In the middle of a Siberian river during the cold war may seem an unlikely place for a couple of Josephine County residents to begin an international friendship that would blossom into what is now the Grants Pass City Sister City Committee. It was the summer of 1998, and time for white water rafters from around the world to gather on the Katun River. The rafting trip that started was sponsored by project RAFT. (Russians and Americans for Teamwork) When the group from JoCo met two Rubtsovsk residents, the groundwork was laid for a Grants Pass chapter of Sister Cities. They are part of Sister Cities International, an organization formed out of the efforts of President Eisenhower famous White House conference on citizen diplomacy. Their mission is to “Promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, & cooperation - one individual, one community at a time.” - http://www.sister-cities.org/sci/aboutsci/mission Sister Cities International provides a multitude of educational programs for young people such as the Islamic Youth Initiative, a One World Youth Project, and the Young Artists Showcase.

The board of Grants Pass Sister Cities meets once a month. They handle delegations coming from or going to Russia, helping with issues such as obtaining a VISA or how to get an invitation, as visits to Russia are by invitation only. The group also lets people know what kind of experience they will have in Rubtsovsk and gives helpful bits of cultural advice. For instance, most visitors are offered flowers, but it is important to only take an odd number such as three or five. Most apartment buildings do not have elevators unless they are at least five stories tall, and instead of potatoes or rice, cabbage is the most commonly served item. Food is very important in Russian, and even those who have little of it take great care to present it in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

When visiting Rubtsovsk or Grants Pass, delegates go to different schools and give presentations about their respective cities. It is important to learn from each other, and trips include meetings with teachers, hospitals, fire departments, city officials, and many others to discuss different approaches to many issues, with the hope of learning about new technologies and different ways of dealing with safety concerns. Mayors from both cities have traveled and met with each other on more than one occasion. These visits usually occur every two years and include youth delegations. The last youth group went to Rubtsovsk about three years ago, and Sister Cities is now working on putting together another trip for them. The group usually consists of teens fifteen years of age and up, and they stay with their host families for one to three weeks. It is a wonderful experience, and fund raising will soon begin to help with the costs, which are normally around one thousand dollars per person.

While some monies do come from fund raising, membership dues also bring in financial help. In addition to this, the US state department has a plan called Open World that encourages exchanges with different places in the world. They are also a source of funding for cultural visits.

One very involved member here in Grants Pass is Gwen Jacobson. Her involvement started in 1990, and two years later she organized a group of fellow teachers and all fourteen of them took off for Rubtsovsk. As a teacher, Gwen’s expected it to be a learning experience, but was surprised to find herself completely in love with the city. She found the people open, generous, and genuinely curious. They were also very cultured and highly educated, with many fluent in three languages. She enjoyed it so much that in 1997, she packed her bags and spent a year teaching in an area not to far from where she first visited. Gwen looks forward to greeting the next group of friends who will soon be coming from Russia to visit Grants Pass. The visitors will be treated to a number of special engagements, and as always, a trip to the coast is a must. The city of Rubtsovsk is landlocked, so visitors to Grants Pass often find this to be the most exciting part of their visit.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Sister Cities, please visit http://www.grantspass-sistercity.com There are a number of photographs on the site for your enjoyment, along with a a variety of Russian style recipes and instructions for making dishes that have been served at Sister Cities meetings or given by Rubtsovsk citizens, such as the following:

Cucumber and Yogurt Dip
1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
1/3 cup sour cream
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 medium-size cucumbers, peeled, grated, squeezed dry with paper towels
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Sumakh for garnish (optional, it’s a powdered mixture of spices)
Toasted pita triangles

1. In a serving bowl, combine the yogurt, sour cream, garlic, cucumbers, cilantro, and oil. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours to allow the flavors to settle.

2. Before serving, garnish with mint leaves and sprinkle with sumakh (if available). Accompany this dip with toasted pita triangles.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups -Gina Locke