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Judi's Great Russian Adventure
Friday, May 11, 2001
We're off! I arrived in plenty of time, which was great because I was really nervous for some reason…Maybe because I packed at midnight! hmmm…or maybe not knowing what my accommodations will be! Oh well, living on the streets could be the ultimate adventure!
At the ticket counter a dear airline representative said that I was over by 6 potentially expensive pounds….my suitcase weighed in at 76 pounds! I told him that the extra weight was for presents (mostly books) and that I would have to pay whatever was necessary. He took a few steps away and then returned, saying "No problem. Close enough. Have a great trip." Strangers can be so wonderful.
The adventure started as we got close to Chicago--the computer system shut down and we couldn't land. We circled for half an hour--we were told that we might have to land somewhere else! Like KC! Fortunately their back-up system came online in time.
While waiting for the flight to the next airport on our journey, Frankfort, Germany, I noticed a sign that said I could only have one carry on piece of luggage and of course, here I sit with two! Wilma suggested we ignore it and see what happens. And shortly the announcement was made that those of us in economy would have to give up a bag…fortunately I had already made sure that there were no absolutely necessary items for use on the plane in my second bag. I wasn't a Girl Scout for nothing!
So here I sit, my carrying burden lighter, listening to classical music through pristine earphones waiting for my dinner---GREAT! What else is great is that Wilma and I have an empty seat between us (More room for us!) Miracle of miracles!! When it appeared that no one was coming I quickly scooted over before someone else decided they wanted an aisle seat…as my Dad always said, "no use being Irish, if you can't be lucky." Also the whole "one carry-on bag" thing was so unnecessary…..the bin over my seat has only my coat in it!Speaking of Dad, I went to visit with him at the nursing home (88 years old) as usual just before I left and it was so wonderful! He was having a "clear" day! I told him that I was leaving for Russia and his eyes lit up--he asked me all about it and was so excited for me. What a great bon voyage gift.
Saturday, May 12th
Morning and a new day came awfully quickly. I was unable to sleep sitting up no matter what I tried! I'm also sloshing…trying not to become dehydrated in the air. I think that I am getting a cold, also…yuk! We switched quickly in Frankfurt for the last leg of our journey to Moscow...unfortunately, I felt like the Baudelaire children in the Lemony Snicket series---I was surrounded by Indian (India) travelers who hadn't bathed for quite some time…for 2 1/2 hours, no less.
It was quite somber and dreary when we arrived at the airport in Moscow…the day was gray and raining…the buildings from the air looked gray…customs was deathly quiet and grim. There is even a sign painted on the floor where you wait your turn--a grim face playing librarian with a finger to her lips! We went through with no problems and even the luggage arrived in one piece…….and it didn't get any lighter on the trip! In fact I began referring to it as "the suitcase from hell." I like the suitcase…lots of compartments and easy to pull, but it is packed with so many books and is too heavy!
We whizzed though customs (guess we must have looked honest!) and met Tatiana (Tanya for short) and her friend Faye. Faye is a Tatar who used to teach at the University and now is doing graduate work at Moscow University.) Tanya is a wonderful person, 28-30 years old with a joy of life sparkling in her eyes. She was perfect! Handled all our needs expertly and acted as translator with our compartment mates. Anything we wanted to do…she tried to see that it happened. At the station we purchased pop and food for the trip.
Note. I discovered in Russia that people say things like "she's Tatar" in the same way I might say, "I'm originally from New Hampshire." It's an effort to share information about oneself, not in any sort of prejudicial manner.
We took a cab to the train station, stopping to exchange some money on the way. It was a wild ride and we listened to Russian/American rock music full blast! The train is very Orient Express like…side corridor and compartments. They are not nearly as cool as Agatha Christie's books implied! They are very small and cramped.
We are sharing our compartment with a lovely Russian couple --Olga and Leif--who speak no English. He and another man actually lifted the "suitcase from hell" way up overhead to the ceiling area above the outside corridor…I was so impressed! Tanya was in the next compartment…shared with three men!
We ended up eating our dinner in the dining car, thanks to Wilma….she too likes adventures! I love the word for restaurant…it spells pectopah in English! I had a large cut of salmon, salad and delicious wine. During dinner, we stopped at a town where we could buy leaded glass items, like bowls and candle sticks. Let me explain….this town has a leaded glass factory…they have no money to pay the employees, so they are paid in product, which they then take to the train station and attempt to sell to the people on the trains coming through…I passed on the experience…I couldn't face haggling for stuff yet…too disoriented from traveling. Wilma and Tanya went out while I ate…Wilma came back with two identical bowls, telling me that she got two for the price of one so she got one for me! I told her that this was great and that when we got back to KC, I would buy it from her, as the last thing I needed was more weight to carry!
Note. Throughout the trip my price for the bowl kept increasing as she carried it around!
I grew up with train travel in the East and didn't mind the constant motion at all. I looked forward to a good nights sleep………NOT!
Hot! Humid! No window that we could open….it was a sweat box! I was on the top bunk and heat rises! I had developed a bad head cold by this time and maybe it was a factor…I could have had a fever, who knows…I just slept in snatches until my sweating woke me up….so I thought I would sit up and write in my journal or read my book…NO. Both items were in my backpack overhead by Leif's side of the top bunk. Inaccessible! So I slept some more until around 3:00 am when I got a leg cramp! I tried to go back to sleep. My leg cramped again and here I am in a narrow bunk…you can't even roll over, but have to rotate in one spot! It was severe enough that I had to stand on it to relieve the pain….the ceiling is too close to stretch, so I have to climb down on a table, not awaken three people and get it stretched out. I crawled from my bed of sweat to the table top to the floor and stumbled out into the corridor for a chance of cool air. I ended up between train cars to get a breeze…it was wonderful. I couldn't make myself go back in the compartment--I tried, but it was just so hot! I prowled the corridor until the train passengers woke up around 8:00 am.
The view out the window is great--looks like home, but so much of it! Homes have a Scandanavian look to them…they are constructed of wood, now weathered and are nestled in pine and birch forests. Gorgeous! We ate our cheese, bread and pop for breakfast…and the Russian couple shared some cookie-type items with us.
Sunday, May 13th
We were met by our host families and instructors from the university when we arrived around noon. It was great to see Rimma's familiar face. I met Marina, my hostess, and she presented me with a bouquet of roses! Rimma went with us to her apartment, where I would stay, to help ease me into the situation. Rimma told me that Marina, spoke very little English and was afraid that she wouldn't be able to welcome me properly. We had dinner and started to get acquainted. After dinner, I settled into their one bedroom and promptly fell asleep! (In order to host an American guest, it is necessary to be able to offer them a private bedroom…this is good for both parties.)
Monday, May 14th
A miserable cold hit full force Monday morning! My head was stuffed, nose completely blocked and a crushing headache. I sounded so bad people's eyes got that "poor thing" look in them. I had my first Russian breakfast….caviar (it pops when you bite it!), mushroom cheese, yellow peppers, sausage (her husband Igor owns part of the company) an orange and Irish cream coffee. What a trip!
We started off our day at the Udmurt University...Marina took me to school at 9:30...we had a different driver today, not the one who picked us up at the train station...I'm thinking that maybe Igor and Marina have a car/driver rental business...she refers to them as "our friend, he drives for us"...who knows?When we got there, she left and I got to meet the entire department. We all had coffee and chocolates and introduced ourselves. I was so impressed with how friendly and welcoming they were!
After about an hour, we (Wilma and I) went on a tour of the campus with four of their third year students. They were charming young ladies with a good command of English and great senses of humor. We toured the entire campus for two hours...upstairs/downstairs! Around many blocks! I can't get over how much they were like the students at JCCC and the young people that I work with at Borders Bookstore. Russian people, in this part of the country at least, look just like the people from the Midwest. I swear you would not be able to tell by looking if they were Russian or American! Except they aren't pierced quite as much...even the Russian lady on the train had on an Arizona Trading Company shirt.
Note. I have to say that so far I have seen none of the Russian angst, that I have heard so much about....just gracious cheer and welcoming words.
We had lunch with Olga Vojtovich, the director of the department...a very lovely lady , very meticulous and thoughtful, as well as professional in her dealings with us. She took us to a special room in the cafeteria with small tables all set for us and other special groups. We had thin strips of ham for an appetizer, with shredded , spicy carrots. Next came a salad (cucumbers and tomatoes in a light dressing), a pork fritter with potatoes and an apple turnover for dessert. She offered tea, but was very nice about bringing me coffee instead. Unfortunately, I could barely taste any of it, as my nose was totally stuffed! It looked great!
After lunch, we took a trolley to the "Pedagogical College" (alias teachers college) where once again, we saw everything! From 2:00 to 6:00 pm they left no room unexplored, no corridor untrod....we saw art classes, craft classes, campus museum, library and computer classrooms...and in each case the teachers had questions for us about how they compared to America and how / why we did things differently. We met with just the students and then, just with the administration...then they fed us dinner. It was challenging and rewarding for both sides and just plain delightful!
From there we were taken to the Opera House to meet Rimma and Olga Boinova. The symphony was playing with interspersed readings from the works of Pushkin, one of Russia's famous poets.
Note. The actor who read the Pushkin poems was in the train compartment next to us on the train from Moscow! He was one of the three men who shared Tanya's compartment, and gave her box seats for the performance, for being such a charming young lady! We teased her a lot about that!
I was trying to decide whether dying was just a wish or an actual outcome of my misery! I fell asleep twice during the first half hour of the performance (we were in row three from the front!) and told Olga that I was going to the lobby for the second hour, as I didn't want to disgrace myself by snoring with a stuffed nose...They took pity on me and called Marina and Igor to come get me. Igor came and he stopped at the pharmacy for throat lozenges on the way home. With dictionary and mime, he convinced me that they would cure me. When we got home Marina and Luba were waiting for me...Marina asked if I would take the treatment that they had in mind for me....I knew that I couldn't feel worse so I said "yes, please."
The Russian Cure for the Common Cold
" Throat lozenges
" Nasal drops
" 10 minutes inhaling hot steam
" 10 minutes soaking feet in hot water (really HOT!)
" 4-5 ounces of vodka & black pepper, chugged!
" Follow with three or four grapes to cut the taste and cool the tongue and
" Bedrest
I slept a very solid 6 hours, at least....
I'm very glad that I had promised my boss that I would keep a journal...this way I will have the memories fresh for all my life...and maybe when my grandchildren are all grown up, they will see a different side of their Nana.