Journal 17
Tuesday - 02-1-11
Before I get to the regularly scheduled Journal, I have to say this:
I keep hearing about (from friends), or seeing reports online, about the MASSIVE Winter Storm hitting the US (and my current State of residence, Indiana)…. I know it's serious, and I shouldn't be doing the following, but I am having so much fun telling people that the weather is worse in the US than it is in Moscow. People are hard-pressed to believe it!!
When they CLOSE the highways in the US, you KNOW it's bad.
For fun, and for Star Wars fans out there, please enjoy this doctored photo, "stolen" from my friend Maggie:
And now, back to your regularly scheduled Journal…
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Well, it's back to the scholastic grindstone… Today was the first day of class!
I have to say, it started on a… Well, not an ominous note, but not the best note, either.
I'm to be working with my favorite Grammar professor again: Lilia Leonidovna. *That* is amazing news! I had missed working with her SO much; and really regretted that I wasn't able to work with her for my whole time here. I imagine my Russian would be even better if I'd been allowed to work with her during the summer and last semester.
But I wasn't. And I didn't receive the kind of instruction I wanted/needed, in my opinion, for my grammar. The proof of this is in having Lilia Leonidovna say to me:
"They [the other teachers] told me you've gotten worse; and I was surprised. I see what they are talking about -- let's fix things."
It of course hurt to hear that the consensus was that I'd gotten worse, or that my progress has slowed to a noticeable degree -- and that it hadn't been brought to my attention earlier; knowing the teachers' high expectations of me, however, lessened the sting.
I didn't have all of my classes today; just Grammar and Razvitie Rechi (Conversation Building), but the idea was more to formulate a "game plan" than anything else. E.g., what do we want to work on this semester?
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Speaking of work… I was *supposed* to have lessons tonight, but… … Wound up having a wildly crazy, rather enjoyable night instead!!!
This all started when we scheduled lessons early enough, that I could get there from the University, have lessons, and still make it to my weekly Hustle party.
Vova called me, as I was waiting for Roma on the Metro platform. When I got outside to call him back, Vova said that he needed to change our time. If I understood the situation correctly, it seemed his partner needed to go out of town, at the last minute, and he needed to give her a lift.
Then, Vova remembered that I had my hustle party I wanted to go to. I told him not to worry about the party -- I'd skip it, if I had to -- because the lessons were more important. Roma and I really need to get back to work!
Vova said he'd call me back in a few minutes -- I assume, after he had time to figure out what was going on with his partner, as well as to see if there was a later time that still worked.
When he called back, he asked where my partner was, and I said he was supposed to be arriving soon. (He was running a little late.) Vova told me the plan would be as follows: he would come pick my partner and I up (from the metro stop), and we would have our lesson elsewhere, just a little bit later in the evening!
*****
So, Roma and I finally rendezvous with Vova and Masha, and some crazy driving later, Vova got Masha where she needed to go. But I guess Vova still needed to get her some music -- so THEN, we had to go to Vova's apartment!!
As we all walked in, someone who I could only assume was related to Vova walked out, in shorts, and no shirt (turns out, it was his Papa) -- and while I didn't catch all of the conversation, I realized he was asking what the strangers (Roma and I) were doing in the apartment!
Vova quickly explained the situation, and ushered us in -- asking if we wanted tea, like a good Russian -- and set about getting whatever music he needed, while Roma and I talked about video games and I tried to explain Mah Jong to both of them.
When Vova had gotten whatever it was he was after, we began to collect ourselves to leave, but then Vova remembered we hadn't had our tea!! As good Russians (and the tag-along [me]), we all shuffled into the kitchen to have our tea.
Of course, this is Russia, and you can't *just* have a cup of tea. Soon, sushki (Think, like bite-sized, dry bagels. Can be sweet, or savory), candies, and a few pieces of a lemon log cake covered the table!! Vova told me to make sure that I tried a specific candy, and I said that I would, but I was more in the mood for the sushki, so I never actually took one...
Looking at the table, glancing at the good company I was in, and being gleeful from having my first sushki in MONTHS, I sighed happily and said, "Now I *know* I am back in Russia… Tea, and sushki, and candy!"
Everyone, to my relief, got a good laugh out of the joke.
We had a lovely conversation, which included the following amusing tidbit:
Vova: "So… You came here to study dance??"
Me: "Yeah, pretty much…"
Vova: "You're crazy!!" (<-- Meant in the best of ways.) "That's cool!"
[Remember that I'd never worked with, or spoken to Vova much before, so I guess he still hadn't gotten the story yet.]
Eventually, we finished our tea, and agreed that it was time to go. As we were putting on our coats, however, Vova looked at me and said, "You never tried one of the candies. How come?"
Imagine how surprised I was that he even noticed!!!!! I couldn't believe it!
I said something to the effect of, "I was too busy eating the sushki!" and he asked me, "Do you want to take some [of the candies] with you??"
For some unknown reason, because I never deny candy, I uttered some kind of a weak no -- but Vova pressed, "Are you suuure?"
So I relented, saying, "Oh, alright!"
He sent his Papa to grab some of the candies, and before I knew it, I had to put out *both* of my hands to catch how many were being given to me!!
[I tried one on the way down to the car - oh my *gosh* it was soooooo tasty!!!!!!!!!! It was also the closest I think I've come to anything remotely, "peanut butter" flavored in Russian candy.]
*****
So, we're in the car, driving to this other studio where we are supposed to have our lesson, and Vova had a CD playing. I thought I recognized the singer's voice, and asked, "Hey… Is this the singer from 5'nizza**?"
[** 5'nizza is pronounced "P'yaht" - "Neat-sa."
When written as "5'nizza" the first word is a play off of the Russian word for the number 5.
If it's written together as, "Pyatnitsa" it means "Friday." (The 5th day of the week.)
They are my favorite Russian-Language band, though they are Ukranian.]
Vova responded in the affirmative, seemingly surprised that I either had picked out the guy's voice, or that I knew the band, "5'nizza." It seemed to excite him a little though, and he began to skip through the CD to find different songs to show me. There were some absolutely *beautiful* ones, and even a cover of Bob Marley's "Jammin'." (Sung in English; and Vova asked me how to translate, "Jammin'." *That* was a doozy of a question, let me tell you!)
But the HIGHLIGHT, and the song Vova was most excited to show me, was this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DESWV8rR33A
That's right. The National Anthem of the Soviet Union, Reggae Style, with the, "La," stylings of Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock."
[And for those of you who would like to know just what they're saying, here are the lyrics, with translation [Look at the 1977 Version; scroll down the page for the English translation.]:
http://www.marxists.org/history/ussr/sounds/lyrics/anthem.htm ]
Actually, the version Vova had was a proper studio version, which I can't find -- but that link gives you the right idea. But I found the orchestration they composed to be quite beautiful, and I certainly fell in love with the song!!
Now… We're driving along, driving along, driving along, on our way to a dance lesson, and listening to this fantastic music, after having a great time at Vova's apartment (however unexpected going there may have been). Life could hardly have gotten much better for me!
… Until Life decided it had been too good already, and threw us a bump.
Vova got a phone call, when we were maybe *minutes* from arriving at the studio, and was told that there wasn't going to be any room for us after all, and we couldn't have our lesson!!!
Poor Vova! After *everything* that evening, with the confusion with his partner and trying to get us our lesson (and it seemed like he'd already had a long day before that, from what I'd gleaned earlier), he was just so frustrated!!
He apologized to us profusely, for not being able to give us our lesson, and I sat there stunned that he was apologizing, after he'd been so welcoming, and had tried so hard to get us our lesson, when it would have just been so much easier to cancel on us!
I essentially told him as much (how appreciative of his efforts and hospitality I was), and that even though we weren't going to have a lesson, the night was still a fantastic one. Still flustered from everything, however, he flat out said, "Tell me THREE good things, right now!"
With no hesitation, I named at least three, and then kept going. (Something to the effect of, great company, tea and sushki, amazing music, having a teacher who would try so hard to work with us and not just cancel, and, "And it's snowing outside, which is beautiful!")
He sat in stunned silence for a moment, before laughing loudly and saying, "You're quite the optimist, aren't you??"
It was as if he couldn't believe someone could be so positive!
Bright and shiny. It's a fun way to be! =^_~=
[Note: As I found out a little over a week later, however, my partner was equally shocked by my ability to find so many positives in a negative situation. But he said it was a very good thing, and he was impressed.
It's not the first time I've heard Russians express surprise at my bright outlook. I've even had a handful tell me, "I'm jealous of you." Always shocked to hear this, I ask, "Why??" And they always respond, "You are so happy… You find all of these positive things in life -- I wish I could do that." -- Nobody ever believes me that it's not that difficult to do!!]
*****
Given that we were no longer going to have a lesson, Vova offered to drop Roma and I off a little closer to our destinations, at the very least. But when we saw that a long line of traffic was forming already, coming from the center, Vova asked if it would be alright to instead drop us off at the closest Metro, so that he wouldn't get stuck in traffic, and not be able to get home for a much longer amount of time.
Of course, Roma and I were ok with this, happy for any courtesy of a ride versus none at all.
We jammed to Michael Jackson on the way to the Metro -- and I couldn't help but laugh at this, thanks to an event from our first lesson with Vova.
As we were working on Samba, he had turned on, "They Don't Really Care About Us," and just as soon as I heard the first downbeat of the drums, I said, "Oh, Michael jackson!!"
Roma looked at me oddly, and said, "Really?? How do you know? Are you sure?"
Vova just smiled at the fact that I knew exactly what he was playing right away, and didn't question my genius. -- So he obviously figured out quickly that I was also a fan.
When we got to the Metro, I was thinking about all the wonderful 5'nizza songs on Vova's CD, and I asked him, "Could I borrow your CD sometime, to get those songs you played for us?" I really had fallen in love with them!
Imagine my surprise, when Vova simply ejected the CD and handed it right over to me then and there!!! I couldn't believe my luck!!
With assurances of lessons tomorrow, the treasure of music in my hands, and laughter from a good evening in my heart, I skedaddled for the Hustle Party!!
**********
Currently, the group I dance hustle with is no longer dancing at the old Rhythm and Blues restaurant. They're undergoing some kind of renovation right now, so we've moved to a new place. It's a dance studio near the Tret'yakov Art Gallery.
As it was my first time going there, I took the walk a bit more slowly, and stopped to take tons of pictures! (I am still loving my new camera.)
Among the highlights were an Orthodox Church, and a "Big, Scary, White Van" which had an advertisement for the Soviet Arcade Games Museum on its side.
[Not For Blog: As I said on my Facebook, "They have gone from baiting with candy, to baiting with arcade games... = O_o =
Big, white Vans just got that much more clever/scarier!!!"]
I made it to the new place alright, and had a great time dancing!
***********
I came back and wound up with another late, late night… (Past 4 AM)
... Which led to this priceless Bait and Switch:
Mark:
Have you ever seen The Fifth Element?
Me:
Yes!
Mark:
You know what my favorite part is?
Me:
*shakes her head*
Mark:
The part where you GO TO BED IT'S EARLY.
I couldn't stop laughing!!! I *totally* didn't see the admonishment coming.
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Love,
Moscow Kitty
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