I don't know why, just for some reason all of a sudden I feel sadness. Maybe because it's not that late and I realize that I have to go to bed already or tomorrow I will be sleepy and tired. Maybe because Matt is far away, we did not talk this morning; actually we talked for about a minute, which is almost worse than not talking at all, just makes me miss him when I just hear his voice yet don't have a chance to know what is going on in his life that day :( Maybe it's because I know that my sister is leaving for a week. It's great for her, really. She gets to go to New York with a guy who is the best thing that ever happened to her so far (as far as boyfriends go). I will be here alone while she is in New York. I think I will miss her. I want to listen to some sad music, but I am not sure what my sister has on her iTunes, nor am I in any mood to look and try to figure it out. Maybe it's becasue I have noticed some of Kara's friends change after spending some time in Moscow and that makes me wonder if I will be different, more pessimistic, more harsh, less human after being here for a year and a half. This city is not that horrible, yet some people have changed for the worse after moving here (no, I am not talking about my sister here, just want to make that clear, rather about a friend of hers whom I was a very high opinion of before). Maybe it's because we are having some difficulties with paper work for UK visas for New Years, and that is the only time I will have a chance to see Matt between November and February. I have many reasons to be sad, but usually I don't let them get to me.
When I was younger, my moods changed pretty quickly for no reason really. But I haven't had it in the last couple of years. Now, I am back to being my old self :( I don't like mood swings. I liked being happy when I was with Matt in the US. Now that I think about it, it was Matt who changed my moods for the better. He always cheered me up, and gave me a reason to be happy. I just wish I had his support, kind words when I feel sad in Russia. I think today is the first time since I have come back that I really miss Matt and it affects my mood. Today was a good day really, but it ends on the sad note for me.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Paid Vacation...Lots of them :)
Here is a list of days in November 2007- November 2008 that our office will be closed for holidays.
5 November (Monday) - holiday
30 December 2007 - 8 January 2008 New Year holidays
25 Feb (Monday) - Defender’s Day
10 Mar (Monday) - Women’s Day
1-2 May (Thursday - Saturday) - Spring Fest
9 May (Friday) - Victory Day
12 June (Thursday) - Day of Russia
Total Paid Holidays: 17 days
As you can tell we have quite a few holidays in Russia. All working people in Russia are also entitled to 1 month of paid vacation. This is so different from what US has to offer. When I worked at Graco we had 2 weeks of paid vacation and a hand-full of Days off. Russia is a whole different story. I have 1 month of paid vacation, plus another 17 days that fall under paid holidays. I am thinking that I am liking it here :)
Some of the days mentioned above fall on the weekends, like Women’s Day is actually March 8, but since March 8 is Saturday (non-working day), then the holiday transfers to Monday :)
I have told most people that Russia has more paid holidays than US, but I did not know what they all were. Now, I do (I took these dates from the list that HR distributed to all the employees).
5 November (Monday) - holiday
30 December 2007 - 8 January 2008 New Year holidays
25 Feb (Monday) - Defender’s Day
10 Mar (Monday) - Women’s Day
1-2 May (Thursday - Saturday) - Spring Fest
9 May (Friday) - Victory Day
12 June (Thursday) - Day of Russia
Total Paid Holidays: 17 days
As you can tell we have quite a few holidays in Russia. All working people in Russia are also entitled to 1 month of paid vacation. This is so different from what US has to offer. When I worked at Graco we had 2 weeks of paid vacation and a hand-full of Days off. Russia is a whole different story. I have 1 month of paid vacation, plus another 17 days that fall under paid holidays. I am thinking that I am liking it here :)
Some of the days mentioned above fall on the weekends, like Women’s Day is actually March 8, but since March 8 is Saturday (non-working day), then the holiday transfers to Monday :)
I have told most people that Russia has more paid holidays than US, but I did not know what they all were. Now, I do (I took these dates from the list that HR distributed to all the employees).
Sunday, October 28, 2007
The ring
I miss my ring today. I left home this morning and forgot to put it on, and when I sat down in the subway, I found myself thinking that something is missing. I took off my gloves and realized what it was that I missed so much.
I used to take off my ring every night when I was in Minneapolis. Don't know why, just did. And there were quite a few days when I went to work without it, some weekends I did not wear it either. Well, since I got to Russia, I only take my ring off when I shower. I wear it all the time, except for last night. I got home very tired last night and figure I did not want any jewelry on me, and this morning I was not quite myself at 6:30 am, so I left without my ring.
I am quite used to having it on my finger, I like my wedding ring. I like looking at it and playing with it during the day. I like to feel it on my finger, it's a bit heavy, and for awhile I could not get used to it, but now I feel like my finger is missing something :(
Matt used to have a Monday morning list, a list of all the things he needed to check he had before he left out of town each Monday. I think I just need a morning list, to make sure I take all the important things with me for the day :)
Anyway, I am a bit sad that I left my ring at home today. Can't wait to get home and put it on :)
I used to take off my ring every night when I was in Minneapolis. Don't know why, just did. And there were quite a few days when I went to work without it, some weekends I did not wear it either. Well, since I got to Russia, I only take my ring off when I shower. I wear it all the time, except for last night. I got home very tired last night and figure I did not want any jewelry on me, and this morning I was not quite myself at 6:30 am, so I left without my ring.
I am quite used to having it on my finger, I like my wedding ring. I like looking at it and playing with it during the day. I like to feel it on my finger, it's a bit heavy, and for awhile I could not get used to it, but now I feel like my finger is missing something :(
Matt used to have a Monday morning list, a list of all the things he needed to check he had before he left out of town each Monday. I think I just need a morning list, to make sure I take all the important things with me for the day :)
Anyway, I am a bit sad that I left my ring at home today. Can't wait to get home and put it on :)
Friday, October 26, 2007
I can run, but I CAN'T HIDE
... from Pepsi. In the last 2 years I have been addicted to Pepsi in the US, I drank it on a daily basis. There have been a few weeks here and there when I went without it, but once I was done with those weeks, I made up for not drinking any soda by drinking 3-4-5 cans of Pepsi a day. I used to drink "Diet Pepsi" when I was in the states.
Well, it turns out that when I came to Russia, I had a bit of a pepsi withdrawal (aka headaches). I did not want to spend money on Pepsi, plus I knew that it was not all that good for me anyways. I did pretty good the first month of me being in Russia. Then, my sister agreed on getting some "Pepsi Light" for me at the store. Yes, there is no diet pepsi, it's all lights here. We have "Coca Cola Light", "Pepsi Light" and that is about it. You can't find "Sprite Light" or "Fanta Light" or anything like that. If you want light, you are stuck to Coke and Pepsi. So, the last couple of weeks we have been having a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi in our fridge at any given day at any given time. If we run out, then my sister buys another bottle on the way home. I think she is getting just as addicted to it as me.
You have noticed it right, it's not Pepsi Light that we have in our fridge, it's Pepsi. Well, see, there is a store by our apartment building, it's about 2 minutes of walking. So, naturally when we run out of water or Pepsi, that's the store we use to get some more. For some unknown to me reason they don't sell Pepsi Light in there, it's just regular pepsi. Even though I don't like getting calories from drinks, I justify drinking regular Pepsi because my sister or I are just too tired to walk too far to get this drink, plus I walk much more now than I ever did in the states. I am convinced that so I burn all the Pepsi calories, I just doubt I burn any more :)
So, I tried running from Pepsi. Geeze, ran all the way to Moscow, Russia. But I guess I can't hide. We are destined to be in each other's life. I'll just try not to run away from it any farther than Moscow, hiding from this drink is virtually impossible :)
Well, it turns out that when I came to Russia, I had a bit of a pepsi withdrawal (aka headaches). I did not want to spend money on Pepsi, plus I knew that it was not all that good for me anyways. I did pretty good the first month of me being in Russia. Then, my sister agreed on getting some "Pepsi Light" for me at the store. Yes, there is no diet pepsi, it's all lights here. We have "Coca Cola Light", "Pepsi Light" and that is about it. You can't find "Sprite Light" or "Fanta Light" or anything like that. If you want light, you are stuck to Coke and Pepsi. So, the last couple of weeks we have been having a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi in our fridge at any given day at any given time. If we run out, then my sister buys another bottle on the way home. I think she is getting just as addicted to it as me.
You have noticed it right, it's not Pepsi Light that we have in our fridge, it's Pepsi. Well, see, there is a store by our apartment building, it's about 2 minutes of walking. So, naturally when we run out of water or Pepsi, that's the store we use to get some more. For some unknown to me reason they don't sell Pepsi Light in there, it's just regular pepsi. Even though I don't like getting calories from drinks, I justify drinking regular Pepsi because my sister or I are just too tired to walk too far to get this drink, plus I walk much more now than I ever did in the states. I am convinced that so I burn all the Pepsi calories, I just doubt I burn any more :)
So, I tried running from Pepsi. Geeze, ran all the way to Moscow, Russia. But I guess I can't hide. We are destined to be in each other's life. I'll just try not to run away from it any farther than Moscow, hiding from this drink is virtually impossible :)
Discovery
I have made a new discovery today. Every day between 12 pm and 2:30 pm I usually go to lunch at work. Today during my lunch I suddently figured something out: Russians don't know how to make a decent lasagna. Why am I thinking about this all of a sudden? Well, because I ordered lasagna today for lunch and a salad (salad was great by the way). Lasagna was quite disappointing. I mean, it was kinda flat, not very tall, did not taste the same as what I am used to. (Have to admit, I am used to Macaroni Grill Lasagna; but still I have eaten plenty others in the states that were better). It did not have cottage cheese (it also did not have too much spaghetti sauce which was a plus :)), I am actually not quite sure what it had. I just know that it did not taste right.
So, while I was eating I thought I needed to come up with a solution to this problem. (No, I am not going to learn how to cook good lasagna). I thought that in the last 2 years or so of my life the only places I have had lasagna were at the Italian restaurants. Matt and I got a little spoiled going out the last couple of years, so I haven't had any other exposure. So, naturally I remember my most recent experiences (the ones in the Italian Restaurants). I figured I need a solution to fixing a problem of eating a not very tasty lasagna. My solution is simple: I need to go to Italy to try a real Italian lasagna. Matt, this hint is for you, baby. I want a trip to Italy, after all, this problem has to be fixed :)
So, while I was eating I thought I needed to come up with a solution to this problem. (No, I am not going to learn how to cook good lasagna). I thought that in the last 2 years or so of my life the only places I have had lasagna were at the Italian restaurants. Matt and I got a little spoiled going out the last couple of years, so I haven't had any other exposure. So, naturally I remember my most recent experiences (the ones in the Italian Restaurants). I figured I need a solution to fixing a problem of eating a not very tasty lasagna. My solution is simple: I need to go to Italy to try a real Italian lasagna. Matt, this hint is for you, baby. I want a trip to Italy, after all, this problem has to be fixed :)
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
My goal
Well, all of us have goals. Most people have pretty challenging goals ahead of them. I have a goal too, it might not sound challenging to most, but it's pretty difficult. My goal is to learn how to type in Russian. Not just type, but speed type. Just like most goals, mine has a deadline as well. My deadline is New Years. I don't have that much time, but I am going to try to learn how to speed type in Russian by New Years.
I am not even sure how to approach this goal. I might look around the internet and see if there are any free software there, otherwise I will go to a bookstore and get CD or something to help me along. I can type in Russian, I am just super turtle slow. However, those who know me well know that I don't like slow very much. I like being fast and efficient. Typing 2 lines in Russian and spending 5 minutes to do so is not very efficient.
Again, to most it seems like an easy task, but really it's rather challenging. I know how to type in English and I need to make sure I don't mix the letters, which happens quite a bit. I am trying to remember even now where all the Russian keys are located, but when I try to type without looking at Russian keys, sometimes my fingers pick up English "M" instead of Russian, because I know where English letter is located and my fingers just go there on their own.
Plus, I need to do this at home, and I don't spend that much time at home. So, that is another struggle. The only time I will be able to learn is the weekends, but who wants to learn how to type during their weekends?
Well, I have a goal, and I know how to achieve it. I just need to stay motivated to achieve it. I have one very strong motivator: my co-worker Elena. She types in Russian as fast as I type in English, and it bothers me that she is so fast and I am so slow in Russian. Yes, my Enlgish is much faster, but still. I need to be able to type in my own language as fast as in my second language.
So, there. I will update you around New Years if my goal has been accomplished :) Till then I am going to try to find time to acquire a new skill :)
I am not even sure how to approach this goal. I might look around the internet and see if there are any free software there, otherwise I will go to a bookstore and get CD or something to help me along. I can type in Russian, I am just super turtle slow. However, those who know me well know that I don't like slow very much. I like being fast and efficient. Typing 2 lines in Russian and spending 5 minutes to do so is not very efficient.
Again, to most it seems like an easy task, but really it's rather challenging. I know how to type in English and I need to make sure I don't mix the letters, which happens quite a bit. I am trying to remember even now where all the Russian keys are located, but when I try to type without looking at Russian keys, sometimes my fingers pick up English "M" instead of Russian, because I know where English letter is located and my fingers just go there on their own.
Plus, I need to do this at home, and I don't spend that much time at home. So, that is another struggle. The only time I will be able to learn is the weekends, but who wants to learn how to type during their weekends?
Well, I have a goal, and I know how to achieve it. I just need to stay motivated to achieve it. I have one very strong motivator: my co-worker Elena. She types in Russian as fast as I type in English, and it bothers me that she is so fast and I am so slow in Russian. Yes, my Enlgish is much faster, but still. I need to be able to type in my own language as fast as in my second language.
So, there. I will update you around New Years if my goal has been accomplished :) Till then I am going to try to find time to acquire a new skill :)
Monday, October 22, 2007
Data Warehouse
I had training on Data Warehouse in my company (data warehouse: a computer system that collects, stores, and manages large amounts of data for a company, to be used for business analysis and strategy). I will get to use this tool quite a bit for creating reports, measuring performance of our supplier, making sure we have "the right product at the right place at the right time" (I am getting sick of this phrase), analyzing trends, etc. Well, I have worked with Data Warehouse quite a bit when I was at Graco. I understand the concept and at Graco we have used Cognos Impromptu as a tool to pull together reports, organize needed information from DW in a from of a report (I became quite good at using that tool too).
MCC (Metro Cash and Carry) has it's own datawarehouse as well. It's fairly new in Russia, they have been working on it for only a couple of years. Needless to say, I was not very impressed with it after my training. Many fields are missing from MDW (METRO Data Warehouse), they are still working on expanding it. MDW does not include any information about DC, we can only pull info related directly to stores or suppliers that deliver directly to stores. Note, that most of our suppliers (about 80%) deliver to our DC, so we have to use Access to create reports to measure those suppliers, and rely on data provided by our partners Schenker (we don't have our own DC, don't own it; we partner with Schenker to use their DC facility).
We have to create reports in Data Warehouse itself, not using any tools such as Cognos, but that is ok. It's just that it's a bit challenging. MDW has many terms abbreviated and nobody really knows what they mean. We were given a link to a brochure that explains all the abbreviations used in MDW and what they mean. Now, the brochure is over 1000 pages long. Yes, over 1000 pages. Tell me, who the hell is going to read it so they understand all the abbreviations, huh? It's sad really, I am sure we can get some useful info from MDW if we know how, but not knowing what all abbreviations mean we sure will miss some important measurements/data.
I just went to an introduction training in MDW, I still have to attend advanced/intermediate level. I need to learn how to make my own reports. I have a feeling that working with MDW is going to be a pain. They are struggling with it right now, it does not always work, some data is corrupted/wrong, so IT group is throwing a lot of effort/resources to ensure data integrity. I like to have MDW handy, it's so much easier to use than Access and other programs. I all for having all the information in one source, but it's going to be awhile till I feel totally comfortable with our MDW, right now I don't trust it. But I am glad that they are working on this tool, it will be a great advantage to have it fully and well functioning. Hope I will be here (at MCC) to enjoy the benefits of fully developed MDW.
MCC (Metro Cash and Carry) has it's own datawarehouse as well. It's fairly new in Russia, they have been working on it for only a couple of years. Needless to say, I was not very impressed with it after my training. Many fields are missing from MDW (METRO Data Warehouse), they are still working on expanding it. MDW does not include any information about DC, we can only pull info related directly to stores or suppliers that deliver directly to stores. Note, that most of our suppliers (about 80%) deliver to our DC, so we have to use Access to create reports to measure those suppliers, and rely on data provided by our partners Schenker (we don't have our own DC, don't own it; we partner with Schenker to use their DC facility).
We have to create reports in Data Warehouse itself, not using any tools such as Cognos, but that is ok. It's just that it's a bit challenging. MDW has many terms abbreviated and nobody really knows what they mean. We were given a link to a brochure that explains all the abbreviations used in MDW and what they mean. Now, the brochure is over 1000 pages long. Yes, over 1000 pages. Tell me, who the hell is going to read it so they understand all the abbreviations, huh? It's sad really, I am sure we can get some useful info from MDW if we know how, but not knowing what all abbreviations mean we sure will miss some important measurements/data.
I just went to an introduction training in MDW, I still have to attend advanced/intermediate level. I need to learn how to make my own reports. I have a feeling that working with MDW is going to be a pain. They are struggling with it right now, it does not always work, some data is corrupted/wrong, so IT group is throwing a lot of effort/resources to ensure data integrity. I like to have MDW handy, it's so much easier to use than Access and other programs. I all for having all the information in one source, but it's going to be awhile till I feel totally comfortable with our MDW, right now I don't trust it. But I am glad that they are working on this tool, it will be a great advantage to have it fully and well functioning. Hope I will be here (at MCC) to enjoy the benefits of fully developed MDW.
Heroes
I love heroes. No, not SuperMan, SpiderMan or Batman. I love the show Heroes. I never watched it in the US, just was not interested. The only show I was interested in the US was House, MD. However, my sister likes different shows. She was obsessed with Lost and now she heard of Heroes. I asked Matt to bring us first season, but then we found out that iTunes has Heroes for us to download. Well, my credit card came in handy. I guess iTunes does not accept any credit cards other than US based, so my sister could not use hers, but mine passed the test and we downloaded half of the first season so far. We watched about 10 shows (all between Saturday and Sunday), and it's pretty interesting. I think that there could be a little more action, sometimes it seems a bit slow, but it's ok. I still like it so far. As long as it does not get ridiculous on me :)
So, now I have another show I am passionate about, not nearly as much as I am passionate about House, but still. I crave watching movies in English. I like them so much more. Dubbed movies drive me nuts, and the ones that are translated from English to Russian are not fun either. I want to hear actor's real voices and I am just used to watching movies in English. So, I am grateful that I have iTunes and my husband who is going to bring quite a few movies for me to watch (all in English) when he comes in November.
So, now I have another show I am passionate about, not nearly as much as I am passionate about House, but still. I crave watching movies in English. I like them so much more. Dubbed movies drive me nuts, and the ones that are translated from English to Russian are not fun either. I want to hear actor's real voices and I am just used to watching movies in English. So, I am grateful that I have iTunes and my husband who is going to bring quite a few movies for me to watch (all in English) when he comes in November.
I am not very good...
... at keeping up with my blogs. I knew this was going to happen eventually. I don't like writing all that much, and up until I had a job, I was bored at times and had nothing to do. Therefore, a bunch of blogs were created.
I have a job now, and I spend very little time at home. I get up at 6 am, and I don't get home till 8pm that is if I don't go out. On the nights I do go out, I get home closer to midnight and trust me I am in no mood to write a blog knowing I have 6 hours of sleep left. Weekends are a bit different, I usually spend a lot of time sleeping and relaxing, again writing a blog is not my priority.
There is a lot going on really at work and at home, but I don't have time to write about it. I am bored today at work, so I will try to write a couple of blogs, but I have a feeling this blog writing is going to become a bit difficult for me.
Oh, well. All my blogs are there for my husband's sake anyway. He wanted me to write them as much as I could when we are apart. So, for him I will do my best to keep them going :)
I have a job now, and I spend very little time at home. I get up at 6 am, and I don't get home till 8pm that is if I don't go out. On the nights I do go out, I get home closer to midnight and trust me I am in no mood to write a blog knowing I have 6 hours of sleep left. Weekends are a bit different, I usually spend a lot of time sleeping and relaxing, again writing a blog is not my priority.
There is a lot going on really at work and at home, but I don't have time to write about it. I am bored today at work, so I will try to write a couple of blogs, but I have a feeling this blog writing is going to become a bit difficult for me.
Oh, well. All my blogs are there for my husband's sake anyway. He wanted me to write them as much as I could when we are apart. So, for him I will do my best to keep them going :)
Monday, October 15, 2007
Kids
I am crazy about kids. I have always wanted them, and in the last year or so I have wanted to have my own more than anything else. But, now that I am in Russia, my views have changed a little. I still adore kids, and still look at all the kids I pass by, but I no longer want to have my own right away. I still want to have a big family, but I don't want to start it right now. I think I am happy with Matt on our own and I would like to enjoy that.
I don't know why I have started thinking like that, maybe because my sister is telling me that I am crazy to want to have kids while I am in Russia or even be pregnant when I am here. Maybe it has something to do with my job, I have a higher position here than I did in the US, and I am loving the idea of me traveling a little and going up in the company. Maybe it's because I am closer to my immidiate family (parents and sister) so I don't have as strong of a desire to start my own family with kids.
My in-laws will be happy to hear that I am moving further and further away from the idea of having a kid in Russia. Matt will be a bit relieved as well, I never used to leave him alone about having a kid while he wanted to wait awhile. The only people who will not like my idea is my folks. And honestly, they are the only reason why I am trying to consider to have a kid in Russia. I don't think it will happen, but like I told Matt many times before, I would never forgive myself if my kids wouldn't get to know my parents (they are going to be the best grandparents on earth; I might be biased, but it is true).
Most of people who know me really well will be surprised to read this blog. I must confess I was surprised to have these thoughts in my mind as well. However, I want to enjoy my kids and I want to be successful professionally first, especially now that I have some great opportunities in front of me and am gaining a priceless experience. Maybe I am too shallow, but I think it would be irresponsible for me to deny having these thoughts. It's better I recognize I have these thoughts. I want to make sure I have the kids at the right time of my life, when I want them more than anything else in the world.
I don't know why I have started thinking like that, maybe because my sister is telling me that I am crazy to want to have kids while I am in Russia or even be pregnant when I am here. Maybe it has something to do with my job, I have a higher position here than I did in the US, and I am loving the idea of me traveling a little and going up in the company. Maybe it's because I am closer to my immidiate family (parents and sister) so I don't have as strong of a desire to start my own family with kids.
My in-laws will be happy to hear that I am moving further and further away from the idea of having a kid in Russia. Matt will be a bit relieved as well, I never used to leave him alone about having a kid while he wanted to wait awhile. The only people who will not like my idea is my folks. And honestly, they are the only reason why I am trying to consider to have a kid in Russia. I don't think it will happen, but like I told Matt many times before, I would never forgive myself if my kids wouldn't get to know my parents (they are going to be the best grandparents on earth; I might be biased, but it is true).
Most of people who know me really well will be surprised to read this blog. I must confess I was surprised to have these thoughts in my mind as well. However, I want to enjoy my kids and I want to be successful professionally first, especially now that I have some great opportunities in front of me and am gaining a priceless experience. Maybe I am too shallow, but I think it would be irresponsible for me to deny having these thoughts. It's better I recognize I have these thoughts. I want to make sure I have the kids at the right time of my life, when I want them more than anything else in the world.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
October 14 - First snow
http://ruzanka.livejournal.com/1401.html
Not sure if you can view the video or not, but this morning we woke up to a bunch of snow (ok, we did not get up this morning, more likely in the afternoon). I think October 14 is a little early for the snow, but it looks beautiful. I tried video taping it, it's more magical to see it in person. I love snow, I love being at home and being able to watch it falling from the inside of a cozy and warm apartment. I am not sure if I will like it tomorrow when I have to walk in it, but today I am in love with the falling snow. I just wish that it could be snowy and not cold at the same time, then it would be perfect, warm and beautiful (i can dream, right?)
Well, I am not really in the mood of writing a blog. I have been having hard time keeping up with it, so I am going to make this one short.
Hope your first snow falling is going to be as beautiful as it was in Moscow :))
Not sure if you can view the video or not, but this morning we woke up to a bunch of snow (ok, we did not get up this morning, more likely in the afternoon). I think October 14 is a little early for the snow, but it looks beautiful. I tried video taping it, it's more magical to see it in person. I love snow, I love being at home and being able to watch it falling from the inside of a cozy and warm apartment. I am not sure if I will like it tomorrow when I have to walk in it, but today I am in love with the falling snow. I just wish that it could be snowy and not cold at the same time, then it would be perfect, warm and beautiful (i can dream, right?)
Well, I am not really in the mood of writing a blog. I have been having hard time keeping up with it, so I am going to make this one short.
Hope your first snow falling is going to be as beautiful as it was in Moscow :))
Am I in Seattle?
I started wondering this yesterday. The reason is: it's been raining in Moscow for 9 days in a row. I thought that I would rather have rain than snow, but I am starting to change my opinion on that. The rain is more difficult to survive. I can't wear nice pants, because I get to walk everywhere, and then my pants are all dirty from walking in the rain. I get to bring an umbrella everywhere and that's a pain. I can't wear my suede shoes, because I am afraid they will get all wet and dirty. Everything is gloomy and dirty, there is no sun, and people seem to smile less. So, life is more difficult in the rain than in the snow I think.
Some of you know that my in-laws live in Seattle, and for awhile I was thinking that maybe some day Matt and I should move to Seattle. Well, even though I love living close to the family, I don't think I could handle the weather. It's very gloomy here during the rain, and I am assuming it's the same in Seattle. Anyway, I came to a conclusion that I don't want any more rain. I wan sun or snow, but enough of this pouring water out of the sky already that makes everything dark and depressing.
Some of you know that my in-laws live in Seattle, and for awhile I was thinking that maybe some day Matt and I should move to Seattle. Well, even though I love living close to the family, I don't think I could handle the weather. It's very gloomy here during the rain, and I am assuming it's the same in Seattle. Anyway, I came to a conclusion that I don't want any more rain. I wan sun or snow, but enough of this pouring water out of the sky already that makes everything dark and depressing.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
I am counting hours...
...till the day is over. Up until today I had some sort of things to do at work, today however, I ran out of things for me to do. I am sick of reading, I want to be trained by somebody into my new job. I have no clue why they are paying me money. I guess if they want to pay me a salary to sit and write my blogs, more power to them.
I am looking forward to next week though, I am going to have training all next week, I doubt I will be bored then. Meanwhile, 7 hours and 45 minutes until this day is over. I get 1 hour for lunch, today I am going to use up the whole hour. Meanwhile, I am researching Siberia. I have heard that I am going to be put in charge of Siberian project. After that, who knows, I might post another blog :)
I am looking forward to next week though, I am going to have training all next week, I doubt I will be bored then. Meanwhile, 7 hours and 45 minutes until this day is over. I get 1 hour for lunch, today I am going to use up the whole hour. Meanwhile, I am researching Siberia. I have heard that I am going to be put in charge of Siberian project. After that, who knows, I might post another blog :)
Living on $2 a day
It is actually true, I do live on $2 a day during the week. No, it is not because I have a budget, it is because I spend most of the day at work and then after work I go directly home. The reason why I live on 2 dollars a day is because my work pays for a good portion of my meals while I am at work. So, since I have been here I have spent anywhere from $1 to $3 per day on food in our cafeteria or restaurant in the building. So, I averaged it out and came to a conclusion that I live on $2 a day. BTW, the food is great, the cooks are wonderful, reminds me of home cooked meals every time I eat in our restaurant (haven't been to cafeteria yet, but it's on the list of places for me to visit in the building, maybe next week.) Actually, I eat only $2 a day (during the work day). I make up for it in the evening at home, don't worry.
This job actually is saving me money. Not only do I not waste money on food ($2 a day is hardly a waste), but the company also provide a corporate bus from the metro stations right to the office; so, I no longer have to spend money on public buses. Plus, our corporate buses are very nice and comfy. So, I spend about $1.20 on transportation and $2 on food a day. Not too bad if you ask me. I am hoping to save some money by the time I get back to the states, can you tell? My husband keeps telling me that I need to start saving like crazy. He is crazy about saving money, which is probably very good for me, because I am not all that great at it.
This job actually is saving me money. Not only do I not waste money on food ($2 a day is hardly a waste), but the company also provide a corporate bus from the metro stations right to the office; so, I no longer have to spend money on public buses. Plus, our corporate buses are very nice and comfy. So, I spend about $1.20 on transportation and $2 on food a day. Not too bad if you ask me. I am hoping to save some money by the time I get back to the states, can you tell? My husband keeps telling me that I need to start saving like crazy. He is crazy about saving money, which is probably very good for me, because I am not all that great at it.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Sleep Problems...NO MORE
Work is good for me. Not only am I no longer going out of my mind sitting at home and finding stuff for me to do (like washing dishes, doing laundry, etc.), my sleeping issues have resolved. The last couple of days I have been going to bed somewhere between 10:15 and 11:30. I fall asleep right away and don't wake up during the night at all. It's great. I appreciate a good night sleep so much more now that I have struggle with it for a month. I hear that my husband is having a hard time with his sleep. Hope he will adjust soon and start sleeping, because when he does not have enough sleep, he (just like me) turns into a crabby person. So, a month after I have moved to Russia my sleep schedule finally adjusted to the time difference. Life is good!!!
Information Overload
Most people when they start a new job have some sort of information overload. When they are trying to learn a new system or processes. Well, so far I don't have that condition :) I have a feeling that my job is going to be very busy and somewhat complicated, however, right now I ma just taking it easy. There are a couple of reasons for that. First of all, my boss is having a baby, so she won't be in the office until November (she is due in a week, and then spending some time with the kid I guess) so she was not here to coordinate my training. My co-workers are great, and one of them, Georgii, is kind of in charge of keeping me busy; however, he is terribly busy himself, so there are plenty of times during the day when I don't really have much to do but explore presentations, tables, etc. Yesterday, I was pretty busy, I was loading some data into our database and analyzing it afterwards. I guess we give many presentations to the directors, so it's crucial that we have all the information. Anyway, so far my job kind of keeps me busy. I am looking forward to the day when I am so busy I forget it's past lunch time, I am sure this day will come sooner than I think. Meanwhile, I am enjoying this time when I am just getting acquanted with the systems, etc. I am going to go visit a person who is in charge of training and see what she has in mind for me since my boss is gone. I am sure most people have to go through some sort of general training in the beginning, I might start with that. Meanwhile, HOORAY to no information overload (my head does not hurt at all from learning new things :))
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
My second day at work...
... I overslept. I know, I know. Believe me, I did not do that on purpose, I set up an alarm, and was planning on getting up just on time to get there before 9 am. But, I must have heard my alarm, turn it off and did not even wake up enough to remember turning it off. I am planning on buying a real alarm this week, so far I am using a cell phone. Although, tomorrow my mom will call me in the morning to make sure I am awake. It just happens that she wakes up at the same time to go to her job, so that will be nice. I trust my mom more than an alarm anyway. I called my co-worker on the way to work and told him I would be a little late and he told me not to worry, it's ok. He was super nice, and nobody even bothered to notice that I was late, pretty much. I like that attitude. And I came to a conclusion that I urgentlly need an alarm the sooner the better, because most of those who know me know that unless it's kids waking me up, I am impossible to wake up :), cell phone alarms are not to be trusted to accomplish such a task.
My first day of work...
... was ok. I spent half a day filling out paperwork, insurance, opening bank account, etc., etc. The other half of the day I spent at my work area. It is pretty nice, big room with glass walls (well, just really big tall windows, might as well be glass walls, pretty cool affect though). One of the walls is just windows, so that is nice too. I don't have my computer yet, so I am using the one that is on the desk from the previous girl who used to work there. I was told that my computer is on order and they should bring it up within a week. I just got to know a bit about the company and our department really. I spent most of the afternoon just searching info on my own. I was a little disappointed a little that there was no training for me set up right away, but later on I found plenty of material for myself to get acquanted with. I like my work so far. One of my co-worker and I go to lunch together. He eats a little later than everybody, and it works for me because there is virtually nobody in the restaurant downstairs. We have 2 places to eat: cafeteria and a restaurant, pretty nice actually. And we get discounts for food, yesterday I only spent 1 dollar on a meal because my company pays a big portion of our meals, today I got a little spoiled and spent almost 3 dollars on a food :) Anyway, my first day was good. I did get tired from the lack of sleep the night before, but other than that it was not stressful at all, which is exactly how I like it :)
Sunday, October 7, 2007
3:10 am
I am still awake. I have got to do something with my sleeping schedule. I have a feeling that this week I will be very tired and super cranky. I am starting my new job tomorrow. I have to be awake in less than 4 hours. My alarm is set for 7 am. I just hope that I will wake up to it. I was planning on writing a blog about my new job sometime this week, but if my sleeping schedule keeps up as it is, I am afraid I might not make it this week. So, thought I would write this blog. I am a bit frustrated and annoyed. I wish I had some vodka at home. Then maybe after a few shots I could fall asleep no problem. Although I would much rather be tired than hung over tomorrow. Well, wish me luck, cause tomorrow is going to be tough (technically, it's already today). Hate laying in bed trying to fall asleep, such a waste of time. Well, I guess I better go and waste some more time, because I do need to fall asleep. I am putting Tyleno PM on the list of things for Matt to bring next time he comes over, although by then I am sure I will be on a normal schedule. Oh, God help me this week. Inna and Kara, bare with me, you might have to find out the other side of Zana, the cranky, annoying, never satisfied with anything side of Zana (it does not show much, but with the lack of sleep, it won't be hard for this side to surface).
Saturday Night
... was great. I had another outing with Inna (our friend) and Kara's old classmate (Pasha Evdokimov). We went to see opera. "Carmen", a very famous French opera that was sung in French. It was beautiful. The theater was spectacular, no it was not Bolshoi Theater due to the fact that it's under reconstruction for the next 5 years. The theater we went to was very beautiful, clearly recently redone. The opera was great. I loved it. It was my first time at the opera, it was Inna's birthday gift for me. Thanks Inna, you could not have given me a better gift. The opera started at 7, and did not get finished until well after 10 pm, it had 2 breaks between the acts. The thing though is, it did not seem like opera was that long. I am not saying that it felt like 10 minutes, but it certainly did not feel like 3 and a half hours either. It was very interesting and very entertaining. After the opera, Pasha, Inna and I stopped by the coffee shop. I had a big bowl of my favorite strawberry baskin robbins ice cream and a very elegant small glass bottle of Coca-Cola light. Kara's classmate paid for our coffee shop visit, which was very nice and gentlemen like of him, and we headed home. So, we left the house at 6:30 to get to the opera, we ended up hurrying a bit from the metro, but we got there on time. We did not head home till 12:20 am, we walked into our apartment at 1:00 am. Great evening. Inna and I ate some watermelon, talked with my sister, watched a few episodes of "House, MD" that I brought from the states for my sister, and finally all got to bed at 3 am. If you ask me, it was a very productive and entertaining evening. Very satisfying. I have a feeling that I will have a few more visits to the theater in the months to come. I want to see a few plays and definitely a ballet. I love watching ballet. So, that was my Saturday night here in Moscow!!!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Sergey Leonovich aka my daddy
My dad has a very different personality from my mom. He is very loud and demanding. Hmm, sounds like me right? Well, I do take after him. I am just as social as he is; I tend to look on the bright side of the matter (my dad is an optimist as well). I tend to be straightforward, if you have met my dad you know that he does not keep his opinions to himself and is very bold. I consider it a great quality, strength really. Life is too short to be hiding under pretences; it takes too much energy to be fake. My dad does not hide anything, what you see is what you get.
If my mom was very strict with us when my sister and I were kids, my dad was just the opposite. He was a huge teddy bear, he still is. He loves kids, and if mom refused us in something, dad would always give in. Guess whom we went to when we wanted something? Well, my sister and I were not stupid. It was a smart choice for us to go to dad, he loved spoiling us, so we would weigh our chances of getting something by going to mom or dad, and almost always picked dad.
My dad is an extravert, my mom is an introvert. He loves being at a party. During my wedding, he really enjoyed being among young people. Well, he still thinks he is young. Actually, even though he is getting bald and grey-haired, he is very young at heart, and rather frequently behaves like a young adult. If my dad is at the party, he will challenge younger kids to a dance. Ok, those of you that were at my wedding, I will tell you one thing: remember the air guitar? Most men in their 50's worry about their status, they feel the need to behave mature, etc., my dad just likes to have fun in his life. If my dad wants to dance, he will dance. If he wants to sing, he will sing. If he wants to be a rock star, he will play an air guitar and have a blast. My dad loves life, and I think that is what it comes down to. He loves having a good time. He loves his kids (me and my sister). He is very proud of both of us. He loves my mom and respects her very much.
My dad is very macho. He is very handy and insists on the fact that men never show their real feelings. It's not manly to do so. Not sure how true that is, but that's what my dad thinks. He also is a strong believer that men need to know how to fix a car and how to build a home. Needless to say, he is very handy around the house, and knows how to fix anything in his car. His car is his hobby (fixing it I mean). The thing is his car is never broken. Not once did it actually break down on him, any of his cars, and he has had many. My dad always says: "You have to keep the car in good condition and catch the problem before it arises". He does, he replaces all kinds of stuff in his car, and the result, the guy has never been stranded on the side of the road.
If my mom helped me achieve everything I have academically, my dad helped me achieve everything I have socially. All my social skills come from my dad. My kindness, sympathy - learned from my dad. Me being so talkative and extraverted-my dad in me. You can never be bored if my dad is around. His laugh is contagious and so is his good mood all the time. I love my dad. I am a daddy's girl actually. I was always closer to my dad than my mom. I think I tend to hide some of my feelings too just like my dad (sadness, loneliness at times), maybe it's from me listening to him saying how people need to toughen up, not cry upon any chance they get. Be tough, get through hard situations, laugh afterwards and move on. His teachings helped me get through college, when I was working 2 jobs and going to school full time. Be tough, get through it, don't cry, face the challenges. Now I laugh at some situations, treasure my education and move on in life.
My parents have been married for nearly 30 years. I wish that my marriage will last that long. I wish I have kids who would love and respect me just as much as I love and respect my parents.
Oh, you know how I am going to name my daughter after my mom. Well, no I am not going to name my son after my dad. I am going to name my son: Leon. It's my dad's dad. My dad loved his dad (my grandpa died when my dad was 18). Everybody who knew my grandpa says that my dad looks very much like him. I think my dad would be flattered if I named my kid like his dad.
I once made a speech about my dad. It was in my public speaking class, it was our last final speech and we were supposed to give it on our idol. Well, my idol, my hero is my dad. Everybody has a father, but not everybody has a daddy. I do, and I am extremely lucky to have my dad in my life. He rocks in every way possible!!!
If my mom was very strict with us when my sister and I were kids, my dad was just the opposite. He was a huge teddy bear, he still is. He loves kids, and if mom refused us in something, dad would always give in. Guess whom we went to when we wanted something? Well, my sister and I were not stupid. It was a smart choice for us to go to dad, he loved spoiling us, so we would weigh our chances of getting something by going to mom or dad, and almost always picked dad.
My dad is an extravert, my mom is an introvert. He loves being at a party. During my wedding, he really enjoyed being among young people. Well, he still thinks he is young. Actually, even though he is getting bald and grey-haired, he is very young at heart, and rather frequently behaves like a young adult. If my dad is at the party, he will challenge younger kids to a dance. Ok, those of you that were at my wedding, I will tell you one thing: remember the air guitar? Most men in their 50's worry about their status, they feel the need to behave mature, etc., my dad just likes to have fun in his life. If my dad wants to dance, he will dance. If he wants to sing, he will sing. If he wants to be a rock star, he will play an air guitar and have a blast. My dad loves life, and I think that is what it comes down to. He loves having a good time. He loves his kids (me and my sister). He is very proud of both of us. He loves my mom and respects her very much.
My dad is very macho. He is very handy and insists on the fact that men never show their real feelings. It's not manly to do so. Not sure how true that is, but that's what my dad thinks. He also is a strong believer that men need to know how to fix a car and how to build a home. Needless to say, he is very handy around the house, and knows how to fix anything in his car. His car is his hobby (fixing it I mean). The thing is his car is never broken. Not once did it actually break down on him, any of his cars, and he has had many. My dad always says: "You have to keep the car in good condition and catch the problem before it arises". He does, he replaces all kinds of stuff in his car, and the result, the guy has never been stranded on the side of the road.
If my mom helped me achieve everything I have academically, my dad helped me achieve everything I have socially. All my social skills come from my dad. My kindness, sympathy - learned from my dad. Me being so talkative and extraverted-my dad in me. You can never be bored if my dad is around. His laugh is contagious and so is his good mood all the time. I love my dad. I am a daddy's girl actually. I was always closer to my dad than my mom. I think I tend to hide some of my feelings too just like my dad (sadness, loneliness at times), maybe it's from me listening to him saying how people need to toughen up, not cry upon any chance they get. Be tough, get through hard situations, laugh afterwards and move on. His teachings helped me get through college, when I was working 2 jobs and going to school full time. Be tough, get through it, don't cry, face the challenges. Now I laugh at some situations, treasure my education and move on in life.
My parents have been married for nearly 30 years. I wish that my marriage will last that long. I wish I have kids who would love and respect me just as much as I love and respect my parents.
Oh, you know how I am going to name my daughter after my mom. Well, no I am not going to name my son after my dad. I am going to name my son: Leon. It's my dad's dad. My dad loved his dad (my grandpa died when my dad was 18). Everybody who knew my grandpa says that my dad looks very much like him. I think my dad would be flattered if I named my kid like his dad.
I once made a speech about my dad. It was in my public speaking class, it was our last final speech and we were supposed to give it on our idol. Well, my idol, my hero is my dad. Everybody has a father, but not everybody has a daddy. I do, and I am extremely lucky to have my dad in my life. He rocks in every way possible!!!
METRO
That is where I am trying to pursue a job. No, not the subway system "metro". A store, an organization that is called "Metro Cash and Carry" It's pretty similar to Sam's Club or Costco if you ask me. The only difference is that it's for small businesses who buy in bulk. They are growing super fast. They had 32 stores at the beginning of this year and are shooting to have 40 by the end of the year. They are not present in the US; however, are very known through Europe and now Russia. I am going to be a part of the Project Management team (that is if I get hired). We get to be the ones who look into the market, make business plans, and finally follow up on all the logistics that need to be done to open a new store, implement new systems, whatever needs to be done in the company really. I am not sure exactly what part I would be doing, but if I get a job there, it would be neat. They pay pretty decent, the team seems fun. I just had my 3rd interview with them today and it sounds like they really like me. But I am not hoping for anything until I get a call that tells me that they are ready to make me an offer. I will have to spend about an hour and 20 minutes on getting there, but it's not out of ordinary for Moscow. I was just so spoiled in MN, living within 5 minutes from Graco. But, that is ok, it's good for me. I will get to walk more. The only time it might be a pain is in the summer, our 'metro' subway system has no air conditioning and lots (by lots, I meant MILLIONS) of people. But my office does (that is if I get hired of course :)) have an air condition. Anyway, the company is pretty big. In 2005 their sales in Russia alone were 1.4 billion euros, that's much bigger than Graco, that I will give it :) MetroGroup however in 2006 had sales of 60 billion euros. (Metro Cash and Carry belongs to MetroGroup) If I get hired, I will be hired by MetroGroup. Metro has opened their first store in Russia in 2000. So, 40 stores in 7 years is not bad at all, according to my standards. Now I am just keeping my fingers crossed that I will get hired :)
PS: Ok, I have written the above part about a week ago, did not post it because I did not want everybody to read it until I knew whether I had an offer or not. Well, today, was my last and final interview (interview number 4). I met with administrative director, very nice gentlemen who speaks no Russian. It was fun speaking English with him. Anyway, I am hired. I have a job. I will be a Project Manager. Start on Monday. So, ready or not Metro, here I come :) I think I will be successful there. The company is huge, there is a ton of work, everything is very fast-paced, right up my alley. I will keep you posted of what's new. I believe I will be in charge of the project on opening 3 new stores in Siberia, but I am not certain. I might have to travel to Siberia this coming year :) Fun, fun, fun. I am glad I am done searching for a job, and I am glad that I a found a good one ;) They did not post for a position of Project Manager, they basically created one after they interviewed me and offered it to me instead of the one I actually applied to which was not as high up (don't take me wrong, they have a ton of projects and not enough staff), but I am flattered nonetheless.
PS: Ok, I have written the above part about a week ago, did not post it because I did not want everybody to read it until I knew whether I had an offer or not. Well, today, was my last and final interview (interview number 4). I met with administrative director, very nice gentlemen who speaks no Russian. It was fun speaking English with him. Anyway, I am hired. I have a job. I will be a Project Manager. Start on Monday. So, ready or not Metro, here I come :) I think I will be successful there. The company is huge, there is a ton of work, everything is very fast-paced, right up my alley. I will keep you posted of what's new. I believe I will be in charge of the project on opening 3 new stores in Siberia, but I am not certain. I might have to travel to Siberia this coming year :) Fun, fun, fun. I am glad I am done searching for a job, and I am glad that I a found a good one ;) They did not post for a position of Project Manager, they basically created one after they interviewed me and offered it to me instead of the one I actually applied to which was not as high up (don't take me wrong, they have a ton of projects and not enough staff), but I am flattered nonetheless.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Natalya Mihailovna aka my mom
Most people call her Natasha, some used to call her Natalya Mihailovna, I always called her mom. She is super cool. Some of you have met her, those of you who haven't are unfortunate. She is the best woman one can meet. I did not always get along with her, when I was little I used to think that she loved my sister more than me. Now, I look back and find it silly and stupid, but she still put up with my attitude. Actually, if it was not for my mom, I would not be nearly as successful as I am right now. When I was in about 5th grade, I had a learning disability. I would read textbooks, but I would not retain information I have read. My mom always kept a close eye on my sister's and my school work, she talked to teachers almost weekly and she picked up this struggle of mine right away. She spent hours every day with me doing my school work. She let me do my math, Russian, chemistry, physics and English on my own, but biology, history, geography and other subject that require reading in order to understand them she had to do with me. Every night she would be cooking and I would be sitting at the table and reading out loud a chapter, paragraph by paragraph. She would stop me every paragraph, have me close the book and I had to retell her what I just read. She helped me make an outline of what were the important points in the chapter so it would help me remember what I needed to focus on. It would take her hours each day to do this with me. I never liked doing it, it took too long. She never gave up and never let me off the hook. She did this with me for about a year. Every night for 9 months my mom would do my homework with me. We could spend 2 hours on just one chapter of one subject. I can only imagine how patient she had to be with me. I am sure there were days where she just did not want to do anything but relax at night, but she never forgot about me.
It is only because of her I overcame my disability, it is only because of my mom I was able to learn new things, to focus on new subject, eventually do my homework on my own. By the way, that year planted some really good habits into me. Every night afterwards I would dedicate a few hours for homework. Even in the years when mom did not have to do homework with me, she always checked me to make sure I did it. She would randomly pick a subject and tell me "Tell me about your homework in biology" She would then take the textbook and see to make sure I got it right. She never made me memorize anything, she was against memorization, she insisted on my understanding the concepts, so I could retell them in my own words. If my mom would have ignored this problem of mine in the childhood, I would never be able to graduate with good grades from high school, I would have never won the contest to come to the states, never could have gone to colleges in MN and would have never met my husband. So, everything that happened in my life is thanks to my mom. If it wasn't for her, who knows where I would have ended up.
She used to be very strict before, but she also spoiled me and my sister with attention and love. She loved having kids, she loved my sister and me more than anybody in the world, and lived for us. She still does. Oh, when I was little (and even now) when I am in bed and my covers are by my feet and I am too lazy to get up and pull them up, my mom would be happy to come and help me out. Or when I am in bed and the light is still on, she would get up herself in the other room if I would call her and turn off the light for me and would give me a kiss goodnight. She loves doing things for me and my sister, whatever they are. Her personality has changed a little because of her health, she is much quieter now and much less strict, but she is still as caring, loving and just as cool as she was before. I love being in the same country with her and talk to her every day. I missed her care when I was in the states. She is fun to be around, and I always feel loved unconditionally when I have her by my side. Mom, you are super, I don't know how I got so blessed to have you as my mom. I am the luckiest girl on Earth (ok, my sister is just as lucky, but that is about it).
If I ever have a daughter, her name will be Natalya, just like my mom :) I think my mom would like that.
It is only because of her I overcame my disability, it is only because of my mom I was able to learn new things, to focus on new subject, eventually do my homework on my own. By the way, that year planted some really good habits into me. Every night afterwards I would dedicate a few hours for homework. Even in the years when mom did not have to do homework with me, she always checked me to make sure I did it. She would randomly pick a subject and tell me "Tell me about your homework in biology" She would then take the textbook and see to make sure I got it right. She never made me memorize anything, she was against memorization, she insisted on my understanding the concepts, so I could retell them in my own words. If my mom would have ignored this problem of mine in the childhood, I would never be able to graduate with good grades from high school, I would have never won the contest to come to the states, never could have gone to colleges in MN and would have never met my husband. So, everything that happened in my life is thanks to my mom. If it wasn't for her, who knows where I would have ended up.
She used to be very strict before, but she also spoiled me and my sister with attention and love. She loved having kids, she loved my sister and me more than anybody in the world, and lived for us. She still does. Oh, when I was little (and even now) when I am in bed and my covers are by my feet and I am too lazy to get up and pull them up, my mom would be happy to come and help me out. Or when I am in bed and the light is still on, she would get up herself in the other room if I would call her and turn off the light for me and would give me a kiss goodnight. She loves doing things for me and my sister, whatever they are. Her personality has changed a little because of her health, she is much quieter now and much less strict, but she is still as caring, loving and just as cool as she was before. I love being in the same country with her and talk to her every day. I missed her care when I was in the states. She is fun to be around, and I always feel loved unconditionally when I have her by my side. Mom, you are super, I don't know how I got so blessed to have you as my mom. I am the luckiest girl on Earth (ok, my sister is just as lucky, but that is about it).
If I ever have a daughter, her name will be Natalya, just like my mom :) I think my mom would like that.
Monday, October 1, 2007
A Dinner And A Movie
Sounds like a date, huh? Well, it was an outting that is for sure. My sister got back from Germany yesterday. Today was her first day back at work. I slept in and we started chatting later in the day with her. There is one restaurant here I like "Grabli" to translate it would be "A Rake", like the one you use to rake up the leaves in the fall. It's kind of like a cafeteria in a way that you have to tell the person behind the counter the menu item you want and they give it to you. You can see all the menu items, they are also all marked in English as well as Russian. The food is way better than cafeteria food, and most of it is pretty Russian :) Oh, another bonus is that it's pretty inexpensive. So, I mentioned to my sister that I want "Grabli" for dinner, and we decided to meet up and go out to dinner. Then a couple of my sister's friends were going to a movie afterwards and invited us two along. The movie was all right, French "Hors de Prix" dubbed in Russian of course. I would not recommend it if you don't want to just look at pretty actors :) It was a bit long and I did not like the plot. However, the actors were beautiful and so was their wardrobes. So, we started heading home (it was after midnight, kinda a late date :)). My sister and I laugh a ton when we are together. In fact, our roommate Inna can tell our laugh apart. She was on the train before us in the metro and when she was heading to the escalator she heard us laughing and waited for us. What a coinsidence :) We all three walked home and had a great time doing so. Laughed some more, got home, talked a couple of hours, then bedtime. For them that is, it's 3 am here and I am writing this blog because I can't sleep, but it's ok. I am sitting by the open window and getting pretty cold, so I am about ready to go to bed and snuggle under my blanket :) I enjoyed my evening, it was great. I love going into town and spending time with my sister and her friends whom I know from childhood really :) They all treat me like their own little sister, it's quite amusing, and I love the attention (can you believe that? :))
A small lie
You know in the last message I told you that I don't have an alarm that wakes me up every day. Well, I lied a little. I actually do have an alarm. Every morning at 9 am. Why? Well, I just love the hour, the morning is beautiful, the sun is out, the birds are signing, I welcome a new day. Right. Anybody who knows me, knows that 9 am is an ungodly hour for me to wake up and feel good :) But I do wake up at 9 am every day and most of the time I am really looking forward to it (the times I don't is when I had wine the night before and did not go to bed till 3 or 4 am, then it's a bit tough to look forward to waking up in just a few hours). The reason why I love waking up at 9 am is because that is when I talk to my hubby. I talk to him every day. It's kind of late for him, midnight, but he calls me anyway, and we talk usually for about 30 minutes or so. When my sister was in Germany, we were talking on the phone, which was easier for me. I would wake up when the phone rang and we would talk. Now that my sister is here in Moscow, and I have access to the Internet, we talk through Skype (it's free :)) The only challenging thing about that is I have to wake up and be online in order for us to talk. If I am not online, then Matt can't call me via Skype. So, that's a bummer. But it's ok. I prefer talk through skype, cause there is no money involved, we can talk as long as we want to and as many times a day as we wish. We will have to change the time a little if I start working, because most jobs here in Moscow start at 9 am, I won't be able to talk to him at 9. We would have to talk earlier, which Matt would probably like better, since he would not have to stay up till midnight to wait to talk to me. So, now you know that I do have an alarm and have to wak up early every day, what you don't know yet is that I do go back to sleep right after I talk to Matt (I am sure most of you are not surprised). Although sometimes I can't fall asleep right away, and think about our conversation for an hour or so. But no worries, I do fall asleep eventually.
Laundry, Dishes, Making the Bed
These are my chores around the house here. Actually, they were never assigned to me or even asked of me. But Inna (a friend and roommate) works a lot, most of the time she leave before 8 am and does not get home till after 10pm. My sister does not work as much, but she is a bit spoiled, she does not like doing chores such as washing the dishes, although she is very good at making the bed. I don't work at all right now, so I fgured taking garbage out, washing dishes and doing laundry is the least I can do to help them, since I am at home all the time :) Well, I do go out, don't take me wrong, I am not under a house arrest, but most of the morning and a good chunk of the afternoon I usually spend at home. I actually am starting to enjoy this luxury, I am always relaxed. Don't have an alarm that wakes me up all the time. I haven't had enough motivation to actually clean in this apartment, but I think me helping with dishes and laundry for awhile will suffice :) So, now to making the bed. Well, my sister is very strict about that, the bed has to be made! I usually make the bed, but to tell you the truth that is not always done right after I get up. Sometimes, it's done right before she gets home, so no yelling will be involved from her side. She is usually pretty irritable after a day of work :) I know she will read this and will find this out, but hey as long as the bed is made by the time she is home, who cares if it's not when she does not even see it. The real reason why I don't make the bed right away is because throughout the day I do go back and lay on it and read a book or listen to the radio (ok, occasionally, I do take a nap as well, it's so tempting at times). Yes, I am turning to be pretty lazy these days, but it's ok if you ask me. No harm to me at all. Now, Matt on the other hand has a different ideas on making the bed back at home in Minneapolis. I used to have a few decorative pillows on our bed, so it would look nice, and every time I would make the bed (which was almost every day), I would put them on, right? Well, my husband has informed me that he put the pillows in the closet till I come back. To my question why, he answered: "First, I am not going to make the bed. Second, when I do, I am certainly not putting a bunch of pillows on it so it would look pretty". What could I say? Men :) I actually, expected something like that would be done. At least he realises his weaknesses, although he does not consider those his weaknesses, hmmm. Well, time to go lounge on the bed and maybe read a book (sometimes, that's a cover for me to take a nap, not telling you what I am actually going to do though :))
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