tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58601392104307770292024-03-20T23:03:23.544-07:00FunnyNotesBlog - Ordinary family in thrilling MoscowFunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-23176804600685821982017-09-19T12:59:00.002-07:002017-09-19T13:21:54.601-07:00Transporting....the Russian way!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I<span style="background-color: white;"> am scared of new things. It is a
funny thing to say for a person who was crazy enough to quit a good job and
move to Russia. Although I don't claim it should take a lot of courage to do
it, since Moscow is really European New York. And I don't want to sound smug,
since there are many people more courageous than me and have moved to much more
complicated places... But why I started this <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span aria-haspopup="true" id=":df.4" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1">Blog</span></span> with
a strange confession? To show you that even big cowards can succeed in a jungle
town like Moscow.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The
biggest shock for me was realisation that in Moscow I will not drive a car. One
reason are the traffic jams that really last all the time, but also the size of
the <span aria-haspopup="true" id=":df.7" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1">streets</span> and the complexity of
navigation. What can I say, don't want to test myself, knowing to be bit clumsy
(Blondie), trying to drive while deciphering which of the three exits I need to
take in next five second. Because, if you take the wrong exit it can mean
additional 40 min sightseeing of Moscow, which was not on my agenda.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So I knew from the beginning that
metro will be my best buddy in Moscow. I got very fast over the language
barrier, and thankfully many mobile applications help you get around and everything is
translated in language I understand. I am still hooked on first metro app I
downloaded Metropolitan, even if people tell me that every app with a word </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span aria-haspopup="true" id=":df.11" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1">Yandex</span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> in
it is really great and useful. First test I had on Metro usage was after being
two years in Moscow. In the middle of trying to find the right exit from a
station I used just once before, my phone went completely dead. But I was not
giving up, especially as I was with my kids. We took one exit and found
ourselfs in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, there were some maps, I thought I
was saved. WRONG - the map shows such a small </span><span aria-haspopup="true" id=":df.16" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1">part</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> of Moscow that I had no clue what I was
looking at. I even couldn't find North (not surprising, my husband would
comment). The station was in the centre, but centre of Moscow is like my whole
home town with its suburbs!! I kept my courageous face, and since luck follows
fools, I said to my kids "lets go left". How proud I was when I
realised I found the other exit and managed to get where I needed. I was SO proud,
partly felt like a true Moscowite!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Metro is now no longer a challenge.
I was ready to take on something new. Summer was here, nice weather (more
summer in autumn, but lets not split hairs). I want to grasp renting city bikes
in Moscow. Fear number one - I need to give my card number in <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span aria-haspopup="true" id=":df.23" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1">VeloBike</span></span> app.
Did you ever have the feeling that if you <span aria-haspopup="true" id=":df.24" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1">type</span> your card number in some app it can
download all money from your account and take a new loan with big interest rate
and you don't have a clue that it has happened. Well I am one of the older
generations who still get that feeling. Usually I fight it in a way that my
husband puts <span aria-haspopup="true" id=":df.25" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1">all</span> that info in the app and
I use them. Easier, because if anything happens, he's the one to blame! But
this time I closed my eyes, logged in, typed my card and still after a <span aria-haspopup="true" id=":df.26" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1">month</span> the app has only charged me for monthly
rental. Still no news of some new loan that I have never heard about. And
moving around in Moscow on bikes which you can leave at any place, since these
bikes are really everywhere, is amazing. I know cold wind has now started but
the forecast still shows some reasonable degrees and I really recommend you to
try the city bikes.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Just
to finish off, a must have app for transportation around Moscow, and it has a <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span aria-haspopup="true" id=":df.31" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1">Yandex</span></span> in
it, is <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span aria-haspopup="true" id=":df.32" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1">Yandex</span></span> Transport.
It shows you the best possible way and recommends type of transport (bus,
trolleybus, tram, m<span aria-haspopup="true" id=":df.34" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1">arshirutka</span>, metro...). Just don't
rely on its forecasted trip duration. Seems that they measured walking time on
sixty year old people, since for 300m it should take you 10min. And,
unfortunately the app still needs to <span aria-haspopup="true" id=":df.36" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1">learn</span> English
names of metro stations in Moscow.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And if you use public transport a
lot, definitely buy Troika card. Only this way you can buy 60 rides (1700rub)
and cost per ride is cheapest. Or if you really like to move around a lot, pay
2000 rub on Troika and you can spend all day every day on Moscow public
transport. See you in metro or on a bike or a tram, the possibilities are
limitless...!!!!</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-42956466113837577212017-04-09T00:38:00.002-07:002017-04-09T00:38:13.700-07:00Expat wife or what?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I first entered the corporate world at the age of 23, as an enthusiastic and keen worker. I was exposed to many new corporate terms. One of them being - Expat wife. For me, at the time, these were well accomplished ladies. Group of women who already did something in their life, and now focused on being there for their family and all possible charities in high class society.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then, twelve years later, overnight, I quit my job, moved with my husband and kids to another country and became an Expat wife. But I didn't really feel like one. There was no air of classy life that I saw in Expat wives I knew before. I actually felt really strange. I understood that our apartment looked good and is in the good area. I understood that my kids went to a good school. But actually everything else stayed the same. I found myself being a complete inbetweener. Not belonging to the high class women mentally and financially. But also having issue to connect with regular local people with whom I felt to be at the same level.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The wake up call came when I was offered to join International women club. It sounded so upscale and important. I was a bit proud to be able to be a part of this organisation. Just until I learned that there was a yearly admission fee. I mean, yes - we have nice apartment, yes- kids go to good school. But actually, moneywise, I did not feel like an Expat wife at all. My resolution was to find friends some other way. Anyway, regarding charity, I was always a more hands-on person. I like to see actually who I help, and not do it just through money (partly because I have a limited budget!). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So I started with small steps. In first months I was trying to get to know women on the playground. Big issue there, since all the kids above the age of four, in Russia, have sooo many activities that the only mothers you meet are with kids three years old or less. I also tried scanning our building. I did ambush few mums with kids same age as my kids, but still today I am not quite sure if they gave me their number or some fake one. I was always to scared to try and call them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The big brake came from our school. Actually, one mum I met at the parent teacher meeting, was just like prescribed, and she actually lived a street away from us. And my now really great Estonian friend was matched to me by my daughters teacher. And she was the best matchmaker I have ever met. Although, this Estonian lady was also the reason I visited one time International women club charity exhibition. Because she is a still an unknown painter with amazing drawing skills, and she needed support. There was no doubt that my wild Russian mum friend and I will come and help promote her work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Picture this - a nice church, gloomy, rainy morning. My friend and me storm the show and buy one picture each, from our Estonian friend. As we come in, we are greeted by very friendly ladies. I still feel like I am crushing a cheerleaders party and I am the nerd. But to make best time of it, I don't only buy her art, I start selling it. You have to know the atmosphere is really composed and calm. And there I am, dragging people to her stand, trying to explain how this flower drawn by a pen, will make an excellent piece in their new home. I think that few of them wanted to call a psychiatric hospital to take me away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the end I accepted to be a simpler type of expat wife. And over a course of one year I met at least ten amazing women who felt quite the same. And we formed coffee dates which have no obligation, no admission, no lipstick and good hair and, to my relief, no high heels. And I really enjoy their company. So if you are new in Russia and don't feel you fit in the true Expat wife category, feel free to find us. No admission, no expected pedigree, just be yourself and have fun meeting girls from all-around the world....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-9482841266836667802017-03-20T09:47:00.000-07:002017-03-20T09:47:40.789-07:00Non Russian parties like a Russian - part 2.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes it is hard to understand what happens to you as you grow older. You feel exactly the same as you did when you were twenty-something. You think you look the same, just a bit more refined in your style and views on life. You realise you are closer to forty, than to thirty, only when you try to do things you did at twenty, and your body refuses to act in the same way as it did then.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">This time was just like last time and, unfortunately, with the same result. And that actually made me think - What the hell is wrong with me!! My Estonian friend had a birthday and as it started with my birthday and it was quite fun. We decided to organise a surprise night out for her. We booked the place where you can paint and at the same time drink wine. As she is an artist, it was a perfect place to start the party. There is actually an internet site (www.artistplace.ru) on which you can see in which bars around Moscow they organise the painting and choose place, date and time. As ours was in the center we decided to continue our night in Papas bar (already tested that they would let us in).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The start of the night looked really promising. Though our birthday girl was a bit late. A bit late in Moscow is around one hour. When you are two hours late, then people start to complain. Luckily, she new her way around painting so she was able to catch up and still finish with better painting then all the rest of us. The artist, who is in charge of the evening, guides you step by step through the process of painting the picture, and it is actually amazing how in the end you feel like Vincent van Gogh. Probably two glasses of wine help you to see a much better painting then it actually is, but the whole two hours we spent there were really amazing and a lot of fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Next stop was Papas, and that is where my troubles start. It is like my brain is not used to go to two places in one night so it decides to forget that I already had two glasses of wine. Now we are deciding what to order, and my Russian friend orders a beer, so I decide to follow her. Still feeling like twenty. Half an hour later, my Estonian friend decides to order tequila, and I follow. At that moment I get up and try to walk in my heels with my friend. She walks in front of me. I am on heels. Which I wear three times a year, and this is already second time this year. I try to walk proudly but at that moment my left leg decided to slide on the heel forcing me to do a split. I graciously try to keep up with the split, catching the seats next to me, nocking down menus from them and completely terrifying a young couple in love. Oh, just can imagine what went through their heads. My friend, walking in front of me, turns, at that point, to tell me something and sees me doing a half split in the middle of the bar. Enough to say she nearly peed her pants laughing....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">But I did not consider this to be a sign from my brain and body telling me to be satisfied with three litres of water till the end of the night. Oh no. I had two additional tequilas and decided that instead of water in between I should continue with wine. Well, at one o'clock my brain just pressed taxi application without me even realising it. And I just managed to tell the girls, I am going home. In the taxi I nearly fell asleep, but as we came to my house taxi driver asked me for 400 rubles. I first gave him a thousand so he politely asked if I have smaller money. As at that moment my Russian was also in a bit of a drunken state, I couldn't really immediately understand, but I managed to take the 1000 back and tried to look for a 500 bill. But I was soo tired, I gave him the first bill that had five on it. He still tried to explain something. My brain decided this was too much conversation at that point, gave up and my face went white. The guy just said - go. Later the other day I realised I actually paid him 50. I must have seemed in such a bad shape that he just decided to get rid of me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">In the end I really believe I learnt my lesson this time (after repeating it for the second time). And here are some rules when drinking in Russia </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial";">NEVER EVER try to drink same amount or variety as your Russian friends</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial";">Have a wingman, who will remind you that you are not in your twenties</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial";">Write your age on a piece of paper and keep it close to your glass (maybe you can also add how many kids you have.)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">So I am prepared for next time. Lets see if it will work!!</span></div>
<br />FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-88172861676485172162017-02-17T02:03:00.000-08:002017-02-17T02:03:48.948-08:00Learning THE OTHER Russian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I learned the hard way some bad words in Russian. But to start from my background. In Croatia it is very common whenever a foreigner comes and asks you if you can teach him few words in Croatian that you will start with, Hi, How are you?, but really fast you transition to some not so nice words in Croatian. Actually it is a way to make people know that you accept them and you want them to be a part of your friends list. Croatian, in that respect is very rich. I think it is because we are really open and this is the easiest and fastest way to get rid of your frustration with - never ending paperwork, politics and lets not forget, traffic problems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Now in Russia, I found people are very polite. Unless you catch them by surprise. They really don't want to tell you any bad words and if you find one by chance and tell it to them they blush, turn their heads away and don't want to confirm if you said it ok or it is completely wrong. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";">So, after some time here I was very interested to know some phrases. At least to be aware if someone said it to me and not to look like a dumb foreigner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I did have some luck. The catch is that you have to listen carefully to your friend, especially when she is talking to a plumber, delivery service or post office. So one day I had coffee with my friend and as she was discussing delivery for her washing machine and went of the phone after trying to schedule delivery time for at least fifteen minutes, her frustration finally came out and I had one word. Now, because this blog is nice, and I am still not sure if this Russian word composition is bad or really bad I will just put it in brackets with some dots (B.... M...)! The reason why I don't know is because when I tested it with few of my Russian friends, some didn't react and some nearly fainted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The biggest breakthrough for me was when another friend, this time Estonian. They seem to be more open, although she will probably kill me now. Sent me a link to a popular Russian summer song (Leningrad - Exponat). Now my Russian this summer was not that good that I could understand all the words. And I was just too lazy to check the translation. I liked the song soo much I downloaded it as a ringtone. I was so proud to have a Russian song ring every time, in metro, in post office, in school. I wanted to show how I assimilated well. After this song was my ringtone for some time, I would say at least few weeks, I really got interested what it actually says in the song. Who better to ask than my Russian teacher. Poor lady, she is a teacher at university and a part of the well educated old Russian school. When I played it to her she nearly fainted and said she could not understand but will let me know next time. She really sped out of my apartment barely saying goodbye. Now I was a bit worried. Finally I found good girls at my dancing school who were willing to translate it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">What they explained is that this song is really popular but it has two versions, polite one and not so polite one. Of course I, the stupid foreigner, had the bad version on my phone. And than it started coming back to me. There were some strange looks in metro but the worst looks I got at school. I could really just imagine what the other parents and teachers thought about me. I removed song and decide not to test any more Russian songs without knowing proper translation first. And in relation to trying to get bad Russian words I have to wait to go and drink with my Estonian so I would get the words in controlled and familiar place not to come out as a dumb foreigner blond, again.</span></div>
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<br />FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-7143894863477137222017-02-08T13:20:00.000-08:002017-02-08T13:20:38.131-08:00Hair and other Renovations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">There are few types of renovations that became important as we moved to Moscow. First is rather pleasant, if conditions are right, and it is renovating your hair. More commonly known as - getting a haircut. The other one concerns apartments, but I am going to come back to that later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Getting a haircut in the center of Moscow is not hard. Hairdressers are in every second building. The problem is the price and the length of service. Price for a women haircut can go up to 260 euro and above. So the trick is finding good service at right price. And being new in town there are not many people who can recommend the right ratio between price and quality. Even worse is trying to get my little boys hair cut. Russian hairdressers don't believe in hair cutter machines. They do everything with scissors. Getting into the artist role and it lasts for at least one hour. A wake up call came to me when my poor boy fell asleep in a hair saloon and they needed to use two people to cut his hair. One holding his head and the other cutting. And they would always cut his hair to one centimeter length. After this, I took up YouTube classes and became a 'professional' hairdresser for my boy. Husband still not trusting me enough.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">For me it was a different story. I didn't doubt quality in good saloons but the price was over the top. First year I tried to get by, saying that grown out hair and color is in fashion. Luckily my friend became my saviour and found a girl that comes to your home. Affordable, practical and amazing with colors. You drink coffee, practice Russian and get your hair done in the comfort of your home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">But now let me get back to the other part of the renovation. And not with an ending as pleasant as the hair one. Just stay with me and imagine......</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Monday, 10h in the morning, just about to have a coffee after sending kids to school and than.....BANG, BUMP, WIZZZZZZZZZZ. Floor shakes a bit, but at first I am thinking it is just a Metro train passing by, although I have never felt it before. Then after few minutes everything becomes clear since, instead of listening to music I listen to a drill drilling for next five hours. They are renovating apartment above us. I leave the house and try not to be home as much as possible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">But little did I know that renovations in Russia are completely different from any other renovation I have ever encountered in my life. First of all, they ambush you. During your three year stay you have to factor in that in every building in Moscow, being old or new, there is at least two to three apartments waiting to be renovated. So there is no way to avoid it and they start out of the blue, just when you are about to feel relaxed in your apartment!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Second, they last. And when I say last it can be everyday noise from ten am till six pm (if you are lucky and they don't decide to continue throughout the night) for next three to six months. Just recently I visited my friend living in a really nice area and there we found the record of renovation for now. A house is being renovated for at least two years. Meaning workers are there everyday working on something. And it is not some wealthy politicians villa in which they are installing golden toilets, as far as I know.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">From the moment we moved into our apartment I think in total we had one month of no noise. And same thing happens to all friends I talk to. I still did not manage to try and talk to the workers to get the proper insight. Are they so thorough, or they like long breaks (not according to the amount of drilling we hear). Promise will try to get down to the bottom of the subject next time I see a worker. Maybe even join them in order to fully understand!!</span><br />
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<br />FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-16191408897970108612017-01-27T04:20:00.000-08:002017-01-27T04:20:17.073-08:00Curling my pain away....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Russia is known for very many sports. There are some standard ones, like in the rest of the world and special ones</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. Regular ones most of us have tried at least once, like - skiing, skating, sledging.....But some are strange, at least to me. Like for example - Curling. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Curling is a sport that I have never understood, at least I could not understand the point of watching it. You have two teams. One person is sliding and pushing a stone on the ice and another person is using something like a broom to make the stone go faster. It seemed so boring on TV and I could not understand the adrenaline that the guys playing it were experiencing. So we decided to try it out. Russia is the home of winter sports and Curling is an Olympic sport, so there has to be some catch in it. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";">One Sunday we decide it to try it together with kids and another family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Arriving to the place, you get a special pair of shoes and team jackets. A Russian instructor explains the rules in 15 min, you get your broom and you are ready to go. The tricky part is to learn how to slide in order to propel your stone as far as you can, but not too far of from the red dot at the other side. You slide on one leg on which you have the plastic part which I professionally call - the slider. It looks so damn easy, when you look at other people doing it. But when my turn came, I gave soo much of me into sliding the stone that each time I landed on my back. Ok after 3 tries I managed to realise that the black thing around my knee is there to slide on it and I was feeling like a real Curler.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">My biggest issue is my competitiveness. If I play something, I am really in it. That is how I managed to break my toe playing football in our apartment. Yeah, I know what you are thinking now. But if you need me to do presentation for kids - Why you shouldn't play football in the apartment - call me, I will be amazing speaker with real life experience. But to get back to Curling. So, I am waiting for my daughter to slide the stone. I am ready to broom the ice to make it faster. But the stone goes faster then expected and I need to get to it. I turn and try to make a step with my left leg (forgetting its the one with the slider). My left leg goes under me. My right leg follows and I hit the ice full force with my butt. I got up faster than I fell. The competitiveness in me screaming - 'Of the three kids there you are the only one spread flat on the freaking cold ice!' I stroll along pretending its a standard thing. But oh my God. Next two days I spent home with my butt telling me where it is located every minute of the day. Fortunately it got better soon. But falling with 36 and when you are younger actually makes huge difference. I have a new mantra now - It is just a game, no need to break myself if not participating in the Olympics!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">In the end the other family won, but actually me and my friend found out a great thing. In the game guys were really doing great in wiping the ice with the broom. So, my plan is to buy some stones, place them around the apartment. Place a broom dipped in cleaning solution next to the entrance to our apartment. My idea is that when my husband comes home and sees the stones he takes the broom without thinking and starts working around the stones. Good practice for him, clean flat for me. And yes, if you try this please let me know if it works for you?! Until my butt fully recovers I continue to practice a less dangerous Russian sport, very good for cold months of winter - drinking vodka!!!!</span></div>
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<br />FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-71575082690820815602017-01-17T02:15:00.000-08:002017-01-17T02:15:27.081-08:00Perfect Russian wife, to be.....<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I think of a Russian lady, first thing that comes to my mind is a good looking lady in high heels and with perfect hair. Probably from all the influence from Russian top models in the news. Nobody warned me that they are also really good at cooking. In Russia there is still this notion of a perfect homemaker. You, as a woman, are expected to always look amazing and at the same time be a perfect wife at home. And that is where my troubles start.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">In Croatia I was a working mom and my cooking was limited to anything that could be done in fifteen minutes. And even when I tried doing something more complex, like a banana bread, it ended in a disaster. Here I really decided I will try to change that. Especially since all my Russian lady friends were experts at everything. And I did try. I even put different names on some things I prepared so that it looks as If I have done it on purpose. Like my famous Flat Banana bread. You can imagine that the trouble was that it never raised in the oven but stayed in some mushy flat shape.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">One day my Russian friend, an amazing cook and a lady always looking her best, invited me and my kids to come and build a gingerbread house. It was before Christmas and since in Ikea they sell the houses it sounded to be a fun playdate for the kids, assembling houses and decorating them. She did not really know how bad I am, so she asked me to look up the recipe for cream, in order to be able to assemble the house. I thought I was reading the recipe right. But somehow the cream did not perform what I expected - stick the pieces of the house together. But I was not going to give up. I did my house. Luckily, my kids were already used to my fails and although the house broke and fell apart they were looking forward to eating it. It helped when I explained that actually this house has gone through an earthquake but is still edible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">That night I took my kids home, but my Russian friend did not accept the failure, she stayed up really late. But, she managed to have all three houses, for each kid, done and ready to be decorated. Even my Earthquake house was up and ready.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">After this adventure, I think she understood how much I struggle. In a few days she sent me lamb chops prepared in some amazing sauce. She said that at least sometimes my husband should get a proper dinner. I still continue to try, and I did have some success lately. I thinks also if I hang around women who can prepare great meals it will pass on to me. And I will wake one day ready to make my own cook book, or so I wish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And not only can they cook, they always look amazing, no matter what the weather is outside. A lot of women constantly wear high heels. Last week in Moscow was minus twenty seven. And you could still see women walking in heels with no sign on their face showing that it is, at least, a little bit uncomfortable. I think everybody could see that I am not from around here. I walked dressed warmer than a polar bear. My Russian friends vowed that in two years time I will be wearing high heels. Somehow, I think,<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span> I might cause some Russian ladies to go into comfortable mode. Look out, this time next year all Moscow will be in warm boots.</span><br />
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<br />FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-40776716449727955632017-01-11T11:54:00.002-08:002017-01-11T11:54:20.585-08:00Bars, Bargains and Freezingly cold!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Hello world from FunnyNotesBlog!!</b><br />
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So today I asked my seven year old daughter to read my blog name, or to say - former blog name. I think you now understand why I changed it. This name is actually my daughters idea, and being a bit superstitious, I feel the name is lucky.<br />
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<b>Reentry to a club: Success!!</b><br />
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We already live a year and a half in Moscow. And I have to proudly say that I managed to get two times into a club, after my misfortune this summer. Yes it was the same club both times, but lets not split hairs. The club was actually great, because you have a place to have dinner and a place to dance, so after few drinks I was ready to hit the floor. I am just not sure if I got old, or if the DJ was bad, but it was a REAL workout. First, the music was like techno dance fast, and just as I was starting to catch the rhythm, it shifted to slow-motion but still keeping the techno beat. Or maybe you lost me here, since the names for the music genres come from a decade ago. The point is, after ten minutes, every part of my body ached and I had to get another glass of wine sitting down.<br />
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<b>Cutting down prices like a machine!</b><br />
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I also discovered a new passion: bargaining. Moscow is the best place to do it. No, not in the center. Tried last New Year. I bought fifteen shirts with Putin in different poses for friends in Croatia, and I though I would get at least five percent discount. But no, stone called Russian lady just pretended she did not even hear my question. This year I was smarter and I got some intel from few friends. The place to go to is Izmailovsky market. <br />
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The first good thing was that me and my friend went during the week and it was minus fifteen outside. So as market is outside and everybody is at work I knew we had a good shot at getting really low prices. For me, it was going back to my young days, working at different kind of promotions, dragging people by their arms - that you have just what they miss. First, near the entrance was a guy with scarfs. HOW MUCH!!! 500 RUBLES FOR A SCARF!!!! I immediately started to explain how I come from a very poor country and I need it. End price 350 rubles (Last year, I bought same scarf in the city center for only 1500 rubles!!!). And I was just getting started. Best experience was with a guy who tried to sell me Matryoshkas for Christmas tree. I really did not plan to buy any. But we got into a long discussion about which country is poorer - Croatia or Russia. In the end he even invited me to stay eat lunch with him at his stand, since he saw I do look a bit out of money. But he also managed to charm me into buying his Matryoshkas, but for a smaller price. In the end I do come from a country half the size of Moscow. <br />
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I had so much fun that I dragged my husband and kids just a week after to go on Sunday. I saw it is going to be minus eighteen, so more bargains possible. And we did well, although not all the Russian sellers understood my jokes. One lady said that for Ushanka, which my daughter wanted, we need to pay 3500 rubles. I immediately told her to give me for 1000 rubles and that I will write her name on the hat and market her around the world. Her face stayed seriously frozen (and not from the cold) so we left.<br />
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Just above the market is a wonderful place with museums and different attractions for kids and grownups. In the end we chose a blacksmith, who was freezing in the square. He made a dragon tooth together with our kids. And I truly admire him. Because standing there whole day and being friendly is not an easy task. I did ask him if he is still there when temperatures go to minus thirty. He said - yes and then explained in Russian that he drinks something from the pot. I am not sure if he said tea or vodka, or maybe both?.<br />
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In the end we took our loot and headed home. fingers nearly black from <br />
frost. And if anybody knows great places to bargain in Moscow, please let me know. I am even thinking of offering the guys at the stands to help them sell. I just love that simple selling talk and the adrenaline when you score!!!!<br />
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<br />FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-23298709841000676802016-08-01T04:03:00.000-07:002016-08-01T04:03:13.705-07:00Wild night out in Moscow?!?!?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For a long time I did not go out properly. Actually it was even before my daughter was born so more than seven years ago. Not that I never went out in seven years but it was more of a beer or two and then home to bed. So being in Moscow, world party city, it was the right time to try it again. Also big help was a really good friend I met in Moscow. A half Russian half expat lady and a real party girl. Compared to her I was like a pensioned old lady.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So we set a date, a Friday. I was really excited felt like a kid preparing to go out. With a major issue - what to wear. My wardrobe is not exactly a party type. After few minutes I found what to wear, because as I no longer know how to prepare for going out it takes much less time, and also I have no other party people to compare myself with. After two dresses I decided to go with black trousers and a blouse. Why I am telling you about my dress options you will come to realise at the end of this Blog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">My friend booked us a place for dinner at nine, since in Moscow, people go to clubs around two am. It is probably the same in all parts of the world but as I was not in that circle it all seemed so new to me. After dinner we would go to a club called Jagger. Another Russian friend recommended it as a place where you can get in and there is some good music for dancing. Apparently in Moscow in all the hip clubs they have face checks - meaning at the entrance they decide who they let in and who not without any specification or explanation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The night started great, we took a Metro to the restaurant had some good food and a really funny looking and strange tasting healthy desert. But all in all was great. We started a night with two glasses of prosecco and I was feeling twenty-five again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">After the restaurant we walked to an Irish pub next to the club, had another glass of white wine and were getting ready to rock the floor with our crazy dance moves. I wanted to go then to Jagger but my friend convinced me to have a look at another club next to it. So we went, but since it was one am not really many people were in it and nobody was dancing. At that point from the terrace of the club we spotted a short line forming in front of Jagger. There were three bodyguards, completely dressed in black with earpieces, looking quite intimidating but we were ready and decide to go to the club we came for. I was really looking forward to listen to some good music and dance.</span></div>
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So we stood in the line, we were in a great mood, ready to rock the floor. I was so excited I didn't even notice how the ten people standing in the line to the club were dressed. Line was moving slow but steady. And then, SHOCK. We came to the men in black and some lady behind them signed something to the guys and they moved my friend and me both out of the line. We were not allowed to go in. Just to mention we were the only ones who were rejected to enter the club. My friend started screaming and swearing at them in Russian and I, under the influence of prosecco and white wine, started laughing like a crazy lady. I could not believe, one night in seven years I decide to go out to dance and the one club who lets everybody in rejects me. It was so hilarious that it took me some time to grasp what happened. We than sat for another glass of wine in Irish pub and then the wine and two thirty in the morning started getting to me. My friend was already calling a cab for another club but I was out. I begged her to take me home. For me it was the sign from above. Although I am still not sure if my husband may have called the club not to let me in and to send me home.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The whole next day I was recovering. And then I started to think - why was I banned from a club who let every single person in that night for two hours we were around that place. Then I started to remember the girls standing in line. Everyone of them wore a dress, had a push up braw and a big cleavage. They saw that they could not earn money on a girl buttoned up with no heels and all in black. On the more positive side my friend and me like to think we just looked too young for the club. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I still did not give up, I will definitely try it again, at least I got an amazing fun night with my friend. I just need to settle with her that for me after three am I don't function anymore so we'll stick more to vine and beer night in a smaller club. I leave the dance floor to young, busty, Russian ladies in short dresses and high heels....</span></div>
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<br />FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-12784770474750163462016-06-23T11:56:00.002-07:002016-06-23T12:16:21.009-07:00Moscow rules - Just one of those positive summer days!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You know how when you were 6 or 7 years old you admired some professions. For me it was Ballet. I still remember seeing the first ballet Giselle in Croatian theatre. I really admired the dancers, the way these ballerinas move, walk.... I dreamed I would become one or at least meet one. But as dreams change, during time, there were some other dreams that came in and the ballerina dream stayed a part of my childhood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">But now I feel like somebody had thrown me back 20 years. I actually met a real Ballerina. Seems so funny when I write it, but I really felt so excited seeing that, despite my horrible Russian, she also wants to hang out with me. It is amazing how some things you dreamt as a kid just disappear and then just a few reminders and you feel like six again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">So I met her when she was substituting my daughters ballet teacher, we exchanged numbers and that is how little by little our Russian coffees started. So today was a huge day for me. She invited me to see a Bolshoi ballet main rehearsal. I don't know if she was more surprised or worried seeing me so excited. Just like a 6 year old. For me it was like making a dream come true for a kid in me, still hiding somewhere in the back. Just to see first row the performance, to come through foyer where they train, to sit at her make up table it was really the best day for my childhood dream.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">And these are the things which make Moscow so thrilling, at any corner something new and exciting can happen. Moscow is so huge, if you are willing to open yourself and try to get out of expat communities and women clubs you actually meet great Russian people and some great Estonian, Moroccan gals, so open and friendly that after living here for four different seasons of one year I can surely say we belong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">There are still some things we don't know but learn on the way. I would never think that shoe sizes in Russia are different than Europe. If you are a 37 in Europe in Russia you are 36, So imagine me trying to ask for a wrong shoe size and at the same time wrongly saying in Russian I need bigger size (the seller actually understood that the ones I am trying are too big) so I had to learn it the hard way - after trying to fit into size 34 - better stop, think and ask. Not to become Cinderella's bad stepsister with cut off toes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And then, like out of nowhere, the other day someone asked me - After nearly one year in Moscow which country and town do you actually call home? It was a valid question and, me being me, started answering without thinking. I think I confused him but after giving my answer for five minutes I came to a pretty fine conclusion. Home is everywhere you feel you have closest people living close to you. To tell you the truth this question took me so much by surprise, that for the last hour I am trying to remember who asked me this?! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Still don't remember even after proofreading this article and uploading photos. Hope it was not just a dream?!</span><br />
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-22426570024893709552016-06-07T05:52:00.001-07:002016-06-07T05:52:41.385-07:00Ordinary family in thrilling Moscow: Back to school?!<a href="http://mockbloga.blogspot.com/2016/06/back-to-school.html?spref=bl">Ordinary family in thrilling Moscow: Back to school?!</a>: You all know, especially the ones with school kids, it is end of the school year. So why the hell am i talking about back to school?!...FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-41322471933912100932016-06-07T05:51:00.001-07:002016-06-07T05:51:52.789-07:00Back to school?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: '"arial"', '"helvetica"', sans-serif;">You all know, especially the ones with school kids, it is end of the school year. So why the hell am i talking about back to school?! Well this year it was actually back to school for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: '"arial"', '"helvetica"', sans-serif;">I was one of the mothers who said i would never do homework with my kids. Ha, joke was on me. This year not just that my daughter started real school for the first time but it was in another country, in another system and in the language in which she could only say - how do you do.</span><br />
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<br /><br style="font-family: '"arial"', '"helvetica"', sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: '"arial"', '"helvetica"', sans-serif;">First selection was done according to - which schools have additional english courses, so my 6 year old has assistance in learning the language in order to be able to follow curriculum.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: '"arial"', '"helvetica"', sans-serif;">The choice fell on English international school - west campus. And now, at the end of the year I can tell you it was the best possible choice. My daughter is not really open, but first day of school she just took the teachers hand and went into the class. My son on the other hand was mesmerised by his teacher. His group is called Pirates and still today he thinks that his teacher goes to his pirate boat in the evening and sails distant seas! And he constantly wants me to give him my necklace so he can bring the treasure to his pirate teacher.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The only problem there was - Me. First week my daughter came from school with math word problems. Oh horror. It is the thing that makes me look really dumb, like i don't know even how to spell my name when i see these tasks. But i had to show her its 'easy peasy'. So we sat down and started slowly. I pretended I don't understand a thing (actually not understanding a thing) and she taught me. It worked like a charm. So after full year of her teaching me i can say i grew over my fobia and can even perform all tasks she needs to know for school, with the help of google translate by my side!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />The whole school environment helped a lot, since it is a small school, kids mingle with eachother, help eachother no mater which age or year they are. Unlike schools in croatia a lot is done to develop individual thinking, presenting, performing. The kids in the class do not feel they know more or less than others. They are rewarded for good choices they do. What i would do to have had same experience when I was kid. It would at least have helped me to have more courage and do things although they seemed undoable. I really believe they will be able to know what where to find and have the courage to say what they think. And in my opinion this is crucial for their happy future.</span><br />
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FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-3255726183298503822016-05-30T01:37:00.001-07:002016-05-30T01:37:37.990-07:00Ordinary family in thrilling Moscow: What is Russian babushka and how to survive Banya?...<a href="http://mockbloga.blogspot.com/2016/05/what-is-russian-babushka-and-how-to.html?spref=bl">Ordinary family in thrilling Moscow: What is Russian babushka and how to survive Banya?...</a>: When in Russia, there are few things you MUST experience - Russian Babushka and Russian Banya. We were told that without accepting and e...FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-32661748107164494972016-05-30T01:34:00.004-07:002016-05-30T01:34:43.370-07:00What is Russian babushka and how to survive Banya?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When in Russia, there are few things you MUST experience - Russian Babushka and Russian Banya. We were told that without accepting and experiencing these it is like you have never seen real Russia.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, when our friends came it was the best opportunity to try Banya (something like Turkish sauna but worse). My husband already tried the traditional, male banya. Gathering of a lot of guys in one small room full of steam, beating each other with branches. Ok when he explained how it looks, first I thought, good that women can't do it and rather go for traditional - going out, dancing and drinking. But talking to different people we heard there are private Banyas, where you rent a full house for yourself and enjoy with the kids. At first we thought, renting a full house, how can we afford it. But actually when we called, it sounded really affordable divided on seven of us, so we booked it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was near the centre, a gated compound with eight to ten of these houses. They are all wooden and entering there you feel like you came to some village in the middle of the city. The house had two floors, 1st floor with banya and dining table and second floor with billiard room and two rooms with beds. Outside was a pool at 19 degrees and a huge pot with water at 40 degrees.</span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then my son came running from the top floor cuddling two pillows. The images that went through my head were ten people having a party at the place and you cold imagine my thoughts how they used the two rooms with beds and pillows. I took the pillows form him and convinced him that the cold pool is the best option otherwise he goes to the steam room.</span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On one screen in the room there was a promotional video about the Banya and they showed 'Parenie'. you rent a guy to come and 'beat' you (not actually beat) with branches in the banya. The guys on the promotional movie were tall, well built and you really trusted them to know what they were doing. So we ordered a guy to come. Well, Russians are good at promotional movies. The guy that came was small, thin, but I convinced myself that he must be a professional.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is a great massage, if you are able to survive it. In fact, with these branches the guy moves the hot air and steam all over your body. In the end it took me some time to stop the dizziness, but after few minutes you feel reborn and refreshed. I was astonished that even my seven years old daughter enjoyed it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After four hours of eating, drinking and steaming I can tell you it is great way to spend time with the whole family, highly recommend it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Babushka lesson</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They say you have to know a real Russian Babushka. How you recognise her. Old lady, strict, shouting at you in the street, that you should dress your kid better because it is cold and she is not related to you in any way! We finally met one on a bus ride. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kids under seven don't need to pay for public transport. My daughter just passed that limit but my son still rides for free. So when we entered a bus we were so fast that we slid the ticket for all four of us. As we were riding a bus a strict looking, serious lady approached us and asked 'Who speaks Russian!'. I have to admit I got a bit scared and wanted to hide under the seat but got a little bit of courage and said that I understand a bit. She started shouting at me: ' Why did you use the ticket for your kids. They can ride for free. Save your money, don't spend it on things you don't need to. What, You say she is above seven (looking at my daughter), then say she is six !' I was astonished, here was this Russian lady, who saw me for the first time in her life, giving me advice how to cheat properly in Russia. From that day I love Babushka!!!!</span></div>
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FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-35141846600393396162016-05-24T01:46:00.002-07:002016-05-24T01:46:59.878-07:00Some not so Russian days!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was a working mum in Croatia it was very hard to imagine my life as a stay at home mum. I always thought at some point I would get bored. It did't even come to my mind that at one point I would actually start to use a planner. Planner was for work. And now here I am after 9 months in Russia, so many things to do in one week, not related to 'real' work and I start forgetting, what I need to do, when and who i need to call. And I don't think dementia started to kick in at age of 35, at least I hope.<br />
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<b>Not Russian Ballet!</b><br />
There are so many things I want to tell you since my last post, it is really hard to know where to start. Still our life in Moscow is amazing. So if some of you thought I disappeared for a while because my previous posts were not true, tough luck! My daughter started ballet lessons. But not Russian ones. As we want to get to know as many different cultures here, she started ballet with Korean teacher. Amazingly, although all her ballet peers are Korean, she does't at all realise she is any different from them. I think she will ask me one day if there is any way she can transform into a Korean lady, and with my husband I already discussed probability of her being Korean in her previous life. Nevertheless in two weeks she will have a performance. Her and thirty other Korean kids. I would have never imagined that this would be her extracurricular activity in Moscow!!!<br />
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<b>Expat-Russian Friends!</b><br />
I have made some great friends here. Mostly foreigners, who are in the same expat situation as me. I really tried in the beginning to meet local Russians, but it is not as easy since the only Russians I meet are on kids birthday parties. And that is something else. When I was organising a birthday party for my kids I was very enthusiastic to do it as we did in Croatia. Book a play place, get the kids there, drink coffee with parents and go home. Tough luck! The prices here of a regular birthday party is around 500 eur, in Croatia I would pay 90 eur. So we decided to have it at home. It was a bit exhausting but in the end both kids and we enjoyed. Still through celebrating kids friends birthday parties we could get the real feel of Russia, or not?!<br />
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I have been to a few of the Russian kids birthdays. Cannot say it is something hugely extravagant. A kids place with games, animators and that stuff. Funny part is when I show up to pick up my kids. I was never a person of high heels and gowns and here all the Russians dress in amazingly nice clothes. The problem was that I, in my hoodie and pants, felt a bit out of place. I started to explain whose mother I am and I realised I am not getting weird looks from mothers but mostly from staff at the place. I looked more like a nanny or a female driver. Next time, I decided, to avoid the explaining I would just say I am their nanny and problem solved!!<br />
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<b>Spring brings Croats!</b><br />
Finally Moscow spring came as well as some nice weather. It also brought our friends from Croatia. After their visit I am looking for a job to promote Russia and Moscow. They were sceptic about coming here. I have to note, if you read my first blog, they have the same Russian friend who told us that when Russians ask us where we are from we say Yugoslavia. They loved it. Every day we had completely full and still did't get to do many stuff we have planned. But the best story of the visit was - If you don't wanna feel stupid, don't trust translation of your husband who even doesn't speak Russian!<br />
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We went with friends to a Mosquarium show. It is the show with dolphins and Orcas. Quite amazing to see these huge animals but sad at the same time because you know they should be in the ocean.<br />
In the beginning of the show they say in Russian that it is not allowed to film and take pictures. So my friend was very careful doing it (we are balkans , so rules are there to go around them :-)). After few days we went to a huge park called Sokolniki. When you enter the park you can hear a guy on speakers talking about security in Russian: where to walk, not to let kids out of your sight... So husband of my friend say: 'Wow the guy is saying that you actually cannot take any pictures inside the park!'. and we all laughed. After few hours in the park I notice my friend is barely taking any pictures, but I thought she was saving battery. Then after few minutes we heard the guy on the speakers again. My friend turns to me and says: 'Amazing, I understood no pictures policy on the show, but why the hell can I not take pictures in a huge park!?' Its quite easy to imagine that we laughed about this for all the rest of their stay..<br />
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And finally, I still did't give up on meeting Russians. Just now I am going for a lunch trying to better my Russian. Talk to you in a week!!!!!<br />
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<br />FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-11540719307310826912016-02-11T23:53:00.001-08:002016-02-12T02:38:59.499-08:00Caviar problems and other stuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wow, already six months in Moscow. Time really flies. We already feel like part of this town, culture, and the apartment. Only difference, we are still in learning process to love what Russians love. And still finding millions of new places every day. Coming from a small town, where you really need to think how to spend your weekend, and not go to the zoo again third time in one month. Here the problem is to decide what to do out of million possibilities this weekend</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Croatia I loved Caviar, but it was not a thing that you would eat everyday. Coming to Russia, land of Caviar, I thought it was a match made in heaven. But then, you realise there is a problem. I never really thought there were different types of Caviar. That in Croatia you get one from the sea snail. I think I lived in denial, not wanting to realise that actually I am eating somebodies raw eggs. Coming to Russia I awaken this realisation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So to treat me with something exceptional my husband ordered a special red Caviar from Volgograd. Poor guy was negotiating delivery, price in his broken Russian and after few days he came proudly home with red Caviar especially for me. So me and my daughter set the table and can hardly wait to try this Russian masterpiece. I try it, and.......??????!!!!!!.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was nothing like the one I am used to. It actually has quite big eggs so first I had a problem imagining eating real small baby fish and then in your moth it actually pops, like the chinese juice that you can buy with small bursting balls inside. I was so embarrassed. I do consider myself to be open to trying food, especially the one I already liked, but this was really not for me. So you can imagine my embarrassment as well as my husbands when he took it to the office to give it away. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After some time I recuperated. And was up for another try, This time we decided to treat ourselves with Black Caviar, which is 5 times more expensive than red one and - it was amazing. Just, we will not be able to have this one more than once a year!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Minus 20 degrees</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We were scared how we will get through the freezing winter, but it is really great. -20 degrees is amazing but you can only enjoy snow for 20 min, after that your hands, feet, nose and some other stuff start to burn and hurt. And, although on my boots and jacket it says it goes to -30 degrees, no way, it is not true, unless you do cross country running. No matter the clothes label, you can be out max 20 min or you become a frozen snowman.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sledging adventure</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It still amazes me how many stuff is there to see and do. One weekend we spent sledging. And it was a great day. It is quite a different way from the way we did it in Croatia. We went to Park Pobedy. there are three separate ice sledging paths. You rent a tire and off you go. Or not. Because in Moscow everything you do has to have some kind of traffic jam or long queue. In the queue it is much better to be rather small like me, people don't notice you move past them and go in front (just for your info, we started cutting the line after 10 other Russians cut it first, so we considered it to be a custom!). That was not case for my husband who is 2m tall. He did try but few Russians as tall as him just made a warning look and one shout and it took him 15 min more to get to the sledging path.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And where in the world do you find a restaurant with a live pig. Yes, live. She is called Fani. They bring her in the restaurant every few hours so you can pet her and feed her. It is really a good way to start being vegetarian. It wasn't as easy to enjoy the meat fully as this little cute pig comes to your legs and shoves you to get some treat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And still I stand my ground that Moscow is not the city with coldest people in the world and no internet vote can change my opinion. I mean, never in my life have I got bonbons and chocolate in the taxi and heard whole life stories as in Moscow. the only catch is to talk Russian no matter how Croatian it sounds!!!</span></div>
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FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-28112995765240287482015-12-31T05:39:00.000-08:002015-12-31T05:39:57.671-08:00Russian in Croatia or vice versa!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Coming home!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOWKJ1WOs4CWVKzon45ivhhyphenhyphen7AG40EBjZg3dFXyrSWuMLllMq_NIUyTyen5ZyngyGhFxoQQ2NLyJWjF-eVLiZoyPmdPlOA4RnOCUMMBVVuRgUluDd3MI1TwY_-D5uExRc0_oWNF1eBXg/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOWKJ1WOs4CWVKzon45ivhhyphenhyphen7AG40EBjZg3dFXyrSWuMLllMq_NIUyTyen5ZyngyGhFxoQQ2NLyJWjF-eVLiZoyPmdPlOA4RnOCUMMBVVuRgUluDd3MI1TwY_-D5uExRc0_oWNF1eBXg/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="257" /></a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So after four months in Moscow Russia, it was time to visit home. We went back to Croatia for two weeks to get some sun. Yes, amazing, this global warming thing is cool because we get to enjoy real springtime in Croatia. People have warned me about lack of sun in Moscow, but you don't really understand it until you have no sun for a month and then you have it every day. Now, after charging up batteries I think, or more hope, we will be able to fully enjoy Russian -20 celsius.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One day i was filming for Croatian television how Moscow celebrates new year. It was only -5 but it was like -30 for me. I realised it when I tried to pay for metro tickets, and a line of 10 people formed behind me, because my hands were so frozen that it took me five minutes to pick up the coins lady returned to me. People behind were not so thrilled but at least nobody screamed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its really nice being home but our social life is a bit over the top. I think I have not seen so many friends in such a short time when I lived here. At least I don't have time to fight with my family, we rather leave that for Skype. Kids enjoy so much that I think I will need to drag them back to the plane.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The presents we brought went great, but I think that there will be quite many people in Zagreb now with Putin T-shirts.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YJILRKdbsrm71ZiixISUYpKXthjXXZgvTa4TanXHIqeycqm4qFrbvkM3NAQw3VJhoO8GWcqFoZ7y8QetEXwKTNIxqO57YO3Nb6iCPjQo7lcd7nKYk7abA6aB-eQ2eGbP_fIqeRx22p8/s1600/IMG_8723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YJILRKdbsrm71ZiixISUYpKXthjXXZgvTa4TanXHIqeycqm4qFrbvkM3NAQw3VJhoO8GWcqFoZ7y8QetEXwKTNIxqO57YO3Nb6iCPjQo7lcd7nKYk7abA6aB-eQ2eGbP_fIqeRx22p8/s320/IMG_8723.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also visited the best advent of Europe this year - Zagreb. It is really amazing and so different from Moscow. It really depends what you like but Zagreb is small cosy and they really managed this year to make it a dreamy wintery place. Although temperatures were over 15 celsius most of the days. Moscow is big so everything needs to be big, decorations, markets. Just very happy that prices of hot dogs and hot vine are affordable although you drink it on red square.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimL8-JwLn4qq5gEOc1hFD_BtDJdBRGOnq7j2_mR69PQkzu5yYunZQAmJbWrOiOYHEbre3af68S4wHcfa3fdM2GSmIOdJ6BjfuN1Ncj0ZXO3oskdPRH97J0ety-pZVNDmFpO5UiIq1DgJc/s1600/IMG_8725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimL8-JwLn4qq5gEOc1hFD_BtDJdBRGOnq7j2_mR69PQkzu5yYunZQAmJbWrOiOYHEbre3af68S4wHcfa3fdM2GSmIOdJ6BjfuN1Ncj0ZXO3oskdPRH97J0ety-pZVNDmFpO5UiIq1DgJc/s320/IMG_8725.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Heating or Overheating.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Major issue I have now is heating in our apartment in Zagreb. In Moscow you cannot set heating on certain temperature. In our apartment only one radiator is open and constant temperature in the apartment is 26. It is great when you do not move. But a second you start doing something in the apartment you do it in a bathing suit. The worst thing I saw is that in one hairdressing salon they turn on air-conditioning to cool dow the place because you cannot control heating. But now I have big issue in Croatia. Here heating turns off during night and during day you put it on 22 celsius. I AM FREEZING. I think I have two paris of pants and a three warm sweaters in the evening when we watch TV. My husband says I should start doing all the cleaning in the night, so I would not be cold. Think Russian system suits me better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Going Back.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaulFmwFlL0YSLcT0d4tL8x2yRMb6E_7rmA5bmA-KJ40QMkmlTfwFWPu2O3umXiRuA7aD5PNUlrjFznxTjFpOelluCEfkewcOnWka-PEclx-q6eODuzu-n_VCeJB3IxXxed7btNFmWuE/s1600/IMG_8748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaulFmwFlL0YSLcT0d4tL8x2yRMb6E_7rmA5bmA-KJ40QMkmlTfwFWPu2O3umXiRuA7aD5PNUlrjFznxTjFpOelluCEfkewcOnWka-PEclx-q6eODuzu-n_VCeJB3IxXxed7btNFmWuE/s320/IMG_8748.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is strange, but as much as I enjoy home, I also like our new home. And now I have even more curiosity to get to know Russians and their culture. I will have to recalibrate myself not to smile to everyone in metro, but as I still exercise it everyday with my kids, it should be easy. And I cannot wait to tell you what to wear on -20. And Vodka, I have still not tried it - and this is really not ok. So next time you hear from me it will be 2016 and I will try to write after drinking three shots of VODKA!! see you </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-15591245007527498202015-12-18T12:34:00.000-08:002015-12-18T12:34:07.782-08:00De-stereotyping Russians?!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Russians are cold, or not?!</b></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZlrchQYtZMGRBm-cHiy7R10It8tG-SKru4FaOshGjE97BrP2DMqhb2hLkMJL5MKVxByphq63KXbnyf9AGCsvo_BhBzeJaKk05CSqZTVCoV53cMpRBJlP13DXMQyFC39FMUPm-u6L19g/s1600/IMG_8674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZlrchQYtZMGRBm-cHiy7R10It8tG-SKru4FaOshGjE97BrP2DMqhb2hLkMJL5MKVxByphq63KXbnyf9AGCsvo_BhBzeJaKk05CSqZTVCoV53cMpRBJlP13DXMQyFC39FMUPm-u6L19g/s320/IMG_8674.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the west Russians are considered to be very cold and reserved, completely closed to foreigners. I don't know how this opinion formed. Maybe because they all look really serious. Or because we all imagine Russians through Putin!?! For sure this opinion did not come from people who visited Russia. Any article I read from people who visited Russia talks about Russians as friendly and warm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My experience is very positive. Of course you can run into a lady in the kiosk who shouts at you before you ask a question, but this also happens in Croatia. One day I decided to go on foot to a food-store. which is a ten minute walk from where I live. As a typical woman, I bought five big bags of food, weighing at least fifteen kg. Thankfully, half way home I asked, in my clumsy Russian, a guy to help me, because I nearly fainted. AND HE DID. First I needed to convince him that I can carry half of it, because he wanted to carry all five bags by himself. He did not help me just over the street but went all the way to my building. I was really surprised, I imagined that here nobody wants to talk to a foreigner.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5Ff9ehTKK3cDDBHgnHuKIZmQbF0Pq8sNQuwNpVoq895fB-l1O9YHnH-lD5VQUR4_fQevotFr4m7P7PLLjGmTM6EktFbax4oCAayp3oPgnxG8BAz4rDC5D-lRpKjvU2wOpG8W_DMwqUo/s1600/IMG_7898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5Ff9ehTKK3cDDBHgnHuKIZmQbF0Pq8sNQuwNpVoq895fB-l1O9YHnH-lD5VQUR4_fQevotFr4m7P7PLLjGmTM6EktFbax4oCAayp3oPgnxG8BAz4rDC5D-lRpKjvU2wOpG8W_DMwqUo/s320/IMG_7898.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another day I went to the post office, I needed to buy a postcard. And in Moscow you don't have postcards on every kiosk. So I managed to find it in the post office. But there was a long queue. Ok, I thought, 1 hour wait for one postcard. But lady who was just handing in her ten envelopes asked the post office clerk to give me a postcard and I was done in three minutes. She also added that Croatia is beautiful when I asked for stamps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I don't know if the Russian winter has still not cooled me down, or I am irreparable optimist, but I think Russians are very nice and open and I still enjoy every day of my time here.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13r25BVzuPXz3kgMZ_fF6rFTtU5BxfrT2OdQeN-Orp_VY5pNLoY5FiTRCL6-p7GmhMsNRQ73jloGX7o5JmEpjVdnUjnQnaNHcjLJ1krt-VyzeTKYhOfIoKKUfUHxrLjyPSbwxDNo610o/s1600/IMG_8670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13r25BVzuPXz3kgMZ_fF6rFTtU5BxfrT2OdQeN-Orp_VY5pNLoY5FiTRCL6-p7GmhMsNRQ73jloGX7o5JmEpjVdnUjnQnaNHcjLJ1krt-VyzeTKYhOfIoKKUfUHxrLjyPSbwxDNo610o/s320/IMG_8670.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Russian women are beautiful?!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everyone has heard about Russian beauty, especially about beautiful women. Russian friends I know in Croatia are indeed beautiful. So I i</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">magined that the Red Square looks like a catwalk. Well it does not. On Red square you mostly find Japanese tourists. So I tried to find some other places in the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">centre, but had no luck. In the end I gave up. There are not many beautiful women on streets of Moscow!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWiVWNidjC4Hh25erMhs5b-VUc2vF4JfPbXZTSdbp8ZwqeT6uKu-RpKjwQZNffah_VOdLw45fg9XnOrsAa9G9Qa9BUPEWsE-vZKnsp2a5nu7gjY5QEar0fuTS1h855og0mZsC3jtFxMgI/s1600/IMG_8671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWiVWNidjC4Hh25erMhs5b-VUc2vF4JfPbXZTSdbp8ZwqeT6uKu-RpKjwQZNffah_VOdLw45fg9XnOrsAa9G9Qa9BUPEWsE-vZKnsp2a5nu7gjY5QEar0fuTS1h855og0mZsC3jtFxMgI/s320/IMG_8671.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luckily, I met a Russian guy who explained the whole mystery. Russian beautiful women are actually not walking down the street. They are also not in Metro. They are in - CARS. In the huge Moscow traffic. They are also high maintenance. If you want to be with a Russian lady from Moscow you need to have money and they insist on getting flowers very often. At least that is info that I have now. If i find it is not true I let you know.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also now I am rethinking my mode of transport. As the saying goes; 'When in Rome do as Romans do!'. If I want to feel beautiful i would need to start driving a car. Think I'll wait for spring and pretend to be a student girl on Moscow metro.</span></div>
FunnyNotesBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447009559062166744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860139210430777029.post-28918080039493982732015-12-14T04:36:00.001-08:002015-12-16T02:07:41.613-08:00<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Russia, Moscow - Great start!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>So the adventure starts. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is August, I am on Croatian seaside. Sun is amazing but I know that just in one month I was going to change Croatian scenery for cold and unknown Moscow. My husband got a job there and as we always promised each other that we would stay together, the decision was a simple one - all of us - My husband, two kids and me - would be moving soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>First, we tried to get as much info as possible about Moscow and Russia, and it did not go well. </b>Mainly people told us it was grey, serious, congested with traffic and full of unpleasant people. One of our friends who had lived her whole life in Moscow, completely terrified me. Some of the instructions were - Russians are very serious, they don't like Croatians, they wished there is still Yugoslavia, so whenever you introduce yourself tell them you come from Yugoslavia; never smile if there is no reason for it, traffic is terrible - you can spend two hours in traffic just to cover 10km in the city. At that point I got really scared. Will we really be able to survive this? How are kids going to cope? We have such a great life in Croatia...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At last the moving day arrived. Scared of the unknown and how it will all work out, especially being a woman and needing to plan everything three months in advance it was a pretty fast move. I think we didn't even have time to think it through, which was even better. Moscow is huge. When you think that in Croatia there are 4,5 mil people and Moscow has around 12 mil you start to feel really small. However the town somehow seemed as if we had known it, as if we had already been there before. I don't know whether it was because I knew it was to be our new home, but it seemed as if I had mentally prepared myself for it. <b>And what a GOOD surprise this adventure proved to be!!! </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Moscow is great; we really enjoy our time here. Yes, some of the thing my friend said are true, but fortunately most of them are not. Russians are serious and closed, just until you start to talk to them in Russian. It was amazing when I discovered that, even though my Russian is bad and sometimes they think I come from Ural mountains when i speak it, they turn from grumpy serious figures into people who genuinely want to help you. I do sound strange when I try to speak Russian, it is a mash of Croatian, Serbian, Slovenian and a touch of real Russian. I came to shop one day and asked for meat. The way I said it in my Russian it took my hands, my feet and repeating it five times in order for the guy to understand me; 'but I was reading the label on the meat!!! ' I realised later that probably the thing was that maybe I did not sound as a foreigner, but the guy still couldn't </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">believe he cannot understand a word I was saying. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Russians love kids. </b>When with kids you really feel their hospitality. In metro there was not a single time that someone did not get up to let my kids sit. Also they do ask you for directions the moment they see you have kids with you. As one of my Russian friend explained, if you have kids you must be local, so you learn how to say ' ne znajem' which means you don't know and you are safe. There are amazing places in Moscow to visit with kids; parks which are the size of Zagreb so in order to say you have visited one you need to go there at least five times and then you can say you have seen the entrance and at least additional two kilometres of a 10 km walk through the park. We try to visit a new place each weekend and already we have seen many things such as, parks, ice-skating rinks, chocolate museum, circus.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And as I mentioned earlier, my friend instructed me to tell people that I come from Yugoslavia. Unfortunately, this time I did follow her advice (not clever on every ocasion). I did it once and NEVER again. My daughter started to play with a Russian girl in the park, so her father asked us where we come from. Almost proudly I said - Yugoslavia - and you should have seen the look on his face -'What do you mean Yugoslavia?! It does not exist anymore. Now you have Croatia, Serbia... so where are you from?' I really felt embarrassed but at least I knew Russians knew their geography and I shouldn't mess with that. Next time when I was asked about my origins, I said Croatia and every Russian had a story about visiting Croatia at one time and how it was beautiful, and how they loved it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The last problem that first I thought I would not be able to survive was the traffic</b>. In Zagreb I needed 15 min to go by car from one end of the city to the other end. Here the traffic is really bad. So I decided not to use a car. Metro is perfect; fast, simple (after you lear how to read Russian). So I use the metro. Every weekend my husband and I fight because he wants to use the car but I love freedom of the Metro; yes, it seems longer but you do not get stuck sitting in the same spot for half an hour or even more. And i like that feeling that I am moving. Funny, but my main problem in the Metro was to stay serious. I always tend to smile to people. Here, it could result in them calling a doctor to take me to a mental hospital, so I learned to smile on the inside, but my face stays dead serious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We really enjoy our time here. kids are happy, I am making many new friends, discovering new life and culture and accepting to play by their rules in order for all of us to feel happy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Russia and Russians do feel distant and somehow eastern <b>until you come to live here and discover what a great country it is and what great people live here</b>. And we have just started our adventure....</span><br />
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