"What if he's a spy?" Why did an American trade Missouri for Kabardino-Balkaria?

 

"Some strange American. He's looking for a large room with very high ceilings. What will he do there? What if he's a spy?"

That's roughly how the residents of Nalchik reacted to Courts Jetton . He and his family came to Kabardino-Balkaria for a visit at the invitation of a friend.

"We love to travel. So we thought: let's live in the Caucasus for a while, a year or two," says Korts. His "let's live in the Caucasus" has now lasted 11 years.

There wasn't much holding Jetton back in America—he'd sold the construction business he was running. And when his wife suggested they "go to Russia," she said, "Yeah, right!" "If Jennifer hadn't been happy in Russia, we would have gone back. But my wife loved it. She even learned how to make khichins ( flatbreads – Ed. ). And believe me, that's not easy!" After moving to the Caucasus, the couple's children (they have four – two sons and two daughters) continued their distance learning at American schools. "With a Russian education, getting into a US college is unrealistic – the programs are too different," Korts explains.

In Kabardino-Balkaria, Jetton was offered a job teaching English and economics. But it wasn't the lectures that kept him there for 11 years, but the mountains. Korts became interested in rock climbing back in college, later earning international instructor and coaching certifications. In Nalchik, he quickly found people who shared his passion. They began climbing together, thanks to the magnificent natural conditions. But he still needed a place to train.

"It was surprising, but there was no climbing wall in the mountainous region," says Korts. "We started wondering if we could build one ourselves. We looked for sponsors and a spacious space. But the owners usually closed their doors to me: I'm an American, and it's unclear what he'll do... And only one person agreed to rent out the space, even though he said we'd quickly go broke."

It took Jetton and his associates two years to prepare for the opening of the active recreation center. Finally, a climbing wall opened in a former factory building, with an international team of 10 people.

It's always crowded here. Especially since it's not just about rock climbing. Children and adults alike can learn English here and watch football matches on TV together. Incidentally, Jetton's own children practice here every evening.

"We didn't see this as a major business venture," says Korts. "You can't really get rich in rock climbing. The main goal is to inspire people to practice sports in a comfortable environment. Especially teenagers. They need to be occupied. If they have nothing to do, alcohol and drugs appear..."

Incidentally, as Jetton and his partners began construction on the center, news arrived that the IOC had included rock climbing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Therefore, the new climbing wall has every chance of becoming a training base for future Olympians.

The Jettons live in Russia on business visas, so every six months they must leave the country for at least a day. They aren't asked any special questions at the border—forced trips to Georgia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Western European countries proceed without incident. As for what will happen next, 45-year-old Courts Jetton doesn't know. But he seems ready to scale any heights.

"When I arrived in Russia, I couldn't even speak Russian—I'd confuse 'yes' and 'no'. That was a real challenge—more challenging than any mountaineering experience! I had to take classes and hire a tutor. But you know... Kabardians are very helpful people. You're standing at the checkout at the supermarket and you don't understand something—and immediately someone behind you will respond, 'Let me help you