Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Kiss a foreigner who has been to the Bashkort Republic

Month 5. I haven't seen my family since September and five months is the longest I've gone without seeing them. I miss my family. From the non-born, to the recently born, and to the really old members in my family, I really miss them. In these five months, a lot has happened and I've learned a lot. In these five months, I didn't travel outside of the Samara region until this past weekend.

Welcome to the city of Ufa, located in the Bashkort Republic. It was extremely refreshing to get out of Samara for the weekend because Ufa is clean, feels less-congested, and I spent time with a family. Being with ANY family feels good at this point, even if it's not mine. I'm a happier girl, now. And very full.


Fur coats just like the REAL Russians.

Elza, momma, and noisy cat. We are so grateful that they hosted us this weekend. They define hospitality.

My first real ballet with a live orchestra! And it was only about $2. "Raymonda"

My first visit to a mosque. There is a high Muslim population in the Bashkort Republic.



I learned how to crochet in Russia. My next project: learning how to cross-stitch profiles of famous communist leaders.

We went to a museum where I learned how big animals really are.

American-Chinese diner.

When people don't have refrigerators or don't have enough room in it, they hang food outside where it's also cold.

We went to a lemonarium(?) where the lemons are as big as softballs.

Outdoor zoo. Just...don't do it. There were bears, foxes, horses, wolves, dogs, and a camel.

I've been trying to get this picture for WEEKS. This is how children are transported in the snow. This is not only for fun, but it is used as TRANSPORTATION. Genius.

Her name is Ashan


In the US, we have Costco, Super Walmarts, Targets, and BJ's. Here, there's a French-operated hypermarket called Ashan. It is massive and everything is cheap. I've been to Texas a couple of times and I thought I knew what big was. I didn't know what big was until I went to Ashan.

Globalization, I think you are winning.







The art of nudity

If you ever come to Russia, you MUST go to a Russian banya. Sure, a sauna feels great in the middle of winter, but to get the full experience, you MUST go to a RUSSIAN banya. And if you're like me, a more or less conservative Asian-American girl, the minute you walk into the locker room, you will stand there in shock. Not the “deer-caught-in-the-headlights” kind of shock, but the “I just got stunned by a high-voltage taser” kind of shock.

Everyone is naked. Naked naked naked. I went to a private sauna when I was teaching at the language camp, but everyone wore a bathing suit. I went to a public banya and everyone was naked. I wish you all could have seen my face because I am sure it was nothing but priceless. Thank goodness my friend, another foreigner, was there to bring me back to life. No one pays attention to each other and it ended up being very comfortable for me. There is also an array of body types. I realize now that public banyas are safe from peeping toms and other perverts. No one wants to see that.

From the locker room, you go to the shower room. It's another scary room. Just think of the private things you do in the shower (when you're alone, of course). Now take away the walls. And add a lot of people. Yeah...you're better off not looking at what people are doing.

From the giant, scary shower room, you go to the sauna part. The room that is hot as hell. As soon as you go inside, you hear women beating themselves or each other with vennigs, branches of dried leaves (typically oak). It is said to increase circulation and prevent cellulite. I find that it takes too much energy to use the vennigs when you can barely breathe.

I feel at peace even when I'm in a bus full of people because I don't have to talk to anyone and I can just use the time to think. I feel relaxed and alone even in a public banya full of naked, old women because people keep to themselves. Now, I go to a banya once a week.

The following are pictures from a private room in a public banya:

Place to relax and drink tea/beer/water.

Where you go nude.

The actual sauna part. It's hot.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Pictures of the Cold



On the Volga River.


Also on the river.

A car completely buried under the snow.

Theme: The word "Cold" is a pronoun here.


Free Time

So, I've explained to you what I am officially doing here. Besides bringing HIV prevention into the lives of Samara's youth, I do have a life. Though I must admit, Riet and I have brought HIV prevention into our lives and it isn't a separate entity. We are ALWAYS doing prevention work, even if our friends are sick of hearing about it, but we genuinely realize the importance of it. Also, our friends quickly learn that we don't believe in taboos.

I've learned how to crochet. On YouTube. Really. If people can learn to deliver babies and ride motorcycles from youtube videos, you can learn how to crochet. And I did. I needed a hat. I was feeling creative because I was helping Oksana sew costumes. It also helped that Riet was knitting at the time. When I was younger, I asked my momma to teach me the crafts of knitting and crochet. I failed because I didn't have the patience/didn't pay attention to her. And so, I am a crochet-er. I've made hats, earwarmer/headband things, a cell phone case, and I'm currently making half gloves (similar to what homeless people wear).

This is my first project--my crocheted hat. I gave it to Sofie because it looks better on her. Since then, I've made another one that suits me better.


In December, I was working for my friend Oksana and helping her sew costumes for a New Years Show (think: flashy like the Radio City Christmas Spectacular). We didn't make these penguin costumes, but I thought they were adorable. Children in masses are cute when they are dancing on stage and when they are quiet. That's it.

Riet and I have domesticated. We are constantly doing handicrafts while sipping a hot cup of tea (or other strong alternative).

I'm exercising. I've been eating a lot because I need the calories and energy to keep me warm in this rough winter. I bought a yoga mat that I've actually been using quite religiously (only within the past few weeks...). I also have my resistance bands to build up these guns. I'm leaving Russia with weapons of mass destruction, friends.

And now my free time is being sucked away because I'm teaching English...I'll elaborate on this later.

This is not a metaphor


HIV prevention work is going well. However, I stupidly and irresponsibly left my computer without an anti-virus program for two weeks. Within these two weeks, I've allowed countless flash/USB sticks onto my computer and I've downloaded programs from the Internet. As a result, I've contracted the nasty WIN32 virus. And it won't go away, regardless of how many times I run the scanners. This is a lesson learned. Always be protected.