Unknown Blind Date

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On Wednesday, Dima and his father invited me to his summer home, where he lives full time since Dima's mother and father divorced. So on the way out the home, which is on the very south end of Obninsk, Dima tells me we are picking up Tonya, a friend of his father, who also speaks English. I am thinking a girlfriend of his father, but it did not matter to me, I was game for as many or as few of people as they wanted to invite. We pick Tonya up at her job, where she is a supervisor for a candy manufacturing facility. She gets in the car and they do quick introductions so I say "Good Evening" in English. She gives me the look of death as she checks me out. I lean towards Dima and said, "I thought you said she knows English" but before I could finish the sentence, she said, "I do!" So that was the start of the unknown date.

We get to their summer home and take a tour because we have to do that before it gets dark since there is no electricity, nor any running water, nor any heat (at the time when we got there). His dad did put a fire in the fireplace but it took a long time to start warming up the house and it was right at 32oF that evening. There was an outhouse if I needed to use the facility and he was heating water for anyone that needed warm water. Now on to the water, they take me out to the street to show me a pipe, that looks like a black iron drain pipe that Dima translate as a "natural spring". Maybe it is, but I could not get over the "drain" looking pipe it was coming from and that fact we were in the middle of a hill at the south end of Obninsk. Remember, Obninsk is known for its nuclear history and the plants are not far from where his Dad lives. I guess I should not have been concerned about bacteria because the radiation would have killed them (and/or mutated them into superbugs), but as I see them collect the water for our use for the evening, all I could think is I hot they really boil the water!

Good news as of right now, it is Friday morning and I have not shown any signs of food poisoning...lol But I did have a very nice time and the food was good once you got past the point of the water and being cold. I would not say Tonya and I connected but we did talk about many things. Dima and his Dad did the cooking outside so we could "talk." After we dropped Tonya off, Dima had a 1000 question for me about her. He kept telling me, why did you not like her, you two were laughing the one time when I came in.

I told him she was a nice person, but I just did not connect with her. He finally accepted it and we had one last drink and both headed home.


We will see how long I can keep this one, but I have my new translator. His name is Denis and he too came from LG, where my last one came from. One of the main difference, besides he is male and Svetlana was female, he smiles. I think everyone I introduce him too comments on it so it was not just me. This is only his third day, so it is hard to say how he is going to work out, but so far so good.


Tonight is our manager's company party in Moscow. I have a feeling it will be late and a lot of drinking! I hope I am wrong, but I doubt it. It is a also a coat and tie function and after yesterday of getting covered in chicken #@#@ while doing some yield studies, I decide I would just bring my suit with me as oppose to wearing it.


Like a lot of you, we are still cold here and even have a little snow on the ground. It is warming up to the mid-30's during the day but down in the mid 20's at night. From what Michael says, they will turn the heat off in two weeks. I am still hearing different stories if it is an exact date or if it is a formula, but I am sure either way, it is coming. I am not sure what the summer holds for us here, if it will be hot or mild, but either way, I am here and we will see.

I hope everyone is well!

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Comments

[Margaret]

Thanks
Thanks for keeping the news coming! I'm living this experience vicariously through you and enjoying it! San Diego is beautiful while the rest of the US is cold. We have a new meat person coming in Monday so I'm looking forward to handing over the beef program.

[vkramer515]

Not Many Pictures
I have not taken many pictures, but still trying to keep everyone updated, but I will have plenty of new stories in the next of weeks. I leave on Friday for Poland and there is rumors I may have to fly to France on Sunday instead of back to Moscow. Just breaks my heart...lol Then the following Saturday, I fly to Athens via Prague for a long weekend since May 1 is a holiday here for us. I am taking advantage of as many holidays as I can. This was not a cheap ticket, but wanted to get to see Athens. Glad to hear you have some help coming. I am still waiting for you to tell me you are coming to audit Elinar-Broiler because JIB is going to open a store in Moscow! We would not pass your audit, but from what I have seen so far at the other plants, we are light years ahead of them for sanitaiton and food safety.