A LETTER FROM THE GENTLEMAN WHO REIMBURSED ME THE COST OF OUR PRINTER DONATED TO THE SCHOOL.

The check was sent to your bank today, Pasha. Should get there in maybe 5 or 6 days. After having read about the school and Staritsa I decided it was a good place to invest in Russia's present and future. There is a lot happening in the big cities like Moscow or St. Petersburg, but not enough in the smaller towns, at least from all that I read. Russia needs to join the rest of the world in whatever new ways it believes necessary, but the solutions must be Russian, not some idea imported from the US or wherever. Yes, we have good ideas, but our ideas work here (sometimes) and they may be totally inappropriate there. Just my 2 cents. It looks to me like you are working hard to find ways that work for Russia which seems to me the best approach so I wanted to help. This is my way of helping out. It isn't much but it is what I can afford right now. If I had more I would send it.

I have a strong belief in what is called 2nd track diplomacy, that is, people of each country getting to know each other and helping each other. In most respects I think it does more than official diplomacy because it isn't bound by some particular message other than I want to communicate or I want to help. So use the printer in good health and I will look for ways to make more contributions in the future.

Pasha, I will send my resume on to you, but right now I have been very busy, so many things haven't been getting done as fast as I would like.

Best regards,

John