More updates. This is me not doing homework.

Today marks the first time I’ve ever seen mandarin oranges in plastic packaging. They’re like individually wrapped fortune-oranges. I think they’re from China or something. I don’t really know.

Also we were eating dinner and some comedian came on and started making fun of America. I actually didn’t understand anything so I could neither laugh nor be offended, but then the following conversation took place with my host mother:
Host mother: So, do most Americans like Bush?
Natasha: Well, I’d say a little less than half. Our country is pretty split down the middle. We have two main parties.
Host mother: Oh, we have elections coming up. We have 11 parties.
Natasha: Well, we have more than just two, but they’re very small and don’t do anything. It’s really only the main two that are important.
Host mother: We have 11, but still don’t know anything. No one knows what’s going on. I suppose it’s the same way with your country.
Natasha: mmm….no, we pretty much know what’s going on.
Host mother: Well it’s all the same. We have elections, but it doesn’t matter, because the population can’t do anything. We don’t know what’s going on and there’s nothing we can change. I’m sure it’s like that with you too.
Natasha: No…actually people can change anything.

Russia is a sad place that way. I think there’s almost this strange, simplified version of looking at things. As in, the greater picture or greater idea is just too much to think about. Moreover, I think they see it as not worth thinking about since they think that there is nothing they can do. Any conversation we’ve had about before and after is always overly simplified. It’s like when Sonya asked her host mother if things were better now than during communism, she replied that kielbasa was cheaper then…but now she can fly to Moscow and out of the country, so that’s nice. And in Mongolia, where the only good thing about Democracy was that more money might be coming into the country, but all the bad things that happened were also the fault of Democracy. It’s so overly simplified it kills me. I feel like so many people we’ve talked to here are so tunnel-visioned about everything. There is no greater world view.

I almost had a minor heart attack when my NEW power cord started beeping and not charging my computer. But everything is fine now.

Also Sonya and I went to the KoKs café today, where they also have free wireless (well, I say free, but it’s really “free”, because you have to buy, like, a coffee or something). I liked it a lot, it was very modern and upscale but still felt comfortable. It’s a little too upscale, though, so I won’t be going there often. But I would prefer to go there on a Friday or Saturday night instead of a bar.

I think this Christmas music is unhealthy for me. I just seem to have these associations attached to this mix of Christmas music that I have, and it’s making me want to live out those mental pictures. I’m reminded of finishing finals, lots of snow, being in Cleveland, running to the sounds of the Tran-Siberian Orchestra, driving at night, walking at night, Christmas shopping, Christmas tree decorating, etc. It’s sort of interesting that I’ve formed these associations based on things that have only happened in the last 2 years, but that’s okay I guess. Anyway, for some odd reason I’m especially reminded of driving Jetta around, perhaps on Pleasant Valley, going up to Blockbuster to get a movie on a winter night, and being stopped at that stoplight around 77. These are very odd associations, but as I think about them, I realize that I’d rather be doing that then being frustrated with the kind of life I lead in Irkutsk. I think it’s that I feel like such an unproductive and worthless person. My host mother won’t even let me hang up my own clothes to dry. I can’t go and exercise every day. I just don’t lead a productive, independent life and it’s driving me crazy.

I’ve looked at some travel stuff for the end of the semester. But I’m almost at the point where it’s like-how much am I going to want to travel? I think at that point I might be so tired I’ll just want to go home. But then it seems stupid to go home that early, especially when I’m just going to be sitting around and working out (although that in itself might be a good enough reason). And then I think to myself that there are things that I don’t have to see right now, because I’ll surely be coming back to Russia in the near future. But what if I don’t? What if all of a sudden all of my plans (very, very vague plans, but still plans) change and I never get the opportunity? What if I apply for a job that’ll put me in Russia for awhile, but I don’t get it? And then I’ll hate myself for not taking advantage of the opportunity I had earlier. Sigh. If anyone has any advice I’ll gladly take it.

Also evidently my host father is coming home soon (did I mention this before)? If I didn’t translate this incorrectly (which is entirely possible, considering we talked about his profession at the very beginning of my arrival in Russia), he does some sort of mining or panning for gold or something in the taiga, and is only home for half of the year. So she said that I shouldn’t be alarmed if I come home one day and there’s an unfamiliar Buryat man in the apartment. She even offered to show me a picture just in case. This means I have to go through another process of being used to someone, but I’ve already become comfortable with my host mother and sister and feel like I’ll be going through that uncomfortable phase all over again. I actually don’t think that’ll happen. But what I DO worry about is that he’ll be home all the time. My favorite times ever are the times after class when I’m alone in the apartment and can just sit or do homework or read or watch Vinnie-Pookh (hard h). That time will be nonexistent if he is here all the time.

I’ve heard he loves history, and will probably show me all of these history books and talk about all kinds of stuff. We’ll probably get along well. I should invite Eddie over too, as he is also a history major (actually Eddie is a history fanatic).

Back to the strange Chinese orange in the plastic package. On the back it has this very bad English translation…I think it’s trying to describe the orange. It’s absolutely hilarious. This is what it says:
mandarin is king of Orange, contain of protein, sugar, vitamin and inorganic salts, etc., sorts of composition, especially contains rich maize element, Vc, Vp, and carotene. Resistant to cancer, health spleen, moisten lung, relieve a cough, it’s appearance beautify, juice savory, flesh delicious, Not only is nourishing product, but also is preserve your health. It is good foods for health.

That made my day.