Time

In this personal and funny third installment with Dinna, we revisit stories from her early adulthood and parenting years. She recounts her brief history with a charming suitor named Mark. The episode then turns to Elliot’s chaotic childhood memories—from pig pens and laundry detergent pranks to tree-climbing and stuttering episodes—most of which Dinna can't corroborate but reacts to with warmt...

In this eleventh installment of Sammy’s story, we pick up as the family leaves Italy and arrives in Calgary in late 1979. Sammy, joined by his grandson Ramone, reflects on first impressions of the city—its emptiness, its sprawl, and the early days spent downtown near Prince’s Island Park. He recalls landing a drafting job within weeks, launching a 38-year career with the same company during Calgar...

In this episode, Sammy looks back on the six months he, Dinna, and their seven-year-old son spent in Italy after leaving the USSR — the first time any of them had lived in a new country. He shares what it was like adjusting to a completely different culture, finding a routine, and navigating the immigration process. The decision to move to Canada instead of the U.S. wasn’t random — it was a practi...

Host Ramone and guest Sammy discuss their family’s immigration journey from the Soviet Union (now Russia) to Canada. Sammy shares that their family lived in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) before immigrating in 1979, undergoing a long and challenging process that included stops in Vienna and Italy before arriving in Canada as landed immigrants. They reflect on the difficulties of leaving behind lov...

Ramone and Frisbee Rob engage in a free-flowing conversation covering a variety of topics, from paintball and laser tag to small-town life, travel, and personal experiences. They discuss past paintball outings, including competitive matches against coworkers and unexpected encounters with fire ants. Rob shares insights from his extensive travels across Canada, visiting schools to teach frisbee and...

In this episode, I continue my conversation with my mother, Dinna, revisiting childhood memories—including the time I drank ink and when I broke a vase by setting up a web of string. She shares her perspective on those moments before we shift to her youth, discussing her school years, her passion for English and math, and her dream of teaching in Africa through a Soviet education program. She refl...

In this episode, my son Ramone takes over as host, kicking off a debate about a nine-on-nine baseball matchup—him versus me—which quickly expands to hockey, basketball, and ultimate frisbee, with plenty of smack talk. We reminisce about past family debates on "clone matchups" before shifting to teenage drama, as Ramone shares how a joke about blondes in Idaho escalated into an unexpected...

In this episode, I interview my father, Sammy, about our family's escape from the Soviet Union in 1979. He recounts the tense journey from Leningrad to Vienna, where we first experienced the abundance of the West, before secretly entering Italy with the help of some locals. Along the way, he reflects on the fear of Soviet bureaucracy, the surreal transition to freedom, and the challenges of st...

In this episode, I interview my mother, Dinna, about her childhood in post-war Gomel, Belarus. She shares memories of growing up in a multi-generational home, the hardships of Soviet life, and the simple joys of childhood, including friendships and family traditions. She reflects on her love for books, the rigid Soviet education system, and the experience of starting school a year late. The conver...

Sammy continues his gripping story of emigration from the Soviet Union. He describes the pivotal moments that led to his family’s decision to leave, including financial challenges and the underground network of information that guided them through the process. As they prepared their exit, Sammy recounts a nerve-wracking trip to Moscow, where he was unexpectedly kicked out of his uncle’s home and l...

After a long break, the conversation with Sammy resumes as he explores the personal and historical significance of his name, sharing family stories and an unexpected discovery about its origins. He recounts efforts to trace the Negelev family name at Yad Vashem and reflects on Soviet-era naming conventions, bureaucratic confusion, and the suppression of identity under Soviet rule. The discussion e...

In this episode, my father, Sammy, continues sharing his life story, reflecting on his early years of marriage with my mother, Dinna, in 1970s Leningrad. He talks about their courtship, the challenges of planning a wedding under Soviet bureaucracy, and the realities of communal living. He also shares what it was like becoming a father, from the struggles of navigating Soviet healthcare and daycare...

After returning from military service in 1968, Sammy faced the challenge of caring for his father’s wife, whose illness highlighted the severe shortcomings of the Soviet healthcare system. While managing these difficulties, he secured work as a draftsman but recognized the need for higher education, enrolling in evening classes at the Institute of Civil Engineers. He reflects on the rigid Soviet e...

In this episode, Sammy recounts his time in the Soviet Army’s sports club, where he trained as a competitive weightlifter while still fulfilling military duties. Despite initial uncertainty, he quickly excelled, setting personal bests in weightlifting and sneaking off base for unauthorized trips—one of which led to a tense interrogation by the KGB. His off-base privileges were revoked, likely exte...

In this episode, Sammy continues his story, reflecting on the changes in his family after his mother’s passing and his father’s swift remarriage. He details his struggles to adjust, his time at technical college, and the friendships he formed during this period. Sammy recounts his introduction to smoking during a frigid Moscow winter, his discovery of a passion for weightlifting after a stint in w...

In part two of my conversation with Sammy, we pick up where we left off—his parents' lives in post-war Leningrad. Sammy shares insights into his father’s post-military life, working various manual jobs before settling into a factory maintenance role, while his mother faced workplace struggles and blacklisting after an unfair dismissal. He recounts his early years, growing up in a communal apar...

In this episode, I interview my father, Sammy, about our family history, tracing back to his father, Yuri, and his mother, Pesya. We explore Yuri’s early years as an orphan after World War I, his service in the Soviet Army, and his survival through World War II. Pesya’s life in Leningrad during the blockade is also discussed, along with how the two eventually met after the war. The conversation de...

In this episode, I sit down with John Beltrano, a family man, dog owner, and deep thinker. We talk about woodworking, raising kids, pranks, technology, automation, and how humanity is adapting (or failing to adapt) to rapid changes in society. Our conversation ranges from humorous childhood stories to philosophical musings on the future of civilization, ultimately balancing lighthearted moments wi...

In this episode, I interview my son, Ramone, about his life, interests, and family history. We discuss his love for baseball, hockey, and snowboarding, his experiences with travel teams, and his unique name origin. The conversation takes a lighthearted turn as we talk about European history, Frisbee, bicycles, music, and even theories on intelligent life in space. We wrap up with reflections on ha...