“I’ve always wanted to go to the Soviet Union. Always,” says Don Ewing of Anaheim, Calif. “But Intourist always had you go on their itinerary and stay at $100-a-night hotels.”
So when the country opened up and he read in a local paper about international ads in English-language publications, he decided to try something different.
His ad read: “Friendly 40-year-old American man requires simple accommodations in your home. Will pay $10 a day.”
Four months passed. Nothing.
Then he got 14 letters in one day. For a week thereafter, he got five to 10 letters a day.
–“Hallo! Young family will place a flat at your disposal and friendliness.”
–“Our family cordially invites you to stop at us and confirmed that proper hospitality and kindness will be shown during your stay there.”
All told, Ewing received nearly 70 letters.
“A lot of these people really want you to stay with them — for economic reasons and for the American contact,” he says.
Many of the people who wrote were professionals — engineers, psychologists, professors.
–“As an English teacher I want to have the English practic. It’s difficult to find a person with whom I can speak English.”
–“I’m teaching French, English, can speaking in Russian, Kirgizian languages. I have many free time and can halp you to cooking.”
–“I’m young, friendly, 30 y.o. engineer. I repair IBM computers.”
–“I’m a house wife. I like my home and I like to have guest in it.”
Don Ewing is a house painter and an inveterate, adventuresome traveler who takes an extended trip (three months and more) each year. He has been virtually around the world, working his way through Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti and then back to California.
But never Russia. And when he finally sees it, he says, he wants to see it up close and with natives.
The letters he has received offer glimpses of what he might see. Some shed light on life’s day-to-day harshness.
–“My parents are very hospitable. But the situation in my country is very difficult (expensive food, clothes … ) I have a higher technical education, today unemployed. My parents are pensioners.”
–“My aunt is moving to America for living in a few days & I’ll sent the letter with her because our post works not very well.”
–“What is it exactly you mean by ‘simple’ accomodations? Your idea can be very different from what we have here.”
Most of the accommodations offered sounded reasonably comfortable and well-situated, either close to the center of Moscow or to public transportation. But the writers were straightforward about any drawbacks or restrictions.
–“In your disposal will be big cosy bed (two persons can sleep on it easily) behind the curtain. Sorry, I’ll have to be sleeping on the opposite side of the room on the couch.”
–“I have to warn you that we are not very tidy people, unfortunately …”
–“The only condition is not to exercise sexual relations in my flat. Please excuse me for this warning.”
Many people offered guide services. Some offered other enticements.
–“If you’re interested in music I play guitar and accordian some.”
–“Nourishment is possible: my wife can cook.”
–“My mother who’s a very beautiful woman in her early 40’s lives nearby alone in a two-room apartment.”
In a country where the average wage is $5 a month, $10 a day is untold riches. But aside from the money and American contacts, there were other ulterior motives in some of these offers.
–“Me: 30 – 160 – 58, blonde, long hair, good physique, good looks, good educated the state institute of culture, not married wants to invite you in my three room flat for summer. Hope that we shall be friends.”
–“Can you help me in acquaintance and marriage with American (woman)?”
–“If you visit me you will pay less than 10 dollars a day since I would like to ask you to bring me several high-quality irises. I need any varieties of the so-called Tall-bearded Irises … I must say all the rhizomes could be taken away at our custom house since our private persons are not allowed to bring or recieve any vegetation from abroad or send it there. So if you cold bring them you should do it illegally.”
In the end, Ewing accepted three offers and will stay two weeks in each when he goes to Russia in August.
One he chose because it was a man his age, a child psychologist married to the principal of a private school.
The second house he chose was that of a 22-year-old woman named Medina who lives with her mother. “Of all the letters, hers was the most polite,” says Ewing.
“If you prefer another place to stay in, we will be happy to see you as our guest.”
And the third flat he chose belongs to 33-year-old Marina, who will stay at her father’s flat while Ewing uses hers.
Ewing offered to bring his hosts anything they want.
Vladmir requested textbooks on American, medieval and English history. Medina turned down his offer of $2 a meal over the daily rate — “May be it’s ashamed of us to take pay from you in general but only because of our terrible situation” — but had other requests, including one from her mother:
“She bought many years ago California prunes and don’t can forget them.”
Though his plans are made, Ewing hasn’t forgotten the other voices that came to him through the mail.
“I got all these letters and I really wanted to help all of them,” he says. So he placed an ad in the Los Angeles Times offering the letters to anyone interested. He received close to 200 phone requests. With money from his own pocket (about $5 a mailing), he sent copies of the letters to all who asked, along with his own little newsletter of tips — gleaned from talking to the callers — for sending letters and packages or for traveling to Russia.
Ewing feels good about having done a little bit of good in the world. And he’s looking forward to visiting his new Russian friends.
“I haven’t been this excited about a trip in years.”
