Well, it's actually Sunday at 1 a.m. here. Stupid jet lag. Somehow Jeremy is not as affected by it as I am, and I'm not taking any naps! Natasha has been asleep for over four hours, and Jeremy for one, yet here I am, surfing the Internet and trying to tire myself out.
It was an eventful day. Our social sponsors here at the Embassy took me to Auchan, a local "hypermarket" (yes, it's just what it sounds like: a grocery store on steroids). We spent about an hour and a half there, and that last 30 minutes was spent waiting in the checkout line. I picked some household effects like a mop and bucket, and a couple of glass mugs for tea, since the ones in our welcome kit are too small for my thirst these days. Then it was onto the grocery section, which was completely overwhelming. In Armenia, there were rarely very many options for any one particular product, so, if you wanted rice, you maybe had two choices. At Auchan, there were like 13 different types of rice. My Russian is good enough to understand what I read, but not good enough to read fast, so it takes forever to analyze the choices. I was relieved to get to the produce section, where I could just recognize things.
For the most part, the prices were not too outrageous (unless you count the $20/kilo cherries - totally insane). I've found so far that the cheaper things are on par with regular prices in the U.S. Thing is, I used to buy mostly on sale - and I have yet to find similar prices on most items here. My frugal soul insists I must be able to stick to the same budget we had in the U.S., but I know I need to either give up that dream or stew in frustration for two years. Point: Washington.
Then this afternoon, Jeremy, Natasha and I headed out to Gorky Park. We took the Metro which wasn't too daunting. A woman gave up her seat for me immediately - not sure whether it was because we had Natasha with us, or because she could tell I was pregnant. Whatever the reason, it was nice to see polite behavior on public transportation. Point: Moscow.
Gorky Park was very different from my memories of 20 years ago. It is now a respectable amusement park, complete with a bouncy house, log flume, and a couple of surely vomit-inducing roller coasters. Jeremy lamented that Natasha won't be old enough to ride on the bumper boats before we leave (you have to be three years old), but I'm sure he'll find some guys around the Embassy who will be happy to join him in that endeavor.
We took a bunch of photos and will post them soon. I'm off to try to go to sleep. Stupid jet lag.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Things we have learned in Moscow
1. Baby jet lag is awful. Jeremy and I have been making a heroic effort to stay up until 10 each night, only to be awakened a couple hours later by Natasha, sitting up in her crib and wanting to play.
2. Don't hire a porter in Sheremetov Airport. We had 12 pieces of luggage including a stroller and carseat and there was no way we were going to be able to get them all out to the street at one time. Once you pass through security with your baggage, there's no going back to the claim. So when a porter asked whether we needed help, we said yes. We had used them at Reagan and JFK, so weren't unfamiliar with the process. I asked the lady who had come to pick us up what the standard was for tipping in Moscow, and she suggested $10. So after he loaded our bags into the van, we gave him the equivalent in rubles and started to climb in ourselves, when I heard him exclaim, "Girl!" I turned around and he presented me with a laminated card on which was written the standard rates for porter services. $5 per BAG. That's $50, total. Ugh. I don't believe there is any alternative to a hired porter as I didn't see any carts standing around for passenger use, so there was probably no way around it. But then again, I don't actually know whether the laminated card was official, so it's possible we got totally swindled. I hate feeling stupid in a new country.
3. Hulu.com and Fox on Demand are blocked in Russia. Probably other on-demand sites we haven't tried yet are also blocked. This actually isn't being done by the Russians, but by the network television stations who don't want their shows viewed outside the United States. Boo! I'm guessing it has something to do with fear of pirating, but, hey, network TV guys, guess what? The bad guys are going to find ways to do the bad stuff no matter what, so all you're doing is stopping slightly homesick expats from watching their favorite shows and getting a little piece of home in the process. Thanks a lot.
4. Muscovites love babies. Yesterday, Natasha and I ventured out to a grocery store about a mile from the Embassy. I had fully expected brusque and impatient treatment from the locals, as per their reputation. That didn't happen, either because I speak Russian, or because Natasha's smile is so darn cute. I'm pretty sure it was the latter. We even got waved across the street by the driver of a shiny black Mercedes with tinted windows who actually stopped for us. Totally unexpected, but very, very nice.
5. Apparently the layette shipment we are authorized following the birth of #2 is subject to the same limits on box/item size as our air shipment was. Which means we will not be able to ship a full-size crib to Moscow for the new baby. Which means I have to start thinking about alternatives.
6. There is a shwarma stand around the corner from the compound. Yum.
7. Compound life is really convenient so far. Jeremy can come home for lunch. Natasha and I can play on the playground up the stairs from our apartment. The commissary, pool, gym, gift shop, etc., are right across the street. There is a church literally a minute's walk from the front compound gate. A little produce stand around the corner. And two Metro stops within a five-minute walk. And probably lots more stuff we haven't discovered yet.
2. Don't hire a porter in Sheremetov Airport. We had 12 pieces of luggage including a stroller and carseat and there was no way we were going to be able to get them all out to the street at one time. Once you pass through security with your baggage, there's no going back to the claim. So when a porter asked whether we needed help, we said yes. We had used them at Reagan and JFK, so weren't unfamiliar with the process. I asked the lady who had come to pick us up what the standard was for tipping in Moscow, and she suggested $10. So after he loaded our bags into the van, we gave him the equivalent in rubles and started to climb in ourselves, when I heard him exclaim, "Girl!" I turned around and he presented me with a laminated card on which was written the standard rates for porter services. $5 per BAG. That's $50, total. Ugh. I don't believe there is any alternative to a hired porter as I didn't see any carts standing around for passenger use, so there was probably no way around it. But then again, I don't actually know whether the laminated card was official, so it's possible we got totally swindled. I hate feeling stupid in a new country.
3. Hulu.com and Fox on Demand are blocked in Russia. Probably other on-demand sites we haven't tried yet are also blocked. This actually isn't being done by the Russians, but by the network television stations who don't want their shows viewed outside the United States. Boo! I'm guessing it has something to do with fear of pirating, but, hey, network TV guys, guess what? The bad guys are going to find ways to do the bad stuff no matter what, so all you're doing is stopping slightly homesick expats from watching their favorite shows and getting a little piece of home in the process. Thanks a lot.
4. Muscovites love babies. Yesterday, Natasha and I ventured out to a grocery store about a mile from the Embassy. I had fully expected brusque and impatient treatment from the locals, as per their reputation. That didn't happen, either because I speak Russian, or because Natasha's smile is so darn cute. I'm pretty sure it was the latter. We even got waved across the street by the driver of a shiny black Mercedes with tinted windows who actually stopped for us. Totally unexpected, but very, very nice.
5. Apparently the layette shipment we are authorized following the birth of #2 is subject to the same limits on box/item size as our air shipment was. Which means we will not be able to ship a full-size crib to Moscow for the new baby. Which means I have to start thinking about alternatives.
6. There is a shwarma stand around the corner from the compound. Yum.
7. Compound life is really convenient so far. Jeremy can come home for lunch. Natasha and I can play on the playground up the stairs from our apartment. The commissary, pool, gym, gift shop, etc., are right across the street. There is a church literally a minute's walk from the front compound gate. A little produce stand around the corner. And two Metro stops within a five-minute walk. And probably lots more stuff we haven't discovered yet.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Leaving soon and some news
We're still here, but packed out and hoping to be in Moscow next week. There were a few delays while we waited for visas and clearance updates, but we finally got word last week that all three of us would be flying. Which will give Natalya and I a chance to enjoy a Moscow summer (highs this week in the 70s and sunny, according to weather.com) before returning Stateside to await the arrival of the littlest Richart. Yep ... we're due this fall with baby #2! Jeremy will play with probabilities and hope to time his trip back to coincide with the birth. I've heard too many stories of Foreign Service babies being born while dad is still on the plane, so wish us luck! With any luck, this labor will be a little shorter than the last one ...
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Packing out ... again
Jeremy and I are organizing the house for packout today. We've organized the master bedroom and are now taking a short break. The hardest part, once again, was sorting my shoes. Jeremy, ever the helpful spouse, tried to encourage me to add more pairs to the giveaway pile. He asked "Are they comfortable?" and "When was the last time you wore them?" Both of which are valid questions to apply to clothing in general ... but not shoes. Shoes have their own set of rules that most men just don't understand.
Yes, I have at least a dozen pairs that I have not worn in the last year (although, really, my feet were too pregnancy-bloated during most of that time to fit into any of them). But how can I get rid of that pair of horribly uncomfortable 3.5" fuschia satin D'Orsay pumps when I know how terrific they look with a pair of dark jeans OR a strapless satin gown? And it's entirely possible, isn't it, that in the next few years, I will buy a summer dress that goes perfectly with my sort-of-retro blue-white-and-tan strappy sandals. And then I won't need to buy a new pair of shoes to go with it.
It's true that only four pairs of shoes went into the giveaway bag this time around. But it's also true that I have only bought two pairs of shoes in the last 12 months. So we're actually operating on a shoe deficit and, by rights, I am really owed two pairs. At least. Hear that, honey?
Yes, I have at least a dozen pairs that I have not worn in the last year (although, really, my feet were too pregnancy-bloated during most of that time to fit into any of them). But how can I get rid of that pair of horribly uncomfortable 3.5" fuschia satin D'Orsay pumps when I know how terrific they look with a pair of dark jeans OR a strapless satin gown? And it's entirely possible, isn't it, that in the next few years, I will buy a summer dress that goes perfectly with my sort-of-retro blue-white-and-tan strappy sandals. And then I won't need to buy a new pair of shoes to go with it.
It's true that only four pairs of shoes went into the giveaway bag this time around. But it's also true that I have only bought two pairs of shoes in the last 12 months. So we're actually operating on a shoe deficit and, by rights, I am really owed two pairs. At least. Hear that, honey?
Friday, April 23, 2010
Lamest. Wife. Ever.
Today is Jeremy's birthday. In years past, I've slaved over German chocolate cakes. (It's the thought that counts, ok?) Dinner tonight was BLTs. They're tasty, yes, but lacking a certain birthday panache. Dessert was two slices of cake from a bakery around the corner (for Jeremy, not me, as I'm still on a crazy strict elimination diet on account of Natasha's eczema). And my gift for Jeremy hasn't arrived yet, despite my ordering it two weeks ago. Poor Jeremy.
In my defense, though, we did enjoy a sushi lunch today. And Natasha gave him a new shirt and tie for his new job. And there will be further celebrations this weekend, likely involving homemade sausage lasagna and from-scratch cake. But still. Lamest. Wife. Ever.
In my defense, though, we did enjoy a sushi lunch today. And Natasha gave him a new shirt and tie for his new job. And there will be further celebrations this weekend, likely involving homemade sausage lasagna and from-scratch cake. But still. Lamest. Wife. Ever.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)