ORANGE : Russians Say Americans Kind, Warm

A delegation of Russian artists, businessmen and officials visiting Orange this week on an exchange program said they were pleasantly surprised at the kindness, warmth and openness of the people in the United States.

One visitor, Vladimir M. Chernov, mayor of Novo Kosino, a suburb of Moscow, said he was amazed at how courteous and receptive people are.

“The first thing I will do when I go back is tell people about how proud Americans are about themselves, their culture and their nation,” Chernov said through an interpreter Wednesday.

Chernov, 43, is here on a two-week visit to create business ventures with their city. The nine men include a city council member, an opera singer and a veteran of the Afghanistan war. They spent the afternoon meeting with Orange County business owners at Orange City Hall.

But beside the business exchanges, it’s what they learned about the people they said they will cherish, the Russians agreed.

“You people are kind and warm and open,” said Victor Shost, a renowned Bolshoi Theater bass vocalist. On Sunday, he sang “I Bless You Nature” in Russian at the Crystal Cathedral. His performance was telecast worldwide.

The Russians said they came with some preconceived notions that U.S. residents were distant and unfriendly.

This visit is the first to the United States for the group.

Since their arrival last week, they have seen a host of attractions and historical sites in the county. They toured the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace, Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland. They also visited hospitals and police and fire departments.

The delegation met with owners of manufacturing companies, oil companies, clothing stores, as well as with members of chambers of commerce and civic clubs. They received proclamations of goodwill from the cities of Orange and Brea, the state Assembly and the Orange County Board of Supervisors. The group leaves next week.

In October, four Orange residents traveled to Novo Kosino as part of the exchange program.

Peter Simpson, one of the four who traveled to Russia, said of his trip: “It was almost nonstop but exciting.”

He said his group gave a four-day business seminar in Novo Kosino encouraging people to start their own businesses. The seminar, which was telecast throughout Russia, led to an effort by Simpson and the Sister City Assn. to provide a software program teaching Russians how to start a business.