Back in the USA
It's been hard to figure out how to conclude my experience in Russia. I've been back almost a week (and you've probably stopped reading the blog), but I wanted to post something about what I've learned and all that. Except I can't. It's been hard making my photo slide show too. What do I show? If a picture is worth a thousand words, what are the words I want to say? All I can do is write out this humorous list I made a few weeks back.
You Know You're In Russia When:
- You take toilet paper with you to the bathroom.
- You drink yogurt.
- You drink tea all the time.
- You eat candy and ice cream everyday.
- You don't mind being late.
- Your car is tiny and old.
- You're afraid of the police.
- You buy alcohol in a cafe.
- Your salad has everything but lettuce.
- Everything is in remont.
- There is no handicap access.
- The lack of hot water doesn't bother you.
- Everyone smokes.
- The museums start on the second floor.
- You carry a plastic bag along with your purse.
Also, I've had some humorous reentry moments. I jumped when the automatic toilet in the airport flushed. I tried to find vodka in the grocery store. I have munched happily on every ice cube in my drink. It's good to be home.
Moscow in One Pair of Shoes
Last Saturday we took the overnight train to Vladimir, a city outside of Moscow. Vladimir is actually the size of Columbia, SC, but after spending the summer in SPb we were unimpressed. I eventually grew to like it, though I would not have done the ACTR program there.
The Russian train is like camping. I could go on, but I won't. Most of the time we were asleep anyway.
We spent two days in Vladimir, looking at lots of churches. At this monastery for women I was confronted by gypsy children. A little girl pointed at me and yelled, "indeyka!" which I'm pretty sure means an Indian woman. Then she and her brother ran up to me and demanded kopecks. The tour guide pushed them away and told me to go to the bus. Not terribly dramatic, but still strange. That night we found the BBC News channel and gathered to watch the news in English (SPb has no channels in English). The news was quite depressing, so we switched to VH1, where they were showing old American videos.
The second day of Vladimir we went to Suzdal, a town that has been preserved from industrial development. It looks like a very nice country town. They have an "open air museum" of wooden houses and churches. It reminded me of Gastonia's Back Country Farm, except there were no animals. And it showed how rurals Russians lived before America was even discovered. That night in Vladimir I went to MacKing, which is supposed to be Burger King. It was so wonderful. The restaurant was quite nice (=American standards), but they basically ripped off the Lion King and Disney. Then we went to this club with hardly any people. No one was dancing, so I made up a few new moves that I really hope the Russians don't copy. I don't want to come back and see them doing the hula and the Electric Slide to techno.
The third day, we went to Sergiev Posad, the first home of the Orthodox church. It is a monastery with lots of churches.
Finally we moved on to Moscow. Our hotel there was very nice--it was where the Olympic Village was. Here's what I did, then a few comments on the city:
Tuesday 8-1: Red Square at night. Awesome. We walked around GUM (a huge mall) and ate at Sbarros.
Wednesday 8-2: We toured the Kremlin, but all of us were exhausted. I may not have mentioned it, but every time we have an excursion the tour guide speaks all in Russian. By this day I was ready to give up trying to understand, especially when we went into yet another cathedral. Then we split up, and I found the Polytechnic Museum. It is Russia's version of the history of technology, with exhibits on telephones, computers, oil and mining, and electric, water, and nuclear energy. I loved it. That night I went to the Hard Rock Cafe, and it was like stepping through a stargate into America. I ate a really good bacon cheeseburger.
Thursday 8-3: We stood in line to see Lenin for 2 hours. His body has been preserved and is on display three days a week. It was very creepy, but cool. Then I found the first McDonalds ever in Russia, and then I went to the Museum of the Contemporary History of Russia. Since it started as a history of the Soviet Union, it showed the revolution as the greatest moment in history, but it did a fair job of showing all the problems that resulted, and ended with the collapse and the elections of Yeltsin and Putin. Then I ate at KFC, and the chicken actually tasted like KFC chicken. Last I went to this place that was once the exhibition center of the Soviet Union. Now it is a mall. The clash is very apparent.
Friday 8-4: I went to the market and bought souvenirs for everyone. I had fun bargaining. Then I went to the park of sculpture, which had some old sculptures from the Soviet Union that were taken down. Then I went to the Museum of Music and Culture and saw stuff that belonged to Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Rachmaninoff, and others. Then we got on the train and arrived back in SPb this morning.
I loved Moscow. It is very Russian. Where SPb has a lot of tourist information and signs in English, Moscow is completely foreign. I can't imagine not speaking English and trying to get around. A lot less people (in the stores and museums) spoke English to me, I assume because they don't know any. Moscow has more hills, and the buildings are taller and closer together. The metro is crazy. Every street is busy with people and cars. There is this loop around the center where I counted 7 lanes of traffic
going each way. The cars are newer and more expensive (=foreign) than in Petersburg, too. The biggest difference was that you could still see Soviet Russia. SPb has done a good job of getting rid of the stars, sickles and hammers, and basreliefs of Lenin. But they're all over the buildings in Moscow. I was surprised, but it has only been 15 years.
I can't say which city I like better. I only have three more days in this country!
Updates
Now a long update. It's a good thing I have a journal to keep track of these interesting experiences.
Friday 7-21: I skipped class for Isaac Cathedral and the Rumyantsev Mansion. That afternoon I saw Pirates of the Caribbean with Robyn and her host sister. We didn't get much, not even the basic plotline. The dubbing was really good, but I can't imagine how Russians watch all these movies dubbed. They'll never know what Johnny Depp really sounds like!
Then I went to a punk rock concert with my tutor. Her sister's boyfriend is the lead singer. It was punk rock, so I didn't understand any of it (and he was singing in English). However, I loved his version of "Material Girl." I talked to him a little bit in English and Russian. When I told him South Carolina's mascot was the Gamecock, he said (in English) "That's gay." I said (in Russian) "We know."
Saturday 7-22: I studied for my final exams. Later I went with people to a jazz festival. It cost 900 rubles (~$35), so we just sat outside the gate and listened. The Russians were doing it too.
Sunday 7-23: I walked with Robyn to the Literaturnoe Cafe, the site of Pushkin's last supper. He died in a duel. BTW, Pushkin is next to Lenin on the list of greatness in Russia. I can't decide who is on top. Pushkin doesn't have that embarrasing Communism thing, but then his body isn't on display in Moscow. Later we went to the Kunstkammer, the "Place of Curiosities." I avoided the "curiosities" that made it famous--dead babies and teeth that Peter the Great pulled himself.
Monday 7-24: Babushka (My host grandmother) tried to stuff me with food. I went to Moscow Square, which has a huge statue of Lenin in front of this House of Soviets. I thought it was impressive, until I actually got to Moscow and saw that they have all kinds of buildings like that. Then I went to О'Кей (pronouced OK), which is called a hypermarket (bigger than a supermarket). It is a decent effort at duplicating Walmart (a non-Super Walmart, but still). They had CDs for about $2, and I couldn't resist.
Tuesday 7-25: I survived the last day of class. In Conversation we talked a little about racially motivated violence. I'm very glad I have only had one really negative experience here. The others have been neutral, positive, or just amusing. Then I went to a mall with Robyn. It actually looks like a mall--молодец Россия! (~Good for you, Russia!)
On the way back I saw a sign in the metro. I stopped and stared for a few minutes before fully comprehending:
28th July
Plaza Night Club
Korni
Korni is one of my favorite Russian pop bands. When I knew I was going to Russia, I made it a goal to see someone in concert. So I decided to go see Korni, no matter the cost. 800 rubles is a lot in Russia, but it was worth it.
Wednesday 7-26: I went to the Hermitage with some people. I am not very interested in art, so I found the exhibits of stuff--like blown glass and old relics. Later I played Match the Tsars at the computer center. I did very well, if I do say so myself. Then we met the group to go to the Baltika factory.
Baltika is Russia's number one beer. They have several varieties, most of them numbered. Baltika 0 (Null) has no alcohol, and Baltika 9 is really strong. Russia's favorite is 7, I think. So we toured the factory, which looked very modern. I wanted to ask all these engineering questions, but 1) I couldn't remember the terms, 2) I wouldn't have been able to translate them into Russian, and 3) the tour guide was from the Public Affairs office. I'm not sure that factory is the most efficient (or safe). A lot of the bottling lines were leaky, so beer was all over the floor. The (second) best part was the warehouse. I've said before, Russian drivers are crazy. Now put them in forklifts that can turn 360 degrees
and stop on a dime. It was so entertaining to watch them unloading and moving pallets of beer. Someone asked if there were ever accidents. The tour guide was very nonchalant about it. Hardly ever, and if it is, it's a tragedy (presumably because of all the beer lost). The official best part was the tasting. They had ever single brand of beer, water, and citrus mix made in the factory. I tried the Baltikas 0-9. If I had to drink beer, I would drink Baltika 6. However, I confirmed that no matter what kind it is, I don't like beer.
That night I visited my tutor and her sister at their house. They had a brand new microwave. We ended up talking about the lesbian club, and I asked if they knew any gay people. Katya said, "No, but earlier I did." She has been to a gay bar twice. Her friend Lisa said there probably were gay people in Russia, but they didn't "show" themselves. Being more ironic than serious, I told her we had a lot of gay people in America.
Thursday 7-27: My host mom fed me calamari, and from that point on I have stopped eating Russian fish. Give me back my fried perch! Later she took me to a concert at the Hermitage with DDT, an old popular rock band. Russian rock is closer to the Eagles than Queen (sorry, those are the only American bands I can think of). I met her friends Denis and Andrey. They argued about the spirit of music after the concert. Then we went to this street across from Kazan where there is a statue of a cat on a rooftop. You're supposed to throw rubles, and if you get it to the cat your wish will come true. Andrey threw mine up, but my wish is too sappy for me to tell you.
Friday 7-28: I finished exams. My Conversation teacher said my vocabulary has improved, because I knew a lot more grammar than words when I got here. I went souvenir shopping, and then we had a reception. However, my stomach decided it didn't want Russian food, so I didn't eat much more than bread. Then I went to see Korni.
Saturday 7-29: Korni is a quartet of pop singers. I like them because they have a good style--their songs don't all sound alike or like other pop songs. At the concert I also realized they like to be a little rocky too. I got to the night club very early. This club reminded me of Cadillac, the first one I went to--very ritzy and stylish. There was a dance floor in the center and tables and chairs all around. I was informed by the staff that it cost 400 rubles per person to sit at a table. So I sat at the bar and ordered tea. There was this drunk guy there with his girlfriend. He bought me a drink and started talking to me. He said he wanted to learn English better, though I'm pretty sure he had other motives. The concert started at exactly the right time to stop talking to him. I loved the concert, but I was disappointed by a few things. First, the club was only about half full, and most of them were not paying to sit. Second, the sound had some technical problems. Third, they only played for 40 minutes! At then end of the day, however, I was happy. I sang along and danced (like a Russian) and made eyes at the band. It was fun. Since it was past twelve and the metro was closed, I walked to meet Lindsey and Greta, who were nearby at a bar. They were talking to two British people who were traveling around, but didn't know any Russian. They told us about Moscow, which we were leaving for Saturday night.
That next morning I met Robyn and Julia to go to a banya. We had several detours, and along one I stopped at the Stroganov Palace. At this palace is a Chocolate Museum, and there is always some African student there dressed in old palace clothes opening doors for people. That day I stopped and talked to him. His name was Julius, he's from Burundi, and he just finished his undergraduate degree in Computer Science. Now he's going to graduate school. I asked if he liked Russia and got the same hesitant "yes" that I've heard from other Africans. Then we took a picture, and he gave me his email address so I can send him a copy.
So we went to a banya, which is the traditional Russian bathhouse/sauna. However, we went to Vatervil--WaterVille in English--which is obviously aimed at New Russians (ie, Russians with large disposable incomes). It is an indoor waterpark with a several banya rooms off to the side. We swam a little and then tried out the banyas. In order of crazy hotness--Turkish, Finnish, Russian. The Turkish was all steamy, but the other two were dry heat. Both the Finnish and Russian ones were at 100 degrees Celsius--212 degrees Fahrenheit! The frames of my glasses would start to burn after a few minutes. They had different humidities (40 vs 75%) which is what made the Russian one worse. I only went in that one once for only a couple of minutes. After those the Turkish one was like a cold bath. By the way, they had a pool of freezing water between all of them. Russians would dive into it after coming out of a room. I would take a modest dip for a few minutes. Going from hot to cold is supposed to be healthy, and it felt good.
The water in the water park area was heated. There was a main swimming pool, lots of slides, and a lazy river, but the lazy river was more like shallow white water rapids. I was either stuck or flying through these tight turns. At the last "waterfall" (about 2 feet high) I tumbled off upside down and went underwater. Overall, it was fun.
On to Moscow!
Vladimir
I don't have time to update last week because I'm in Vladimir right now. It's a medium size town, but I only got half an hour of internet. So in the next few days I will add some things. We'll be in the Big City (Moscow) on Wednesday. I'm so excited.
Just so you don't worry, I passed all my classes.
Last week was awesome. I saw DDT (famous Russian rock band) and Korni (my favorite Russian pop band) and went to a banya. And today I almost got mobbed by gypsy children.
Tourism Part II
Today I skipped class and went touring (hey, at least I didn't sleep the whole day!) On Monday I have a take home test due, on Tuesday I have a presentation, on Wednesday we're going to the Baltika Beer factory, and Thursday and Friday I have three exams.
This past Tuesday I went to Ploschad Lenina with Robyn and took pictures like a tourist. On Wednesday I went to Smolniy with Robyn and Julia. We found a sign and figured out what it said in Russian, but apparently we missed the main part--a statue of Lenin. Maybe it was covered up, because the whole place was being fixed up (in Russian, it's called ремонт/remont = repair, half the buildings here are covered with scaffolding.)
Yesterday I went to Alexander Nevsky Monastery with my tutor. The highlight of that was seeing the graves of Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Glinka, and lots of other people I didn't know. Who knew you could make cemetaries tourist attractions? Later Robyn and I went out to Coffee House, where this group of Spanish people were eating ice cream (that they didn't even finish). So I was talking to Robyn, and I saw a red light out of the corner of my eye. I turn and one of them is holding this huge camera pointed straight at me. I gave her a dirty look and then turned away.
Today I went to Isaac Cathedral and the Rumantsev Mansion, like a tourist but with student discounts. I didn't actually go in the cathedral: I went to the colonnade at the top for a great view of the city. Plus they were playing a recording (in Russian) of the sights, most of which I had gone to or at least recognized. Then I went to this mansion, which had three main exhibits. The first was about the Blockade, and it was even bigger than the Blockade Museum (and much better). The second part was portraits of dead people, all from the tsarist times. They were dressed all pretty and looked bored. Coming from rooms full of Communist patriotism, I could sympathize with Lenin's desire for the overthrow of the wealthy. The last part was St. Petersburg in the 20s and 30s, right at the beginning of Communism. You could see how the Communist ideals were implemented and how the people at that time made the transition. It was very interesting. Artists, scientists, and teachers made a lot more money than average workers. It all made me want to start my own idealistic nation. Red would not be the main color though. It would be purple.
Today I'm going to see "Pirates of the Caribbean" in Russian. I don't think it'll be hard to understand--Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom are cute in any language!
The End is Near
I just spent too much money uploading my pictures, and I don't even get to look at them! Well, $6 is not a lot, but still, somewhere I could have done it for free. On Monday I went shopping and bought two really nice looking shirts for $20. Then I realized how cheap the CDs and DVDs here really are, so I'm going to go shopping for those sometime this week. Monday we also went to the Blockade Museum--during World War II St. Petersburg was surrounded by German forces for 900 days. It got pretty bad. An interesting thing about the museum was how it tried to tone down the Communist patriotism while at the same time recognizing that it was a victory for the Communist regime--the city never surrendered.
Then we went to the Mariinsky Theater and saw Swan Lake. It was great. Some of the greatest ballet dancers in the world have danced at the Mariinsky. This performance was probably students because the ballet season is over. Who knows, I could have been watching the next Anna Pavlova. Well, I'll never know because I didn't want to spend 20 rubles (=$0.70) on a program. Converting these numbers really makes me realize how cheap everything is here.
Class has been terrible. I have either not done my homework or turned it in late this week. Next Thursday and Friday are final exams. We all get one unexcused absence, so I think I'm going to take mine this Friday and have a long weekend. It sounds like a lot of other people are going to do that too. I have been very tired and fed up with my classes, especially Grammar.
I haven't heard from many people about postcards or souvenirs! Don't you want something? Postcards? Books? A Snickers wrapper in Russian?
Just Another Week in Russia
There's no funny way to preface this post: I've just had a strange week. First review, then two or three stories:
Monday 7-10: I was bored to death in my grammar class. At home I had this wierd conversation with my host grandmother. Then I met my host sister's friend, who looks like a hippy.
Tuesday 7-11: I went to the Dostoevsky Museum with my (real) sister's friend Catherine. Catherine goes to Agnes Scott with Christy, and apparently I've met her once before. Anyway, it was really nice to meet her (again) and we're probably going to do something together again. The Dostoevsky Museum/Apartment was okay. He was actually a pretty good engineering student, but I think his heart was in writing about crazy people. I went with Robyn to this place called Mexx, a clothing store also found in the US. The people kept watching me (as if I would steal something) and I ironically thought,
feels like home. Later we went to restaurant and I ordered a coffee drink called Africa Mombata.
Wednesday 7-12: A crazy day. First I went to the Pushkin Museum Apartment, which was only creepy because they had everything looking like on the day he died. In Russia, Pushkin is like god. But he's a poet, and his poems don't translate well. After that I went to the Marble Palace, where I had a very interesting encouter--more later.
Thursday 7-13: I was so homesick. It started because the Russian news is hopelessly ethnocentric, so I was feeling desperate for some US news. Especially because Israel has started a war with Lebanon, and we're supporting it! What is going on?
Friday 7-14: President Bush arrived this day for the G8. I usually see a few militsia around the city, but this weekend they were everywhere. And in big groups. On the one hand, you feel safe, but on the other, we've all heard the stories about how corrupt Russian police can be. That night I went to a bar with a few people to see a band called Multfilmi (Cartoons). Apparently they are very popular in Russia, and they were really good. Fred made friends with a birthday party sitting beside us, and after the concert they bought us drinks (the bar had no vodka at all, so I drank juice).
Saturday 7-15: I went to the Kirov Museum/Apartment. Kirov was a really important Communist boss until Stalin had him killed in 1934. The place was creepy because he loved hunting, and besides the stuffed animals and skins there were dozens of portraits of Stalin and Lenin. Upstairs was an exhibit about Soviet childhood. The exhibit did a good job showing how bright and happy it seemed on the outside, but in reality it was pretty sad. Then we went to a McDonalds, which had a McCafe inside. We didn't try the coffee, so I'm not sure if it's worth paying $4 a cup. That night about half of the group met for a "Beach Party" on Vasilevsky Island. There's a coast and sand, but not much of a beach. We sat for a while, until the cold wind forced us inside. We saw the sunset (between 1 and 3am) and it was very beautiful. (The sun rose about an hour later). We went to this place called Artica, first to the cafe, then the club. My last story will be about my second club experience. We left around 4am. Most of us had decided to stay out the whole night (the metro closes at 12, so if you're not close to home at that time you have to wait til 6am), so we went to a cafe nearby the metro stop until said metro opened.
I slept until 2 in the afternoon, then had fun figuring out how to wash my hair with no hot water. In SPb, they turn off the hot water for a few weeks in the summer. My family heats up water in a big pot and takes it into the bathroom, which is fine for regular washing. But for hair, apparently you need the big pot, a big red bucket, and a little bench in the tub. My host grandmother explained everything, but I didn't know any of the verbs, so she laughed and let me alone to figure it out. In conclusion, I have clean hair.
The G8 is this weekend. They are meeting somewhere south of here, but as I said the atmosphere is different. The news is hard to understand, but they make it look like Putin is getting his way. Bush always looks lost. I can't hear the English under the translation, but I'm sure he's saying the same empty phrases about freedom and terrorism. BTW, Russia killed their number one terrorist last week. Putin may be autocratic, but his country knows a lot more about terror than we do.
On to the crazy stories. Here's the conversation with my host grandmother:
Babushka (=grandmother in Russian): Where are your parents from?
Me: America.
B: Where were they born?
Me: (a
little confused) America.
B: And your grandparents?
Me: (
getting the point now) They were born in America. But I think my grandmother's grandmother was a slave.
B: (
because I didn't put the word in the right case) A slave?
Me: Yes, and she was probably born in Africa.
B: Probably/Certainly
(Apparently the word has both meanings). Have you ever been to Africa?
Me: No. (
then, to be nice) But I want to go.
B: Of course.
You can't imagine how uncomfortable that was! Russians are in no way politically correct. I don't know about other black people, but African culture is just as foreign to me as Russian culture! On the other hand, it got me thinking about the things I do miss about black culture. I saw a group of black men I was sure were American the other day, but I haven't talked to anyone as dark as me in weeks.
So I went to the Marble Palace, which is a part of the Russian Museum. As soon as I walked in, this middle aged guy says hi to me. I smelled alcohol, so I wanted to avoid him. When I walked to the cashier to buy a ticket, he pulled me by the arm and led me into the beginning of the exhibit with a nod to the control lady who takes tickets. He told me a little about the palace, and then led me upstairs to the next floor of paintings. Eventually I asked, "Do you work here?" He said yes and showed me his ID card. He kind of explained what he did, but I didn't understand. Something about organizing. We walked around the entire palace, not saying a lot, but he wanted to know if I liked the paintings. All of the room monitors knew him. They seemed used to his strangeness, so I felt like, if I disappeared today, they would know it was him. He kept leaving to do some work, but always returned to ask if I liked it. Eventually he asked if I wanted tea. I said yes, so we went behind an exhibit to his office, which looked more like a storage closet. He poured me tea, gave me some cookies, and wrote down his phone number for me. He also gave me a little charm and this book about Soviet art. I didn't know what to say. He said, "I like you! Call me tomorrow. Come back to the museum!" I said, of course I will. Finally he led me to this exhibit that wasn't even open yet. It was some really nice paintings, and he asked if I had a camera. So we took pictures! He also showed me a room that didn't have anything in it--it was decorated in marble, and really pretty. So I took some pictures, then pretended I had to meet someone and left.
It was really bewildering. On the one hand, he was very nice to take me around for free and give me tea, but on the other I didn't know his intentions! He was very friendly and kissed my cheek when I left. I felt relatively safe in the museum, but there's no way I'm going to call him. But I feel a little guilty because I took his book and charm. Maybe I'll get Neil to take it back to him. Oh, Russia!
Finally, the second Russian club I went to was amusing. I stand by my earlier observations, with some additions. They dance like high schoolers because they probably are all pretty young. 16 seems to be the age where you can start going out. The birthday girl we met on Friday was only 18! Russians have no rhythm, but they don't put a lot of energy into dancing because they dance the whole night. Russians like to dance by themselves, especially the boys with their NSync moves. Of course, half the club was not dancing at all, just sitting or standing and watching. This club was a lot bigger, but half the floor space was covered in tables and chairs. The dance floor never got crowded. The club started out with a good, familiar American club mix, but then it turned to all techno, which for me was hard to dance to. And not a single Russian song was played! Unless it was a Russian techno artist doing the words in English.
Another thing Russians don't seem to do in clubs in meet people. I am so used to getting approached in US clubs, but here there was just this one strange guy who approached our whole group. I think he was a prostitute, but maybe he was just strange. He started by joining our dancing circle, grabbing me and Joanna by the hand, and doing kind of a Rockettes kicking dance. Greta helped us get away, but he still kind of hung around. He started talking to Nick and Fred, who tried to ignore him. Later he kissed my hand and would not let go, even when I walked five feet away. We left soon after that, but it was because of the following incident:
So twice they stopped the music for a little game. The first game was "Get the most watches from people in the club," but the second game was "Take off the most jewelry and articles of clothing for this bottle of champagne." There were three girls, but two of them got down to their underwear. They got caught in a deadlock where it was either cut off large pieces of their hair or take off the underwear. So the winner eventually took off her bra, but it was obviously very embarrasing for her. We were horrified, but the Russians cheered. Yes, I know Banana Joes in Columbia had wet t-shirt contests, but this was just something different. After that none of us felt like dancing to the techno, so we left for the cafe.
Like I said: just another week in Russia.
Requests
I will write about my interesting week later. For now, if you want a postcard from Russia, send me your mailing address (I guess you could put it as a comment). Also, I'm going souvenir shopping next week, so also tell me your souvenir requests. Please note that the amounts of vodka, caviar, and cheap DVDs I can bring back are limited by the size of my suitcase and US Customs.
