Cannon kids wanted to know about
Russian cars, music, and attitudes after the September 11
terrorist attack on the United States. Interpreter Elena
Pollakova explained that they also are victims of ongoing
terrorism from neighboring Chechnya. There is a growing
understanding in the world that international terrorism is a
challenge and a threat to all, be it in Afghanistan or in
Chechnya.
One Cannon student curious about Russian family relationships
quickly learned that problems with parents also seem to be
universal, and that she just needs to learn to cope with what
she has and be thankful to be an American.
After visiting the high school, the group toured Valhalla Farm,
and Cannon Carriage Driving Center on Jim Town Road. Owners Jim
and Jean Keathley offered a personal tour of their home and of
their carriage horse farm. Elizabeth Keathley, who is a
professional horse trainer and driving instructor, provided cart
rides pulled by a team of ponies.
One particular Russian, Aleksandr Lebedev, found his own
entertainment with the farm golf cart. After a brief lesson by
Jean Keathley, Aleksandr could be seen racing around the farm
like a kid in an amusement park. Mrs. Keathley promised him if
he ever came back to Cannon County that she would take him
four-wheeling in the hills behind the farm.
It was difficult to pre-determine what the Russians may find
interesting. Earlier in the day, Steve Smith was asked to search
his vault for any two-dollar bills, silver dollars or Ike
dollars. They had none. However, a Union Planters' employee had
a personal two-dollar bill that she showed to them and it
attracted several offers to purchase the odd bill from the
visitors. She declined. Steve Smith also showed them a thousand
dollar and five-hundred dollar bill. Several of the Russians
wanted to pose for photos holding the unusual American currency.
Another item of interest was small brick of shredded discarded
money in the bank vault. Svetlana Serova quickly handed her
personal camera to a friend and asked banker Steve Smith to pose
with her as she held the two bricks of US money valued at two
thousand dollars.
On the second day the group visited the Oaklands Historic
Mansion in Murfreesboro and then the Carriage Lane Bed and
Breakfast in an effort to understand the value of historic
tourism. After lunch at the Carriage Lane wedding reception
center, the Russian delegation returned to Woodbury to explore
the Registrar of Deeds office and the Tax Assessor's office.
Tax assessor Donald Preston explained how we reach property
value and answered questions on taxation and county budgeting.
At the Registrar of Deeds office, Sandy Hollandsworth showed the
group how to retrieve a deed from the electronic system. Kyle
Williams, who is an independent title searcher, took time from
his research to answer a couple of questions for the Russians.
Vladimir Timokhin asked how much it cost to come into the office
and retrieve the information recorded there. When it was
explained that it was free and that it was all public records,
the Russian group was amazed. "To get the same information in
Russia," explained Galina Karaketova, "We would be required to
write thirty letters and get thirty permits." It was also
explained that in Russia, they didn't get warranty deeds; they
were issued certificates of occupancy by the government. When
Registrar Debbie Morris produced a book of deeds dating back to
1836, the Russians became even more impressed with our system.
Wrapping up the day's activities on historic tourism, the group
was taken out on the square and introduced to Operation
Streetheart, which is a plan to beautify downtown Woodbury in
hope of generating a local tourism market to keep commerce alive
in Woodbury.
A shopping tour at the Old Feed Mill Antique Mall ended the
session in Woodbury with everyone that had contact with the
Russians smiling. Steve Smith really summed it up with his
statement, "I had a wonderful time and I enjoyed them very much."
It was a good opportunity for us to experience a one on one
cultural exchange.
Coordinator / Instructor Jim Gibbs remarked that even with the
language barrier, the friendship experiences could just be felt.
Not only did I make 11 friends from Russia, I found a wonderful
friend locally while sharing the experience with fellow Realtor,
J. D. Kennedy from Murfreesboro. J.D. is also a
Rotary member active in the program bringing the Russians to
Middle Tennessee, and several of the Russians are guests in his
home.
Using translation software found on the Internet, Jim Gibbs
summed his feelings with note in Russian -- Thank you my
new friends.
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