May 17th, 2013 off to the National Research University in Perm 
                                Russia for a 16 day adventure (well, to teach a seminar) but 
                                I suspect adventure as well.  Perm is an old industrial city and 

Administrative Center of Perm Krai.  It is also way, way, way out

in the middle of this massive country which encompasses 9 time zones.

I was told it take 9 hours by air to fly, or 11 days by train, to get from one 

end of Russia to the other.  Huge even by American standards.  Well

I go into this knowing 2 words in Russian, (Privet = hi; Spaciba = thank you) but

I am willing learning so we go, here I go again Following the Comet across the skies, 

this time to the Russian Union.