So here is a nice story from when I was at the dacha: I told my host grandma that I study Russian because it is "the most beautiful language in the world." Pretty standard icebreaker. She replied, "Yes, what did they use to say? I would study Russian, if only because Lenin himself spoke it." What am I supposed to say to that?
Another funny story: We have a security code in order to get into the house. Two days ago I entered the code and pressed the button 2 times. Oops! I was supposed to press it one time! So I did it all over again and was fine. Twenty minutes later I was eating a snack and drinking some tea when my host mom started unlocking the door. "I'm coming!" I said. No answer. I said it again, and again no answer. I called out her name: "Natalya Viniaminovna? Is that you? Who's there?!" No answer. I called her on her cell, and she answered. "Natalya Viniaminovna, there's someone at the door, trying to get in!" "It's my neighbor. Open the door."
But I was an idiot and left the keys in the inner door, so I scurried around frantically searching for the keys while the door rattled and shook. Finally it opened and there was my little old lady neighbor with a tall blond guard from the security company. He had to fill out a report but just about the only words I could understand from his handwriting was "no violation," so I signed it. It was a lot more stressfull than it sounds.
So that's about it. I hope everybody is having a good time in Alaska/Middlebury/the US, I miss you guys, but everyday here is a little better. I didn't make any mistakes so far today. If I don't write back it's because the internet here sucks and you have to pay by the megabyte.
Sophie asked me if I was still a vegetarian and how the food was. No, I dropped that about 2 months ago namely to live in Russia, but evidently I didn't prepare well enough, because the past three days I was fatally ill with unpleasant gastronomical disasters, but now I am almost recovered. The food is for the most part good but always too rich and in too bountiful a quantitiy. I think my host mom feeds me a lot less than the others, which is good.
So tomorrow we are going to Lake Baikal and I guess I'll write about that later. Skaters.
David
5 years ago
4 comments:
Hi David! Is it possible to write you letters? I have been writing letters this week and need more people's addresses. It sounds like Russia should sound and you don't sound like you are too overwhelmed, just overwhelmed enough. I haven't shopped for groceries in ages, so I need to feed myself. Enjoy yr lake!
Grrtt
David, your posts brighten my day because I get to take a little peek into your life and all that you're experiencing. Keep writing! XOXO
Just use the Mezhfak computer labs, eventually they work. And you can read a six-hundred-page novel in between sending each e-mail. Also, if you haven't, get Middlebury to forward all your mail to Gmail, it uses fewer megabytes.
Oh man, your stories sound so familiar. Minus the security guard-- that's a new one. But I'm afraid the sickness may be permanent.
In Middlebury news... well, you aren't missing anything.
--Susanna
oh my god. I'm living my last year all over again. this is so crazy.
I told sonya, and elisabeth, to give you my email address, because i have all sorts of helpful tips on living with natalya (i.e. the best host mother ever, regardless of her awful, awful cooking). like for instance, after she leaves in the morning, you can slip excess sour cream and kalbasa to the cats on the street through the kitchen window.
I'm gonna read your blog a million times, and get all nostalgic now. Ninel' told me the exact same thing, about learning russian because lenin spoke it. and I also set off the signalisatsia, but friendly neighbor (forgot her name) didn't come, only two huge scary russians in camoflauge. they were nice though, and i just signed whatever they gave me.
oh oh, also, tell Natalya Veniaminovna, that I'm really busy translating some russian crap, which is why i haven't written her a letter yet, but I will some day!
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