I don’t have any exciting new experiences to relate. Still, I’m sure that I am absorbing all sorts of cultural information and such. But I don’t remember anymore what will be interesting to American readers. I’ll try to think of some things.
A) I’ve gotten used to the word ‘Tajikistan’ being pronounced with either angry scorn or with the kind of pity with which people in the western hemisphere say ‘Haiti.’ Apparently it is a place no one wants to be, including the Tajiks, who all seem to live in Russia. All news about Tajikistan involves fatalities. Even in Soviet times, it was always the poorest republic, with few important resources, and I get the impression it was sort of ignored by the government. Before it became a Soviet republic, I think it was ruled by the Uzbeks; Tajiks have tough luck. Am I the only person who didn’t know that there was a long civil war there in the 1990s? At least they probably have good food, being in central Asia and all.
B) This evening, being a conscientious student of Russian language and culture, I read part of a children’s book lent to me by one of my teachers. It is one of the thousands of ‘tales from the history of our great and God-appointed nation’-type children’s books sold everywhere here, with colorful pictures of shining onion-domes and blond men on horseback killing Mongols and such. This one is about the great and holy heroine Evpraksia of Ryazan. The reason that she is great and holy, and a good model for the nation’s youth, is that when Ryazan was invaded by the Mongols she threw both herself and her young son from the highest tower. Our literature teacher talked to us at great length about why this was so heroic and necessary to the patriotism of her fellow Russians (I can’t really say countrymen, because there was no united country), but I am still not sure this is the best subject for a children’s book. Listen well, kids: when in difficulty, the best and most romantic solution is to kill yourself and any minor children under your protection.
C) There are going to be elections soon, but no one cares, because there are no real candidates.
D) We are about to run out of homemade raspberry jam and I am very sad.
2 comments:
Best one yet, and I do sympathize with you about the jam. I'm posting this largely because I'm afraid you'll think the only time you get comments is when you DON'T write anything. G.
u r kewl. abigail showed me the amazing icicle video of lake baikal yesterday- i'm considering setting it to music- any suggestions?
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