Ukraine with it’s trickery will be close to 100 degrees tomorrow. I do realize that the winters here are harsh and that it is going to be very cold… but right now, when I am drenched in sweat and am thinking, wow, I haven’t sweat like this since I was in Thailand… it’s kind of hard to believe.
On the bright side, I had a few notable niceties in Balakleya this week after my declaration that I was going to try to stop being a sour puss about things. I got some packages from my mom on Monday. After looking at the packages, and having my boss point to the address and give me the ???-look, I realized that she did not add the Russian version of my address to the packages. Oddly enough, the goodies actually made it to me. I don’t know how long they sat at the Post Office here before my boss inquired if there were any packages from America (two weeks, I think), but they got here. I finally got peanut butter and hot sauce and 4 of my light-weight summer dresses and my French Press, and the potato peeler that I bought before coming and a whole bunch of other stuff. Note to those interested: Send hot sauce and spicey spices.
I am also really making an effort to make peace with my apartment. I think I have. I might never make peace with the bathroom, but really, there is nothing I can do there. So, I just have to ignore it. I am also choosing to find the fact that the ceiling in my kitchen is only half-finished as charming. The bed, well I am really trying to get a new one, but I’m not getting a lot of help from the people who can help me. I have cash… I just don’t know where to go with it. I guess, worst case scenario, I buy an inflatable and just make do.
On Tuesday, my co-worker told my boss that I had received another package from The States. My other mom’s package had come complete with super duper wool socks (I asked for them back in April when it was freezing and my socks weren’t cutting the mustard – but we couldn’t receive any packages until July), a camping towel, more peanut butter and more Emergen-C. What a bounty!?! I would be set with peanut butter for at least the next two weeks. I stopped by the Post Office on the way home dreading the interaction. The lady behind the desk was kind of a jerk, because she pissed and moaned that I interrupted the last 5 minutes of her break. But, I just stood there and looked purposely confused and played the ‘I am a foreigner’ card, ‘I don’t understand’. I kind of love that I can do that. This got another lady involved, because she also did not care if she was disturbing the last 5 minutes of this girl’s break either. I had to fill out a form, but again, I gave the big-eyed pathetic look that I do rather well and the girl asked if she should fill it out for me. The helpful lady told her yes and then showed me where I needed to sign. Thank you, Helpful Lady. The girl behind the desk rolled her eyes at me… Love. I think we might become great friends.
I went to the grocery store and the lady who yelled at me two weeks ago for not responding fast enough when she was yelling at me about 1 kopeck was on check out. I brought my stuff over to the register and she said, ‘You don’t need a bag, do you?’ (I have a stuff-able grocery bag from my dear roommate Ariel in New York, who couldn’t stand the accumulation of plastic bags in our kitchen). In Ukraine, they charge you for the plastic bags, which I think is great. Before they ring up your groceries they ask you if you want a packet (bag), and then big or small. If you brought your own, it reminds you to yank it out and get it ready to bag. Anyhow, her question indicated that she remembered me, since I like to yank out my blue bag and unfold it while I am waiting in line so I have it ready. She then proceeded to smile, and ring my groceries and then point to the screen and say really slowly and clearly what the total was. She was being nice. I was thrilled since last time when she yelled at me, I yelled back at her that I didn’t speak Russian that well. She must have been having a bad day that day, so was I… Today on the other hand, we were both having a good day.
All in all, things seem to be improving slowly but surely. It’s super hot this weekend, so I have been somewhat sequestered in my apartment. I don’t feel comfortable enough here yet to swim by myself with my tats, although with all the babushkas and children around, I think it would be fine. It’s really too hot for walking around. So for now, it’s me, my fan, and my feet in a bucket of cool water. They say August is going to be hotter. I am not looking forward to that, since it is already in the mid to high-90s right now. Ugh.
