In the KGB, we have no retirees. Just temporarily inactive members.
Why do I keep forgetting to mention things!
In addition to my arsenal of books on Russia which I borrowed yesterday, there is also Daniel Kalder's Lost Cosmonaut: Travels to the republics that tourism forgot, which is horrendously funny in an acerbic, trippy kind of way. This is what the blurb on the inside of the jacket says:
Lost Cosmonaut documents Daniel Kalder's travels in the bizarre and mysterious worlds of Russia's ethnic republics. Obsessed with a quest he never fully understands, Kalder boldly goes where no man has gone before: in the deserts of Kalmykia, he stumbles upon a city dedicated to chess and a forgotten tribe of Mongols; in Mari El, home to Europe's last pagan nation, he meets the Chief Druid and participates in an ancient rite; while in the black and industrial badlands of Udmurtia, Kalder looks for Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of the AK47, and accidentally becomes a TV star.
... Shit, sometimes I wish I weren't a girl. Then I can run around the world with such daredevil bravado without having to worry about periods and getting accosted or raped by, as Ms Tan Choon Gan from MG liked to say, "hairy monsters". Though I suppose the whole getting accosted and raped thing isn't necessarily a danger exclusively reserved for females. But still, not being a girl must up your chances in avoiding that sort of thing somehow. Note that I say "I wish I weren't a girl" as opposed to "I wish I were a guy", because I don't. Confused yet?
Anyway, here's one of my many favourite excerpts from the book:
1552-57
The Mari fight against Russian colonization. They lose.
1572-74
The Mari fight against Russian colonization again. They lose.
1581-84
The Mari fight against Russian colonization once more. And lose.
(from Mari El, Chapter 8: Some highlights from the history of the Mari)
Ahh, history.
Another thing I forgot to mention: while in the library yesterday, I took out my sketchbook to work on some RussiaxBelarus stuff as a break from Russian homework. When I finished, I looked up for the first time at the shelf I was seated next to and was promptly confronted with the title Loving Big Brother. Upon further investigation, I realised it was a sociology book on surveillance and personal freedom (ie. Big Brother being a reference to 1984's Big Brother), but still. I had to muffle a PFFBT. O Life, you are so witty sometimes!
I want to travel so badly. Everyone is going overseas! Whether on holiday or for college. Rachel, why you always pangseh us on your birthday :( Don't get mugged and don't get swine flu in Chicago man. Liz is still somewhere in France, unable to take photos of the pretty scenery because the winds are too strong for her skirts (France's diabolical plan! Come to my place and wear pretty skirts! And then, VVWOOSHHH!!). And then in September, I foresee a lot of trips to Changi Airport because I shall be seeing Viv and Clari and Estelle off. Do NOT sing the Graduation song at me because I will slap your face off.
On the bright side, I bought a bottle of Russian vodka on Sunday. Yah, after church some more. Cos Rox and I went to check out the wine fair in the atrium downstairs and I was like, oh is a wine fair, no vodka :( And then I walked into some crates of vodka and I was like, OH HEEEYYY. It went something like this:
Me: OMG VODKA!
Rox: OMG HAHA.
Me: OMG RUSSIAN VODKA!
Rox: OMG BUY.
Well. ... It was on sale! And it was real Russian vodka! Plus I had this whole trippy IT WAS MEANT TO BE vibe the whole time. So yeah, I bought it, but Rox is helping me keep it for the time being X)
Ok guys, that's it, 8 years man. 8 years to save up, learn new languages, plan and shit, and then we are off on our whirlwind backpacking trip around the world! AROUND THE WORLD, I SAY!!