Cultural Differences

So first I must say that the staff at our hotel is awesome! Really, the housekeepers wash my clothes and try to refuse me when I give them a few dollars for it. They brought in a crib for C the first night, they’re always friendly and wanting to help (well except the one crabby bartender/waitress), they added internet into our room so Brian could work, and they all love to play with and talk to C even though neither she nor I have any idea what they’re saying. There are some interesting things, too. For instance, I woke up Monday morning with every intention of taking a bath… Ice cold water. That evening, there was still no hot water, so I went in search of the housekeeper to ask. She said it would be 90 minutes. I wasn’t happy with that answer since Brian would be working by that time and I had to leave… A few minutes later, she came to our room and said there was hot water! I don’t really understand how/why they just turn off the hot water, but at least I got my bath! I was happy to learn on Monday that after only 12 nights, they DO in fact change your sheets and give you new towels. It’s definitely an experience here! The great staff makes up for most of these inconveniences, but the things that are expected in America are soooooooo different here.

Monday I ventured to the bank at 1:30 to exchange money (as I do on most Mondays). Unfortunately, they were closed until 2. Apparently, lunch hour means the whole place shuts down. So, I dilly-dallied in a few stores waiting around for them to open. I was back to the bank at 1:58. A lady came to open the door, motioned they weren’t open yet, but felt sorry for C out in the cold. (It was VERY cold Monday!) She let us go in and sit down. At 2:10 they were finally ready for customers and tons of people flooded into the bank. Among them was a lady who kept talking to me even though I had shaken my head and said I didn’t understand. She stood RIGHT next to me as I exchanged money. This was not an isolated incident. It’s happened several times. At home, when someone conducts a transaction (especially at a bank), you stand a respectful distance back so you’re not “all up in their business.” Not here! Even yesterday, I went to an ATM so we would know if it worked. A man came up and stood right next to me totally looking over my shoulder at what I was doing and talking all the while. Just cultural differences, I guess.

Monday we headed to the orphanage a little late. When we got there, we went into the playroom and were promptly locked into the wing. It didn’t bother me at all this time, especially since the lady with the key was “locked in” with us. We played cards, battleship, and when S came in we played spoons. Actually, I had forgotten the spoons, so we played pens - haha. When V*ktor realized it would be Grandma’s birthday on Tuesday, he said he was going to ask if we could use the computer room at school the next day. We said goodbye and walked back to the hotel in the freeeeeeeeezing cold! Since the nice lady was downstairs in the restaurant, I decided not to venture back out and just to eat in the hotel for the night. When Brian started his meetings, C and I went downstairs.

Tuesday, we decided we wanted to check out the market for bread and a few other things. Since Brian wasn’t having many meetings that night, we also decided to eat lunch together at a restaurant we hadn’t tried yet. THEY HAD SPAGHETTI!!!!! I can’t convey how happy this made me. I have desperately missed Italian and Mexican food while we’ve been here. It was so yum! Then, we checked out the market and also a store where I bought 2 Valentines for V*ktor to give his friends. I have no idea what they said. I’m hoping that my charades were effective - asking the lady if the card was appropriate for a kid to give a kid. Brian worked for his hour and then we headed over to the orphanage. V*ktor was out at the store across the street from the orphanage as we arrived. He was buying something for a teacher. He said we could go to the turitsa(?) so we could use the computer (we brought the laptop for skype if it was to be possible). So, he had to run into the school and said he would catch up. He pointed us down the road. We walked to the first place of business and stopped to wait for him. We really had no idea for sure where he was sending us! He caught up and we went to the white hotel restaurant where we sat and used their internet for the price of a few drinks. We tried to skype with Grandma, but, understandably, she was too busy getting A and B ready for the day. So, she didn’t have time. We did skype with Aunt R, though! While we were there, Aleksey called and said there was a document we needed to get. So, after we visited at the restaurant awhile, we walked back to the school. A taxi picked us up and took us to the town social worker. Brian took C in the stroller and headed back to the hotel (it was close). I went in for the important document. After a telephone exchange between Aleksey and the cab driver, I handed over the document and paid him to take it to the train station. It should be arriving in K*ev any time now!

We ate dinner in the room last night. A few days ago, I bought some (what I believed to be) ham for sandwiches. It WAS ham! So, we had ham and cheese sandwiches and some peanuts. Now I know where to get ham! Brian worked, and I made all his travel arrangements for next week. I think C was having tummy troubles because she was sooooo cranky and crying for hours. Poor kid… and poor Mommy. She finally went to sleep sometime around 1am and was up before 9. I think maybe a long nap is in her future.