A little over a month ago I accepted a senior copywriter position at BBDO Moscow. Reactions ranged from “you’re crazy if you go there” to “wow, what a cool opportunity!” I arrived last Friday, and in my first week here, I haven’t even scratched the surface of the city. Honestly, this whole process of moving myself (and my cat) was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, and I’m still FAR from getting “settled in” by any stretch of the imagination.

My first impressions of Moscow? It’s HARD. That’s simply the best way to put it. It’s a massive, imposing, concrete & steel metropolis. The air is dirty as hell, it’s ridiculously expensive, there are people everywhere 24/7, and it’s pretty much loosely organized chaos everywhere at all times. In musical terms, if the Nitzer Ebb song “Join in the chant” were a city, it would be Moscow. It’s tremendously interesting, though not particularly enjoyable. But even when I feel the pangs of depression in my stomach, wishing I had even a few of the “comforts of home” (or simply breathable oxygen), I remind myself this- I didn’t move to live in Moscow, I moved to take a senior copywriter position at BBDO. I simply focus on the career aspect & then it makes me feel better. I already know I won’t spend multiple years here, but during my tenure I’ll get to produce some full 360 degree campaigns for Pepsi & Mercedes Benz to go in my portfolio…. So hopefully my little gamble now will pay off somewhere in the future.

I’m sure as time goes on I’ll get warmed up to the lifestyle here. And there are little pockets of true beauty & humanity amongst the ugliness. You just have to keep a sharp eye out to find them.

- Patrick Buchanan