Remarkable Russian R & R

It was the last week of my fall semester studying abroad in Vladimir. I took Thursday off to travel to Moscow, spend time with my friend, Natasha, and visit some of the remaining sights I had not seen yet. She cooks so well. Every time I visit, I feel like I am at home, eating my grandma’s cooking. I enjoyed a delicious casserole she prepared and then went about my business. I had to travel across the city by metro and walk about 1.5km to get to the Armed Forces Museum. Making a wrong turn, I was pleasantly surprised to end up on Pushkin square and see a beautiful Christmas tree. Orienting myself, I easily navigated to the museum. It was impressive. The museum was built during the Soviet times to commemorate the accomplishments and history of the military. The museum continues to function today with limited additions pertaining to post-Soviet armed forces activity. My favorite exhibition was the wreckage of the American U-2 spy plane which was shot down in the 60s.

Natasha and I met again and we decided to go ice skating. We went Gorky Park. At first she was hesitant to skate, fearing that she might fall, but I assured her that I would not let that happen. After enjoying a brief snack, we headed out on the ice. The first time around was slow, but as time went on, it was no longer so difficult. During my visit, there were a number of coincidences, perhaps the most surprising being that Natasha happened to see a student from her University group that she had not seen in over 5 years! Heading back home, it was late. We had big plans for the following day. I wanted to visit the Tretyakov Gallery again. Since my last visit, I had greater exposure to Russian art and I also knew that the religious icon of Vladimir was located in the Tretyakov. Natasha later joined me there later on. It was great sharing our knowledge of the artwork and learning even more. We left the Tretyakov to eat dinner. We ate in an upscale mall not far from the American embassy and listened to a pianist.

After dinner, we left for the Gosudarstvii Teatr Kinoaktiorov. This theatre is famous for its actors, many of which are also TV and movie stars. We watched a comedy that was set in the 19th century about marriage between different economic classes. The language used in the play was fascinating. They used a special form which adds an “s” to the end of certain words in a sentence to denote respect when speaking to others. This style of speech was typical of the era. Seeing an advertisement for a special hot wine at the skating rink, we had decided to prepare some of our own at home. It reminded me of a more delicious apple cider. We stayed up late talking and enjoying each other’s company.

Early the next morning I returned to Vladimir. For the first time since summer, I decided to travel by bus since there was not a train leaving any time soon. I prefer the train because in summer, I once spent over 7 hours on a bus from Moscow to Vladimir due to traffic jams. The bus was only 32 rubles cheaper than the train and it was packed. I sat uncomfortably for four hours, ineffectively sleeping for brief spurts of time. I had to return to Vladimir on Saturday because I had my oral proficiency interview to evaluate my level of spoken Russian.

That evening, some of my friends and I wanted to celebrate the conclusion of our program so we gathered and split a bottle of Putinka. We also had delicious Russian crackers, caviar and cake. After our little gathering, I left for the center. With perfect timing, my coworker had called me and invited me to go clubbing with her. We went to a small discotheque in the center. The DJ there was playing my favorite music, Eurodance. We toasted with champagne and hit the dance floor. I’m glad to know such wonderful people here in Russia. It makes it just that much harder to fly home to America.

Multilingual

Right now I feel that my brain is like a hard drive. It has been partitioned into two parts: one partition with what is the English language and the second with what is 'the other'. Until recently, 'the other' had been Spanish. When studying the Spanish language, I learned new grammar concepts, rules and vocabulary as if they were simply what was not native to me. For example, when speaking Spanish and thinking of the word for 'basketball', initшally my mind might think of the word in my native tongue and since this was not what is was looking for, it would revert to what is 'the other' and choose 'el baloncesto' instead. Previously, this was not an issue, but since I've started learning Russian, this system has not been functioning as well. It is no longer an option for my mind to alternate between two languages, for it now has a second foreign language option to contend with. To continue with the hard drive analogy: what I've noticed is that my mind will seemingly overwrite the words I've previously learned in Spanish with the equivalent in Russian. Of course this is not the case. My Spanish listening and comprehension skills are as good as they ever were. After memorizing a new word in Russian, it's Spanish equivalent becomes more difficult to recall. When I wish to speak in Spanish, my mind has difficulties switching from Russian to Spanish and back again with ease. A former Russian professor of mine has described this phenomenon as Russian eating other languages. She had previously studied French and Spanish. After an intensive study of Russian, the language burrows deep into the mind and consumes what other languages that may reside there. I'm going to everything in my power to keep that from happening!

I believe I've determined the solution to this quagmire. As I've stated previously, it's like my mind has been partitioned into two parts. What I need to do is create a third partition. I need to focus on dividing what is 'the other' or foreign in my mind into two parts. While I wish that this was as easy as partitioning a hard drive and then loading my data on to it, it is not that simple. My solution is to forget English altogether, for the time being. I will focus on going back and forth between Russian and Spanish in my mind until it is as fluid as the change from Russian to English and back. I've purchased a Russian-Spanish categorical dictionary to help me accomplish this. Thus far, this method has been a success. I'm learning new Russian words based upon my understanding of the Spanish equivalent. I'm even learning some new Spanish words that I only previously knew in Russian! I only hope that during this partitioning process, my hard drive doesn't crash! We'll see how it goes. Until then, до свидания and hasta luego!

A side note - when listening to Russian radio, it's always exciting to hear a Spanish song. They are played here frequently. I don't always immediately notice that the music is not Russian! I'm excited for the day to come when my Russian is as good as or even better than my Spanish! In any case, I know that both languages will continue to be an important part of my life for many years to come!

Library Complications

Earlier in the semester, I went to get a library card at the central library here in Vladimir. I remembered that I had yet to actually go and get some books because I already have my collection of favorite Russian reference books with me. Since it was a rainy Sunday afternoon and I live on the same block where the library is located, I decided to see what it was like. Upon arriving to the library, I immediately proceded to the front desk and presented my library card. They in turn handed me back my library card as well as a slip that documents which rooms of the library I am in and for what time duration. Continuing on to the second floor, I enter the room of books for foreign language study. I begin to browse the selection, but I am stopped by the librarian who states that I must present my documents in order to be in the room. I do so and everything is in order. I proceed to the Russian as a foreign language section to look for books. As I browse, I am stopped by the librarian and informed that this area is off-limits and that I must proceed to the other part of the room. I do as I am told and then inquire as to how I am to find books. I ask if I may browse the electronic or card catalogs. The librarian tells me that they don't keep these books on record because they are so seldom used. The other librarian then proceeds to take me back to the off-limits section where I was just minutes earlier and let me browse at my leisure. After finding three books that suit my fancy, I returned to the front desk. I was informed that I would have to pay 200 rubles as a deposit for the books. Furthermore, I would need to fill out a series of forms with my contact information: name, birth year, address, phone number; all information that I had previously given them when applying for my library card. After a series of signatures for each of the books, the deposit given and the transaction in general, I was allowed to proceed out of this room. Arriving on the first floor, I presented my documents and was given clearance to leave the building.

While the Russian system may seem complicated, I give it credit. I favor it to the Spanish library system at the Universidad de Sevilla. There I was not allow to browse the books and simply restricted to an archaic card catalog system and a seemingly nonsensical electronic search database. Even, after all of the paperwork, this Vladimir libarary functions effectively and the librarians there are generally very friendly.

Burger Time

Continuing in my theme of firsts from my previous blog post, upon my return from Волгоград, I was really craving a hamburger. While I really try not to indulge myself with foods from home while abroad, it was late, my hostmom was asleep and I knew that there was a 24-hour burger joint around the corner. I layered myself up with coats and headed out into the cold. Seeing the menu at Мистер Гамбургер, I was delighted to see familiar names, although they were written in Cyrillic. I decided to go for the чизбургер (cheeseburger) and a coke. In typical fast food fashion, the fine people at Mister Gamburger give me my tray and I'm off. Sitting down at a nearby available table, I hastily unwrap the burger. While the bun looks a little strange, that doesn't stop me from biting right in. What do I think after my first bite?: This tastes nothing like a hamburger! There is something known as бутерброд in Russian, which is roughly equivalent to an open-faced sandwich. This чизбургер tasted nothing like a grilled burger loaded with deliciously unhealthy American cheddar cheese, but more like a toasted bun with provolone cheese and a slice of deli meat. While the latter description may sound appetizing for some, the taste left something to be desired. There is another burger chain in town, MacKing. While I am really craving a good burger right now, I don't know if I want to risk my life on some unholy pseudo-fusion of McDonalds and Burger King at МакКинг. I guess I'll just have to wait another two months before I have my big, fat, juicy cheeseburger... maybe even with bacon and avocado!

What You WILL Find In Russia

What You WILL Find In Russia:
McDonald's
Churches
Starbucks
More churches
Hard Rock Cafe
Yet even more churches
Carl's Jr.
Cbarro
Шуарума
Hot dog stands
American Diner
Pepsi
Coca-Cola
Лимонад
Miller Beer
Budweiser
A limited selection of American (Californian) wine
Кефир (mildly fermented milk drink)
Квас (mildly fermented bread drink)
M&M's
Mars chocolate bar
Snickers
Чёрный хлеб (black bread)
Beets
Lay's Potato Chips (Flavors including: bacon, cheese, sour cream & onion and шашлык kebab)
Газированная вода / вода с газом (carbonated water)
Медовуха
Путинка Vodka
Шампанское
$8 пиво that tastes like something one eightieth that price
Балтика 0-9 & Невское Светлое Пива
Hockey fans
Футбол
Hookah bars
Smokers
Чай
Instant Coffee
The most expensive city in the world
Recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkazia
Georgian restaurants
Ford Focus
Нефть (oil)
State-owned majority stakes in companies of key industries
1 копейка coin worth $0.0004 (at an exchange rate of 25 rubles per dollar)
Dial-up internet
220V electrical outlets
A new time zone
Cheap, legal DVDs
PAL Video Format
Satellite and Cable TV
A city that never sleeps
Beautiful Питер
Eurodance radio stations
Foreign TV shows dubbed in Russian (with the source-language track still played)
Torrential summer downpours
Белые ночи (white nights)
Large mosquitoes
Отчества
Futons used as beds year-round
Матрёшки
Superstition
Worries of becoming sterile from sitting on cold concrete
Paganism
Штрафы милиции
Xenophobia of Caucasians
One sixth the land mass of the earth
Lake Baikal
Monasteries
Дурак, the card game... of course
Cell phones without contracts
Билайн рекламы
Cheap cab rides
Inexpensive public transportation
Trans-Siberian Railroad
Stray dogs that seem to know how to use the metro and crosswalks
World-class musicians playing in the depths of the metro
War memorials
Tatars, Uzbeks, Ukrainians, Georgians, Armenians, etc.
More war memorials
A mummified former leader
Yet even more war memorials
Temperatures below zero
Businessmen in Armani suits
Women in D&G (authenticity disputable)
Homeless people
Handicapped missing all but one limb
Скинхеди
Цыганы
Chinese tourists
German speakers
American embassy
Тимати
Дима Билан
Men with "mullet" or "rat-tail" style haircuts
Baths from water heated off of the stove (when the city hot water pipes or plant are under repair)
Abundant medicine available without prescription (including antibiotics)
Memories of a fallen society
Dreams of a promising future

Periodically speaking... / Where did this TV come from?

So I've bought my first comic book ever. (My former roommate, Nay, a comic book-addict is now tickled pink.) Any guesses as to what it might be? Yes, 90% of you are right in that I bought a Simpsons comic. While many of you may know that I don't think too highly of comics, since they are generally a waste of time, but I figured it would be fun to give my Russian a run for its money, putting it in the context of a Russian-language Simpsons comic. My general impression of the comic is overall positive. It's as if it's its own self-contained Simpsons episode. Since the can't seem to make episodes fast enough for me to watch, this was a fun new way to get my Simpsons fix.

On a related note, I am dismayed to hear that the РФ will soon be pulling the plug on The Simpsons in Russia. The cancellation is rumored to occur sometime during the next two months. As a diehard Simpsons fan, I am sad to hear that the Russian population will be missing out on what millions people around the globe enjoy on a daily basis, often in their own native languages.

After returning from my long trip of the semester, a cruise down that Volga river, I was surprised to find a TV in my room. It had been at the dacha of my hostmother. While I normally don't watch much television and the two month gap with one was hardly noticed, I do appreciate having a TV while in Russia. It's nice to have that extra opportunity to expose myself to spoken Russian and test my listening comprehension skills.

My other new purchase was a Russian National Geographic Magazine. It looks just like the American version with the golden border, although it is all in Russian and the articles are differently, mainly pertaining to Russia. As I had mentioned earlier in one of my photo album captions, one of the clubs I frequented in Moscow was featured in the National Geographic. This just happens to be that very issue. In case you're curious, the club is called Propaganda.

Reflections on Russia - To Pee or not to Pee

Reflections on Russia - To Pee or not to Pee
Shortly after arriving in Russia, you will notice one striking different after visiting "the facilities." This WC is nothing like what you've seen in America. If you have to go to the bathroom in Russia, you had better cross your fingers, pray to God and hope for the best. Once you have finally managed to locate a bathroom, you'll be surprised to find that this facility utilized for a basic necessity of human existence is not бесплатный. Oh no, you will have to pay a small fee to use the bathroom, usually ranging from 10 to 20 rubles. While this is less than a dollar, it is an added inconvenience. Once you pay, you expect to get your money's worth. You imagine a clean stall, with seats covers, toilet paper, a sink with hot running water, soap and maybe even some papers towels to dry your hands. Not so fast! From experience, I would have to say the average bathroom stall is dirty than expected. The toilet seats are often made out of cheap plastic, if you are lucky enough to have a toilet seat at all and seat covers are generally out of the question. Many times you will find that the bathrooms don't even have toilet paper, so be prepared and bring your own just in case! On occasion, there is only cold water to wash your hands with and there is no guarantee that there will be soap or something to dry your hands on. If you are lucky enough to be in a city with Western restaurants such as Starbucks or McDonalds, you are in luck! While I advice eating as much Russian cuisine as possible while abroad, these restaurants often have nicer restrooms than many of their Russian counterparts. My Moroccan friend once described McDonalds to me as being the "American embassy." For those seeking a bathroom meeting their Western expectations, in these "American embassies" you can find your own slice of America and go about your business as usual. Next time you use the facilities in America, be grateful. You have no idea how bad it could actually be. Postscript: It could be even worse than this, in places such as Morocco and China, you may not even have a toilet at all, but just a hole in the ground!

Fashion Trends or Fashion Statements?

Reflections on Russia - Fashion Trends or Fashion Statements?
After stepping off the plane in Moscow, one of the first things you will notice is that people dress a little differently here in Russia than in other parts of the world. While cosmopolitan cities may have a stricter dress code, per se, the fashion you see here isn't something you'll notice on 5th Avenue of New York or the streets of larger European cities. Maybe it's because I am male, but the first thing that stands out to me is the women. If you took a small sampling of women on the streets of Moscow, you would notice that an overwhelming number of women choose to be in heels as they navigate the city. These aren't the heels of an average women's dress shoe, but rather stiletto heels that you might expect to see on the dance floor of an upscale club. How the women of Moscow manage to survive the excruciating pain of these inhumane torture devices all day long is beyond me. Aside from heels, there is also another trend among women. There seems to be some unspoken rule that if you choose to wear a skirt, dress, shorts, or anything that shoes a little leg, you are obligated to have hosiery as part of your uniform. While ordinary pantyhose might come to mind, you will be surprised at the variety of hosiery you'll see on the streets. Apparently fishnets are acceptable business attire as I saw them on numerous occasions complementing formal business suits. Since I'm moving upwards anatomically, I'll talk about the brassiere, or the absence thereof. On numerous occasions, myself and fellow program participants observed that many women seem to feel no need for the support of the modern bra. While letting it all hang loose is one option, another popular alternative seems to be the black bra. Women out there may identify with the need to wear a different colored undergarment to match their outfit in a given day, but this trend doesn't seem to have reached all the women of Russia. This became all so apparent after seeing many women wear see through lace blouses. Gentlemen, please don't become all too excited in a hurry. This style of dress is sported by not only younger women, but also the geriatric crowd.

Leaving the women behind, speaking about men's fashion is a whole different story. The first thing a Westerner will notice is the distinctly different hairstyle popular among men. Some may call it a rat-tail, others may refer to it as a mullet, but to describe it briefly, many men wear their hair shorter and spikey on top and longer and unshaven on the back of the neck. Those familiar with the famous, or perhaps infamous, Russian pop star, Дима Билан, will know exactly what I'm talking about. Dima is just one celebrity figure who also wears his hair in this style. While in the metro, you will observe that many men will dress up in their own way that might seem unfamiliar to foreigners: the uniquely patterned and colored dress shirts will be kept unbuttoned, often to expose part of their chest and a Russian Orthodox cross; their pants will fit tightly; and perhaps the most striking thing of all will be just how pointy their dress shoes are! Popular among Russian men are shiny dress shoes imported from Italy that come to a sharp point at the tip of the toe.

Next time you are traveling in Russia or at least at a tourist destination elsewhere in the world where you may encounter Russians, keep in mind these descriptions and you are sure to spot a Russian or two who look just like this. It is important to note that all Russians do not dress in this manner and that most Muscovites dress better than the average American. Furthermore, one should keep in mind that each country and culture has its own fashion trends that may seem very strange and unfamiliar to an outsider. I am not making a judgment, but I simply wanted to comment on a fashion trend I observed among some Russians that deviates strongly from what the average Westerner is accustomed to.

A Short Anecdote about an Acronym you haven't Forgotten

Reflections on Russia - A Short Anecdote about an Acronym you haven't Forgotten
During my first week in Moscow, they made sure to show us around the city. We hopped on a tour bus with Jon, the regular director for Moscow programs and made our way about the city, briefly taking stops at достопримечательности, also known as points of interest. After making brief stops at key tourist destinations such as the Kremlin, Red Square, Christ the Savior, the Peter the Great statue, the Novodevichy Convent and Swan Lake, we came to the Лубянка metro stop, the stop we would get off at every day as we commuted to the Higher School of Economics. Aside from Детский Мир, a famous children's toy store, presently under renovation, one other significant building stands out, the headquarters of the former КГБ. Jon shared an interesting fact with us while on the tour bus: this former KGB building goes eight stories underground, but it was the tallest building in Moscow of its time. It could see all of the way to Vladivostok.

Note: If your Russian geography isn't up to par, Vladivostok is a city in the easternmost part of Russia near Japan, thousands of kilometers away from Moscow. The joke here is that the intelligence of the KGB was so extensive that they could observe any part of Russia in a given instant.

Reflections on Russia - Раз, два, три, четыре...

Reflections on Russia - Раз, два, три, четыре...
Of all the things I thought I would be doing in Москва, the last thing I thought I would be doing is taking dance lessons, but after I considered it, the idea grew on me. In seizing the opportunity to further practice our Russian, a number of my fellow program members and I decided to brave the two-hour ballroom dancing lessons of a strict Russian instructor who only yells... oops, I mean speaks in Russian. Once you get past how direct and forceful spoken Russian sounds when spoken by native-speakers, you realize that people are merely talking and not yelling or angry. In the lesson plan contained a myriad of difference dances, ranging from кадриль, a traditional Russian dance, to the tango. Of the many dances we studied, I would have to say my favorite was the шведский вальс, a waltz that moved at such a rapid pace and contained seemingly endless turns, it made quite for quite an amusing spectacle to see. After having the serious "Russian face" on all day, it was nice to smile, laugh and even be silly. To slow it down a notch, we would dance the медленний вальс and further focus on our footwork, stature and staying in sync with our partner. When taking the lessons seriously, I had the most success at the tango, probably due to my underlying love for Latin music. The most memorable part of the dance lesson experience was our spunky, charismatic, energetic and unrelenting middle-aged female dance instructor. Her bleached platinum blonde hair, tight jeans and seemingly endless supply of indescribable tops along with her unique personality and passion for dance made an impression on all of us. After each lesson, throughout the rest of the day, on into the week and seemingly into eternity, in our heads will always be her voice counting the steps: раз, два, три, четыре....