Birth Town Visit (Minusinsk)
I thought I wrote in the plane but the file is gone, maybe
its better, it was too emotional for posting. The family I met totally exceed my expectation. Evry one was so nice, pleseant and welcoming. Picture of my driver
Evan is on the left. If you go to the Minusinsk I definitly recomment him. You can look at entire family in by clinking the home town picture line.
It is 6:19AM, Tati and I have been
up since 4AM exchanging email with Mary. Before coming over we got a Cingular
phone on the promise of it working here, well it is not, okay maybe it is 50%,
can’t make calls but does text and picture. I guess the glass is half full since
Mary loves the pictures and finds them cool.
We started early with the flight to LAX and of course I lost my coat, going to Siberia and no coat. Luckily the guy in front of us have seen somebody finding a coat and giving it to the ticket counter, Mary came to rescue and found the coat. What would I do without her…The whole trip have been one lucky event after another, somebody is watching and loves what’s happening. The PC itself fired an email to Sasha our contact in Moscow, maybe a worm in somebody else’s machine, which she responds she could not read my email, no wonder I did not send any but that AM Tati had requested visit to her baby sister and her birthtown. The computer self mailing process put the whole plan into a fast spin, hotels were set up and we got the 2 of last 4 seats available to Abakan from Moscow.
On top of that Lena our babyhome contact in Minusinsk will arrive from Krasnoyarsk the same day on some biz trip. With her in town, we get to visit the orphanage with her and take pictures and visit everybody. Hope we don’t lose the camera this time. So far we have left it in the driver car once already. Tati is looking at me to take shower and get ready for our first day in Moscow. Last night we went to an Authentic Russian restaurant with Jenka (translator) and the largest toy store in town, a huge place, 3 story tall with a full size mary-go-around inside. Tati is planning to buy new suite case so we have room for shopping. So much for bringing less luggage, I guess it is just not the American way. Okay this time I have to start showering, Tati won’t have it. She is being wonderful on this trip. My little honor student, yes she made honor role this quarter….Way to go Tati J
Our driver pick us up at 1:30 for drive to domestic airport, very long ride. He did not talk English or new few words much less than my Russian words which helped me practice and learn a few new works. “Pabbeihteh” word for victory since we passed by many victory monument, Victory over Napoleon was most impressive or best visible from the road. Flight to Abakan was an smooth 3 ½ hr ride. Thanks to Brenda’s help (FRUA) we prepared for a dark airport and had flash light handy. Interesting part was, we had to go through one more security check to get our luggage. We were met by Anna birthmother Vika cousin, Tatianna birthaunt, at the airport and of course Ivan our driver, not sure if any relationship. Flash light helped with the dark and Anna noticing us. The drive was 2 ½ hr from Abakan. We passed Minusinsk about 1 ½ hr into the driver and road got worse after that, very cold and snow everywhere. I did not think we would make it through some of ice and snow on the road but driver pushed on. My only comfort was that there was no drop on the side of road and soft snow would be our landing since the car slid in every direction but our driver was very expert and controlled the car right away without loss of any speed and we were pushing forward.
We got to a small house. Little three bed room, two are used as bed room and one is living room. It is a very cute charming house and warm unlike the -40 deg C weather outside. Anna showed us the bath room first, leaky and wet no toilet seat, no water faucet. There is no closet anywhere, what you see is everything Anna owns. The kitchen is small with the only running water tap in the whole house and only cold water. The house is heated by hot water radiator which looks like it burns wood and coal, I am surprised, it is not natural gas which Russia has plenty of. The back of the heater plates are Natalie’s bed room wall and keeps her room very warm. There is no shower or bath any where, only a leaky toilet.
Anna is a charming lady which bring us some comfortable shoes to wear as she says the floor is hard and cold (Kholedna – Cold) of course it is just us three in the house Tati, Anna and I. Tati and I do not speak Russian and she does not speak English but we manage. I am getting really good at this language. The only sad part is my practice of “pleasure to meet you” in Russian was not understood by anybody. Oh well, more practice is needed. Her first question which caught me by most surprise was how many kids I have? Which I explained 3, Tati and another two which attend university this made her very happy and she smiled. Next she saw Mary’s picture in the red dress (a must see) and asked if our wedding (Mary is stunning). The rest of evening was most interesting as we tried to make conversation until 4:30Am. Of course she made dinner/breakfast, pelmeni and brought the biggest bottle of Vodka, I had a shot and she insisted on me having three shots and explained it is Russian tradition. I did not, and she understood that one was more than enough for me. She explained we had to go to Victor’s in (not sure who Victor is) Minusinsk to take bath and fix Tati’s hair. I tried to explain to her we have to visit Lena as 1PM and need to call her at 8:00AM. Of course then she wants to know who Lena is, the most difficult task with my broken Russian. After many tries I had to show her picture of Tati’s teacher and told her she is Lena at least for now until I can explain better. We asked of Natalie, she is spending the night with grandma. She also mentions the maid coming tomorrow, I am sure I misunderstood, and she mentions the word ‘Rabot’ a lot.
We called Lena at 8AM, I guess it was incontinence for Anna to meet Lena at 1PM, I think the issue is transportation. We leave at 1 and meet Lena at 3:00PM.
Lena found out more about Victor, okay we are going to Minusinsk to clean up and go a Victor’s son birthday party. We will also spend two nights in Minusinsk. I know I get some cell connection in Minusinsk, one phone shows signal, I still do not know how to dial a US number. I can dial a Russian number with no issue but not a US number. I think I do not dial it correctly. I noticed Anna used 9810-area code + number….I have to try it when I get to Minusinsk. RIM pager does not transmit but I am thinking of new SIM card for the Cingular cell phone and with the PC USB connection to the phone I might be able to send out some serious text messaging, which reminds me a of adding a simple web page for full connectivity during travel. Future research….
The morning of May 16th went slow, we stayed home and tried to communication. Victor is Anna's cousin and has two kids, a son 16 and a daughter 13. We practice Russian words and food item as lunch was prepared. Anna was telling me the night before the maid will come today, I knew she does not mean maid, it just did not make sense. A girl about same age as Anna came, she is Natalie’s godmother and she has come to take care of Natali while Anna goes to work. Rabot meaning work put all the conversation into perspective. This word has been used many times but I could not understand the word now it make sense. Anna could not go to Minusinsk and Orphanage at 1:00PM because she had to work and we would leave at 2:00PM.
Grandma and Natalie show up around lunch, Tatianna is in heaven, she plays with Natalie all morning. Natalie chases the cat all over the house. Poor cat does not know where to hide. We play music and Natalie dances, lot’s of video, Anna sings nursery rimes and claps while Natalie dances. She comb Tati’s hair and both love it. It is a very nice start.