the latest (not so) greatest
19 July 2007
Riding a marshrutka a few days ago, I saw an older couple, probably somewhere in their mid-seventies sitting across from me. The grandpa had this adorable, mock-official lilt to his voice that only older Russians seem to have.... I can't even begin to explain why, but seeing them together almost brought tears to my eyes. It's so exceedingly rare to see older couples here. Well, considering the fact that the average life expectancy for men is 58-59, I suppose it's not that shocking. Furthermore, the number of couples that stay married or even marry in the first place is kinda low.
On Wednesday, it was four years since my host mother's husband died. As seems to be the tradition, a throng of people came over to remember him and drink. Culturally, it's very different than what I've seen in America where people die much later, and everyone accepts that it was time for them to pass on. Most widows are basically alone every anniversary because friends and family don't remember what happened X number of years ago or devote the day to remembering the person's life. Jewish culture also provides an interesting comparison with American mourning practices since there's a strictly prescribed regimen where life basically comes to a standstill for surviving relatives for a week. Then there's the special prayer for mourning--the Kaddish-- that a relative says every day for a month (or 11 months after the death of a parent) and every anniversary from then on. Who knows... there are probably good things to all three approaches, but sometimes it seems like American culture doesn't have time to mourn.
Moving on from death.... How about clothing? I've always been one for simple clothes, the simpler the better. The most important things for me are good fabrics and a flattering cut. For Russian women it's totally different. Buckles, beading, glitter, rivets, rhinestones, you name it, and the more the better. The result can be a bit over the top for my taste, but the truly amazing thing is that they pull it off! It looks good on at least 95% of them, and it's passable on the rest. Personal preference aside, they really amazing me:-))
20 July 2007
Wow, today is the first day i've been able to just sit down and waste time on youtube. At school back home, it's hands down my favorite way to procrastinate:-) It was certainly good to catch up with all my favorite songs that I haven't been able to find in mp3 format.
Also, yours truly went to a Russian shopping mall today. Talk about upscale, Western to the nth degree, and almost frighteningly spotlessly clean! So after weeks of searching in various markets, I finally found a skirt long enough to go to synagogue in. Granted, I also payed a decent chunk of change for it... still, it does go all the way to the ankles, so I guess fabric costs. Sizing around here remains more than a complete mystery to me though... in one store i was a 42, but the skirt i bought today was a 38. Beats me. And if any of you have any ideas, please clue me in! (but please don't think i'm a cow if you come up with a strange number).
Continuing the theme of new mixing with the old, right next to this upscale mall was a more traditional market, not unlike some I remember seeing in Italy. Good place to watch your bag closely, but nonetheless enjoyable. I swear, every family in Central Asia must have at least one relative working there:-)))
I've been meaning to write about the escalators for a while but kept forgetting, so here goes. The escalators down to the subway are the best place in the city (that was originally spelled "sitty". Wow, my English is dying a swift, painful death) to people-watch without feeling uncomfortable or touristy. The subway itself is incredibly far underground here, presumably down to the bedrock, so the long ride down gives one plenty of time for observation and mental note-taking. Mixed in with the babushkas, policemen, and occasional person in a very big hurry, are lots of young couples. PDA seems to be very acceptable around here, and I have to admit that I rather enjoy it. It's not quite to the level that the French take it to, but couples certainly aren't timid about hugging or kissing in public.
So things are getting better. Wouldn't say I'm on cloud nine, but at least today was... comfortable.... meaning that no one yelled at me, I didn't get bent out of shape over my Russian, and it's Friday. Finally.
21 July 2007
Finally, finally, finally got to go to synagogue today!! It's been a long time in coming, but then again, finding a long skirt in a size smaller than 12 was way more of a challenge than anticipated. The number of people there actually dressed according to halakhah (Jewish law) was limited, but I still like to follow the rules to show respect. In case you're wondering, this involves covering the elbows, knees, and collarbones... with the last part being the most difficult to accomplish, especially during the summer.
They synagogue itself was built way back in the late-1800s, but it was just restored in 2003, so it looks quite spiffy. Despite the fact that the acoustics were echoey, they had a wonderful choir and a very talented cantor. The actual service was terribly confusing, but that's the way Orthodox services usually go, especially when there's no English to fall back on. One old man was calling out page numbers for people who were lost (me, for example), but it was hard to hear him from the balcony where women sit.
After the service, a young couple came up to me and asked where i'd be having lunch; nowhere, of course. So they invited me and a family visiting from England to their house for lunch. (Yes, I told them I wasn't Jewish, but they still insisted on having me... and after eating sparsely on Russian food for a month, i wasn't about to turn turn down a free Shabbat feast). Turns out they are part of the Chabad Lubavitch movement and have been working here in Russia for several years now and before that in Ukraine. The Lubavitchers are quite an interesting group, gotta say. They believe that by bringing Jews back to Jewish traditions and mitzvot (good deeds), the world will finally become worthy of the messiah. There have been countless interpretations of the words "messiah" and "redemption" over the centuries, but in general, I think making the world a better place and motivating people to do good things for each other is a kind of redemption in and of itself. So I admire them very deeply for what they do. I also admire them because they realize that there's the lofty ideal of religious life, but there's also the reality of the world we live in. So in contrast to other orthodox groups, they see nothing wrong with enjoying what the non-Jewish, non-religious world has to offer. For example, the family i met today still doesn't use transportation of any kind on Shabbat, but they go to the movies, the ballet, the opera and absolutely love it, no guilt complexes attached.
Walking to their apartment from the synagogue, I began to get really freaked out because there was this blond guy following us every step of the way, right up to the door. Turns out his job is actually to protect the family, but I was really worried there for a while! If you're thinking it sounds a little elitist to have a security guard, let's just say that there was also some graffiti on the way consisting of some German phrase about "Juden" and a Jewish star with an X through it. Yea.... The family from England couldn't understand why someone hadn't painted over it; sadly, I knew all too well why no one had bothered.
It's hard to explain why, but today was the first time i've really felt unconditionally welcomed here in Russia and perfectly at home among strangers. (Even with my Russian family, things were a bit uncomfortable at first, though things have gotten better with time). Maybe it's because a lot of traditional Jews retain the sense of always being outsiders, and thus they make a great effort to open their homes to strangers. Maybe it was comforting to be reading the familiar prayers so far away from home. Maybe it was interesting hearing stories about G-d shopping the Torah around to all the nations of the world and the Jews being the only ones crazy enough to accept it, but a minority voice among the other nations always being drawn it as well. Maybe it was it was just freeing to be walking the streets of a city in a long skirt with no makeup sticking out like sore thumb but feeling comfortable and natural for a change. I can't explain why exactly, but I'm happy today.
Oh, and I am now the proud owner of a ticket to Moscow for Aug 12. $25 for cheapskate class, so I'm quite dovol'na (satisfied, pleased).
PS. Tonight's the first time I've seen the moon, can you imagine that?! It's a quarter 'til midnight here and the moon is out there hovering over the Gulf of Finland, about 2 degrees off the horizon at most. Also, if i'm not mistaken, the moon at home usually rises far far away from the sunset, but here, if the sun is setting in the West, then the moon is rising in the South West. Um, after looking again, that moon is getting closer and closer to the horizon instead of higher in the sky, in fact, it's toching the water already and looks like the sail of a ship. What the heck, come back!!
23 July 2007
I know i've written about Russians not smiling... it makes sense since people here have little to smile about. Most days it's nice not having to paste on my American "everything's just peachy!" smile (with plentiful curse words behind it). At first, there were days when I really did feel like smiling, and had to force myself to wipe that look off my face lest people think something's wrong with me. Odd thing is though, the longer i stay here, the less I ever have the urge to smile. I swear i'm going to have grey hair by the time I get home.
Riding a marshrutka a few days ago, I saw an older couple, probably somewhere in their mid-seventies sitting across from me. The grandpa had this adorable, mock-official lilt to his voice that only older Russians seem to have.... I can't even begin to explain why, but seeing them together almost brought tears to my eyes. It's so exceedingly rare to see older couples here. Well, considering the fact that the average life expectancy for men is 58-59, I suppose it's not that shocking. Furthermore, the number of couples that stay married or even marry in the first place is kinda low.
On Wednesday, it was four years since my host mother's husband died. As seems to be the tradition, a throng of people came over to remember him and drink. Culturally, it's very different than what I've seen in America where people die much later, and everyone accepts that it was time for them to pass on. Most widows are basically alone every anniversary because friends and family don't remember what happened X number of years ago or devote the day to remembering the person's life. Jewish culture also provides an interesting comparison with American mourning practices since there's a strictly prescribed regimen where life basically comes to a standstill for surviving relatives for a week. Then there's the special prayer for mourning--the Kaddish-- that a relative says every day for a month (or 11 months after the death of a parent) and every anniversary from then on. Who knows... there are probably good things to all three approaches, but sometimes it seems like American culture doesn't have time to mourn.
Moving on from death.... How about clothing? I've always been one for simple clothes, the simpler the better. The most important things for me are good fabrics and a flattering cut. For Russian women it's totally different. Buckles, beading, glitter, rivets, rhinestones, you name it, and the more the better. The result can be a bit over the top for my taste, but the truly amazing thing is that they pull it off! It looks good on at least 95% of them, and it's passable on the rest. Personal preference aside, they really amazing me:-))
20 July 2007
Wow, today is the first day i've been able to just sit down and waste time on youtube. At school back home, it's hands down my favorite way to procrastinate:-) It was certainly good to catch up with all my favorite songs that I haven't been able to find in mp3 format.
Also, yours truly went to a Russian shopping mall today. Talk about upscale, Western to the nth degree, and almost frighteningly spotlessly clean! So after weeks of searching in various markets, I finally found a skirt long enough to go to synagogue in. Granted, I also payed a decent chunk of change for it... still, it does go all the way to the ankles, so I guess fabric costs. Sizing around here remains more than a complete mystery to me though... in one store i was a 42, but the skirt i bought today was a 38. Beats me. And if any of you have any ideas, please clue me in! (but please don't think i'm a cow if you come up with a strange number).
Continuing the theme of new mixing with the old, right next to this upscale mall was a more traditional market, not unlike some I remember seeing in Italy. Good place to watch your bag closely, but nonetheless enjoyable. I swear, every family in Central Asia must have at least one relative working there:-)))
I've been meaning to write about the escalators for a while but kept forgetting, so here goes. The escalators down to the subway are the best place in the city (that was originally spelled "sitty". Wow, my English is dying a swift, painful death) to people-watch without feeling uncomfortable or touristy. The subway itself is incredibly far underground here, presumably down to the bedrock, so the long ride down gives one plenty of time for observation and mental note-taking. Mixed in with the babushkas, policemen, and occasional person in a very big hurry, are lots of young couples. PDA seems to be very acceptable around here, and I have to admit that I rather enjoy it. It's not quite to the level that the French take it to, but couples certainly aren't timid about hugging or kissing in public.
So things are getting better. Wouldn't say I'm on cloud nine, but at least today was... comfortable.... meaning that no one yelled at me, I didn't get bent out of shape over my Russian, and it's Friday. Finally.
21 July 2007
Finally, finally, finally got to go to synagogue today!! It's been a long time in coming, but then again, finding a long skirt in a size smaller than 12 was way more of a challenge than anticipated. The number of people there actually dressed according to halakhah (Jewish law) was limited, but I still like to follow the rules to show respect. In case you're wondering, this involves covering the elbows, knees, and collarbones... with the last part being the most difficult to accomplish, especially during the summer.
They synagogue itself was built way back in the late-1800s, but it was just restored in 2003, so it looks quite spiffy. Despite the fact that the acoustics were echoey, they had a wonderful choir and a very talented cantor. The actual service was terribly confusing, but that's the way Orthodox services usually go, especially when there's no English to fall back on. One old man was calling out page numbers for people who were lost (me, for example), but it was hard to hear him from the balcony where women sit.
After the service, a young couple came up to me and asked where i'd be having lunch; nowhere, of course. So they invited me and a family visiting from England to their house for lunch. (Yes, I told them I wasn't Jewish, but they still insisted on having me... and after eating sparsely on Russian food for a month, i wasn't about to turn turn down a free Shabbat feast). Turns out they are part of the Chabad Lubavitch movement and have been working here in Russia for several years now and before that in Ukraine. The Lubavitchers are quite an interesting group, gotta say. They believe that by bringing Jews back to Jewish traditions and mitzvot (good deeds), the world will finally become worthy of the messiah. There have been countless interpretations of the words "messiah" and "redemption" over the centuries, but in general, I think making the world a better place and motivating people to do good things for each other is a kind of redemption in and of itself. So I admire them very deeply for what they do. I also admire them because they realize that there's the lofty ideal of religious life, but there's also the reality of the world we live in. So in contrast to other orthodox groups, they see nothing wrong with enjoying what the non-Jewish, non-religious world has to offer. For example, the family i met today still doesn't use transportation of any kind on Shabbat, but they go to the movies, the ballet, the opera and absolutely love it, no guilt complexes attached.
Walking to their apartment from the synagogue, I began to get really freaked out because there was this blond guy following us every step of the way, right up to the door. Turns out his job is actually to protect the family, but I was really worried there for a while! If you're thinking it sounds a little elitist to have a security guard, let's just say that there was also some graffiti on the way consisting of some German phrase about "Juden" and a Jewish star with an X through it. Yea.... The family from England couldn't understand why someone hadn't painted over it; sadly, I knew all too well why no one had bothered.
It's hard to explain why, but today was the first time i've really felt unconditionally welcomed here in Russia and perfectly at home among strangers. (Even with my Russian family, things were a bit uncomfortable at first, though things have gotten better with time). Maybe it's because a lot of traditional Jews retain the sense of always being outsiders, and thus they make a great effort to open their homes to strangers. Maybe it was comforting to be reading the familiar prayers so far away from home. Maybe it was interesting hearing stories about G-d shopping the Torah around to all the nations of the world and the Jews being the only ones crazy enough to accept it, but a minority voice among the other nations always being drawn it as well. Maybe it was it was just freeing to be walking the streets of a city in a long skirt with no makeup sticking out like sore thumb but feeling comfortable and natural for a change. I can't explain why exactly, but I'm happy today.
Oh, and I am now the proud owner of a ticket to Moscow for Aug 12. $25 for cheapskate class, so I'm quite dovol'na (satisfied, pleased).
PS. Tonight's the first time I've seen the moon, can you imagine that?! It's a quarter 'til midnight here and the moon is out there hovering over the Gulf of Finland, about 2 degrees off the horizon at most. Also, if i'm not mistaken, the moon at home usually rises far far away from the sunset, but here, if the sun is setting in the West, then the moon is rising in the South West. Um, after looking again, that moon is getting closer and closer to the horizon instead of higher in the sky, in fact, it's toching the water already and looks like the sail of a ship. What the heck, come back!!
23 July 2007
I know i've written about Russians not smiling... it makes sense since people here have little to smile about. Most days it's nice not having to paste on my American "everything's just peachy!" smile (with plentiful curse words behind it). At first, there were days when I really did feel like smiling, and had to force myself to wipe that look off my face lest people think something's wrong with me. Odd thing is though, the longer i stay here, the less I ever have the urge to smile. I swear i'm going to have grey hair by the time I get home.