So, for the past couple of days, instead of having internet access at the AH, we've had it's cleverly-named cousin, interNYET... as in no access to the web at all. For a self-proclaimed computer geek and internet addict such as myself, such interNYET days are always tough. But, hey, it gives me the opportunity to seek out fodder for a nice, long post...
Friday I received my *second* package in less than a week containing disposable hand-warmers (when you expose them to air, they heat up and stay warm for 8hrs or so, kind of like a ThermaCare Heat Wrap). You'd think it was cold here or something. Thank you, thank you L! And thanks for the little kitty-card because it made me happy, too.
Anyhow, as I said, this is the second time in less than a week that I have received hand-warmers. While the hand-warmers sent by M (in that package containing SPAM) made their journey from the US to Vladimir unmolested, L's hand-warmers were not quite as lucky. Packages sent to Russia run the risk of being searched by Russian customs (or Postal officials or someone...); although before today I'd never received a packaged that had been searched. How do I know? When they search your mail, they tape it back up with this special "hah-hah we peeked in your mail" tape (kind of like how the TSA leaves those lovely "we rummaged through your undies" notes in your suitcase). Not only had the package been opened, but they were obviously flummoxed by what constitutes a hand-warmer, and felt the need first to open one of the sealed, air-tight packages to test one out. Then they decided to descend slightly further in their madness and actually cut open said heat-warmer in order to see what it was actually made of. (And both the packet and the hand-warmer had been neatly sliced open; this obviously wasn't some sort of accidental tear.) This of course means that the package arrived in my hands bearing fancy-schmancy red and white Russian customs tape, and then it opened itself to dump a spent hand-warmer and "iron, cellulose, vermiculite, activated carbon and salt" all over me. But the rest arrived unharmed.
Friday I received my *second* package in less than a week containing disposable hand-warmers (when you expose them to air, they heat up and stay warm for 8hrs or so, kind of like a ThermaCare Heat Wrap). You'd think it was cold here or something. Thank you, thank you L! And thanks for the little kitty-card because it made me happy, too.
Anyhow, as I said, this is the second time in less than a week that I have received hand-warmers. While the hand-warmers sent by M (in that package containing SPAM) made their journey from the US to Vladimir unmolested, L's hand-warmers were not quite as lucky. Packages sent to Russia run the risk of being searched by Russian customs (or Postal officials or someone...); although before today I'd never received a packaged that had been searched. How do I know? When they search your mail, they tape it back up with this special "hah-hah we peeked in your mail" tape (kind of like how the TSA leaves those lovely "we rummaged through your undies" notes in your suitcase). Not only had the package been opened, but they were obviously flummoxed by what constitutes a hand-warmer, and felt the need first to open one of the sealed, air-tight packages to test one out. Then they decided to descend slightly further in their madness and actually cut open said heat-warmer in order to see what it was actually made of. (And both the packet and the hand-warmer had been neatly sliced open; this obviously wasn't some sort of accidental tear.) This of course means that the package arrived in my hands bearing fancy-schmancy red and white Russian customs tape, and then it opened itself to dump a spent hand-warmer and "iron, cellulose, vermiculite, activated carbon and salt" all over me. But the rest arrived unharmed.
I haven't used any of the hand-warmers yet; I expect it is going to get substantially colder than it is now in the near future, in which case I should save them up for a chilly day... We can compare and contrast "Grabbers Mycoal Hand Warmers" with "Coleman's Disposable Hand Warmers." Man, I am such a geek. But a warm-fingered geek at the least.
Saturday afternoon, Y gave her presentation. (Each AH teacher is required to give an hour-long presentation on something pertaining to America. I gave mine back in September on that cross-country road trip that now I can't really bring myself to think about without getting all teary-eyed and mopey. But I digress...) Y gave her talk on growing up Korean in America, and I found it absolutely fascinating. I would so love to travel around Korea with Y. I can picture it now: bumping into shit with our rental Daewoo while questing for K-socks and scouring Texas Street in Pusan for random dudes with whom to practice our Russian. Y is awesome.
Saturday afternoon, Y gave her presentation. (Each AH teacher is required to give an hour-long presentation on something pertaining to America. I gave mine back in September on that cross-country road trip that now I can't really bring myself to think about without getting all teary-eyed and mopey. But I digress...) Y gave her talk on growing up Korean in America, and I found it absolutely fascinating. I would so love to travel around Korea with Y. I can picture it now: bumping into shit with our rental Daewoo while questing for K-socks and scouring Texas Street in Pusan for random dudes with whom to practice our Russian. Y is awesome.
After Y's presentation, two of the Russian students (one is named Nikita, and I have unfortunately forgotten the other chap's name... I'm unforgivably bad with names, really.) invited us to go ice-skating. There's a skating rink out in Dobroye (this region on the very outskirts of Vladimir, where I'd never been before), where skate-rental is available. While I would very much have liked to go ice-skating (I've only done it twice in my life, and neither time for very long, although I seem to remember enjoying myself), my knees are still suffering from whatever inebriated trauma I inflicted on them back in St. Petersburg, and I figured I should probably stay off the ice until I can again walk properly. But, as L doesn't ice skate, and as they don't rent skates in Misha's gargantuan shoe-size, I wasn't the only non-skating member of our group.
So L, M, and I leaned ourselves up against the side of the rink and watched our friends skating, while chatting and slowly turning to ice. Yes, I could have done with some of those hand-warmers... but not having expected to spend a lot of time outside, I hadn't come prepared. Hell, I hadn't even worn my winter jacket (I wear my frivolous lime green purchase whenever I possibly can, even if it is technically a little too cold out there for it). The three of us non-skaters grew so cold we couldn't feel our feet, and eventually took refuge in a nearby produkti (convenience store), before finally giving in and going home. I also saw two of my students at the skating rink. From the looks on their faces when they saw me, you'd swear they thought I wasn't allowed outside of the AH. ("Oh my god! She's doing something Russian!") Come on people, it's not a zoo. The Americans are actually allowed to roam free. We were also, apparently, unbelievably fascinating to a group of brazen schoolkids who very much wanted to practice their English with us. Of course, their English was essentially limited to "What is your name?" and "What time is it?" so having an avid fan base soon got kind of repetitive. Nonetheless, it was amusing, and kind of reminded me of Korea. (Some of you will know what I mean.)
Anyhow, I was unbelievably chilled by the time I got home. And that evening it started snowing. Surprise! Our last few inches of snowfall stuck around for about a week, before melting away into slush. Last night's snowfall stuck throughout the evening, but began melting away during the day, making for more slush. Yum. I met up with B and L outside of Theater Square at noon for an afternoon of shopping. It snowed on us a bit, leading to a spontaneous snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes spewing forth from B and myself, although none of the afternoon snow stuck to anything other than my nose and eyelashes. Ostensibly, my goal had been to find a long winter coat (the winter coat from Nina M is warm, but it barely covers my ass, and my legs are getting kind of chilly down there), but instead I managed to acquire more frivolous things: some really cool dangly earrings with kitties in the middle, an insane winter skirt (yes, they do make such things) and an equally insane blouse (sadly, not designed for winter) which matches the insane winter skirt. Only Annie in Russia could find this outfit.
So L, M, and I leaned ourselves up against the side of the rink and watched our friends skating, while chatting and slowly turning to ice. Yes, I could have done with some of those hand-warmers... but not having expected to spend a lot of time outside, I hadn't come prepared. Hell, I hadn't even worn my winter jacket (I wear my frivolous lime green purchase whenever I possibly can, even if it is technically a little too cold out there for it). The three of us non-skaters grew so cold we couldn't feel our feet, and eventually took refuge in a nearby produkti (convenience store), before finally giving in and going home. I also saw two of my students at the skating rink. From the looks on their faces when they saw me, you'd swear they thought I wasn't allowed outside of the AH. ("Oh my god! She's doing something Russian!") Come on people, it's not a zoo. The Americans are actually allowed to roam free. We were also, apparently, unbelievably fascinating to a group of brazen schoolkids who very much wanted to practice their English with us. Of course, their English was essentially limited to "What is your name?" and "What time is it?" so having an avid fan base soon got kind of repetitive. Nonetheless, it was amusing, and kind of reminded me of Korea. (Some of you will know what I mean.)
Anyhow, I was unbelievably chilled by the time I got home. And that evening it started snowing. Surprise! Our last few inches of snowfall stuck around for about a week, before melting away into slush. Last night's snowfall stuck throughout the evening, but began melting away during the day, making for more slush. Yum. I met up with B and L outside of Theater Square at noon for an afternoon of shopping. It snowed on us a bit, leading to a spontaneous snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes spewing forth from B and myself, although none of the afternoon snow stuck to anything other than my nose and eyelashes. Ostensibly, my goal had been to find a long winter coat (the winter coat from Nina M is warm, but it barely covers my ass, and my legs are getting kind of chilly down there), but instead I managed to acquire more frivolous things: some really cool dangly earrings with kitties in the middle, an insane winter skirt (yes, they do make such things) and an equally insane blouse (sadly, not designed for winter) which matches the insane winter skirt. Only Annie in Russia could find this outfit.
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