These contacts will continue. Attempting to establish more formal avenues for possible exchange between SPSU and SDSU, however, was less successful. I am certainly willing to talk to any and all interested parties here at SDSU for possible exchanges to Russia, and then to try to develop sponsors in St. Petersburg. This is quite doable, but students would need to cover all expenses. Trying to bring students from SPSU to SDSU is another matter.
Cost is the issue.
I was informed while in St. Petersburg that while I was a finalist, I was not granted an alumnus award. I will keep trying for funding. The cost for shipment of specimens to England from Russia and customs fees are for materials from our work in Uzbekistan that needed to be passed along to collaborators in England. The excess baggage charge was the cost for me to bring some of these specimens back to San Diego for work by my students and myself. Under item 2, I hosted two small dinners for colleagues and students.