Thanksgiving Dinner

Since we teachers had to work Thursday night last week, we decided to host a dinner party the following Sunday. The four of us invited a bunch of friends, and we had a wonderful party in Martin and my two room apartment. We had 14 people over! Keep in mind that most Moscow apartments have no living or dining rooms. Ours only has two bedrooms, a kitchen, washroom, and a toilet room.

We didn't have any turkey, as the other teachers are vegetarian, and the cranberries came to late to prepare :( We did have the most important thing however, and that was American Pumpkin Pie! I was fortunate enough to find an expensive foreign food store, which has some American luxuries, inclduding one last can of Libby's pumkin pie mix. That pie was out of this world! Everyone loved it! We even found canned whip cream (another unique American dish)...

Of course the mashed potatoes, salads, and of course Navina's dinner rolls were also very delicious. Pictures coming soon!

Booted out by the Police

Russia is a very different culture, and customer service isn't anything near the level you expect in the United States. This is an interesting experience today that involves racism, dickhead security guards, and finally police with Kalashnikov AK-47's.

A friend of mine from church is in the hospital with pancreatitis. This Sabbath afternoon, about six of us went to see him. It was a half hour walk in sub-freezing temperatures though the slush along a busy street. When we got to the shoddy-looking government hospital, we went in the entrance, and there was a small (10 foot by 20 foot) room, which has a security turnstyle that you were ushered through after informing the guards about whom you were there to visit. There was no waiting room of any sort, just the tiny security room.

First of all, these guards looked like uneducated ex-mafia thugs, perhaps they couldn't cut it in the mafia. The stereotypical jackets and Bennie-hats were worn by each.

It turned out only two visitors were allowed in the hospital at a time. While the two were in there the other 4 of us waited in this tiny waiting area. Of all of us, only I and another were white. The rest of them were Haitian or African students, as was the patient we were visiting.

After a few minutes of traffic going in and out of this waiting area, the security goons stared to get annoyed by us being there, and taking up space in this room. The soon demanded we wait out on the street. My Russian friend was none to happy about this, and she let them have it. She argued with them, telling them that it is cold outside, and that we aren't causing any trouble. She would not back down. She said, she knows her rights! Well, the big fat boss security manager came out, and she said the same to him. He backed down, and went back to his office. Through the glass I saw him pick up a phone...

Sure enough, about 10 minutes later two cops showed up, both carrying sawed-off AK-47's. My friend argued with and exhorted the cops and guards, until the police escorted us onto the street. My friend yelled something about the "Moscow Times" hearing about this. This is a well-known muckraking English newspaper published here, and online.

The police and guards then talked for a few minutes, then one of the policemen came out and talked with my friend, and basically said you're right. My friends were told to come back into the waiting area at that time. So, my feisty friend won, and the cops basically said that they were just there to do their job, and make sure that there was no problem. He said we can wait, as long as there was no trouble. But, it is an example of Russia's problem with racism and poor service. Those AK-47's sure were snazzy looking though.

Happy Thanksgiving

Well, the Holidays are here... at least in America. Of course, there is no Thanksgiving holiday in Russia, and barely a December Christmas for that matter. However, they do have an Orthodox Christmas holiday on the 7th of January. But this does not stop us American and Canadian teachers from having our own festivities. This Sunday, we are having a small thanksgiving party at my house.

I was lucky enough to find pumpkin pie puree at a large import store, although it was expensive! Generally Russians haven't heard of pumpkin pies. They are missing out!

I look forward to our nice dinner, and our quasi-American Thanksgiving. Yum yum!

Two Months in Moscow!

Today, I have been here for two months! I also had the first classes of my second term last night. All is still going very well. Life is busy, but very good. I have many friends here, and I am always doing something interesting and fun, as well as learning many new and great things. I still don't speak Russian well, but I am recognizing more and more all the time.

On Thursday, I went to Moscow's Dolphinarium, and saw some dolphins and whales strutting their stuff. I also went to the circus on Sunday.

That was really awesome! Other than my allergies, sitting in the 3rd row gave me a wonderful experience of a great circus right up close. I could tell that these men, women, and beasts put their hearts and souls into every detail of the act.