Carol of the Bells

I had the pleasure of visiting the Samara Philharmonic to watch a choire from Moscow perform. It's not very far from where I live, but I just never went until last week. First of all, have a look at how beautiful the interior is. And there's a giant organ (hehe).

Not much to say about this visit because this is the kind of thing you have to experience on your own. If you don't like classical music, fine. But you need to experience it live before you can make judgments. It's one thing to hear classical music as a recording, but a completely new experience when you're there.

The view from the orchestra seats to the terrace.

The big organ.
The choir that took my breath away and made my stomach do flips. Oh, the romance!! (This is more or less a joke).

Oh, and the last three songs were modern Christmas songs in English. They knew I was going to be there. Because I am a star. The American star.

A Grand Delay

I'm sorry! I've been neglecting this blog for over a month. I have a more or less valid excuse. It's cold. It's so cold that I don't want to write. Some days are so cold outside that I can't bear to go glove-less for a few minutes, which explains why there won't be a lot of photos for the next few months. It's so cold that my cell phone stops working outside. I'm scared to find out what may happen to my camera. Also, the streets have centimeters of ice, so I'm afraid to carry fragile items (I have a story about eggs).

December was the first time I felt the weather drop down to -30 degrees Celsius. That's thefirst time I learned that cold can HURT- that it could cause PHYSICAL PAIN. A friend said, "When it's this cold, you start to feel what it's like to die from the cold." I couldn't agree more.

Luckily, I bought a jacket from the States that is rated to keep me "warm" in -30 degree weather. If you've never felt that kind of cold before, pay attention. You know when it's -15 or -20 when your nostrils freeze (you can feel it when you inhale). Bare skin hurts within minutes in -30 degree weather. I wear medium-weight thermals under jeans, leg warmers, woolen ski socks, heavyweight snow boots, and suede mittens. Once, I walked outside for 20 minutes (only out of necessity) and my thighs became numb after the pain. The wind made my eyes water (n.b. tears don't freeze because of the salt and oil content, but you can feel the cold on your face). And my face turned red. This should mean something because my face NEVER turns colors.

I know I sound overdramatic, but I'm just describing this in a way to help you understand better. It's also an honest description.

The snow on the pedestrian street (Leningradskaya). I was trying to capture parents transporting their kid on a sled. Sleds are used as modes of transportation here as well as for fun.

On December 15th, the Theatre organized a street action to hand out information and red ribbon to people on the street. This was a super-cold day. And this is a picture of Piotr on the outdoor ice skating rink in Kubishev Square.

Said street action. I'm carrying the flag of my sponsoring university.

Misha. The big boss. Haha. He's cold.

Just to show you how I dress in this cold weather.

Welcome to Samara

Yeah I realize that it's a little late, but better late than never! Here are a few postcard-like photos from the city. Some are my photos, but most are from my flatmates. Also, see the video that Riet made for Mikko's goodbye. Mikko was living in Samara for 9 months and she collected a lot of blackmail. Here's the compilation.


Volga River looking towards the city of Samara. In the distance, you can see the statue of a man holding airplane wings. He stands in the Square of Glory.




Drama and Opera theatre.

Revolution Square. Also where I can catch many marchutkas. Hooray.


A hotel/restaurant not too far from one my language institutes.


The bridge over Samara River.

Happy World AIDS Awareness Day!!!

Posters from a school in Togliatti. They are representations of how HIV cannot be transmitted (e.g. toilet seat, bug bites, sharing food utensils, etc.).


December 1st is the international date to "celebrate" HIV/AIDS awareness. For this day, Theatre LIGHT (the organization I'm working with) and other local organizations organized a rock concert to promote awareness of the disease. The original concept of the concert was to be an acoustic concert with a cozy atmosphere. That concept was thrown out when a local university said, "We'll give you $$$$, but we want a rock concert." Okay. They had the money, they won. All in all, it was a successful concert and about 200 people showed up.

During the day, Aerospace University had an event to promote awareness amongst the student body.

- Samara ranks third in the Russian Federation for having a high rate of HIV infection and prevalence.
- Unofficially, 1 out of 35 people in Samara Region is infected with HIV (most are unaware or haven't been tested).

Check out the video that Riet and I created. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6TiZQ7vSjI
The theme is that every 7 seconds in the world, a person in infected with HIV.

Get tested. It's possible that you don't see signs or symptoms for YEARS. It's responsible and it's a very selfless action. Know your status.

Secret Garden

I went to the botanical gardens one day. It is still fall here, but the leaves seem to have fallen off the trees already. We call that "winter" where I am from. Everyone brags about the garden in Samara, so I decided to have a look myself. Here are my findings:

The flowers smell lovely. (PS I LOST MY EARMUFFS and i am really sad now). There's snow on the ground in fall, too.

An interesting tree. There are various types of trees, but no sign to show me which one it is. Therefore, this is the "interesting" tree.

It seems like a nice place to stand and ponder while overlooking the reeds.

We took many reed photos because it is Riet's (from Belgium) namesake.

Conclusion: It was really cold and there wasn't much to see. However, there's much potential for this garden to be really nice when things are alive! I'll let you know once spring arrives.

PS Happy World AIDS Day! Think twice before you take an action and before you make judgments towards others.

F-U, Flu

November 25, 2009

The swine flu epidemic was a popular topic in the news when I left the states. I can just imagine the crap the media is feeding America now that we should peak the “normal” flu season. Though I'm just starting my public health career, I'm already becoming jaded with all of the diseases that's out there to kill you. It's the circle of life, as a 6 year-old Mendocino boy taught me.
The point: 'Tis the season to wash your hands often, sneeze/cough into your sleeves (rather than your hands), and to stay far away from sick people. Relax about the swine flu hype. Everyday, people die from tuberculosis, starvation, racism, and well, AIDS. I've learned that the media are like terrorists—and we can't let the terrorists win.

I've seen supermarket attendants wearing surgical masks. Good for preventing tuberculosis. More effect to wear gloves, wash your hands often, and avoid touching your face.

The hot news right now is that Ukraine's swine flu epidemic is a big problem. Turns out it's just a political thing. Out of curiosity (and due to the geographical proximity), I looked up the statistics for swine flu in Russia. The numbers were strangely low. Almost abnormal. Naturally, I want to know if someone in Samara has it, and there are a few cases of swine flu. Schools are closing as a safety precaution, too. I think some research has found the efficacy inconclusive.

This is another cultural difference that I've noticed. Russians don't go to the doctor every time there is something tickling their throats. If anything, people will go to the pharmacies first. This was also the case in Argentina—go to the pharmacist, explain your symptoms, and they will give you a bunch of stuff to experiment with. It's like our pharmacies, but a lot more helpful; possibly nicer.

Some home remedies I have learned:

-Soak your feet in water with dry mustard. Sleep with dry mustard in your socks.
-Apply a warm compress on your sinuses to relieve congestion.
-Drop oil and onion juice into your nostrils to relieve congestion. It will hurt like hell.
-Drink hot wine or hot beer to relieve sore throat.
-Drink warm milk and honey to clear a cough.

Original Sin

November 15, 2009

I made the mistake of mixing up the words for circus and church. One day, Poland asked me if I wanted to go to the tsirk (circus) because he saw a flyer. OF COURSE, I wanted to go. Another day, he asked me if I wanted to go to a tserkov (church), and I misheard it for tsirk. Had I known, I wouldn't have agreed to go. Fortunately, we uncovered this blunder early enough so that I didn't have to wake up early on a Sunday morning to find myself at a church rather than a circus.

It's an honest mistake. And something that I am willing to own up to. So enjoy these pictures, courtesy of Piotr (Poland). And let's appreciate that he woke up early on a Sunday morning to take these. I can't explain anything about it, so just enjoy it. I was sleeping.

Baby, It's F#$&^ Cold Outside

November 8, 2009

When I first arrived, the weather was amazing. It was almost equivalent to our NY end-of-summer weather because I was wearing short sleeves and could afford to go without a jacket. This phenomenon, if you will, is called “Indian Summer.” To me, Indian Summer is mother nature giving you false hope about the future climate. Fortunately, I’ve lived in DC for 4 years so I’m used to fickle weather. When Indian Summer was over, that’s when I felt the cool, brisk autumn weather. It was lovely and refreshing. So lovely and refreshing that I said, “I need to buy an autumn coat!”

So last month (early October), I went shopping for a cute autumn jacket at a local mall called “Park House.” A mall is a mall is a mall, no matter where in the world. That is because a woman is a woman is a woman. Period. And as a woman who went for one jacket, I came back with two. The irony--I went to a store named “The New Yorker” that is operated by a German company. For an American, it is expensive to shop for decent-quality clothes in Russia. It’s the truth--and it’s not because I’m cheap. I was eating gretchka and borscht for awhile.

Within the next few weeks, the days got significantly shorter and the weather got increasingly colder. By the end of the month, it was freezing temperature (about 30 degrees Fahrenheit). Silly me, I only wore my two coats for a few weeks. Right now, the temperature is equivalent to our winter…and it’s only fall. The nights get to -5 degrees Celsius. So far, I’m surviving because I go from my flat, walk a few minutes to transportation, and go to another building. But I can really feel those few minutes outside. Friends, I don’t think I will make it through the winter.

In the last week of October, I saw ice on the streets. By Halloween, we had our first snow fall (I know some of you in the States have already had snow). I didn’t mind the snow at first because it was big, soft, and fluffy. And fresh snow makes the city look pretty. Fresh snow doesn’t stay fresh for long, you know. In Argentina, the winter was pretty cold, but I managed with a light jacket…I was in denial about the cold. Here, I’ve worn my winter coat--rated for -30 degrees Fahrenheit--a few times, but I want to acclimate my body to the cold. When I can’t stand it anymore is when I will freeze in my winter coat.

Still, I see some girls on the street wearing leggings and mini skirts. They look cold. Cute, but cold. Therefore, they look stupid. I’m not making judgments--I’ve looked stupid for the sake of looking cute before.

When there is a problem, you naturally search for a solution, yes? My options:
- Sit by the radiator
- Drink tea
- Eat lots of soup …or I just eat for a higher caloric intake (calories = heat energy, it’s basic science)
- Find another warm body (I live with 5 other people)
- Vodka (or other tender spirits)
- Wear really warm, wool socks and mittens made by babushkas
- Earmuffs (I haven’t seen anyone else wear them, but I’m rocking it)

Send warm thoughts, please. It’s faster than the post.

(Internet problems still make posting pictures a pain in the butt...I will update with pictures...some time)

My First Night with a Russian

October 30, 2009

I went with a couple of friends to a Russian man’s birthday party. When I say party, I really mean that it was sitting around a table that was full of cake and beer (mostly beer, or course). The people at this party were so warm, energetic, and drunk. They propagated the Russian stereotype. The forwardness of people, men and women alike, frightened me at first, but my friends (also foreigners) told me that here, it’s normal.

I arrived “late” to the party. Everyone was sufficiently drunk at this point (minus me, of course). I didn’t know anyone, but people were just so warm and accepting. Within a minute of sitting down, the birthday boy offered me a beer (I took tea). Within a minute of my tea arriving, another woman paired it with cake. As soon as my cake finished, she made sure I washed it down with a cocktail. So thoughtful!

Well, remember when I first arrived, I thought I’d be discriminated against? So far, the exact opposite has happened (with exception to a babushka or two). At this party, some man asked what my nationality was and continued to eloquently, but drunkenly, explain how much he loves women with Asian features. Then he turns to his Russian wife and tells her what he thinks of me, and she was completely normal about it. Later this evening, another man (much older, of course) comes to say goodbye to me, and takes my bare hands with his leather-gloved hands and professed his love for me because I am “exotic” and he is tired of typical Russian women. I’m not used to it being okay for a man (especially not older ones) to ogle or openly flirt with another woman in the presence of his partner…and the partner doesn’t get jealous. Of course I am uncomfortable with this, even though I know it’s harmless and very superficial. It’s just a cultural difference.

Thanks. In Argentina, I felt like meat. Here, at least I feel like soy meat.

Вот и Всё. This is it. And then some...

I am glad to say that last night, I went to the pre-screening show of Michael Jackson’s “This Is It.” My flat mate’s friend had an extra ticket--and I was the happy recipient. I only met this person one time, and I knew I’d have a hard time getting anyone else to agree to come with me, so I sucked it up and went with a semi-stranger and company. For MJ, “in the name of love; l-o-v-e.”

Fortunately, MJ wasn’t dubbed like most movies. It was funny because the audio track was a split second faster than the visual track. I know that I wasn’t the only one who noticed it because there are dance scenes so the sound of the stomping didn‘t match the actually stomps. You get the picture. The film was mostly dress rehearsals and it showed how talented MJ really is at singing and dancing, even when he’s not giving his all. It also showed how much attention he gives to every single detail. It has to be PERFECT. Then he says that he is only being demanding because it’s in the name of love. Everyone was basically scared of him and treated him like a real king, “Ok, MJ, sir, we will do as you like…you know it the best…is this all right, MJ?” That’s a lonely life.

Apart from that, I loved the songs and so I had a great time. My only qualm is that they didn’t play “Dirty Diana.” Absolute madness.

The movie theater was really nice. Clean, nearly pristine. The attendants looked sharp in their laundered and ironed uniforms. It puts American theaters to shame because ours are always dirty and the teenage or retired attendants always look disheveled and miserable.

I like Indie flicks and I really liked going to the E Street Cinema back in DC. In Samara, there is a theater called “Rakourse” that I also like. It’s less like a mainstream movie theater because they hook up a DVD player to a projector and show it on a big screen. Before the show, there is a 10-15 minute introduction lecture. Obviously, I only understand a small percentage of it. I like the idea, though. The movies they play are artsy and come from different places and time periods.

My first movie in Russia was “Mirrors” or “Zerkalo” by Andrei Tartovsky. It is a USSR-period production. Great cinematography--I have no idea what it was about. Google it, you may find it interesting if you are the artsy type. I didn’t have trouble because it wasn’t in my language, I had trouble because I couldn’t follow the director’s train-of-thought. Even Russian speakers had trouble. I don’t know how much subtitles would have helped.

Then, I saw “Antichrist” by Von Triers. I heard that they won’t even release it in the States. I can’t even tell you what I think about it because I walked out feeling violated and uncomfortable. Again, I invite you to Google it.

Watching films are great for learning a different culture and for language acquisition. The end.

Speaking American

Not to toot my own horn*, but out here as a native English speaker, I am a commodity. I’ve been snatched by two private language schools. They don’t want me to teach grammar or lessons, they just want me to talk. I am a woman. And I like to talk. It sounds easy, but it’s not. Since I learned how to talk, I’ve been trained to be sensitive to the languages around me. Anyone with foreign-born parents understands this: you translate for your family members, you simplify official documents, you speak slowly, etc. So, I was literally born for my job at the language schools.

Unfortunately, there are some common misconceptions about my being a native English speaker. I cannot just TEACH someone to speak English. It’s not magic. Just because I live in Russia does not mean I will just speak Russian. There is so much work in language acquisition and it requires a lot of personal motivation and discipline. These language schools are being really smart because they aren’t using me to teach but as a practice tool. Plus, I am not practiced in teaching grammar and frankly speaking, I am not here to do that. I am completely fine with helping out with questions and language clubs, but I came here to develop a different skill set.

Parties and other social gatherings are funny because the conversations are usually like this:

Other-Where are you from?
Me- The US.
Other(s)- Whoooooaaaaa. What state/city?
Me- New York.
Other(s)- WOOOOOOOW!!! (Sometimes clapping. Sometimes a phrase or two in English) Why did you want to come to Samara?
Me- (Blank stare for 5 seconds). I wanted to see Russia.

There’s no way I can blend in here, so I stopped bothering awhile ago. It doesn’t mean that I will deliberately draw attention to myself either. My Russian teacher said to me, “People can tell you are a foreigner because your pronunciation of words are too soft.” I thought people can tell that I’m a foreigner because I can’t really speak Russian. Strange.

Side note: I learned how to say “hurry up!” in Russian. It takes me a really long time to say it because it’s a really long word for me.

A small request: If you can think of any English expressions and/or slang, please send it to me. It’s always interesting to teach/learn jargon. Leave me a comment on the blog or e-mail me. Facebook also works, but it’s really slow for me. Thanks much!

*LOOK!!! I used an expression!!!!!

“If you have sex, you will get AIDS, and DIE!”

October 17, 2009

I took a quote from Mean Girls--please don’t judge me.

It’s been a month since I’ve arrived and I am feeling very guilty because whenever someone asks me, “So, what are you doing here?” I can answer about my project because it is related to my profession (to-be). I still can’t give a reasonable answer about why I am in Samara. I feel even guiltier when Russians ask me and I don’t really know how to respond in any language.

Graph: http://www.journaids.org/index.php/factsheets/hivaids_overview/

A few weeks ago, I delivered my first training and it was beyond successful. I had my doubts because the other two trainers didn’t have much energy and we were going to a place that was previously unsuccessful. We were honestly dreading the 90 minute session. Long story short, it was PERFECT. We, 3 trainers and 15 students, sat in a small circle in a cozy, little room. The lecture was brief so the (semi-translated) conversations were long, honest, and fruitful. We did a run-through about the HIV virus, transmission, and other basic information. The behavior-modification section was well-received at this session because everyone was really engaged and energetic for our games. Later, I found out that people who were there were actually interested--it makes a huge difference and I’m very grateful.



As far as what’s going on with my project now, I am still waiting. It is a slow period because the volunteers from the other organization (AIESEC) finished their term. There is another volunteer, but she is out of the country for the month for conferences. I still can’t leave the country until I get a residential visa--oh, the irony. I’ve proposed a monitoring and evaluation program for this project in order to show that it is evidence-based and that the organization really is effective in prevention. I’m not sure how far past the “proposal” stage it will get. My point:

Evidence helps an organization win grants.
Grants = money.
Money = motivation.

Salsa Golf, Revisited

Last night, I learned the how to say the verbs “to get fat.”

As some of you may remember, I came back from Mendoza a little ”lumpy” and very well fed. Many tourists go to Argentina for leather, but I went for the eatable parts. Another culprit for my weight gain was the amount of mayonnaise I ate. Don’t be grossed out--the mayonnaise was delicious and not like our Hellman’s version. It is made with olive oil and the like--it is creamy and doesn’t taste heavy at all. I learned to eat EVERYTHING with salsa golf--a mixture of ketchup and mayonnaise (do not say anything until you have tried it). My salsa golf is even better because I add Sriracha sauce for that special tingle.

I wanted to know the verbs for getting fat because it is happening again. I eat a lot of sugar. This is very different because back in the States, I avoided salt and sugar like it was the Black Plague (“White Death” is more appropriate). Here, I am eating chocolate, cookies, Turkish Delights (!), and candy every day. They make me happy.

People are usually averse to Russian cuisine, as was I when I first arrived. I think the style is more comfort-foodish. A few of my favorites:

-Pelmenie: Russian-style dumplings. The fillings vary and they can be eaten in broth or with sour cream. I eat these with my Thai-style salsa golf. It’s also very convenient when I don’t have much time because I just boil them for a few minutes and eat. Like ramen or ‘mama’ noodles.


-Blinchikie: Crepes. Russians call them Russian-style pancakes. They are crepes. At the restaurants, I see them making these “pancakes” the same way and using the same machines to make crepes at Crepeaway (a DC crepe joint).

-Pierogkie: More or less, these are turnovers. They can be fried or baked, just like empanadas. Only, they aren’t empanadas because they are softer and more bread-like. You can get them with different fillings (e.g. cabbage, meat, potatoes, mushrooms, etc.).

-Borscht: Beet soup. Extra delicious with sour cream or mayonnaise. I made this for the first time the other night (super easy and very yummy). Beets make it nice and red, potatoes give it some flavor, some cabbage, some carrots, water, and lots of seasoning. There’s supposed to be meat in it.

Sofie's borscht.

-Porridges (kasha): This is the umbrella term for oatmeal, buckwheat, millet, rice (?), etc. I like oatmeal in the morning because it makes me warm inside. Fiber is very good for your insides, believe me as I am now old and wise (hah!). Buckwheat (gretchka) is unbelievably cheap and very delicious. We make jokes that we eat it because we are volunteers, and back in our home countries, we can only find buckwheat in pet shops. I love it because it is fast food, filling (thank you, fiber), and you can eat it with everything (like rice). I have heard that you can eat it with sugar and milk. Millet (psheno) is what I used to feed my parakeets. It is tasteless and I don’t know how to use it properly. I used it to make a heartier soup and it was delicious. The next day, the soup had an oatmeal-like consistency because the millet soaked the soup up. I also made little fried cakes out of it. Fried = tasty. That is a universal fact.

The ingredients for my Thai-style Salsa Golf: ketchup, mayonnaise, and sriracha. I ate it with the buckwheat (gretchka). Yum.

-Sunflower seeds: I cannot tell you how many hours (HOURS) I’ve spent sitting there eating sunflower seeds. I am addicted. What is special about it? Nothing, but I am addicted to eating. And there is something very meditative about lounging, cracking the shell, and finding that tiny seed within. Satisfaction in the purest form. I now call myself a connoisseur of sunflower seeds. My flat mates will suffer for a week if I buy a bag of seeds that I consider unsatisfactory. Yes, sunflower seeds have become a determinant of my mood.

I don't know why I can't turn it. Easier if you turn your head. Thank you for cooperating.

-Miscellaneous: Lay’s makes bacon-flavored potato chips. I’ve also seen bacon-flavored cheese spreads (like those soft triangle cheeses in the refrigerated aisle of supermarkets). Sushi is trendy here and they sell sushi-making kits here. I have found Thai fish sauce, oyster sauce, Thai-style noodles, and chili sauces at one supermarket. The problem? Thai food smells, the products are really expensive, and oh yes, I don’t know how to cook Thai food.

It sounds pretty reasonable what I have to eat, so why did I want to learn the words to express increasing weight? I eat a lot more than usual (my schedule is more relaxed and I like experimenting). What measures am I taking to combat obesity not only in America but in my own body?

We eat vegan. Not vegetarian, I can live with that--V-E-G-A-N. Even if you don’t know me very well, know one thing about me--I love meat. I love the cow meat. For almost 10 years, I didn’t eat it and I was happy with that choice. Then, I went to Argentina and fell in love with meat. Now, I like my meat black-and-blue and I can eat it any time of the day. No steak sauce (absurdity!). That is as honest as I can be.

In my flat, we have a vegan and two vegetarians. I am the antichrist. I am American, I speak English, and I eat animals (and animal by-products). We mostly eat dinners together. It’s a social thing to sit there, talk, chop food, and cook. It’s nice. We are respectful people and we cook vegan so that everyone can eat. Of course, I add impurities (e.g. sour cream, cheese, mayonnaise, MEAT, etc.) to my dish after it’s cooked.

There are positives to my (forced) plant-derived diet. I eat a lot of fresh vegetables and produce. Remember, vegetables have a lot of fiber and fiber does the body good. The more healthy dishes I eat, the fewer unhealthy dishes I eat. Plus, the quality of meat is dubious. Simple logic, but it’s one step against heart disease. I’ve also learned how to get creative with dishes.

When I get back to the US, take me out for good steak and I’ll cook a great vegetarian meal for you. Do it, it’s a dare.

P.S. Read “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain if you know what’s good for you.

P.P.S. There would’ve been more pictures, but by the time I remembered to take a picture of a food, I had already satisfied my hunger. I’m a food hedonist.

Camels, Lions, and Bears, oh my!

October 11, 2009

My first time in a marchutka was memorable--I randomly saw a camel on the street. A camel in Samara does not make sense to me. From that moment on, I was determined to find this camel again. Yesterday, I was looking at the city map and found that there’s a zoo. I figured this camel would be there.

Today, I went to the Samara Zoo. When I first entered the park, the smell of the animals hit me like a bus. After overcoming the shock, I laughed uncontrollably. Sorry, Samara.

Samara Zoopark. This is the first thing I saw when I walked in. That's also the entire zoo. 100 rubles for the entrance ticket.

Lo and behold, I found the camel. When I found him, he was walking around with a kid riding in between his humps. That didn't faze me, but I was a little disgusted when I saw the handler kidding the camel on the mouth. Maybe I am showing the American in me because "PDA (public displays of affection) is not okay." This includes PDA with animals.

This is the infamous camel of Samara. I still laugh when I see this.

The animals were in cages like the ones you find in pet stores--my Polish flat mate said that it reminded him of an animal shelter for homeless pets. There were not even wallpapers or posters in the cages to emulate the animals’ real environments--just concrete walls, fencing, and a tin roof. Alia (from Egypt) excitedly told me that this was also how it is in her country. It was also really funny (in a sad way, of course) to see the animal food. To me, it seems as though every animal was fed the same kind of food; raw meat, some fruit, and crackers for people (sushki).

Chicken. aka. dinner.

Besides the camel, I saw: a donkey, pony, deer, raccoon, crocodile, cheetah, bear, lions, various birds (some rare ones), stray kittens, chicken, monkeys, snakes, other reptiles, and fish. I felt terribly for the animals because the space was too small for any of them to get proper exercise. I also felt terrible in my stomach from the noxious animal fumes.

Rabbits in separate cages. See the toy bunny on top of the cages?

There were two indoor exhibits--one with birds and another was for “exotic” animals. In these indoor parts, there were portable heaters to keep the place warm. I am afraid that if the idea was to create a tropical-like climate, the zookeepers failed miserably. I wonder what happens to the outdoor animals during the harsh Russian winter. Actually, I don’t think I want to know the answer. In primary school, I learned that bears and reptiles hibernate in the winter. I don't think they'll be lucky enough to relax like that.

This was the "exotic" room where there were reptiles, fish, monkeys, and the lone lion. The girl lion was outside by herself flirting with the puma and cheetah next door. Not kidding.

Another surprise was seeing a raccoon in the zoo. The Polish flat-mate explained to me that it's normal to have raccoons in zoos because they are North American animals (READ: not in Europe). Imagine his reaction when I explained that in the US, raccoons are treated like rodents because they are nuisances that dig in trashcans at night. And they may carry rabies [see video].




This time, I'm not trying to be offensive to Russian zoo-people. It's just that in the US, we have annoying activist organizations (e.g. PETA) that make sure animals get better rights than our illegal immigrants. That's why my standard for a zoo is considerably high. I used to think that Washington's Smithsonian Zoo was pathetic. Today, I changed my mind. Again, sorry Samara.

Resume/CV Builder: Skills

October 8, 2009

I’ve been here less than a month and I can already say that I’ve learned a few tricks and gained some wisdom.

Laundry

I don’t have a washing machine (yet), so we do laundry in the shower or in a little bucket. There is no Laundromat conveniently located by us either. Russians typically have washing machines in their homes, or at least a babushka [see previous post] to do it for them. People don’t usually have dryers because electricity is expensive, but the washing machines spin the clothes well so that you can line dry them in a day or two. Hand washing is not efficient because it uses a lot of water and clothes don’t get that clean no matter how hard you scrub. And we have to be careful not to use too much hot water from the shower so you don’t shower in cold water (not pleasant, believe me). My tips:

-Boil water in the kettle and use to clean clothes.
-Use an iron to reduce line-drying time.
-Iron vinegar-soaked cloth to clean the iron when you burn something.
-Use a portable heater to reduce line-drying time.
-Drip dry clothes over a dirty spot so that the water cleans the floor. Use a mop to wipe floor clean. Efficient.
-Do as my flat mates do and hang clothes around your bed.
-DO NOT WASH FULL-SIZED TOWELS BY HAND. It gets very heavy when soaked and takes 4 days to dry. And they are scratchy afterwards. Very scratchy.
-Make friends with someone who owns a machine to wash jeans.

Our shower/washing machine. You can see the little bucket on the bottom right. There are only two places where you can truly be alone in my flat: the shower and the toilet (separate rooms). I am in love with this shower because you can have the water flow from the top like rain, or have it come from the side like a car wash, OR use the removable shower head. There is also an option to turn on a mysterious blue LED light. I think this a Japanese shower because written on it is "Micro-computer controller: Welcome to use products of our company, With to bring beautifull enjoy to you! This is our aim of service!"

Notice the lower bed on the left. My German flat mate strategically tied yarn to create a drying line. I sleep on the upper bunk, if you care to know. See the bed to the right. My Polish flat mate hung his wet T-shirts around the bed and used the portable heater to speed up drying-time.

I burned a towel trying to dry it--ironic, huh? Then, I learned how to clean the iron.

Public Health

Living in close quarters with people (especially with filthy European foreigners) puts you at high risk for many ailments. HIV/AIDS is a problem in the Samara Region, but the following act as imminent threats. For example: tuberculosis, influenza, the common cold, gastrointestinal problems, obesity, and insanity. By the way, I’m just kidding about them being filthy; I wanted to be a little dramatic. My tips:

-Drink tea. Every day. Constantly.
-Salt and sugar = white death
-Store yummy, sugary snacks on an unreachable shelf.
-Wash produce REALLY, REALLY well, especially if bought on the street from a babushka.
-Stay far away from sick flat mates and alienate them as much as possible.

We are in the middle of combating a lice issue before it becomes a problem. Fortunately, this person is staying in another flat until she is sure the lice are all dead. What I have learned:

-I now know what lice looks like.
-Wash clothes in hot water (60 degrees Celsius).
-Iron clothes and bed sheets to kill eggs and bugs.
-While you’re at it, iron your hair.
-When you find an egg, squish it between your nails until it makes a “pop” sound.
-When the pharmacy stuff doesn’t work, soak your head in vinegar and cayenne pepper.

These are few examples of what I’ve learned, and I hope you can take away from my lessons.

I should also admit that I am still unable to correctly identify what a cow looks like. The following is not a cow. I know that much.

Some of you will understand this because this is not the first time that I have incorrectly identified a cow, or goat for that matter. I should know what a cow looks like though, considering I like to eat them so much. This was taken in Sharaeyvo.

NEXT POSTS: I know you want to SEE Samara city, know what I eat, and you want to know about my project. I haven't forgotten--I am just trying to keep a steady flow of posts going. Don't worry! :)

For Your Information

October 7, 2009

NOTE: The following is not really written with cultural sensitivity. None of my posts will be culturally sensitive for that matter. I want to introduce you to babushkas. I will often refer to these women in my later posts, so keep this information in mind or you can always refer back to this post if you forget. I also realize that it's unethical to take photos of people without permission. But they are my photos, so I am legally allowed to post them. Right?


The correct pronunciation for babushka is BAH-boosh-ka, not ba-BOOSH-ka. Babushkas are old women who typically wear a scarf wrapped around their heads, sell things at the market, and try to make trouble with me. By definition, a babushka is a grandma, but we generally call old women babushkas. If it helps, think of it as addressing an elderly woman in Thailand.

Typical Samara babushka. She sat beside me on the boat to Sharyaevo and shamelessly stared at me for a long time. It was not a nice kind of stare either. She fell asleep, so I took a photo. Hah.

Actually, I’ve noticed that older babushkas don’t like me--probably because I’m darker and possibly a gypsy. A few days ago, a different babushka was on the tram with me and called for my attention, “Devushka!” Then, she proceeded to say many things to me. Her tone wasn’t malicious, but the vibes were scary like a curse. This is a great example of when it’s okay that my Russian isn’t great.


I have questions, but I don’t know who can answer them.
-When do you know you are old enough to be a babushka?
-Why do they all wear those scarves around their heads? For the cold?
-If I get cold and I want to wear a scarf, will they call me a babushka?

If you look closely, you will find a babushka in the photo. Can you find her?

I’m still honeymooning in Russia, so the attention isn’t bothering me yet. It’s still really amusing to me. In my later posts, I will probably write angrier posts about the attention. The probable causes: I will be tired of the attention, culture shock, or my Russian improves to the point where I can understand what people are saying about me. It happens.