Journal 88 -- Living History -- Krushchovyie and Communal Apartments
Monday - 11-22-10
Class
In Raz. Rech, Tamara Evgen'evna was surprised I'd gone and looked up all the WWII dates that we talked about. She had not, so she thought I wouldn't have! It was interesting.
Voiced my suspicions that I live in a "Krushchova" (Хрущева) - one of the famous (in Russia, at least) 5 story apartment buildings
*****
In Grammar, Izol'da told me I should rest more, and not go to practice today, because I was still pretty darn tired… As always though, I told her I had to work…
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I still had received no word from Vitaly, and Roma was still out of town (he won't be back until tomorrow sometime, and can't work until Wednesday) -- but I figured I could still go to the studio and practice. At that rate, I'd be home early, for once!
…. And then the studio was closed. Apparently Larissa was sick, was the reason I was given. (I think that some of the trainers had only just gotten back after midnight also contributed…) In spite of that, I was still more than a little upset, given that I was tired, and I'd just lost 2 hours out of my day for nothing. Thus, I returned home.
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Getting home early turned out to be a blessing though!!
On a whim, I began searching for a special cookie iron (one that makes belgian waffle cookies). I do this every so often because they are terribly hard to find. The company no longer makes stove-top versions, only electric ones -- and using an electric iron would take the art out of making these particular cookies! (And the fun, too!!)
As Fate would have it today, I found TWO of the irons in question!! I bought one (so now I have two), and I sent the link for the second one to the part of my family that was kind and gracious enough to bring me in on their cookie-making tradition.
It was a real bright spot in my night, making that find and subsequent purchase!!!
*****
Also, I took advantage of being home early, and asked my host mum about her house. My suspicions were right, and we do, in fact, live in a Krushchova!!!
More surprising to me, is that my host mum said that even this apartment used to be a Communal Apartment! A family of three lived in the room that I live in (it's roughly 3 x 4 or 5 meters); while two more families (totaling 6 people) lived in the larger area where she lives.
Even *more* surprising -- she told me that the apartment she had lived in before was a Communal Apartment of 5 rooms, 2 stove tops, *one* Shower, and *one* Toilet … … … For 24 people!!!
It really made me think about the, "right to space," feeling I have, having grown up always living in a house with my family!!
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Later (past midnight), I was chatting with Yana (from the studio) -- I had added her on Facebook, and she confirmed me tonight. I told her about how I'd tried to go practice today, but it was all closed, and I hadn't known. She was surprised, too! She hadn't tried to go that day at all, because her partner was sick. We chatted about training, and I shared with her how I know rest is important, but I feel as if I take any time off, I'm just being lazy. The response she gave me was very touching:
"Ты не лентяй!!!! Каждому бы такое трудолюбие иметь,как у тебя!!!!!=)"
"You're not lazy!!! Everyone should be as diligent/hardworking as you!!!!"
I totally felt unworthy!! Words as kind as that just make me want to keep getting better, and better, and better. I want to show them all so badly, that I can make it to their levels, and be worthy of dancing beside them…
~Moscow Kitty
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