And now, the main agenda, fishing.

Russia is well known for its salmon rivers in the arctic - both on the Atlantic and on the Pacific ends. However little is known about the other possibilities in between. The great expanse of wilderness that occupies fair chunk of the planet earth should, with due diligence on my side, unveil us a worthy arena of fishy discovery.

Thus began my life in Russia in December 2015. With 3 years' time given, I will do my best to do this mysterious country a justice it deserves.

Significant portion of the country is situated in and near the arctic circle. Its winter is indeed severe - and pristine. While you would stop paying attention to ''diamond dusts' before the first winter is over, the certain beauty in the way of Russian people's life makes a strong, lasting impressions as time goes by.

While some 80% of the Russian population are Slavic, there are as many as 180 ethnic groups who speak 28 ''official languages'', apart from some 100 distinct tongues. How they can maintain a national identity is beyond imagination, that of a Japanese for sure!

In the northern slope of Taiga, hunter gatherers similar to Eskimo still live. In the central Asian steppe, there are great populations of nomads who worship Islam. Traveling Russian off the beaten track gives us new insights and - surprisingly often - familiarities.

Once a global superpower that vied for the global reign, Russia still commands strong economical and political influences over its satellite countries around.

To live in its capital city Moscow provides us with opportunities to visit those less known countries that were once separated from us by the ''iron curtain''.

A mysterious neighbor - was what Russia was to me at best, before my job assignment sudenly moved me there.

Unlike many western countries where I had visited, worked and or fished, Russia had something to make me think twice, especially to live in!

Another thing that had been clear to me was its immense size - from Europe to Asian far east, Russia covers 11 timezone in its gigantic territory of 17million square kilometers.

To see it in a positive light, there is a certain sense of romance to it. Those myriads of rivers, mountains and wilderness that I only could admire from the window of airplanes, now become our playgrounds - it was a tempting thought I must admit!