We lived in a comfortable well-heated apartment and were provided with special food for special people (see the article below).
The exchange programs called for a car so we could ask to be driven in a jeep whenever we wanted. It was an American jeep from WWII. However, everything one needs in Akademgorodok was well within walking distance.
There were a number of things to do. Skiing was one -- cross country and downhill. We took cross country boots and were provided with skis. Someone brought us downhill boots from Switzerland. Everyone was very helpful and very handy at using what one had and making it work.
Another thing to do was to go to the Novosibirsk ballet. We saw a lot of ballet!
We had a television in our furnished apartment and bought a Russian short wave radio. People were not comfortable telling political jokes or talking politics in our apartment or anywhere but outside in the woods.
We made several excursions to take pictures of the pretty traditional Russian wooden houses. They didn't have the amenities of our apartments though. The town between Akademgorodok and Novosibirsk didn't have running water in the homes.
The icons were salvaged from a small church which was going to be inundated when a dam was built on the Ob River.
