Siberian Adventure - June 2005

Wednesday, 1 June 2005 It’s “Defend Children Day” today; not important enough to warrant a day off.

Dmitri, son of Mayster, gave me a street map of Surgut today. Although it’s dated this year it’s out of date, but it’s good enough to get me around.

Mayster’s in a filthy mood today, yelling & screaming at everyone he lays eyes on so I’m hiding quietly in my office with the door closed.

I’m out of news, inspiration & enthusiasm for writing today after a sleepness night worrying about what I’m going to do, so I’m going to close this week off now & will start a fresh & exciting week full of ship board tales, dacha & banya experiences.

2nd Trimester..week 4

Not a ‘chipper’ start to this week, but it does get better I promise!

Thursday, June 02, 2005 1:05 AM I couldn’t believe it when I finally finished work at 11:45pm tonight..Misha ‘The Scary’ was carrying out renovations in the class next to my bedroom. Big, loud, noisy sawing, drilling, hammering renovations..& the lousy cretin is still at it now! All I’ve got to calm my nerves & knock me out is a broken bottle of wine in the freezer (I forgot I put it in there before lessons on Sunday – boohoo) & 5 varieties of herbal tea.

News items for today: The hot water supply to Planeta will be cut off for one full month over summer..this means cold showers for me. Of course Vasily hasn’t told me this, my students did. Grrrrrr! Erk, I couldn’t even enjoy cold showers in Port Douglas in the height of summer let alone in Siberia!

Vasily has told me though that as well as having to provide my own food for the summer months, my salary will be cut by 10% as well, in spite of conducting the same number of lessons & generating revenue for Planeta it wouldn’t normally have.
I’ve crunched some numbers tonight & have realised that Planeta & Mayster are ‘coining it’. It’s not just the major increase in student numbers; Vasily let slip that Mayster’s cooking the books regarding my pay & tax, so in effect he’s getting my services almost for free. I’m to collect the fees for the 3-month summer break & hand the cash directly to Mayster so it doesn’t go through the books. That may be ‘clever’ accounting & business practice, but reducing my income & removing my food allowance effectively has me paying him for my services for three months! No matter how I look at it I can’t see that it’s right.

Would someone PLEASE come over here & shake some sense into me? Why did I give even a moments thought to the offer of returning in 2006?
If the Lingua Centre hasn’t closed for the holidays already I’m going to find someone to talk to there about work because Planeta’s doing my head in. I won’t feel like I’ve broken my promise to the students if I leave Planeta before December but remain in Surgut. If the Lingua Centre takes me on I may be able to negotiate a discounted rate for these students if they follow me (Lingua Centre’s fees are higher than Planeta’s). Who knows..I may even get accommodation that includes privacy!
02:36 All’s quiet now so I’m off to bed. XX ni-night!

Thursday, June 02, 2005 Sleep eluded me until around 6am. At 3:30am I was scratchy, at 4:30am I was filthy, at 5:30am I was thinking about having a cry, just before nodding off sometime around 6am I’d finally sorted my head out. So, I definitely won’t be returning to Planeta in 2006, nor will I return to Surgut.
I’ll have to get used to making friends & leaving them. I’d be short changing myself if I don’t stick to my original plan or move to Plan B (12-month/6-month rotations).
It doesn’t mean we’ll never meet again. People like Alex, Lyuba, Max & Natasha earn good money & travel abroad most years so it’s possible I’ll bump into them elsewhere, & very likely they’ll come to NZ for a visit.
It’s been a huge surprise to me that I like Russia/Siberia as much as I do & that they like me!..I think I could settle quite easily here given a more ‘normal’ lifestyle..meaning having a flat of my own & eating food less loaded with fat & dairy products!
I need to get over my fear of not finding another position..of course I will!
I can always return if the rest of the world doesn’t please me enough!

I feel SO much better for coming to this realization!

Vadim & I had a great time tonight. Safe professional conversation to start with..the difference between ‘can’ & ‘may’. For the life of me I can’t remember how it started, but we ended up spending the rest of the time talking about smoking dope & hash. I had a cringe moment & said this wasn’t a very good lesson but he assured me it was my ‘duty’ to educate him in all aspects of English.
Ben: he asked me to warn you that it’ll be 12 below zero in November AND if he’s still in Surgut then he wants to take you snowboarding. Hip flask of scotch or vodka is the only essential 1st Aid item!

The influx has begun in preparation for the knees-up tomorrow. Mayster & his fellow director-blokes are on the yik upstairs & smoking cigars as though tobacco prohibition starts tomorrow. Their smoke has permeated all 3 levels of Planeta! It doesn’t worry me, I like the smell of cigars.

Friday, June 03, 2005 Party Day! About 100 people have traveled from every part of Tyumen Oblast to join us; even the Cabinet Minister for Tyumen Oblast has come all the way from Moscow! Cripes, I’m moving in elite circles now!

Olga walked straight to me & started speaking English! She asked if I’ve been to Tyumen yet; when I said ‘no’ she said she’d try & arrange a business trip for a week for me. Cool if it hapens, though I doubt it will.

The 1st part of the day was mostly as boring as all get-out; the only relief from ‘boring’ was ‘mortifying’! The video presentation that’s always trotted out for visiting school students has been updated for this occasion & now includes several photos of me, looking staggeringly tired from way back in March. When I find the person who donated these pics I’ll smash him!

It felt like the entire population of Surgut had warned me prior to today to wear every pair of pants I own, plus tights, polyprops, 10 coats & a tight warm hat for the boat trip; but I was also told I must dress femininely & beautifully..”wear a skirt!”
“Aye?” I come in ‘safe & warm’ OR (snort) ‘beautiful’, my wardrobe doesn’t run to both!

Tights, boots, a skirt & NZ wool jersey was my final choice, along with red coat & best hat (snug fitting & safe from wind gusts). The coat & hat were a waste of time; it was a beautiful day & what I really needed was a pair of sunglasses & a sleeveless top!
The picture of me wearing hat & coat only happened because I was nagged to death to put the cursed things on, then was allowed to take them off once steam started seeping through my hat, proof I wasn’t at all cold!

Between Planeta & the boat, Vasily & Nelly assured me I ‘look foreign’. They’ve both had people identify me to them, unmet, when I’ve been out alone..”I saw your NZ teacher at ‘such & such a place’..this is how she looks…”. Clothing isn’t the identifier, to my surprise; my eyes are indefinably ‘different’, my mouth is shaped ‘strangely’ because English uses different facial muscles & also because of the ‘interminable smile’ issue.

Once on the boat we were shepherded down to a dining room, where the curtains were closed so we couldn’t see the river..what's with that?! Lots of speeches from the ‘big kahuna’s', then Mayster took his major turn; eyes glazed over & attention wandering I was snapped back to attention when my name emerged from the Russian babble. A long burble ensued, which made every head in the room turn my way, those that couldn’t see scraped chairs so they could. I’d started with a big smile for Mayster but by the end I was a blushing, squirming mess. Aside from being the ‘pet’ of the students, again I’ve been proclaimed “a real Russian woman in the making, ripe for taking & keeping; please, help yourselves & keep her here!” Bloody old propagandist!
I took the 1st opportunity to escape the microscope & ‘promenade the decks’ like a real Titanic lady, sans umbrella & corset, to take in the scenery. We were almost at the big bridge & I was thinking we’d go under it; dammit the boat did a u-ey & we were heading back to port. STINK!
Vasily found me at one point & was giving me the tour-guide special..”Hooly Dooly, that’s amazing” I said. He almost fainted over my filthy mouth! “Hooly” is a REALLY bad word in Russian, so bad no-one will translate it for me.
Back to the dining room & things were heating up..bad dancing to ‘badder’ music. Nelly dragged me up for one of those ‘Intermediate school, girls in a circle, jiggling, dances’. Safely back in my seat for one song, then Mayster pulled me up for a snugly waltz.
Seated again & we enjoyed the live entertainment without dancing for a while. Another waltz was played & a bloke from the top table came to get me (he’s given me the ‘glad-eye’ since we climbed aboard & is ‘just a little bit debonair & scrumptious)....he danced close & 10 beats slower than the music dictated, which is NOT cool!, & I was uncomfortable. Back to my seat again & there are lots of toasts to be had. My wine came to an end & in spite of me saying I didn’t want anymore a ‘bucket’ was planted in front of me.
I popped out for fresh air, to check the boat’s progress & have some space for 10 minutes, then went back into what is now a steam-box. I was faced with another jiggling circle & was thrust into the middle to perform the expected bump-&-grind number. “No way!” I skipped out to the edge only to be joined by Mr. Super-Slow-Waltzer. Thankfully, the music ended ‘cos we’ve docked & it’s time to disembark, amidst swarms of massive mozzies.
Nelly’s Victor collected us & dropped me home. Hoorah!
I went to my room, dumped my coat & hat & went back out for a ciggie & to buy a bottle of wine.
Oh no! Mayster’s outside with the Kahuna’s & spotted me. He gave me a business card, told me it’s Eduards (slow-waltz-bloke) & I must give it to Vasily to translate. Eduard wants to ‘see’ me; major consternation & offence when I said “No!” so it was agreed we’ll have coffee some time. Unlikely, as he lives an overnight train ride from here.
Eduard & his mate were heading into town for beer.
I had my fag & skipped down the road to grab my wine &, shatter me, the boys are standing outside my shop. It turns out they’re not heading into town, they just want to buy beer to take back to Planeta, so they followed me inside, took over my wine purchase & escorted me ‘home’. It turns out Eduard is the Director of the Medical Institute for the Tyumen Oblast & spent 4 years working in Canada; his buddy (I wish I knew his name) is the Director for (I can’t remember, but some impressive political Institute!).
They insisted I join them at Mayster’s private party & both were very attentive..plying me with juice, fruit & sweets, & offers of beer & wine, whilst taking turns at translating what was being said. Lots of toasts happening here too..I wasn’t allowed vodka because I’m too ‘inexperienced/precious’ (ha! If only they knew, aye Sean?!!!!). The final toast was an obligatory but heart-felt biggie from the Cabinet Minister “Eternal friendship for Russia & New Zealand!”..chink chink go the glasses of vodka/beer/juice!
Party’s over..”Mrs Mayster go outside & wait for me, I’m off to smoke cigars, drink vodka & cognac with the ‘boys’!”
My heart could break for her; she was left outside for a couple of hours (the last time I checked). Mayster’s a stinker! But then, there’s no way I’d pace the driveway waiting..I’d either demand the car keys or taxi-money; actually I’d be more likely to crash the boys party! Hmmm, that’s probably why I’m single, dateless & currently living in the wastelands of Siberia, rather than comfortably preparing for my not so distant retirement years!

Vasily’s tried all day to make me tell him my decision regarding next year. I’ve told him I’ll hopefully tell him Monday. I want to spin this out as long as I can ‘cos I know as soon as I say a definite ‘no’ things will get tougher. I want that free trip to Tyumen, & if Mayster thinks I’ll stay he’ll give me time out to go.
OH MY GOD, I’M BECOMING MANIPULATIVE & SELF-SERVING!

My snazzy translation programmes from Alex & Ramaan deciphered Eduard’s card, no need to ask Vasily (one small strike towards independence!)

Spring & summer produces lots of colourful clothing..co-ordination’s not a priority (flowers, polka dots & stripes, in every inconceivable mix, ‘match’ & colour combination!)

I was asked this weekend if I’m from Latvia. Scary question because Latvians & Russians don’t like each other anymore. Bloody great huge profile beak, from both sides of my gene pool, noticed relatively recently, is the reason for ‘Latvian?’, probably given a lack of exposure to the Australasian ‘look’.

Saturday, June 04, 2005 Lessons over by 12:30pm & I’m off to spend the next 36-hours with Nelly & Victor at their dacha. I’m feeling a bit nervous about it..Nelly crowds me during the week & usually I’m ‘over’ her by Friday; out of work she can be a blast or over emotional & tearful about her daughter being single!
Little need for concern; the only problems turned out to be:-
1. banya (sauna) time..
”Take your clo-thizz off"
Stripped to my bra & panties…

"TAKE YOUR CLO-THIZZ OFF!"
"No!"
“It’s not useful for you to wear these things. Take them off. You MUST!”
“NO! Give me a towel!” (petulant child that I am)
“sigh, Alright, if you must!
Now that I had a towel to wrap up in, I was comfortable enough to 'lose the underwear'.

In banya..”Now, beat my naked body with this leafy branch!”
Oh dear Lord! (shudder) I don’t want to, but there’re only so many refusals I can make before true offence is taken (better this than me getting naked!) Eyes averted, I did as told.
Three times I went through this; banya & branch thrashing for 5-minutes at 100°C then out for 10, banya & branch thrashing for 10-minutes at 110°C then out for 15, banya & branch thrashing at 100°C for 15-minutes then out for 20. She left me alone each time to indulge in self-flagellation due to my refusal to drop my towel & be beaten by Nelly.
Final event, the wash-room, for communal soaping & rinsing from a plastic camping basin.
I’m sure I’d think this was all a great idea if I was doing it in private or with the ‘man-of-my-dreams’..& a shower!
Have you ANY idea what happens to your lungs, the inside of your nose, & your voice at +100C & higher temperatures? You know that sexy jazz singer voice I referred to last message when I was really sick? She’s sacked..I had the sexiest voice in town..for, oh, about 20 minutes! Or maybe I sounded like a husky nitrogen sucker..dunno, my eardrums turned to raisins! Also, ear rings get HOT..youch, Youch, YOUCH!!!!!!
Vodka shots to follow…”You're drinking your vodka like tea, one sip at a time!”
‘Shots’ were fine for pre-Russia training, but I’m not keen on them; now I know I can get away with sedate sips I’ll indulge. Also, Victor’s dacha vodka glasses are the size of a short-black cup; my drink lasts longer and I don’t get ‘smashed’.

2. bedtime. We had separate beds in the same room..my bed being in the middle; Nelly & Victor snore like a jazz band (all over the place, unpredictable & in stereo). Finally silence, I started to doze off, but a spider chose that moment to climb into my hair..whispered “EEEEEEEEEEEK!” I plucked it out, but couldn’t shake the monster off my hand (it grabbed & covered my middle finger between the 1st two knuckles). I finally scraped it off onto the blanket, but of course I had to ditch the blanket then. It would have been “Brrrrr’ if not for the adrenalin coursing through my veins! (22/11//06..I’m still shuddering while reading this!)

Sunday, June 05, 2005 Victor greeted me with “Dobry Utro! Vodka?”
I thought he was joking, but he was serious & all set to drive to the shop to buy a bottle.
“Thanks, but no, seldom before 6pm & definitely not before breakfast!”

We planted & watered gardens; re-floored the hothouses & did general maintenance for the day. I helped Victor saw wood, remove old nails from battens, burn rubbish, lift & move heavy stuff! I laid new ‘paving’ for Nelly in the hot-houses. I loved every daytime minute..it’s the 1st time I’ve felt like a ‘normal’ person since leaving NZ. I’ve also made salads, washed dishes & done other ‘householdy’ chores this weekend; who would have thought I could miss such mundane tasks?!
Though not keen to sleep over again, a day trip would be cool!
Sadly, it all ended at 5:30pm because I have lessons this evening & must shower & don a ‘semi-professional’ persona again.

Monday, June 06, 2005 Happy Queen’s Birthday! No exciting tales today; merely desperate laundry attendance, roomwork (as opposed to housework) & classes.

Tuesday, June 07, 2005 Nup, nothing today either. Grocery shopping, lessons & ‘oil & gas geologist’ research.

Wednesday, June 08, 2005 More ‘oil & gas geologist’ research; looking for English slang (Aussie & Kiwi), a demand from Vadim, and was finally alone at 11:45pm..only because security honey, Ludmila, tossed Max & Natasha out when they refused to accept “bye-bye” from me an hour earlier.
First lesson tonight & I was held to my initial promise of getting out of the classroom, the result being I’m covered in mozzie bites..feet, hands, arms, legs, tummy & back..hungry beasts feast on fresh Kiwi flesh in spite of layers of clothing! ITCHY!
The top floor balcony of the apartment opposite Planeta was pointed out to me. Three washing lines pegged full of drying fish! Pooh, I bet that place STINKS! Not to mention their laundry! The fish are left to hang for a couple of weeks & then, hoo-oo-weee..beer snacks! “Vodka & olives for me, thanks!”

Funny what can initiate ‘traveler’s blues’. Max gave me a couple of ‘programmes’ tonight containing art-work by young art students. Five names were English & had me scouring the books for their location..(sigh) Norway.

Thursday, June 09, 2005 Nelly’s in a difficult frame of mind; she wants the details of my orange lipstick so she can buy it. I was writing the details for her & she was hammering at me “write the colour & number for me. Prudence! (steam..I bloody HATE being called that!) Write the colour & number for me! PRUDENCE, WRITE THE COLOUR & NUMBER FOR ME!”
“Nelly, I’m doing that now, you can see that’s what I’m doing, be patient & stop shouting at me!”
It was laughable; she dropped her head & lip & looked like a 4-year-old! If she was my daughter I’d send her to her room to settle down & improve her demeanour! Lippy info in hand she told me she’d leave me because I was “in a bad humour!”

It’s often been said I’m very patient & tolerant; when my reserves get low it seems I cause offence & people ‘bite’ me, though I seldom actually snap. Or am I just hyper-sensitive?
Insecurity drove me to Internet ‘personality tests’..”Are you high maintenance? (result “No!”), Are you suffering from stress? (result “Yes, a bit, but you’re dealing with it!”), Are you a good friend? (result “You’re a crowd pleaser!”), What is your IQ? (result..very pleasing!)” It MUST be true, it came from the Internet!
I decided I was being irrational after stooping to the “Will You Find True Love?” test.

Outside to soak meager sunrays; my Teflon southern hemispheroid skin refuses to change colour here..I’m surrounded by sun-bronzed Surgutians & suddenly I’m the see-through white one! What’s with that?! Browsing books for lesson-inspiration & a car cruised by very slowly, tooted before it reached me (un-noticed ‘til afterwards), again when next to me; I looked up & the driver is either winking at me or has a mozzie sucking his eyeball dry & needs surgical intervention urgently!
“Stay Calm, I’m Dialing 111 Now!” HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Very timely; a bloody good laugh!

Vadim copied the Aussie/Kiwi slang dictionary I’d found him from the Internet. “Hooly Dooly” from Oz & “Hooly” from NZ had him hopping! Even Vadim, my grubbiest acquaintance won’t tell what it means in Russian.

2nd Trimester..week 5

Zdrastye! Welcome to the next installment of my Siberian life!

Friday, June 10, 2005 Woke at 9am; ate yogurt & drank coffee in bed while studying for tonight’s lessons & the next moment it was 12:30pm. Doh!

OH MY GOD, I AM A RUSSKAYA!
Lunch/Afternoon snack: ham..dipped in mayonnaise, cucumber..dipped in mayonnaise, and the clincher..twisties/cheeto’s dipped in..mayonnaise! All this produced & prepared in my own room by my hands & demanded by my own taste buds! You MUST try the twistie/cheeto/mayo combo! Seriously! It’s the only way you’ll see me as slim when I return, cos you’ll have chunked up too! Also, it tastes damned good!

Just as well I slept through my lesson preparations. There’s a wedding tonight, which started outside, so I’ve seen some traditional stuff for the 1st time.
‘Traditional stuff’ described & explained in class & led to a lesson based around traditions and emotions. Bread broken by the bride & groom, then mouthful sized pieces, coated in SALT, are fed to each other (salt because it used to be a rare & super-expensive commodity); scull a glass of champers (anything to kill the salt!) & hurl the empty glasses onto the ground (the more shards, the greater future happiness).

Lessons over, into freshly washed jeans, & I MUST LAY OFF THE MAYONNAISE!

It’s tragic that I find myself excited because it’s 10pm & work’s finished for the day, I have no lessons for 36-hours; a veritable holiday! Sunday is Independence Day & Surgut’s Anniversary Day.

Saturday, June 11, 2005 I’m a slothful troll today! I’ve spent the ENTIRE day in bed, reading, sleeping, watching Russian TV & savouring desperately needed alone-time. I thought about going out for ice-cream, then decided it wasn’t worth breaking my reclusiveness.

Sunday, June 12, 2005 Batteries recharged, I hit the streets at 10:45am. Another area of town discovered & explored. I found the square where today’s entertainment’s to be held, loads of new shops & a fairground. Of more interest was the forest area next to the fairground..really, really pretty.
There were crowds of people everywhere. I had a ball being on my own, going where I pleased & ‘people watching’ without distraction..it felt good to put the locals under MY microscope rather than me being under theirs. More battery charging.

It’s probably +35C today, sunny & finally I have some colour to my skin..not much though. I spent 7-hours in the scorching sun, with no sun-block at all..amazing!
Natasha collected me from the square around 5pm & took me to an “Extreme Sports” demonstration; skateboarders, inline skaters & cyclists. Very sad; but then there’re only 3-months a year to indulge in these sports here. Ben, if you & your mates brought your boards here you’d make the Russian Olympic team!
Nelly & Victor were there too, so instead of me having dinner with Natasha & Max at their house the three of us were instructed to go to Nelly & Victor’s dacha when Dmitri left me at 8pm, for shaslik, vodka & banya.
Natasha & Max were delighted to discover I haven’t been treated to pelminy yet, so they cooked some up for me before heading to Nelly & Victor’s. Everyone talks about this 'traditional Russian dish'..it’s tortellini! Eaten with sour cream & mayonnaise (of course), & Russian mustard for the brave. Not one to refuse testing my tastebuds, I took a squeeze of mustard (it comes in a tube like toothpaste). It’s hot, hotter than Hot English, but yummy.
Dmitri phoned to rain-check tonight. FAB!
I checked Natasha’s bag before leaving for the dacha & told her to leave her shampoo behind..”No shower Natasha!” She & Max didn’t believe me until we reached the gate. They were stunned by how rumpty the place is.
Nelly & Victor were demanding that I stay the night; bless, I grabbed a moment to tell Natasha I wanted to go home with her & Max & she interrupted with “I know Prue, we won’t leave you here.”
A smaller fight with Nelly about my refusal to get naked for banya tonight..Natasha doesn’t get naked either!

We hit the road for Surgut at 2:45am..Bely Noicha (White Nights) are a bugger! People swimming & walking the streets like it’s 6:00pm! Home at 3:30am & the birds were singing up a storm! Thank goodness, I’d had a big day in the sun & exploring; sleep didn’t take long to come. Other nights it’s very easy to forget to go to bed at the moment.

Monday, June 13, 2005 Another gorjy, gorjy, gorjy day..+30C! Planeta’s closed because it’s a holiday for everyone but me (not too tough; I’ve had a 2-day weekend for the 1st time in AGES!) I decided to go in search of the Chinese Markets today. They’ve been pointed out to me from fast moving cars a few times so I was fairly certain I could find them. WRONG!
One more day spent exploring yet another part of town. I found a market, though not the Chinese one. Olive skinned, black haired, gold or silver-toothed keepers in this one. Loads of trash & bad shoes for sale.
At the 4th shoe stall one of the keepers came to talk to me. I told him I don’t speak Russian, only English. He passed this news on to his mates so one came up to me, took my arm, led me to the end of the stall & made me sit on a cushion/stool thingy. Then he sat on it too! I moved over so he wasn’t touching me anymore, he moved over too. I moved again (less than half a butt-cheek now supported) & he stayed comfortably where he was. “Good boy!”
In the meantime, a couple of other blokes had slithered from their stalls to this one. I’d said it was very hot, so a third guy brought an electric fan, but set it up in the back-area of this stall. My ‘companion’ was trying to talk to me & I kept saying I don’t speak Russian. Then he asked if my bracelets were gold & I shifted from uneasy to tense. Finally he whispered "sex"..a global word & hence the fan set up ‘out-back’. DISGUSTING! And unnerving..I don’t think the intention was to have merely one-on-one ‘sport’, nor do I think I’d have come away still wearing bracelets. I patted his knee & got up, smiled & shook my head, said goodbye, sauntered off until out of sight, then made a sprinting break for the relative safety of the streets.
I was far from Planeta, & as it turned out, my ill-chosen route back took me through some unsavoury areas populated with more of the marketer’s kind. An over-active imagination had cell-phone calls describing my appearance clogging the phone lines & having me abducted. I kept wishing I had my knife with me for security, & thinking how much trouble I’d REALLY be in if I pulled it out..not enough spirit to actually use the thing! Nerves got me home quicker than reasonably expected.
Safely behind locked doors & security guards at Planeta, my ‘superior’ intelligence (proven by the internet test) kicked in..”Humpf, what’s wrong with my paua necklace? Why wasn’t that coveted? Loser! Philistine!”
Though not as terrifying as the ‘Moscow affair’, it’s definitely my anxious moment in Surgut.
In NZ or Oz these guys wouldn’t ‘creep me out’ so much; here I feel distinctly disadvantaged & at risk because I don’t speak the local language, I’m easily identified as foreign, & ‘on-the-street’ is different to being in some establishment with decent people & crawling with security.

Doing my ‘turn-style shuffle’ tonight..”bye-bye Dmitri, hi Vadim!”, Vadim fare-welled Dmitri with “Hooly Dooly!”. Dmitri staggered, I told Vadim off, then Vadim & I both cracked up laughing. He hasn’t quite understood the correct meaning but promised to explain to Dmitri tomorrow.
I LIKE Vadim; if there’s ever going to be anyone I can swear & talk smutty with, it’ll be him! I like behaving like a ‘lady’; I like being treated like a ‘lady’; 24/7 is comparable to a bucket of saccharine..unnatural & sickly!

*Tuesday, June 14, 2005 Little of note. It’s still freaking hot. Mayster’s in St. Petersburg attending the Russian Economic Forum. It’s his birthday today & I earned ‘brownie points’ by reminding son, Dmitri, who’d forgotten. “Send my best wishes to your Dad when you call him today!”

Security Guy, Yuri, hasn’t been at work for almost a week. It turns out he’s been in hospital because he was attacked and received multiple head-wounds; I saw him today & his head’s a mess; rows of stitches from left ear to right, crown to neck.

It frightens me to see people I ‘know’, like Stass & Yuri, wounded so seriously. To me, they’re sweet, kind, gentle people. I’m not used to seeing results of the nastier side of life.

The Russian school year has ended so there’re no day-students & almost no teachers.
‘Pig-in-poo’; I’ve decided if I’m the only one to work through summer I’ll be in jeans & tank tops daily, cap & curly hair whenever I feel like it!, starting yesterday (poor Alexander & Dmitri; they’re so ‘correct’)!! ... YEEEEEHAAAAAAAAA!

Wednesday, June 15, 2005 The teachers have gone, & there’s only skeleton admin staff left.

Suddenly reality has bitten..no Admin staff, no above-board pay! No Mayster, no back-hand pay! And that’s just for May. What about June, July & August? Don’t worry; Vasily has instructed my students to pay their Planeta fees to me. I’ll withhold until Mayster coughs!
Would someone PLEASE come over here & shake some sense into me? Why did I give even a moments thought to the offer of returning in 2006? It’s not just the hot water & pay issues..there’ve been lots of little reminders throughout the last 3-weeks of the frustrations of being here, the main one though being that I can’t see myself working for/with Vasily another 12-months.
The next biggest is that it’s so easy to offend people; near-fatal wounds inflicted if an invitation is turned down.
If the decline is because of a previous engagement, the result is competition for the next available free moment in my 24-hour 7-day-week schedule; my time is being booked for weeks in advance now..all very nice but I NEED time to myself as well. Sadly, this isn’t an acceptable reason for turning down hospitality.

I’m hoping there’ll be lots of time just for me so I can re-charge before everyone returns. No doubt I’ll have cripplingly lonely moments over the next couple of months but for now having space & peace is all I can think about..which is partly why I haven’t written to anyone for ages!
A little bit of ‘I just want time for me’, a whole lot of ‘writer’s aversion’ & nothing I write reads ‘good’ the next day’! Also, there's not much time left in the day once I've finished sleeping & teaching!

I’ve been burning coils at night & my room STINKS! Vasily arrived to copy some of my photos & was most upset. As far as I’m concerned the smell is preferable to being buzzed & bitten all night. The smell will disappear with the mozzies.

Today the mozzies were so frantically hungry I took burning coils with me each time I left the building. Four biters still managed to nail me, one bit my ‘chicken leg’ calf through my jeans even! Desperate Brutes!

Gotta go, my bites are demanding a frsh coating of "Stop Itch".
Paka!

2nd Trimester – week 6

Whew! And so I'm up to date with the weekly messages, you're all assured I'm alive, have not been taken by the KGB & enduring daily torture!

Thursday, June 16, 2005 It’s soooooo quiet & peaceful here now.
I can’t believe it, I’ve slept 12-hours or more for the last 2 nights. That’s double my sleep on a great night normally! AND I’m remembering dreams..a mixed blessing; losing all my hair last night was the only un-fragmented dream..the rest were firmly in the realms of Salvador Dali’s paintings..bi-ZARRE! They wake me up when they become so weird my brain kicks in and says “AYE?”

It’s turned cold today..10C, and the weather forecast for the rest of the week is even lower temperatures & rain..die mozzies, die! Summer isn’t over yet, more sun & hot days to come, so I’m told. That said; it snowed 20km from here today.

I’ve told Vasily I won’t be returning for 2006, and have suggested he pass my e-mail address on to those applying for this job so I can let them know what it’s like here. He shocked me by saying he thought that was a great idea. He also wants me to take photos of my room so he can send them to applicants; apparently the accommodation & facilities are so great they’ll send Yanks, Brits, Ozzies & Kiwi’s into a swoon. U-huh, yeah, ok!

Friday, June 17, 2005 Nothing, except a massive party tonight that ended after 3am, & I blew the bathroom light bulb at about 11pm. I’ll be showering by the toilet light tomorrow.

Saturday, June 18, 2005 No Tatiana Petrovna today so I can’t get the bathroom light replaced.
It’s a filthy day today, raining and cold. The air is super-thin; I’m dizzy & walking like I’ve done a yard-glass of vodka! I’m actually not sitting too straight either..VERY bad air! I’ve decided another symptom of thin-air, for me, is exhaustion. It’s the only way I can explain my on-going 12-hour+ sleeps.

Vadim called to tell me he was 10 minutes away from Planeta & collecting me to go to the Chinese markets. Oh no, I don’t want to stagger in public. Cool, I’m bored & need distracting!
Actually, apart from being enormous, the markets were a bit of an anti-climax; my fear of boring the man with ‘chick’ fossicking & shopping probably played a big part in this reaction.
He took me to an oilfield for a look..no prizes for guessing I didn’t have my camera with me..damn, Damn, DAMN! Then we went to a facility where they separate the oil, gas & water; the water is pumped back into the earth, to what is effectively an underground ocean that covers a colossal area. Water is extracted from this ‘ocean’ for injecting into wells to assist in oil & gas recovery. Recycling! I looked through a peep-hole into ‘hell’, a burning gas pipeline, an incredible furnace! Damn, Damn, DAMN..why didn't I take my camera with me?!
Learning about the oil industry via Alex & Vadim has been really interesting, to see some of it in action is awesome!
The final event for the day was a 3-hour meal at the Japanese restaurant. A shared junk of sushi, sashimi & caviar (3 kinds of caviar, red, orange & green..the green was infused with wasabi..YUMMY!) We were gifted a bottle of red Moldovan wine, which Vadim gave to me because he doesn’t drink wine. Bummer!
Vadim’s English isn’t too good, but he’s got a fabulous sense of humour & cracks jokes all the time. He’s been surprised & gratified that I get his jokes. Apparently, he tried his humour on Germans, Egyptians & Americans when he was in Egypt & they didn’t get him at all. Maybe they just suffered from anti-Russianism cos I think he’s hilarious.

Kate called just before Vadim dropped me home to see if I was free to hit the nightclubs & celebrate her birthday. She was already pretty tanked so I made my excuses; I don’t need a boozy night on top of a woozy air-head.

What luck, the toilet light bulb blew at about 10pm! Subsequent visits to the loo required a torch between my teeth! Showering tomorrow will be interesting!

Sunday, June 19, 2005 Showering with a torch in your mouth just can’t be done! I took a punt & left the bathroom door open. Nerve wracking but I got through undiscovered.

On the way to my office, Tatiana Petrovna appeared unexpectedly. FAB! I need light! “What you really need Prudence is a meal, come with me to the kitchen so I can fatten you up little girl!” Soup, bliny stuffed with salmon, salad & juice.
Ramaan wasn’t answering his phone so Misha ‘The Scary’ was dispatched to fix my lights.

Natasha arrived without Max at 8pm. I was a bit concerned because they had a row on Wednesday that sent them home 2-hours early. No need for concern, Max is waiting outside & they’re taking me home for chicken & chervil soup, cabbage pie & amazing cherries. Also, they have a ‘surprise’ for me.
They’re going to be holidaying in the Europe part of Russia when it’s my birthday (is it that time of year already? Not yet, but most people go away for summer) so they wanted to give me my birthday present; a beautiful little jewellery box, genuine traditional Russian handcraft (autographed & authenticated as the work of a ‘Master’), & inside was a piece of jewellery; a belly button stud to replace the surgical one I have at the moment. It's rose gold & a diamond. I’m overwhelmed!
Now I’m home & looking at the box I’ve realised I didn’t even ask what the artwork is about. I’ll ask when I see them next.
I’ve been given lots of gifts since I arrived, by friends & strangers alike, & I hope to bring them all home with me, but if I can only bring one thing it’ll be this box. Hannah Barrett-Faumuina: it’s as precious to me as your ‘lizard’ box!

(22/11/2006 insert)Yes, I've had my belly-button pierced; just another escapade to make Ben freak out over his wayward hippy mother! I thought it would be a pretty reminder of my time in Surgut.
I've kept it a secret until now. The day I had it done, Vasily was spitting tacks at me over the phone for not being in my room during my time off when he wanted to see me. When I finally arrived back at Planeta he was waiting for me, hands on hips, foot tapping, & demanding where I'd been & what I'd been doing. I simply lifted my top & showed him my belly-button. He almost fainted! Hahahahahaha!
"Did it hurt?"
"Of course it hurt! I've just had a surgical instrument bite a piece of the flesh out of my belly & a steel rod poked through the hole!"
I had to be quick to grab him & direct him to a chair as he crumpled. Honestly, if for no other reason, the pain was worth it for that!

Nelly wants me to choose a bikini for Victor to buy for my birthday, in light of my refusal to buy one for myself, so I can swim. Nothing will induce me to swim this summer..I'm not allowed to because of my new piercing; I’d rather have a book in English to read!

Monday, June 20, 2005 It’s FREEZING! No it’s not, merely a chilly +6C. I was getting sweaty in a tank top just one week ago, today I’m wearing a polyprop top & wooly jersey.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005 I climbed out of bed to read a text from Vasily saying Mayster wants to take me to Khanty-Mansisk on Thursday..COOL!..the catch is we leave Planeta at 7am..ugh, I’ll do it though! Khanty-Mansisk is 300km from here; we’ll have 4 or 5 hours there then head back to Surgut.

Later in the day Mayster found me working, hugged & kissed me, did it all again & invited me to Khanty-Mansisk himself. I thanked him very much, said yes & got the double hug/kiss treatment again, then he picked me up, put me down & told me I must return to Planeta next year “Go to NZ for January, come back here in February”, more hugs & kisses to authenticate the offer. Sorry Big Boy, an Aussie chick has already accepted the position; I’m outta here!

Actually, I’ve been in e-mail contact with the new lady & she’s scared the b-jingo’s out of me with tales of appalling accommodation, being victim of violent attacks from students & her complaints being laughed off by her boss. She’s working in South Korea at the moment; although it’s not a place I’d planned to go to, I’m grateful for the information.

Mayster arrived again when Alex was working on my lappy & they had a bit of a chat. I figured he’d assume Alex was a ‘techo’ but he was asking if Alex thought I was a good teacher..”Yes, she’s good; much better than good!”

After Mayster left Alex asked if I’d been to the Lingva Centre to ask about work & gave me a bollixing when I said no. He’s threatened to take time out of work & drag me down there himself.

Turn-style ciggie with Alex & Vadim & Vadim trotted out this week’s favourite from the slang dictionaries..”sausage party”. He thinks it’s a hoot, Alex clearly likes it but is embarrassed.

Bad news: the weather’s set to deteriorate & isn’t likely to rally much..summer’s all but over! I know I was longing for winter & a respite from the bad air, but I honestly thought I’d get more than one week of continuous sun & warmth at that stage. If I count the days & merge them, I think my Siberian summer has been 3-weeks in total! Erk; bring on the Vitamin D-loaded halibut liver oil capsules..it’s going to be a loooooong cold, dark 6-months until I fly out. Do electric-light bulbs emit UV rays?
I’m torn; should I look for a job in Europe so I can get my money’s worth out of the boots, hats & coats I’ve bought, or should I look for somewhere that offers 11-months continuous summer & dark nights? Does anyone want to pay me a truck-load of money to return to NZ & have both?

Wednesday, June 22, 2005 I decided to run a virus scan on my lappy on Monday; it’s still scanning! Nothing identified so far, but surely 48-hours of continuous scanning & still going, is over the top! At this rate my lappy’s more likely to drop dead from exhaustion than from any lurgy. It’s got until bedtime tonight to finish, otherwise I’ll ‘can’ it.

Sometimes my imagination runs dry & work’s a grind..this week’s been a breeze. Tell students I’m off to Khanty-Mansisk & they’re falling over themselves to tell me what it’s like & where I must visit! In English, of course!
Max drew me a map tonight, highlighting the places to go.

Alex has spent the last two nights upgrading my software & arranged for Vadim to come tonight for backup expertise. I now have a HOT English/Russian programme that includes a Russian language tutorial.

I sent Max & Natasha packing an hour early tonight; Natasha suddenly became ill this afternoon & it turns out she has thyroid problems. It’s a common problem here & now they want to help me buy iodine supplements. No argument from me, with no shellfish in my diet, I thinks it’s probably sensible.

That's it, I'm done! It's time to eat individual humble pie to those of you who've written & not received a reply yet.

Shass Leva (see you)

I seem to be constantly running behind of late.

Thursday, June 23, 2005 Now that summer seems all but over I’m REALLY dreading cold showers!

My alarm went off at 5am so I’d be ready for a 7am departure for Khanty-Mansisk. These days I’m too groggy at this hour of the morning to risk less prep time.
There was great scenery on the way; pretty forests, prettier rivers & lakes, & ‘interesting’ settlements (I hope they were dachas because they didn’t look like anything someone would survive a winter in).
Like children, Vasily & I passed some of the time by playing ‘one for one’ Russian/English expletives & vulgarities (brought about because he claimed the English language has very few ‘bad’ words & is dull). He was playing the “oh, I’ve heard that one; boring!” game until I discovered that although he’s heard ‘wanker’ in movies, he didn’t know what it actually meant. After an hour of this nonsense, he conceded that our language is indeed ‘colourful’ & interesting.
I told Vasily about my visit to the oil fields last weekend. He packed a sad because he hasn’t been to one. Not my fault!
I asked Vasily about the hot-water supply being cut off at Planeta..he said “don’t worry; ask your students if you can bathe in their homes. Then we’ll see how much they really like you!” I’m going to bury my knives outside until December!
Five minutes out of Khanty-Mansisk, we were flagged over by the police. We’d been zapped going 20km over the speed limit by a speed camera; doh, Mayster’s WOF has expired as well. No probs, all you have to do is pay the boys! We hit the road again after he’d paid them a crippling … NZ$3.00! No typo people! This is common practice apparently, & supplements police salaries. It also helps to keep your license clean. He also bought a bottle of vodka in Khanty-Mansisk & dropped it off for them on the way back to Surgut. I’m moving to Russia!

I was fretting when, after 2-hours, all I’d seen of Khanty-Mansisk were the front seats of Mayster’s van from the back seat, & the outside of every cursed bureaucratic office in town! I wanted to hit the streets & explore, but was forbidden. I told Vasily this was not my idea of fun & was making a bid for freedom & cultural enrichment. PANIC! In spite of assurances that I’d done my homework & would be happy on my own, Vasily insisted he join me.
My camera was in Mayster’s van, due to my being turfed out without warning or explanation (grrrrrrrr). Mrs. Mayster was instructed to wait outside an office for at least an hour while he attended a meeting. Nothing could induce her to leave her post.
While Vasily & I were roaming the streets, he commented disparagingly on Mrs. Mayster’s submissiveness. I said I wouldn’t put up with Mayster; true to form, (I say white, Vasily says black) he told me I’ll never find a man in Russia in that case, and best travel Europe to find a man & return to Russia once I’ve accomplished this!

Our first stop was the place that sells authentic native handcraft; CLOSED! Next; the Khanty-Mansi museum; STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION! Third, a restaurant that serves traditional native food..a massive marquee offering pokie machines, Fanta, raw fish & meat, & life threatening draughts. Sigh! Ok Vasily, I want to visit the Oil & Gas Museum. Short-lived success, the ground floor featured an exhibition on WWII (4am yesterday morning was the 64th anniversary of the beginning of the war in Russia), interesting & bloody gruesome! Very explicit photos, showing the reality of war, not that I needed convincing of the horror. Mayster called just as we finished this floor to say he was ready to eat. “But there are three more floors to see! Give me two-minutes; I’m going to speed-see the gems.” The museum staff were all wonderful, & I’m going back..dunno when or how, but it has to be done!
Off to a German restaurant found earlier, for a late lunch, yummy AND cheap..and back to Surgut (sniff, sniff).
The weather’s been foul today, the main road is closed & we got back to Planeta 40-minutes late for my lesson. I’d warned the students earlier in the week I may be late today, they’d said “all ok”, but they were pippy all the same & the lesson was hard work.

I saw Alex & Vadim tonight; they’re taking me back to Khanty-Mansisk on 2 July..hit the road at 5am! Holy crap! My alarm will need to be set three hours ahead of time at that hour!!!!! This time I know it’ll be worth it though! They thought Vasily’s judgment of my romantic unmatchability in Russia was hilarious & unfounded, at least for the reasons Vasily was thinking of.

Vadim gave me a Russian slang dictionary tonight..I’ve only had a quick peek at it; very funny English translations, I’ll do some remedial work & give it back to him.

Friday, June 24, 2005 Nelly arrived in a fantastic outfit..white shirt with ‘not lace, but kind of’ detailed yolk, & white jeans with a similar detail down the legs (not sheer). Bloody hell, she looked AWESOME! In spite of being white, it was very slimming. I’d love something the same but white & I just don’t go together, & I can’t imagine it looking so good in any other colour. She’s a snazzy dresser for an ‘oldie’ on any day, but I couldn’t stop gazing at her & telling her how gorgeous she looked!

Saturday, June 25, 2005 Bought some marinated mussels today for iodine injection. They’re not a patch on Kiwi ones; the first taste produced a screwed up face & I hastily put them back in the fridge.
Spent the day with Max & Natasha.
I discovered, without warning, that I’m feeling homesick, & particularly missing you Ben. Probably because I received your e-mail yesterday & haven’t stopped thinking about you. Got weepy three times; first when I saw Kerell (I don’t even like him that much, he’s a brat!), then while Max was talking about leaving his Mum & Dad, & finally when Natasha’s Mum wanted to take a close look at a photo of you, Ben. Putz!
Max prepared a delicious meal, super easy to put together & I’ve added it to my list of essential Russian dishes to bring home with me. Knock me down with a feather, there’s no sour cream or mayo in it! It does have a couple of slices of pork fat (salo) though.
We watched a couple of DVD’s, in Russian. I’m happy to do so because I can generally follow the story just by watching, & it helps me learn more Russian. Natasha refused to accept my assurances & persisted in telling me what was happening..in Russian! Go figure!
They want me to spend the day with them tomorrow but I’ve said no. I MUST address my backlog of messages, & attempt to come up with something creative for Dmitri.

It’s frustrating to feel ‘crowded’ & lonely at the same time. I remind myself that I waste time pining for what I can’t have & must make the most of the great people I’m with now, but sometimes it’s hard. I’m a contrary woman & want it all!
There’s a good chance my self-imposed silence of the last few weeks has contributed to my homesickness. Perhaps I’ve been subconsciously indulging in avoidance, keeping myself so busy there’s been no time think or to write properly.
“Oh, lardna” (ok/don’t worry/forget it!)

Sunday, June 26, 2005 5:13 AM I’ve forgotten to go to bed again. Breakfast now, catch some zzzzz’s, then get on-line & make amends to you.

My second tasting of the mussels was not so traumatic, so they’ll become a regular addition to my diet. In a fresh bread roll & topped with gherkins helps. I may treat myself to some scallops once a month, but they’re damned expensive!

I watched The Mummy tonight. I thought it was going to be ‘blood & guts & scary’ but it was quite funny! I’ve copied it onto my lappy for when I need a ‘cheer me up’, but it won’t stay for long cos I’m fast running out of memory!

Monday, June 27, 2005 Stunning sunny day today, perfect for walking & fresh air. I found myself walking past the ‘Big Ben’ Language School, did a u-turn & went in. I was taken to the Director of the school (she’s the only one there now that speaks English due to holidays). She told me they’d had 10 foreign English teachers in the first half of the year & will have 15 come September! (swoon) so many native speakers! She said I’m more than welcome to visit once they’ve arrived..FANTASTIC, only two months to go.
Back at Planeta at around 2-ish & I found the current security bloke fast asleep. I reached around & activated the controls to unlock the barrier so I could get in. Then I spent 5 minutes trying to wake him up before Mayster busted him, to no avail; he was hammered & reeked of vodka! It’s not the first time I’ve found him tanked on the job. I shot to my room, unloaded my groceries, made him something to eat, & by the time I got back to him he was awake but groggy. I showed him his food & left it behind the screens. About an hour later, I left my room for my office. By this time, he’d eaten & sobered up sufficiently to understand what had happened & thanked me profusely. Two hours later, I went for the keys to get to my classroom & he was beside himself with gratitude..I know because he tried telling me in English, confusing ‘thank you’ with ‘please’.
It’s my pleasure..almost all of these security people greet me every day, give me great smiles, try to talk to me, treat me like a Princess, have a dead boring job (particularly at the moment), & are probably paid a pittance!

I’d rearranged my room a couple of weeks ago & found my wallet in my suitcase in the process. By far the most appreciated gift I’ve presented anyone so far is the four NZ coins & two Australian notes I gave to Vadim! He was beside himself!!

I watched Shrek II tonight (Russian soundtrack only) & thoroughly enjoyed it! I’d love to copy this too, but no space. I may have to stoop to buying a copy. (gasp) who said that? Surely not me, the one who hates veging out in front of a screen?

Tuesday, June 28, 2005 Tak (almost rhymes with park or puck..”ummmmm, let me think”) Shrek I was tonight’s entertainment.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 Max has a nifty watch that can upload files from computers! He brought it tonight to copy some of my music. He was gutted it could only store two albums; I was impressed! I sent him home with Salmonella Dub & Jamiroquai. It promises to be a long process, at two albums a pop, to share my collection with him!

Alex asked me to join him & some friends for his birthday next Saturday. Sadly, it’s also Victor’s birthday & I’ve promised to go to their dacha. I CAN’T BELIEVE how many birthdays fall in July here! It’s a nightmare!

The Gods Must Be Crazy I tonight. Are you noticing a new trend? Yep, I’m experimenting; will movies & two pots of herbal tea after work help me get to sleep earlier?

Ho-oowzit?
I've had a neat week & I hope you enjoy it too!

Thursday, June 30, 2005 Max & Natasha arrived this afternoon with a new solution for a little flesh wound that isn’t healing to THEIR satisfaction (the belly-button piercing). So far, they’ve insisted I use hydrogen peroxide (stingy), then calendula tincture (bloody stingy!) This latest bottle of ‘guaranteed healing’ is eye & eardrops (aah, at last, something pain free!)
And, a bottle of perfume, “Éclat D’arpege”..for my birthday!
“But you gave me the jewelry box & jewelry for my birthday!”
Max: “That was from me. The perfume’s from Natasha!”
“This is too much! NO MORE! I’m embarrassed!”
“No, lardna! Prue, we’re going to miss you while we’re away! Come with us!”

Mid-August, Alex is going to Singapore & Bali for a couple of weeks with Olya & her 9-year-old son, Sergei. Tonight I gave him my Naturo-pharm jet-lag spray, & Lonely Planet Travelers Tips book; both explained in English of course!, but helpful for traveling with kids in tow.
A quick read before handing over reminded me why I originally decided to write about ‘everything’..traveler's advice..”write, write, write, especially about the ‘ordinary’ things. The small daily things are easily forgotten but shouldn’t be. Folks at home will expect to read ‘big things’ while you’re away but little things’ll be your best conversation pieces once you’re home, because people prefer to discuss the similarities & differences of day-to-day life.” Of course, I’ll never forget the amazing sights & places!
So, back to my non-communication of late: I’m obviously settling into a ‘way of life’; initially EVERYTHING was different & exciting & newsworthy. Recently I’ve been terrified of boring you all senseless, which I’ve decided is stupid when I’ve slapped you via e-mail about your concerns that your lives are mundane compared to my current one. I’ve worried that my messages aren’t compelling & don’t contain enough humour, who nominated & voted me the obligatory weekly light/deep entertainer? Mostly me!

To my great relief, Alex & Vadim have agreed we’ll leave for Khanty-Mansisk at 7am on Saturday, rather than the original 5am! WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Otherwise, I’d be asking for that Jet-lag spray back!

Via an English Teaching website, I’ve been in contact this week with three people who are coming to Russia & are frightened by the same ‘myths & legends’ that worried me before coming here. I’m reminded of my frustration in trying to get practical & current information about life here; skim reading my e-mails of almost 5-months there’s tons of stuff to pass on, large drips at a time. It’s neat being able to dispel their fears, from my perspective anyway! As a result, two others have contacted me, one applauding & endorsing my advice, one saying he was teaching in Surgut 2 years ago. Suddenly my current ‘world’ is becoming smaller, friendlier, more supportive & less isolated; to quote myself “I thought this was a ‘young’ person’s game, but there are heaps of people my age doing exactly what I’m doing!” The nice thing is everyone asks for advice, information & help, & it’s forthcoming!
This week I’ve been advised to forget Italy for now (by my mate Kathy, “…they are all sleezeballs - right up your alley so stay well clear!” Hahahahahaha, message received & acknowledged!; by teachers there, because the economy isn’t great & jobs are disappearing), forget France for similar reasons.
Poland, Spain, Mexico, Indonesia, Thailand & Chile all look like possibles; China continues to make great promises, with Vietnam competing strongly. To be honest, I fantasise about being in a ‘prettier’ place & warmer climate, however every time I think about leaving here I get a lump in my throat & stall. I can’t imagine being welcomed or accepted anywhere as warmly as I have been here. (1 July 2005: Funny; today I read a message from someone saying exactly the same thing about Finland!)

Ha! What a turnaround! For the last couple of days I’ve been whining about feeling homesick; tonight I’m back to being frightened of leaving people here! In about an hour, I’ll be convinced Russia is the place for me for life. On the other hand, I’m also feeling excited about trying my hand in other countries! I must be due for a bottle of 40% proof ‘sanity’!