Happy Moscowversary

Today the Matryoshkas have been in Moscow for a whole month. I remember thinking about this day and this blogpost on the day that we arrived. I remember hoping that I would be sitting in the position in which I find myself today. The PGCE student in me wants to give you a reflective observation and I'm afraid I'm going to give in (my lecturers would be so proud).

It is extremely difficult to begin to capture the last month and as much as I have attempted to try through this blog, I fear that the only way I would be able to is if you could all be here with us all the time and merely follow us around all day, to experience what we do. For the record, there have been many occasions where we have wished this could be possible but it does add to the adventure knowing we can't escape home to Mom's cooking and Dad's lame jokes. Alternatively, we could invest in a GoPro...

The main thing I think that we have all learnt is just how capable and potential we all have. We've pushed these limits time and time again, and we have exceeded them time and time again. I am so proud of us.

I have watched one of my oldest friends manage to take everything in her stride and I have hoped to learn from her just how to be strong. Maree is one of the most fascinating people I know. Before this month, I thought I knew her but I have witnessed a whole new woman emerge. She is considerate and caring without fault and she never forgets to do the little things. She puts her head down and she gets the job done. She is a hit with her clients and always goes the extra mile for her lessons. She does her Ree-thing quietly but always looks back to make sure you have caught up...or to possibly fold a discarded shirt and hang up a towel.

Jackie never ceases to amaze, surprise and shock me. If you need a wake up call or hug, she will literally jump on you. However always offers the stability and encouragement you need to get through the day. I have a new-found respect for the 18 year old Jackie who went off to America because I have realised that leaving your country and re-locating has been difficult at the age of 22. Maybe it's due to her drama skills, but she can fill any role you need her to- mom, nurse, friend, psychologist, hooligan, teacher, maid, drinking buddy, comedian, professional shopper. Strange how she is pretty crazy but has kept me sane on many days. She's loved at her drama group on Saturdays and is beginning to rack up those high profile clients and while she works hard, will never say no to a spontaneous adventure...or nap.

The things we collectively miss is some of the familiar food we know (a braai...if only). Special mention must be made of Steri Stumpis. We miss being able to have a conversation with a cashier or stranger in a queue. We miss our people the most obviously-our family and friends who we love so very much and are back home, rooting for us. We miss those things but we are so grateful and happy to be here. We are so incredibly lucky. We love having money to buy amazing clothes, we love meeting new people and we love living a completely different life. At the moment we are loving our new apartment (blog to come) and our new landlord (definitely more on that later).

To celebrate our Moscowversary, we are off to go ice skating with some of our new friends...let's hope the next blog doesn't include a trip to a hospital for broken bones. :)

To Mom...on your birthday

I could have just written you a birthday email but I decided that this would be much cooler. This way, I get to share with everyone else just how unbelievable I think you are and maybe in doing so, you can indirectly teach more people what you have taught us through how you live your life. Also, this is my blog so I can do whatever I want. “Under my blog, I can follow my own rules”. ;)

My favourite thing to think about when I think about you, is the complete and utter side splitting laughter we’ve shared. Every time Geoff, Dan and I are home you’ve had us crying with laughter at your funny stories. It astounds me how you can nail telling a story like no one else-complete with actions, facial expressions and accents to match. 

I love that you’ve invented your own dictionary...

Tiramasu: Tresumme Shampoo

Micro: abbreviation for microwave

Tookie, shnookie, snooks: an affectionate term used for daughter

Flossie: term used for sisters

Chuffed: happy

Chops: Slap chips pronounced in a weird way.

Geoff,Dan, ag! Ali: when calling me

Ali, Geoffrey, Daniel: when calling Geoff

Daniel, Geoffrey, Ali, Daniel: when calling Daniel

Izzle Wizzle: Geoff’s wife named Ilze

Best thing since sliced bread: whenever ANYTHING cool ever happens (there’s been a lot of best things since sliced bread) example: The Metro is the best thing since sliced bread.

Home again, home again, jig-a-di-jig!: chant sung on arrival of getting home

Your ability to create things out of everything or nothing astounds me time and time again. Being the creative busy body that you are keeps us forever inspired and interested. Please don’t ever get boring.

It is also very convenient that you’re a slightly smaller person in our lives because you fit so well into a hug...which are also constantly given.

Thank you for never forgetting to act like a kid every now and then...it always made us feel like we could have fun in any situation which always makes life better. Nothing wrong with pretending to be a teletubbie every now and then...even in your “more mature” years.

You’re the perfect example of being strong, of being selfless, of being genuine and of being brave.

Due to the couple of kilometers difference between you and I, I have grown to appreciate you even more. Thank you for watching this space while I’m out on my adventure. Today I will be celebrating all that you are to me.

I love you more than life itself.

Crazy amazing

I once received a cup as a birthday present that read "Some people make the world better just by living in it" and now I feel like "some people make Moscow better just by living in it" too. We met some of those people out last night and I have another feeling that this year is going to be an exceptionally good one.

When it was winter in Grahamstown and you begrudgingly had to take your coat into Friars, you would have to stash it under a table or tie it to your bag. I love that Moscow has coat rooms that they actually use. These coat rooms usually come with a very helpful and patient "coat check man" (as Maree just very cleverly termed it). Except if you try to mess with his system, as Jackie attempted to do last night.
At the first place, the "coat check man" put the coats behind the curtain and only HE was allowed to be or see behind it. He didn't really appreciate Jackie trying to curiously see what was going on back there. Sometimes it's nice to not be able to understand because we think he reprimanded her...or...he could of just been saying something like, "There's magic back there that can only be discovered if you're a coat check man." Either way, don't mess with the system.

The first drink to be had with our lovely new friends was called a Zombi. Now, we don't exactly know what was in these drinks but we do know that A)they were delicious B)they were served by Jackie's new bestie-barman named Illya C)they were probably the most expensive drinks we've ever had and D)they were set alight before they were handed to us. Amongst many funny and awesome things that happened at this bar, the funniest thing that has to be shared was that Jackie was wearing the exact same shirt that the waitresses were wearing. That's what you get for shopping at Pull and Bear. Haha. But she did manage to get a free shot out of her bestie-barman so there's that. At this point I feel I should quote her when she said, "Alcohol is definitely much stronger in Russia."
People are also so interested to hear about South Africa and why you chose to come to Moscow of all places. It was so great to chat to people (in English) who are from a completely different place and that consider this life in Moscow as normal. It's also very surprising to hear what people know about this place and to compare stereotypes. We told our new friends about the cliche of Vodka and Furry Hats of the Russians and I was called Springbok about 100 times by a man who clearly loves rugby. However, we felt so accepted by all these different people and felt like we could revel in our "South African-ness" even though people joked that SOME of us were slightly crazy...I won't mention names in the fear of being tickle-attacked by said person but I'm just saying, there are only three of us here and it's not me. Obviously.

We then found ourselves drinking German beer (which is very tasty) and eating America Burgers in the next spot while meeting more people along the way and singing to our old time favourites. This place was exceptionally amazing to me because it had an upside-down lounge on the ceiling. So, when you're washing your hands, you have chairs and a table above your head so that you feel like you've stepped into the novel of Alice in Wonderland. I stood here for a while just staring, feeling baffled and mostly just thinking, "Wow."

In the "city that never sleeps", we only actually got to sleep at about 6am after eating Sushi for breakfast at 4 in the morning. The taxi drive home also made for an interesting event as I tried to use my four Russian words that I know to make conversation with the driver.

What is this life that we are living and can we please live it forever?

14 February...a-different-kind-of-love day

Knowing how much some Russian couples like to display their affection in public, I wondered if venturing out today would be worth all the soppiness I knew I would encounter. Luckily I didn't have a choice as I found myself being tempted into doing so with a phone call saying, "Be ready and downstairs in 20 minutes."

My friend Dean is always full of surprises and the most unpredictable person I know. Sometimes I feel like he pushes me out of the nest and screams at me to fly. This mostly results in a bit of panic and hesitation from my side and then later I am very thankful to him. Today he treated me to a lovely lunch before the shove.

This is how the conversation went.
Dean: Take bus 2 or 44 until you see Dunkin Donuts and then get off at that stop
Me: Wait, which side of the road is Dunkin Donuts?
Dean: The same side the bus is on. Kay. Then take the underpass to get to the other side of the road. Then look for a building, it looks just like all these other buildings (pointing around). If you get lost just say "Dom knigie. Dom knigie. DOM KNI-GIE."
Me: Dom.....?
Dean: DOM kniGIE...House of books. Dom- house. Knigie- books. DOM KNIGIE.
Me: Dom knigie, dom knigie, dom knigie...okay...
Dean: Just say that to people, they will help you.
Me: Okay!
Dean: Then, when you finished, walk in the same direction down the road to the Metro Arbatskya...and get onto the red line.
Me: Right. They join.
Dean: Now say the whole thing to me.
Me (confidently): I must take bus 2 or 44 until I see Dunkin Donuts. Then I must get off and take the underpass to the other side of the road. Then I must walk straight down the road and say DOM KNIGIE to someone if I get lost. Then when I'm finished, I must follow the road straight down to get to the Metro called Arbatskya to switch over to the red line.
Dean: Good! Here's your bus. (Hugging me) Go!
PANIC AND EXCITEMENT!!!

Texts along the way (loss of confidence)
Me: Is the Dunkin Donuts quite far up the road??
Dean: Yes
Me: After all these malls and stuff?
Me: Does the bus say Dom Knigie
Me: Oh. I got off at Dunken Donuts (this was not planned, I got off coz I panicked) and I'm in the underpass
Dean: If the bus takes a turn right and you begin to drive next to a park you've gone one stop too far
Dean: Yes after the mall, yes. When it says dom knigi you get off at the next stop. Dunkin Donuts on right.
Me: I found it!!!!
(Baby bird has found her wings)
PRIDE AND ACHIEVEMENT!!!

This was followed by me exploring the bookshop for about an hour. It is the best place (other than Moscow) in the world. Three stories of complete amazing-ness. The ladies that work there are wonderful and I wanted to buy everything in it. Hello Roald Doahl and Winnie the Pooh and Hans Christian Anderson and Wind in the Willows and Fairy Tales of all kinds...hello heaven. The best part about this place (other than it being the best place in the world) is that I found it all by myself.

Today I looked at myself in the mirror and I saw someone else in the mirror. Living with boys, there is not too much mirror space and the one in the bathroom is mostly shared by three people at once so it's been difficult to see myself for a while. I saw someone who could accomplish things and had done a lot of it over the last few days. I saw someone who believed in herself and her abilities. I saw someone I could learn to love.

The different kind of love that I felt today was a love that I have not been exceptionally familiar with a lot in my life. This Valentine's Day, I did not need to receive flowers or a note from a secret admirer to feel loved. I just needed a push on the bus by a long time friend, a smile from a lady who worked in a bookshop and a good look in the mirror.

Red Snow

Compared to the horrible day we went through on Thursday, I think the universe decided to pay us back ten fold by giving us the day we had yesterday. However, I feel that trying to put words to the feelings, sights and experiences we had would not be quite near enough to explain the reality of them.

We played tourist-tourist and found our way to Red Square. From the moment you step out of the Metro, you get a feeling of excitement and expectation because the environment suggests that something good is about to happen. The place is sign posted wonderfully (English too!) so there is no way you can get lost which is good for people who have a tendency to do so. Kitted out with Dean's awesome camera, my tourist handbook as well as our loud, South African accents there was no explanation needed as to what we were doing there.

Grabbing a coffee on the way, we made our way down the beautifully decorated streets to find the much-spoken of Red Square. The decoration hanging from the lamp posts looked like animals folded out of origami and the buildings look like they just happened out of magic because it is so difficult to think about people painstakingly spending hours on creating the detail they entail.

We walked past the world famous GUM shopping center which showed off all sorts of shops such as Gucci and Loui Vutton- very impressive and pretty to look at, we didn't venture into those shops to find out the prices of things though. Then finally, at the end of the cobblestone road stuck out the first of the red buildings followed by another and another...

 There was a vast open space where there were just people walking around and many tourists taking photos. There was also a special Sochi Ice Rink which played music to set the scene. Tall buildings surrounded the square, including the spot where Lenin's mausoleum is, and then there was St Basil's Cathedral.

St Basil's Cathedral marks the geometric center of Moscow and is shaped like a bonfire flame. The little shapes are referred to as onions. The most striking thing for me about this museum were the bright colours and details on every surface you look. A lot of the buildings in Moscow are grey or brown, and while are beautiful, it was strange to see something like Red Square and St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. The colours continue even inside the building. There isn't a flat roof, the roof has different layers and every single bump or ledge has stunning hand painted detail and colour on it.

I would have bought the whole souvenir shop if I could have in an attempt to show my loved ones how amazing this spot is or even to grasp on to this beauty when I'm no longer a Metro ride away from it. I'll have to go back.

As if we were in a film, as we walked out of the Cathedral, it began to snow which added to the magic of this experience.

There were also people taking wedding pictures there and then more people taking wedding pictures in the GUM shopping center. We could not really figure out if it was a photo shoot or if all Russian women are really that beautiful. 

We went to the shopping center for viewing reasons and came across some of the Winter Olympics Mascots. This bear was the best. He rubbed his tummy which had us giggling all day whenever we thought about it. They were also selling Olympics memoirs and I found myself wondering if I was ever going to be able to save money with all the gifts I want to buy for people back home. In case I don't, please remember it's the thought that counts and I was thinking of my brothers when I was there :) 

We had lunch and then dispersed to clients for another hard day's work. If only everyone could live this way.

Metro...whaaaaat?!

Say hello to our new life.

 

 Right, now...If you can find Kievskaya you will be able to locate where we are stationed (well, when we aren't metro-ing)

1. Look to the left of the map.

2. Find the little black aeroplane.

3. Find the grey circle. This is where we function from mostly.

Now from here, you can travel on all the different lines in the directions you need to go to find clients. If you're looking at this map, thinking,"But how?" I would like you to take a moment to be proud of us for being able to work this out within a week. 

Our system this week has been one of turning finding a client's address into a day's adventure. So we'll start the day by waking up way too late as I think we are still working on South African time. Then we attempt to wake up Freddie (which always takes longer than expected) and then we make him be a tour guide. 

Finding the Metro to take is not even the most difficult part. In Moscow, everyone seems to generally live in apartments but the apartment blocks don't have too much of an order to follow so you generally find yourself just wondering around looking for the right block. Once you have found the right block,you must then find the right entrance, followed by putting in a code and then passing through two doors. Afterwhich you must pass through the security/office lady/scariest person ever...this usually leads to you repeating the word, "angliyskiy" (english) over and over until they are defeated with a rolling of their eyes. SUCCESS!

On Monday, we ventured to find VDKh on the orange line for Maree's client. We saw some unbelievable sights on the way including the space museum and just general amazingness. (The pictures can be found on Facebook). Our adventures always in food and in this case, it was a place called Moo Moo's where it worked like a diner and offered very interesting and delicious food! Most of the time, it's a hit and miss situation where we don't always know what we're getting...this time was a hit!

Today, our Metro-ing was off to my client on the red line at the stop called Universitet. Our 100 lane street in front of Dean's apartment was strangely quiet with not a car insight. There were police cars racing up and down clearing the road for an oncoming VIP...Suddenly a team of black cars with a limousine in the center came racing down the road while everyone kind of stopped their lives (for once) and stared as it passed by. Then-life went back to it's normal fast pace.  Along the way, we went on the metro which took us over the Moskva River which is frozen over. Walking to my client, we went passed a school where the children were having snowball fights and the buildings were breathtaking.
We went back to the stop where we could walk along the river and saw one of the olympic stadiums as well as some people skiing of steep slopes.
Again, we ended up having the best lunch at an American restaurant TGI Fridays where there were people who were happy to see us and spoke English! Yay!

I ended my day singing "head, shoulders, knees and toes" with the cutest little 4 year old who called me her goose. I feel like I achieved in life today.

Only Three Days?

I realise it's been three days since I last posted our news, but it has honestly felt like an entire week. Days fly by here which makes it seem so fast paced as well. So in a nutshell (this is probably a lie), here are our weekend adventures...

On Friday morning, Maree and I had a very productive day by spending two hours getting lost in the Metro. This was not originally the plan, I promise. We left an hour early, allowing time for getting lost (which we needed and more). We firstly walked an entire circle around the same station. That was riveting. Then we just decided to get on the Metro and go! We took the Metro to the end of the line (again, not planned) and left to find Wifi in order to send an SOS to Jackie and Dean who had been patiently waiting for us for the last hour. We had gone six stops too far. Eventually seeing their faces once we arrived was like Christmas morning.
Lesson learnt: How to work the Metro.

I spent Friday afternoon with Dean as he went to his music lesson and then a tutor session with one of his clients. Most of this time was spent running behind him and trying not to slip in the snow but it was so awesome to see how different Russian people live. We went to a typically Soviet building where the bathroom was the size of a closet and then we went to another building which was in the shape of a cylinder where the door lady didn't want to let me in.
Lessons learnt: Always take your shoes off and wash your hands on entering a Russian home.
                           Taking longer and wider strides makes walking faster easier.


I then walked back to the Metro through a beautiful park all on my own and felt blessed to be able to see views like this:

 Lessons learnt: If you have good boots, you can walk in feet deep snow.
                            Views like this is what life is about

Friday night Maree and I met two wonderful people who are contacts to get clients to tutor. One man is from Australia. He found his way to Moscow through being a professional rugby coach. He said that he was proud of us because we had lasted longer than two days because that's how long it took for him to want to go home. That was 18 years ago.
Lesson learnt: Life can lead you in a direction you had never thought you would want to go 

Saturday was the day chosen to go grocery shopping. Bundled up and prepared with our shopping bags we joined the babushka in their Saturday morning shop. We jumped on the bus (116 to be exact) and headed out on our mission. I'm sure that soon enough the differences in shopping experiences will get old, but for now it's still rather intriguing. Sometimes we shop blindly and sometimes we attempt to decode the contents of some of the items but either way we tend to get the job done.
Lesson learnt: Not all cans with a fish on them is tuna. Nope, there are many kinds of canned fish here. I'm not sure the cans of fish that we bought, will not be used by anyone in this house.

On Saturday afternoon I was unleashed on a solo mission to the metro as I was going to meet a potential client. To my surprise, I managed to get there and find Dean in good time. We were fetched by the house's driver and driven out into the country where some Russian people have houses for weekends. Excuuuuuse me. The drive was beautiful as we drove through forest and snow where all the houses looked like pretty little (well, not so little) gingerbread houses. Wooden shopping malls sporting Dolce and Gabanna, Prada and a sign that read, "Thank God I'm VIP" told me that we were definitely not in Kansas anymore. Greeted by the house keeper, followed by the nanny and a person who seems to bring whatever you could desire to you...I began to feel like I had stepped into a celebrity's home. The two girls I would work with were extremely sweet and polite and could be found in the playroom which took up the entire third floor and if it were socially acceptable, I would still totally play with the toys that could be found within that playroom. Wow.
Lesson learnt: It must be nice

Saturday evening consisted of Dean's band playing a set at his apartment. This afforded us an opportunity to meet lots of new people which was fantastic. Dean's band's music was so good, it got the neighbour's attention who threatened to invite the police over to hear it too. Poor McFredster chaotically emptied the apartment and for some reason, we got it in our heads that if the police arrived, we would be exported. This was purely for dramatic effect which had Jackie in stitches and Maree shouting things like, "Get out now! This is not a drill!" We could not really decipher whether everyone was being serious or just playing into our scene because we told to use the stairs because "Russian Police don't use stairs" and the person giving us a lift offered for us to hide in the trunk. Either way, it was a quick exit. We moved along to another bar where we had cocktails and snacks while mingling with our new friends.
Lessons learnt: Don't mess with the Russian Police
                           The coldest place on earth never puts ice in their drinks

Admittedly, Sunday (today) has been one of those days where I just wanted to walk into a Spar or Pick n Pay and buy a Steri Stumpi and Jumping Jack white cheddar flavoured popcorn...but I settled for overpriced Nesquick and a Kit Kat. I found myself tearfully expressing my complete self doubt in our favourite little coffee shop by the end of the night...trying to figure out why I was here again. I wonder if Russian people allow themselves to have a bit of a drizz in a restaurant? We didn't really care.
Lessons learnt: It's okay to miss home when you you feel far away
                           Nesquick can NEVER replace a Steri Stumpi
                           The Spences are the best people I could have ever asked to travel with.