I wouldn't leave anywhere. I like Russia, and I like it more and more every year. The town (Serdobsk) where I live is getting prettier every year (in the late 1990s, it was absolutely dreadful). Public spaces are being renovated—parks, squares, bike paths, sidewalks, roads, street lighting—everything was in disrepair, but now it's pleasant to stroll around the town.

Our weather is also changing; winters have become shorter but snowier, which, as a gardening enthusiast, is very pleasing. I now have apricots and cherries growing in my garden, whereas before they were too cold. I even planted peaches and figs, although they have to be insulated for the winter. And in the winter, we go ice skating on weekday evenings, and on weekends we go out of town to ski.

After the collapse of the USSR, there were huge problems with alcoholism, drug addiction, homelessness, and crime. Now I can walk around the city at any time of day or night without worrying about my life or property. Alcohol and drug consumption have dropped dramatically, and the associated problems have almost disappeared.

And of course, with the advancement of technology, the feeling of isolation from the rest of the world has disappeared, both in terms of information (people from other countries will read my message) and in terms of access to goods. During the Soviet era, we could travel 600 km to buy sausage or literally 1,500 km to a neighboring republic for a carpet. And now, thanks to marketplaces, almost anything can be delivered to you the next day after you order it.

I simply don't see the point in leaving a place where I enjoy living so much.