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! :)