http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/opinion/21brooks.html


I think this maybe a first...the New York Times has printed something that made me happy.

Advice for all who may or may not be traveling to Kazan (or really any part of Russia) in the future:

1. Cash. It is important. Credit cards do not exist.

2. Traffic laws. They're more like guidelines really. By which I mean they don't exist either.

3. Corollary: you are not safe on the sidewalk. Cars like to park there. Or just get around traffic that way.

4. On crossing streets: Just do it. You will be standing there for a long long time if you wait for them to stop. No it does not matter if there's a light. Cars always have the right of way. However you can also usually count on them not wanting their car dented or blood on the windshield. So just step out into the street.

5. Carry toilet paper with you. This is necessary as there is none in Russia. For that matter, there are no toilets in public restrooms in Kazan.

6.Always have exact change. They will refuse to sell you things if you do not.

7. Do not argue with Russian women. You will lose.

8. If you're host mom thinks you don't like mayonaise... FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DO NOT CORRECT HER. Russians do believe in mayonaise soup.

9. Sour cream makes food better. Yes that includes pancakes. Just go with it.

10. Even if you eat until you will honestly throw up if you take one more bite of anything, your host mom will tell you that you didn't eat enough and you're going to die. I'm fairly certain that this is untrue.

Current Mood: amused

Belinsky: "there is apparently nothing easier and actually nothing more difficult than to write about Russian literature."

Edward J. Brown: "The critical writings of Bakhtin and Chernyshevsky, for the most part, have become almost unreadable to students who were weaned on Anglo-American New Criticism and received nourishment as they matured from formalists and structuralists of various hues, only to have all certitudes deconstructed as the reached adulthood. This is certainly true of students in the West where Bakhtin and Chernyshevsky are assigned in large amounts only as a punishment for something, like trying to get a Ph.D. in Slavic."

Current Mood: geeky

Things everyone needs in their life...

failblog.org

Go forth. Read. View. Marvel at the idiocy.

You Are a Black Panther

You see through people. You understand others' motives and plans. You have a knack for predicting the future. You just know what people are going to do. People are attracted to you. You are naturally able to influence other people's thoughts. You have the charisma to be a beloved guru or dictator. It's all about how you handle it.

Ok now that I have survived the much much dreaded phone interview, I will tell you what is going on.

I'M GOING TO RUSSIA THIS SUMMER!!!!! ok that's covered.

I applied for a critical language scholarship last semester. For those of you who don't know what that is...basically the US State department has certain languages that it deems critical and therefore tries to encourage people to learn. Well their way of encouraging in this instance involves throwing people into basically a language boot camp in little Russian cities. It's supposed to be pretty intense...which is exciting and what I need at this point as I have to pass a proficiency exam in the fall. The other other best part of this is that they pay for the whole trip including the plane ticket. Score.

There was a downside....phone evaluation. They place you in an appropriate group based on a phone evaluation and a written test (which was also unpleasant). Those of you who know me will probably remember I have certain issues with:
1. talking to people I don't know.
2. talking to people on the phone.
3. talking to people in Russian.

These things were combined for the win!

Also it wasn't even the typical tell me about yourself and let's have a conversation...no. It was more like let me throw random completely unconnected questions at you. It lasted about twenty minutes. It was fun. Like woah. However the lady asking the questions was very nice and even laughed appropriately at some of my answers...however it was still a phone conversation and I felt bad because I kept needing to have her repeat things because they were blurring because of the phone. If I could have seen her face this wouldn't have been a problem...which is part of why this telephone this is such a bad idea. Lip reading and facial expression is key to my understanding of Russian. Gah.

But again. It's ok. I'm not dead.

Current Mood: okay

You Speak Prison Slang

Prison Slang: 75% Aussie Slang: 50% Canadian Slang: 50% British Slang: 25% New England Slang: 25% Victorian Slang: 25%

So, her_xcelncy, your LiveJournal reveals...

You are... 1% unique and 10% herdlike (partly because you, like everyone else, enjoy writing). When it comes to friends you are normal. In terms of the way you relate to people, you are keen to please. Your writing style (based on a recent public entry) is simplistic.

Your overall weirdness is: 4

(The average level of weirdness is: 29.
You are weirder than 3% of other LJers.)

Find out what your weirdness level is!

Current Mood: exhausted

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