Last Saturday I went to the store by myself and bought a loaf of bread for Larisa. She knows that I am not very confident with my Russian, what little I know of it, and that I am afraid to do things on my own, like take the bus (although I have a few times now, and it's not so bad) or make a purchase, where I have to talk to stangers. It is a scary thing when someone is talking to you and you don't know what they are saying and there is no one there to come to your rescue. So she wrote out for me all I had to say - only one sentence - and sent me on my way. My heart was pounding as I entered the little shop, and I was glad there was no one else around as I said to the clerk, "Daytye mnye, pozhalusta, ahdin khleb." (Give me, please, one loaf of bread). She handed me the bread, and I handed her the money. Needless to say, I was rather proud of myself as I left, and I felt like skipping home, but I restrained myself. I don't think any loaf of bread has ever made me so happy.
I drink a lot of tea here. Usually at least 3 or 4 cups a day. It is the staple beverage. Good thing I enjoy tea. I think my enjoyment of it goes back to the days when I was about 12, and I would visit Rachel, who was newly married and would always serve me tea. I thought it was the coolest thing and it made me feel rather grown up. Although drinking tea here is not quite the same for me as it was at home. There it was a soothing ritual. I would sip my tea slowly, wrapping my hands around the hot cup, breathing in the fragrant steam. It could take me a good half hour to drink a cup of tea, and by the time I reached the bottom, it would usually be mostly cold. Here they have taken to serving my tea with a saucer to drink it from when they noticed how slowly I was sipping it. Mostly that was just because I've never quite figured out how to quickly down a drink that is steaming hot. And I like to take my time with a hot drink. Not here though. They also thought it was rather funny that I don't take sugar in my tea and soon gave up offering it to me. That's at home where I have the option. Often, sugar is just added and you aren't asked. At the internat, the tea is always lukewarm and loaded with sugar.
The other morning I woke up, and everything seemed so normal and narural. So familiar. And for a moment, that familiarity scared me. I think it scared me more than all the unfamiliarity ever did.
I drink a lot of tea here. Usually at least 3 or 4 cups a day. It is the staple beverage. Good thing I enjoy tea. I think my enjoyment of it goes back to the days when I was about 12, and I would visit Rachel, who was newly married and would always serve me tea. I thought it was the coolest thing and it made me feel rather grown up. Although drinking tea here is not quite the same for me as it was at home. There it was a soothing ritual. I would sip my tea slowly, wrapping my hands around the hot cup, breathing in the fragrant steam. It could take me a good half hour to drink a cup of tea, and by the time I reached the bottom, it would usually be mostly cold. Here they have taken to serving my tea with a saucer to drink it from when they noticed how slowly I was sipping it. Mostly that was just because I've never quite figured out how to quickly down a drink that is steaming hot. And I like to take my time with a hot drink. Not here though. They also thought it was rather funny that I don't take sugar in my tea and soon gave up offering it to me. That's at home where I have the option. Often, sugar is just added and you aren't asked. At the internat, the tea is always lukewarm and loaded with sugar.
The other morning I woke up, and everything seemed so normal and narural. So familiar. And for a moment, that familiarity scared me. I think it scared me more than all the unfamiliarity ever did.
posted by Anonymous at 6:47 am
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