Not a Babushka!
Posted by Hello
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Babushka meeting
These gals stood and talked outside
the market for quite some time. It
must have been juicy!
Posted by Hello
Shopping Babushka
This little dog followed her for a while. It may
have been hers or it may have just been hoping
for a snack. I had one follow me today for about
five blocks. I don't give out snacks!
Posted by Hello
Pop Pop, this is for you! Spencer is at the Notary Office.
Spencer finally agreed to pose for a photo for his
Grandfather. I told him it would be fun to get his picture
taken in front of the Notary Office since his Pop Pop
is a notary. Spencer's exact quote is "beats the he##
out of the Easter bunny!"
Posted by Hello
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
You too can speak Russian
Try saying Tide, Clearasil, Palmolive or any other name brand you can think of with a Russian accent. If you can do that you are speaking Russian! Some things do not translate. Those are the times when I can purchase a product without any problems. Today was my first time ordering water without a panic. Nathan and I went to a restaurant kind of like (not really) McDonalds. Everything was spelled like the English words but phonectically in Russian.
гемьегр= ham bug r
It was like that for cheeseburger and so on! I have picked up the habit of reading the dictionary before I go to bed. So when I was asked if I wanted my Aqua Minerale with or without gas I was able to answer 'bez gasa' ....without gas! I don't like the taste of carbonated water. None of us do. So knowing how to ask for still water is vital. Well, maybe it's not vital.... but, it's what we prefer.
Nathan and I went to a bookstore in the building on the floor below the restaurant. I finally found a medical reference book that has 12,000 prescription names in Russian. Tom has wanted one so we will know what to ask for when we go to the pharmacy. No prescription is needed here. Just walk in and ask for what you need.
I almost got run over on the way to the tram-vi stop. There were three kids who were riding their skate boards down the hill. One of them came up on the sidewalk to avoid being hit by a car. An older woman (maybe his mom?) saw me jump off the sidewalk to avoid being hit. I heard the word for 'watch' and 'tourist'. I told Nathan she said "watch out!, you about killed that tourist!" The boy ran back out to the road and just looked at me and Nathan. Then he re-joined his friends. I know there were some crazy boys in Southern California who used to do the same thing!
Nathan gave up his seat on the tram-vi for this old Orthodox babushka (the orthodox ones keep their heads covered) . She trudged slowly onto the tram-vi like she had been walking for over a hundred years. And painstakingly let out the word "spa-ceeeee-bah!" to Nathan. She rode for two stops and got off. I hope she made it home. She had to cross the tundra in the nice spring weather we were having today!
гемьегр= ham bug r
It was like that for cheeseburger and so on! I have picked up the habit of reading the dictionary before I go to bed. So when I was asked if I wanted my Aqua Minerale with or without gas I was able to answer 'bez gasa' ....without gas! I don't like the taste of carbonated water. None of us do. So knowing how to ask for still water is vital. Well, maybe it's not vital.... but, it's what we prefer.
Nathan and I went to a bookstore in the building on the floor below the restaurant. I finally found a medical reference book that has 12,000 prescription names in Russian. Tom has wanted one so we will know what to ask for when we go to the pharmacy. No prescription is needed here. Just walk in and ask for what you need.
I almost got run over on the way to the tram-vi stop. There were three kids who were riding their skate boards down the hill. One of them came up on the sidewalk to avoid being hit by a car. An older woman (maybe his mom?) saw me jump off the sidewalk to avoid being hit. I heard the word for 'watch' and 'tourist'. I told Nathan she said "watch out!, you about killed that tourist!" The boy ran back out to the road and just looked at me and Nathan. Then he re-joined his friends. I know there were some crazy boys in Southern California who used to do the same thing!
Nathan gave up his seat on the tram-vi for this old Orthodox babushka (the orthodox ones keep their heads covered) . She trudged slowly onto the tram-vi like she had been walking for over a hundred years. And painstakingly let out the word "spa-ceeeee-bah!" to Nathan. She rode for two stops and got off. I hope she made it home. She had to cross the tundra in the nice spring weather we were having today!
Monday, June 06, 2005
Понедельник
Дни Недели
Days of the Week
Понедельник.... Monday........ pah nee Del nik
Вторник............ Tuesday..... ...v Tor nik
Среда................ Wednesday ...sree Dah
Чеверг .............Thursday .......chet Vairg
Пятница.......... Friday............. piAht neet sah
Суббота............Saturday......... su BOAT ah
Воскресенье.... Sunday........... vos kres SENyah
This is a copy of the chart I made for Spencer. He is doing excellent in his Russian studies. Lena told him he was a good student today. I was telling Lena that I have to type very slowly in Russian. She said that is what she does when she has to type in English. I took a typing class so I type in English fairly quickly. But, in Russian it is hunt and peck! During our lesson Nathan kept asking for ice cream. I told him if he could ask for it in Russian I would pay for it. I suggested he ask Lena how to say it. He wanted it badly enough so he did. He even wrote it down in his notebook so he could learn it and ask again! I treated everyone to ice cream. Nathan asked me for “sto rubleh”. I am learning how much things cost here and I don’t fall for that anymore! Sto ruble is 100 rubles. I gave him 60. They were about 4-8 rubles a piece. And he was buying 4. So all he really needed was 30. Right now that comes to just over a dollar for everyone’s ice cream! Mine was Kiwi flavored. Lena’s was vanilla covered with white chocolate and had sesame seeds in it. Spencer had strawberry and Nathan got a Popsicle that was multi-flavored.
After the lesson Spencer and went shopping for a popka (file folder). It was exciting to have learned the word and then use it. We were able to say how many clear plastic pages we wanted inside....30 of course! That's as high as we can count. Spencer was thrilled to find mechanical pencils. In the five weeks we have been here that was the first time we had seen them. We were shopping from little stalls along the street. You never know what you will find. It's like a treasure hunt! To purchase a binder, plastic sheet protectors and 3 mechanical pencils was all less than a dollar. Not bad for a half mile hike!
We watched "White Chicks" with Jody and Melanie. It was good to laugh with them. When traveling or living abroad you seem to collect stories. Sometimes there are so many it is hard to fit them all in. Tom told us about being on the bus today and there was a fire. So his language helper Alexei M. got him off the bus in a hurry. Tom was confused however because he could not smell any smoke or feel the heat. When he got off the bus he saw the fire engines and there was a house on fire...not the bus. Tom said all the fireman he saw were smoking cigarettes! hmmmm...what is wrong with that picture? He and Alexei had to wait for the next bus to come by to finish their trip to the post office. Melanie reminded me that when she and I went shopping last week there were two different women who touched MY boobs to explain how the swim suit would fit on Melanie! She thought it was funny because I didn't bat an eye when I was touched. I understood what they were doing; I didn't think they were feeling me up! They were explaining the bra inside the suit. Jody told us about a time when he was trying on jeans. There was a tea pot inside the room with him. It was boiling and he stuck his head out to say "your chai is ready" he did not have the jeans buttoned up all the way and they did not fit quite right. Can you imagine? Then they wanted him to show off the jeans!
We all agreed on how much we love this country! Where else can you can be felt up by old Russian ladies on the trolley bus (Tom; this little old Orthodox babushka was reaching for the bar to hold on to and her hand went inside his shirt!) or while you are out shopping with a friend ...... oh sorry, I was reminisicing!
Days of the Week
Понедельник.... Monday........ pah nee Del nik
Вторник............ Tuesday..... ...v Tor nik
Среда................ Wednesday ...sree Dah
Чеверг .............Thursday .......chet Vairg
Пятница.......... Friday............. piAht neet sah
Суббота............Saturday......... su BOAT ah
Воскресенье.... Sunday........... vos kres SENyah
This is a copy of the chart I made for Spencer. He is doing excellent in his Russian studies. Lena told him he was a good student today. I was telling Lena that I have to type very slowly in Russian. She said that is what she does when she has to type in English. I took a typing class so I type in English fairly quickly. But, in Russian it is hunt and peck! During our lesson Nathan kept asking for ice cream. I told him if he could ask for it in Russian I would pay for it. I suggested he ask Lena how to say it. He wanted it badly enough so he did. He even wrote it down in his notebook so he could learn it and ask again! I treated everyone to ice cream. Nathan asked me for “sto rubleh”. I am learning how much things cost here and I don’t fall for that anymore! Sto ruble is 100 rubles. I gave him 60. They were about 4-8 rubles a piece. And he was buying 4. So all he really needed was 30. Right now that comes to just over a dollar for everyone’s ice cream! Mine was Kiwi flavored. Lena’s was vanilla covered with white chocolate and had sesame seeds in it. Spencer had strawberry and Nathan got a Popsicle that was multi-flavored.
After the lesson Spencer and went shopping for a popka (file folder). It was exciting to have learned the word and then use it. We were able to say how many clear plastic pages we wanted inside....30 of course! That's as high as we can count. Spencer was thrilled to find mechanical pencils. In the five weeks we have been here that was the first time we had seen them. We were shopping from little stalls along the street. You never know what you will find. It's like a treasure hunt! To purchase a binder, plastic sheet protectors and 3 mechanical pencils was all less than a dollar. Not bad for a half mile hike!
We watched "White Chicks" with Jody and Melanie. It was good to laugh with them. When traveling or living abroad you seem to collect stories. Sometimes there are so many it is hard to fit them all in. Tom told us about being on the bus today and there was a fire. So his language helper Alexei M. got him off the bus in a hurry. Tom was confused however because he could not smell any smoke or feel the heat. When he got off the bus he saw the fire engines and there was a house on fire...not the bus. Tom said all the fireman he saw were smoking cigarettes! hmmmm...what is wrong with that picture? He and Alexei had to wait for the next bus to come by to finish their trip to the post office. Melanie reminded me that when she and I went shopping last week there were two different women who touched MY boobs to explain how the swim suit would fit on Melanie! She thought it was funny because I didn't bat an eye when I was touched. I understood what they were doing; I didn't think they were feeling me up! They were explaining the bra inside the suit. Jody told us about a time when he was trying on jeans. There was a tea pot inside the room with him. It was boiling and he stuck his head out to say "your chai is ready" he did not have the jeans buttoned up all the way and they did not fit quite right. Can you imagine? Then they wanted him to show off the jeans!
We all agreed on how much we love this country! Where else can you can be felt up by old Russian ladies on the trolley bus (Tom; this little old Orthodox babushka was reaching for the bar to hold on to and her hand went inside his shirt!) or while you are out shopping with a friend ...... oh sorry, I was reminisicing!
Sunday, June 05, 2005
A Day Of Rest?
Madagscar! We give the movie 6 thumbs up. After church we went over to City Center with Lena and Alexei P. We were hoping to see Star Wars but it was not showing. So we went to see Madagascar instead. The movie was in Russian but there is enough physical comedy in the movie to understand the context of what was going on. I think we laughed harder than some of the kids in the theatre. We noticed a few differences in going to the Russian movies;
1. when you purchase a ticket you are assigned a seat.
2. the theatre is very clean & everyone cleans up after themselves.
3. there is no warning to turn off cell phones so they will be used to make or receive calls during the movie!
4. we saw a commercial for a TV channel and one movie preview and then the movie started.
5. they don’t put butter on the popcorn and it is already pre-salted. There was a choice of caramel, regular and cinnamon.
6. they sold draft beer!
I am grateful Lena taught us the word for paper. She and I went to the bathroom together as women do. The stall I was in was out of paper… Lena makes me speak Russian as much as possible and I was able to say “Lena! Nyet, boomahgah!” She corrected my grammer like a good teacher. I should have said “boomahgee” because I needed more than one piece! However, she gave me lots of toilet paper to help me out like the good friend she is as well!! OY!
Tom has been saving plastic bottle caps to make a mosaic. He’s lived in California so long he has to recycle. Lena was teaching the kids in Sunday school today and she mentioned it to them. One of the boys went right to work and brought Tom several plastic bottle caps right after church. We ate lunch at city Center and had snacks at the movie and picked up a few more caps along the way home so for today we brought home 44 plastic bottle caps!
Everyone is wiped out now. We have been thinking and speaking in Russian all day long. It is only 9pm and we have all gone to separate rooms. No one wants to think or talk any more!
1. when you purchase a ticket you are assigned a seat.
2. the theatre is very clean & everyone cleans up after themselves.
3. there is no warning to turn off cell phones so they will be used to make or receive calls during the movie!
4. we saw a commercial for a TV channel and one movie preview and then the movie started.
5. they don’t put butter on the popcorn and it is already pre-salted. There was a choice of caramel, regular and cinnamon.
6. they sold draft beer!
I am grateful Lena taught us the word for paper. She and I went to the bathroom together as women do. The stall I was in was out of paper… Lena makes me speak Russian as much as possible and I was able to say “Lena! Nyet, boomahgah!” She corrected my grammer like a good teacher. I should have said “boomahgee” because I needed more than one piece! However, she gave me lots of toilet paper to help me out like the good friend she is as well!! OY!
Tom has been saving plastic bottle caps to make a mosaic. He’s lived in California so long he has to recycle. Lena was teaching the kids in Sunday school today and she mentioned it to them. One of the boys went right to work and brought Tom several plastic bottle caps right after church. We ate lunch at city Center and had snacks at the movie and picked up a few more caps along the way home so for today we brought home 44 plastic bottle caps!
Everyone is wiped out now. We have been thinking and speaking in Russian all day long. It is only 9pm and we have all gone to separate rooms. No one wants to think or talk any more!
City Center...the newest mall in Krasnodar!
This is truly a western mall. There is a food
court and there are two movie screens here!
There are three floors inside. This was the
second time Lena had ever used an escalator!
Posted by Hello
Nathan messing up Hannah's hair... just cuz I told him not to!
A large group of kids were holding the door shut
so Spencer could not come out side. Spencer asked me
to open the door. You should have seen their eyes
when it was not Spencer coming through that door!
Hannah started posing for me. The kids know I always
have my camera...
I asked Nathan not to mess with her hair
and just as the flash went off...well you can see
the rest!
Posted by Hello
Saturday, June 04, 2005
Kids Club Day!
Spencer was invited to the Kids Club today. The group ranges in age from 12-15. Spencer was the oldest boy. We heard that sometimes it is all boys. He was at least willing to try it out. We learned some new words and phrases along the way. It was fun to listen to the kids talk. Some of the kids speak multiple languages and they freely switch back and forth between them all.
When I was with the women they were telling me some of the Russian words that sound like other words if you don't put the accent in the right place. If you don't say the word for tray correctly you will be saying the word "diarrhea" and if you don't say the word for writing correctly you will be saying the word "to pee". Sonya told me that Klaus was going to talk about painting with a brush. But, instead of the word for brush he used the word for cat. Fransi said that you could only paint with a cat if he was a very patient cat! Sonya also told about a time she heard someone talking about courage but it sounded like they were using the word "to skin" so it was pretty scary to be hearing about skinning someone in church!
When I was with the women they were telling me some of the Russian words that sound like other words if you don't put the accent in the right place. If you don't say the word for tray correctly you will be saying the word "diarrhea" and if you don't say the word for writing correctly you will be saying the word "to pee". Sonya told me that Klaus was going to talk about painting with a brush. But, instead of the word for brush he used the word for cat. Fransi said that you could only paint with a cat if he was a very patient cat! Sonya also told about a time she heard someone talking about courage but it sounded like they were using the word "to skin" so it was pretty scary to be hearing about skinning someone in church!
Walking to the park!
Spencer and Pavlik share the load. Pavlik is the
son of pastor Valodia. He has three sisters. Sasha,
Natasha and Ruth.
Posted by Hello
Franzi and Spencer still on the path!
Pavlik ran ahead to play Spencer and Franzi
have switched burdens. She is now carrying the
bucket of water balloons and Spencer has the
grill and the food!
Posted by Hello
We saw horses in the distance!
Nathan heard that some people let their horses
run free in this park to eat. They come back for
them later. He told us this last night and today
we see them here!
Posted by Hello
Pavlik found a tree he liked!
Before his sister Natasha makes him come down
we both get a quick shot of him in the tree! This
tree was very tall. He skinnied up and down like
there was nothing to it!
Posted by Hello
Photo by Spencer!
Tobias and Mischa came running back from this
pond to tell me there was a huge frog that I needed
to get a picture of. I gave Spencer my camera and
sent them off! I am told there is a frog in this shot.
Posted by Hello
Manuel got a call from his Dad!
Franzi got a call form her husband Klaus. All of
his boys took turns speaking to him. The older ones
all spoke in German. Manuel started his conversation
in English, then swtiched to German. He still had time
to pose for me! He wanted to see the photo right after!
He likes the digital camera....
Posted by Hello
Sonya is taking photos too!
Sonya is from Switzerland. She speaks German,
English, French, Russian and Swiss. She says they
have to learn German, English and French in school!
Posted by Hello
going home!
Everyone is tired. They have eaten and played
futbol (soccer) , frisbee, hide and seek, and explored
the park. And now we have a 20 minute walk
back to the church!
Posted by Hello
Friday, June 03, 2005
Rusglish?
When you combine Spanish and English you get Spanglish. When you combine Russian and English you get Rusglish. Our assignment is to listen and write down words. As we go around the city I have heard younger Russians speaking a combination of English and Russian. I do it to. I think it happens when you are learning one of the languages. The typical thing that I mix is the English word “oh” with the Russian word “Dah” (yes). The other day I was out and heard someone else do it. If you had heard the context it was clear that is what the person had done! Today during our language lesson with Lena; Spencer was writing out his words. He kept mixing Russian and English letters. It was funny because he did not realize what he had done. I kept saying you need to change that letter to a P. He kept saying that is a P. I kept saying “no a Russian P not an English P that is an R. Tom and I told Lena that is Rusglish!
Guess what she said… “Oh!..Dah!”
Guess what she said… “Oh!..Dah!”
Blog Things Quizzes!
Ok so this is me!
And this is Tom:
You Are 31 Years Old |
31 Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax. |
And this is Tom:
You Are 22 Years Old |
22 Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax. |
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Thursday!
Reebok! Is the word for Fisherman. The man selling fishing equipment at the renoc greeted us today in French. We cannot quite figure out how people determine where they think we are from. Nathan needed fishing gear because he has been invited to go on a fishing trip that is being arranged for Monday with Lena's brother; Slavic. He wanted to have equipment like Raul's. He found everything he needed and then he walked home by himself to be home in time for his art lesson.
Tom, Spencer and me went on walking through the renoc and found other treasures. We found a yarn store that also had beads! Tom found some goodies and I bought some yarn that looks like camoflage. Spencer wants me to make a lanyard to hold his cell phone!
I had to go over to the language school to send a fax regarding my plane ticket today. I had to go over there yesterday too. We saw the same guy both days. He was lighting a cigarette and walking towards us. He greeted us the same way both days.... "Allo, es-shh-ah" I thought at first he was saying 'hello lady'. Later we were walking past a sign that had the intials for USA. The sounds the guy made were the sounds for those letters. He was saying "hello USA!" Tom says to let him know the United States of America says "Hi!"
Tom, Spencer and me went on walking through the renoc and found other treasures. We found a yarn store that also had beads! Tom found some goodies and I bought some yarn that looks like camoflage. Spencer wants me to make a lanyard to hold his cell phone!
I had to go over to the language school to send a fax regarding my plane ticket today. I had to go over there yesterday too. We saw the same guy both days. He was lighting a cigarette and walking towards us. He greeted us the same way both days.... "Allo, es-shh-ah" I thought at first he was saying 'hello lady'. Later we were walking past a sign that had the intials for USA. The sounds the guy made were the sounds for those letters. He was saying "hello USA!" Tom says to let him know the United States of America says "Hi!"
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Oy, what a day!
Tom is going to find the post office. The Sharp family joke is that going to the post office means you are going out for ice cream… BUT, Tom is really going to find the post office. There is a Baskin Robbins down on Krasnaya; hopefully that is not near the post office!
How do I describe the rest of the days events?
1. There was a little babushka on the tram-vi going for the same seat as me. But I didn't see her. We collided. I helped her into the seat. This teenager started laughing and I shot him a NASTY look. He sat up board straight and stopped laughing immediately. That made me hold back a laugh. That poor little old lady was about the size of Tom's grandmother Sharp. She could have blown over in the wind. I thought I broke her! She was running forward with her hands on her head holding down her hair pins!
2. We saw a young boy riding on his bike up the street. He rode right in front of this young lady and skidded to a stop... then he reached out and smacked her on the forehead! She turned to her friend and said "et moi brat" (That is my brother!) Spencer said "of course that was her little brother; who else would do such a thing?!"
3. Found out that someone on Nathan's message board thinks I'm hot.
(Homestar Runner Voice) "Ew gwoss, she's old enough to be your muddah!"
4. The finale: this actually happened first....
We saw our first cross dresser in Russia! He was wearing a bright red see through blouse with roses embroidered on it. It was knee length.... with mauve colored slacks and sandals. He also had a big flashy orange ring on his pinky. Spencer was being a gentleman like his dad taught him and got up to offer him/her the seat and when he realized this was a man he pretended to tie his shoe and sat back down! The older people on the bus were not making eye contact with him and the younger ones were whispering. It was interesting to say the least. I had my camera but thought it best not to document this event!
How do I describe the rest of the days events?
1. There was a little babushka on the tram-vi going for the same seat as me. But I didn't see her. We collided. I helped her into the seat. This teenager started laughing and I shot him a NASTY look. He sat up board straight and stopped laughing immediately. That made me hold back a laugh. That poor little old lady was about the size of Tom's grandmother Sharp. She could have blown over in the wind. I thought I broke her! She was running forward with her hands on her head holding down her hair pins!
2. We saw a young boy riding on his bike up the street. He rode right in front of this young lady and skidded to a stop... then he reached out and smacked her on the forehead! She turned to her friend and said "et moi brat" (That is my brother!) Spencer said "of course that was her little brother; who else would do such a thing?!"
3. Found out that someone on Nathan's message board thinks I'm hot.
(Homestar Runner Voice) "Ew gwoss, she's old enough to be your muddah!"
4. The finale: this actually happened first....
We saw our first cross dresser in Russia! He was wearing a bright red see through blouse with roses embroidered on it. It was knee length.... with mauve colored slacks and sandals. He also had a big flashy orange ring on his pinky. Spencer was being a gentleman like his dad taught him and got up to offer him/her the seat and when he realized this was a man he pretended to tie his shoe and sat back down! The older people on the bus were not making eye contact with him and the younger ones were whispering. It was interesting to say the least. I had my camera but thought it best not to document this event!
Rhianna, such a happy girl!
Erin just sent these new photos of Rhianna.
I can hardly wait to see them again! Rome is
28 days away!
Posted by Hello
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)