Change

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We've decided to call our kitten Rosie -- as in the "we can do it" Rosie the Riveter -- instead of Tara. Rosie's easier to say, and we orignially chose "Tara" because it sort of sounds like terror and the kitten was scared of everything. But now she's ok with her new home, except the vacuum cleaner and when Sveta collapses the sofa on her paw.

I've also changed my hairstyle. Ealier this week, I made my way to a hair salon near our building. Despite my completing a month of language lessons, I can't talk. So I sat in the chair and the woman went to work cutting my hair -- in silence. And, for not the first time, I felt relieved about being a foriegner. I've always had trouble talking with hairstylists and now my ignorance gave me licence to sit in the chair and enjoy. At first, the stylist tried speaking to me, and I would respond by scrunching up my face and staring really hard into the mirror. She switched to hand gestures. Shorter or longer -- that was the sum total of our communication. As I watched my reflected image transform, I came to see that the woman was giving me a typical Russian cut. Sort of like a mullet, but with the bangs combed flat toward the the brow. I thought to myself, "I look like them." This too relieved me. My hair curls, is thin on top, and in recent weeks had grown wild and clownlike. Even in Lincoln I stood out. In Perm, I had been mistaken for being French, and who knows what eles. Now mulletted -- I blend in with the Permians.

I did convince the stylist, using only my hands, to cut the back a bit shorter, so as to soften the mullet, making it a little less pronounced. When it was all over, she hollered for the translater -- Sveta -- who had left to negotiate back payments with the gas company. So the stylist was left to deal with me. I think must have impressed her with my ability to pay for the haircut all by myself.

I was glad it was 200 rubles -- no kopecks. Russian merchants often insist on receiving exact change or seem put out when you hand them a bill and expect them to break it. Part of the problem is the Russian money. A ruble is worth about 5 cents. It takes 100 kopecks to make a ruble. There are simply too many coins and absolutely no reason to keep nearly worthless kopecks on hand. This leads to lots of scrambling at every transaction as Russians dig in their pockets for change. I've lost two lunches at the university cafeteria because no one could break a 500 ruble note (about $20).

Sveta came back from a run to the corner store and told me she saw a Brian Eno CD, so I went to check it out. And I discovered the MP3 store. Here one can buy the entire back catalog of David Bowie, Can, or even Hammerfall, all for about $5. Sveta asked me if I understood that evertying in the MP3 store was pirated. I knew this, but rationalized it by explaining that David Bowie is worth about $900 million and and should be ok. Had I been 17 and discovered the MP3 Store, I have no idea on what I would have spent my video store wages.

So the days continue to flow quietly, smoothly, on toward Septmeber. I found out yesterday that Sveta and I, along with the rest of the vacationing English language department, will be expected to write the textbook we will use this semester. To me this seems an impossible task. Physically impossible. I've begun to imagine that I will have to travel throught time, come into contact with my future, get the textbook from future me, and travel back through time to 2008 for the beginning of classes on September 1. Perhaps the Finns have mastered time travel and will teach me their secrets. But maybe I shouldn't worry -- Sveta says it's ok. And things here seem to somehow work out. I just hope Sarah Conners will be ok.

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Photos

Sleeping with Rosie
Although this was something I said I would not allow, Rosie sleeps with us and it's actually kind of nice. Especially because she sleeps on Sveta's side of the bed. Although not always, as you can see here.

Balcony practice
Emergency training

new hair
transformed

Comments

[Matthew Wanser]

English Text
I don't know if you were able to bring the Russian language book I gave you to Russia, but you could use it as a template for English instruction. Maybe work backwards? Or you could just be like Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam. "Give me some skin." Good luck Chris.

[Maria]

getting right on that
So, those books were languishing in the kitchen here in Iowa, but are all packaged up and will be mailed on Tuesday. Um, I was just letting you settle in.

[Grybaziggy]

The books should smell delicious. I can't wait to eat them.