·
Sunday,30 April 2006
Cleaning up for my house guest
Next week our
house-guest is arriving so I did a bit of cleaning in preparation for her. The biggest challenge is finding a suitable
place for her kitty-litter box!
We are cat-sitting
for a week.
It will be fun to
have a feline friend staying with us for a while.
·
Friday, 28 April 2006
_________________________________________________________________
E-Mail Excerpt
Follows:
…I was trying to find my Mom's
wonderful chocolate Mayonnaise cake recipe and my cousins helped me out.
My cousin Beth, found it in an old Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) cookbook
that my Mom and her sisters used as a cooking Bible! I'll insert the
recipe below).
I will make a test version (weird oven, odd shaped pan and Ukrainian
ingredients!) for a 1 May (Labor Day here) outing. We are going on a hike
to the eastern tip of the Peninsula with some Ukrainian friends - we will
picnic there (I hope they will make Shashchlick - wonderful shish-ka-bobs that
are unique to Ukraine)
I like to frost the mayonnaise cake with a chocolate butter cream
frosting...very easy and quick and it satisfies any sweet-tooth or
death-by-chocolate-freak.
I am eager to share it because Ukrainians have such a love of dark chocolate
and they put mayonnaise on EVERYTHING (even pizza!).
If the first one
turns out good, I may take one to English Club Wednesday. At last night's
meeting, several of the members were flipping through a Woman's Day magazine
someone (thoughtfully sent me and asked about some of the foods and recipes
they saw there. (FYI: magazines make great tools for language and
cross-cultural games at English Club and when that group is done with them, we
give them to secondary school teachers for their English Classes and projects.)
One teacher said "Our food does not look like this!" She was
eyeing a green bean salad in an ad...you know the one: Campbell’s Cream of
Mushroom Soup, green beans and French-fried onion rings!
They were also intrigued by the cheesecake - I promised to make one soon!
Great excuse to indulge again! 8-) There was a photo of blueberry
pancakes which interested them, though there was lots of Russian chatter as
they tried to figure out what blueberries are - not available here! Several
members indicated that pancakes are supposed to be big. They do not
really eat pancakes here, but know of them from literature, TV and
movies...This started a dialogue on "Denny's Grand Slam
Breakfast"....oh, dear, I am making myself homesick!
Back to the mayonnaise cake - Beth mentioned the EUB cookbook and everything
being made from scratch and oven temperatures state: moderate or hot.
That is how we cook here. No instant potatoes, etc! Our ovens are tiny
and do not have temperature gauges - just high and off really. We
experienced this in Spain too. I like to bake so it can be frustrating...
OK, one more comment - do you know how the mayonnaise cake evolved (at least
according to my Mom)? During President Hoover's years some products were
scarce so people learned to innovate a bit. Frugal (or desperate) cooks
found that mayonnaise is a great substitute for eggs and oil in a recipe so
this cake started out as a "Hoover-Cake". In this case, the
substitution made an improvement to a rather dull cake and became a secret
ingredient!
Soooooo, more later...I have bent your ears about cake, etc, long
enough! But here is the recipe my Mom used! Try it - even if
the thought of mayonnaise makes you squeamish - it is a very rich, no fail,
deliciously moist cake!
My Mom’s Chocolate Cake
1 c. sugar
2 c. flour
4 heaping T. cocoa
1 c. Miracle Whip salad dressing
1 c. hot water
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. vanilla
Sift together flour, sugar and
cocoa into bowl. Add salad dressing and hot water (not boiling) in which
soda has been dissolved. Add vanilla. Beat until smooth and
creamy. Pour into 9 x 12 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30
minutes. Very delicious served warm.
(Try the
frosting I mentioned too!)
Ginn
Typed on Thursday Morning, While my Kitchen Floor Dries
_______________________________________________________________________
·
Thursday, 27 April 2006
I thumbed through
the “Kiev Post” (6 April 2006 edition of a expat-paper published in Ukraine) recently
and a rather startling ad caught my eye.
It reads:
TEACH IN USA
A chance of a lifetime! Teach in South Carolina, USA, beginning July
2006. Need qualified teachers with
4-year degree in teaching Math, Science, or Special Education. No fees required of applicants. Salary,
medical coverage, transportation, support and training included. Apply online at www.FACESinc.org
I did a double
take and then I laughed.
Recruiting
teachers from Ukraine to teach in South Carolina!
Before Mark and I
joined Peace Corps, we taught at a South Carolina high school. We had a standing joke that teaching in South
Carolina was our Peace Corps tour!
Obviously, there
was some sarcasm in our joke, but, there were many days during our tenure there
that we felt as if we were living in a foreign country. Local attitudes, living
standards and cultural challenges presented us with daily opportunities to
learn and grow. It was a character building experience being outsiders in that
closed community. It was also an area
that is significantly economically depressed and quite isolated too.
When we actually
joined Peace Corps and headed for Ukraine, we continued to joke about how our
Peace Corps experience would be a step up from our lifestyle in sunny South
Carolina.
In some ways, it
has been a step up.
I try to imagine
what life will be like for the Ukrainian teachers who may answer the call to
come to South Carolina. I wonder what their expectations will be. I wonder what they will think once they begin
to teach.
Many South
Carolina schools are in sore need of strong, effective educators who can
sustain the efforts necessary to engage students and help them succeed and
grow.
South Carolina is
a lovely place, but for us, it is time to move on.
Hmmmm, maybe I
could swap my delightful little bungalow in sunny South Carolina for a dacha
here in Crimea….
Know any nice Ukrainian
math, science or special education teachers eager to have an adventure? We could talk!
·
Wednesday, 26 April 2006 – 20th
Anniversary of Chornobyl
“Are you dressed?”
Mark called, as he walked through the door.
“Well, yes, I
am. It is only 8 PM, Romeo!”
“Get your coat
then and let’s walk to the Chornobyl monument.
People are gathering there. It
looks like there will be some kind of ceremony,” my spouse informed me.
He was right. The local community had a solemn candlelight
memorial service commemorating the 20 years since the Chornobyl nuclear power
plant exploded and the world witnessed the worst technological catastrophe it
had ever known. There were speeches, a
21-gun salute, and a dramatic procession of young women in flowing white gowns,
each presenting a candle. Individuals
silently filed by leaving behind hundreds of bold red tulips and flickering
candles.
Twenty years after
this hideous disaster, the world still does not have a clear picture of the
extent of its impact. It emitted
radiation equivalent to 300 nuclear
bombs like those at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Last week, environmental watchdog Greenpeace reported that around 90,000
people will die of cancer caused by radiation from the Chornobyl
explosion. A previous UN report is
significantly more conservative, predicting a death toll of 4,000.
There is obviously
some uncertainty and it is likely we will never have an absolute figure. When the disaster happened there were fatal
delays in evacuating the communities (the city of Pripyat and 76
villages). 1,400 buses arrived and evacuation began 36 hours after
the initial explosion. 150,000 people
left their homes with only what they could carry and never returned again. They left a ghost town.
In Kiev, less that
90 miles from Chornobyl, the huge May Day celebrations took place as planned –
Moscow tried to keep things quiet...to show the world things were under control An area of 100,000 square miles was directly
effected – in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.
It took eight days,
working night and day, in contaminated waters to avert danger of the second
explosion.
Kerch is a long
way from the Chornobyl site, yet thousands of local young men were among the
800,000 clean-up workers dispatched from all of the Soviet Republics. Recent statistics say that almost 6,000 of
the liquidators have died – the majority of them, young men in their
twenties.
There is more to
the story…devastation, despair…
But the data is
not all in. Leukemia, lymphoma and
thyroid cancer are among the challenges these people face.
Almost 4 million
people still live and are dying in contaminated zones.
Twenty years after
the fact, the event is still sobering to consider and is still changing the
lives of people throughout this part of the world.
We stood quietly,
watching people mourn and sharing, in a small way, the grief they bear.
·
Tuesday, 25 April 2006
Spring Cleaning
It is almost
noon. I spent the morning on my hands
and knees doing the spring-cleaning on the old orange carpet that runs the
length of the entryway to our flat. I stretched it out across the kitchen floor
and assembled my tools.
I managed to spill
about a cup of the Ukrainian version of Mr. Clean (here he is called “Mr. Proper”).
The large spot of undiluted soap made extra work of this already challenging
project. Mr. Proper’s usually pleasant
grin seemed to resemble a smirk, as if he was trying to refrain from laughing
at the foolish American woman as she scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed.
That man just
stands there, arms crossed, looking all too smug if you ask me!
I wish I had thought
to buy a pair of rubber gloves!
It is amazing how
dirty carpets are. I am not a fan of
them. They simply collect dirt. I prefer bare floors. The maintenance is so much easier.
I guess carpets
collect dirt and dust that would otherwise travel into the living area. Any
good Ukrainian homemaker knows this.
Guests and family all remove their shoes upon entering a Ukrainian
home. The host always has extra slippers
to loan guests so they will feel at home. It is engrained into the lifestyle here.
Not only is it
inappropriate to wear shoes indoors, going barefoot or stocking footed is not
appropriate either.
Originally, I
thought I would simply roll up the rugs ad store them away, but there is really no adequate space for storing
up rolled up carpet in this tiny flat.
And of course our landlady would notice their absence. She was so pleased to provide them for us
last October.
All winter I have
dutifully swept the carpets each day.
I use a broom
because that is the accepted practice. Most
people do not have vacuum cleaners, but they are available (personally I think
they are overrated too, but that is another rant, for another day!)
Occasionally I use
a sponge to gather up hair. Here, carpets
are taken outdoors on accession – they
are beaten and aired and put back down.
In the winter, after a good snowstorm, people take carpets outdoors, lay
them face down and place clean snow on them.
The residual dirt falls through into the snow beneath.
A vacuum cleaner
really is a status symbol here. Like
owning a washing machine is. Homemaker’s
here are beginning to acquire small appliances - things like toasters, vacuum
cleaners, steam irons, hair dryers, microwaves, etc.
Economic
development is uneven here so there are significant contrasts in how people
choose to spend their money. As everywhere,
there are wealthy people who have all the tools and accoutrements of the techno-society
we in the western world take for granted.
But, at the working class level, houses, cars, appliances and most of
the tools and items that are observed in homes on television are simply not
reality.
The contrasts
still catch my attention.
Of course, this is
true in America in a different way.
People see life on television and want the things they see. In the small town we lived in before coming
here, there are many people who barely survive; people who may have a car and
many appliances and a wonderful wardrobe, but are deeply in debt.
Here, people pay
cash. The credit purchase is still
unusual. In this country, people still
pay cash for a house or a flat.
But, it is only a
matter of time…
These thoughts go
through my head as I clean my carpet and prepare to begin on the second
one. I hope Mr. Proper’s smile will look
more sincere to meme now that I have had a break.
(Of course he is
smiling – he isn’t scrubbing the carpet now is he?)
·
Friday, 20 April 2006 – Good Friday (Orthodox)
All bundled up on a warm spring day…
The day is
splendid here in Kerch, Crimea. My
windows are open and turtle doves coo outside.
I see men in t-shirts. Tulips,
daffodils, and forsythia blossoms
compete for attention. I see a young
child wobbling along the sidewalk on an ancient bicycle. He is wearing a snowsuit, stocking cap and a
muffler around his neck. Women stride by
wearing short, short skirts and bare legs.
This bundling of
children puzzles me.
Getting ready for a long weekend
The library will
close for Orthodox Easter and Monday is a holiday too so Mark has three days on
a row off! It is a beautiful day and I
would rather play hooky, but I feel duty bound o clean the flat before the chaotic
weekend descends and wrecks havoc on the flat.
I am usually good
about tending to the basic clutter control, floor sweeping, mopping, laundry
and dish details, but yesterday dawned grey and cold and I deviated from he to
do list. So at noon, I finished with
some writing and decided to retire my pajamas and think about the daily
chores.
I had just slipped
on my clothes when a knock at the door startled me.
Of course, on a
day when my tiny flat is in chaos, an unexpected visitor at my door. I had not even run a comb through my hair and
breakfast dishes still cluttered the table.
Sigh.
My sense of
justice and fair play were offended! I
am so meticulous about my basic chores it seems hardly fair to have a guest
arrive with me so obviously unprepared.
I put aside my
personal vanity, sponged off the table and graciously offered him coffee and
chocolates. We had a nice visit and I
was able to provide some advice on his resume and opinions on purchasing a
computer.
“The Little Prince” and the advice of Fox…
This morning as I
tended my chores I found myself thinking about “The Little Prince” and the
lessons the Fox attempts to teach the young Prince. Fox talks about how anticipation adds to the
joy of a meeting. He says that the
ritual of a meeting is of consequence and enhances the actual experience.
I consider
this. There is considerable satisfaction
and joy in knowing a guest will come.
One selects the tea and cookies, decides which teacups to use and puts
flowers on the table and maybe a tablecloth too, all the while thinking of how
these gestures may please the guest. As
the hour of the visit draws closer, the happy anticipation builds.
Now I consider how
this can backfire. We can become too
consumed with the appearances and lose the joy of anticipation in the frenzy to
set the stage perfectly. The event
becomes a chore, a chance to feel inadequate.
So inviting a guest may be delayed or avoided entirely – put off until
things are just right (which they may never be!).
A spontaneous
visit cuts through that part of the equation.
One is forced to look past the moment and ones feelings and simply
strive to make the guest feel welcome.
It is too late to do anything else so simply be gracious and be grateful
someone wishes to call.
I am not entirely
sure which school of thought I prefer (oh, of course I am…I like to prepare and
tend to rituals) but it is always nice to have a guest!
But today, I my
chores are done, our flat is cluttered, but clean, birds are singing, flowers
blooming. Tomorrow we have a guest! THIS is the day to play hooky. I am going for a walk by the sea!
·
Wednesday, 19 April 2006
Toilet paper notes on a Bulgakov classic:
“The Master and Margarita”…
There are tales of
authors penning their works on toilet paper in order to evade censors and many
of these tales are associated with works produced during totalitarianism in the
Soviet Union. At times, rather than
penning their works, authors memorized them word for word or even had
associates memorize pieces so that when the time was right they could transcribe
their inspired works onto paper for posterity.
It is hard to imagine that kind of world, where ideas created so much
fear and a book could be such a threat.
Though I am no
author, I did opt for taking notes on sturdy, brown toilet paper (which has not
changed much since the Soviet era though perhaps it is more readily available
now than it was then!).
Why am I seated at
the kitchen table, making notes on toilet paper?
Well, simply
because I was so engrossed in my reading that I simply grabbed the nearest
paper at hand to jot down thoughts as I continued to read. A roll of toilet paper is frequently found in
our kitchen because it often serves as tissue for my runny nose and also as a suitable
substitute for paper towels in the event of a spill.
I decided to
finish reading “The Master and Margarita” by M. Bulgakov this morning and have
been hunched over the novel since breakfast.
I have been rationing out the pleasure this book brings by allowing
myself to read only a few pages each day.
This morning I
made a second pot of coffee, lighted the burner on the stove to take the chill
off the kitchen, and resumed reading for a couple hours.
This is a
compelling novel and there are so many layers to it. There are political subtexts, literary and
religious allegories (Pontius Pilate), metaphors, fantasies (a Faustian talking
cat), parallels, and polemic. There is
the very Russian character of the novel too.
This book (written
in the 1930s but not published for decades) and the author (long dead) have a cult
following around the world, and I can certainly understand why. Of course, many people say that non-Russians
cannot really fathom the book or its impact.
There are many discussions about how poor translations are and that this
work can only be properly understood or appreciated in its native Russian
language, etc, etc. Ho hum. Regardless
of the condescending, arrogant, patronizing attitude of that elite group, I
have thoroughly enjoyed the book and have come away with many things to think
about.
One subtext
concerns cowardice and courage…our ability to act and demonstrate
compassion. Characters wrestle with
these issues.
There is an
interesting narrative about how shadows and how they are as important as the
light…Jesus teaches by example while the devil uses provocation…and they work
to the same end. We are tested by one
and shown by the other – we are to show compassion even under the most wretched
conditions humanity can show us…we must transcend retribution, but many people fail.
This novel, a mere
300 pages is packed with so many things.
I do not intend to elaborate on them or to write a book review
though.
Of course, you can
just read this book and enjoy the roller-coaster story. But, I find myself wishing I could speak with
the author. I want more. And I have a wealth of ideas and literary,
political and cultural allusions to explore and consider.
This book will
remain on my shelf (when I am not re-reading it!) and is one I would recommend
to those who love to read and think.
Oh – I found a
quote in it that may become the epigraph on my tombstone (actually, I hope to
be cremated and my ashes scattered):
“Time to go, my friend, time
to go…” - Pushkin
(in transliterated Russian:
Pora, moi drug, pora…” -Pushkin)
And with that, it
is indeed time to go…or at least stop lingering over this novel and my toilet
paper notes!
It is after noon
and Mark will soon be here for lunch on this fine spring day on the shores of
the Kerchian Straits.
·
Tuesday, 18 April 2006
Catwoman & Poodoo are back!
It is still a
mystery why Catwoman was gone, but she and Poodle-Boy are back! There are some very hungry cats who are
mighty glad to see them. We are grateful
to have them back too.
·
Monday, 17 April 2006 – My sister Rosemary’s
Bithday!
Tried to call the USA…
Once again, we try
to call the USA and the party we hope to reach sadly eludes us.
We have three
phone numbers for this Reno couple, including a cell phone, but do not, cannot connect.
One call indicates
the number has been disconnected; the next call reaches a voice mail system
that does not respond when we poke buttons to leave a message, and then the
cell phone, which just rings and rings and rings.
This is not the
first time we have failed to connect when trying to call these people, though
we verified the numbers. Sigh.
So, some bucks
shorter now and feeling blue, we call our daughter and son-in-law and wake them
up in far away Arizona. We had a good
conversation about nothing more important than simple human connection.
Logistics of phoning…
The logistics of
making an international call are not as bad as they were during the many years
we lived in Spain, but for us, making a call to America still involves gong to
a phone center. Given a 7-10 hour difference
in time zones, and limited office hours, we plan ahead to find a window of
opportunity to make a call.
We give the number
to the clerk who dials, connects and then hands over the cell phone. We scurry into one of the small, Plexiglas,
sweatbox booths and huddle over the phone, sweating and straining to hear the
party on the other end.
While phoning the
USA is cheap by an American standards, our three aborted calls and one actual
connection amounting to about 50 Hryvnia ($10) cost more than a day’s pay for a school teacher,
librarian or other similar employee here in Crimea.
(Postal service is
pricey here too – we are amazed to rack up mail charges amounting to several
day’s pay when we mail small items stateside.)
We can, on and do
the other hand, receive phone calls
at home on our cell phone or the landline, though service is sometimes
erratic. (Callers should make sure they
have an international calling plan or it gets pricey really fast - like 15 cents as opposed to 3 dollars per
minute!)
We were grateful
for an Easter call from our folks in sunny California. They found a webcam on a Kerch site and were
watching the locals here stroll through Lenin Square and lingering in the warm
spring air near the Hero City monument outside the local post office. They were just starting their day in
California and we were ending ours here.
A book and DVD orgy…
The other day, we
received a wonderful and generous “care package” from one of my nieces. Back in December, Carrie purged her book
collection (Chad’s too!) and then made a trip to the local version of the
“Dollar Store” for a dozen or so video disks of classic TV and old John Wayne,
Jimmy Stewart B&W films. She packed
all this great stuff up and sent it to some very grateful recipients – US! She also included a disk filled with much-appreciated
family photos and a slew of delightful video clips (the kind people forward in
their e-mail). We really were like kids
at Christmas time as we pawed through the books and paused to read back covers
and titles.
All this
stimulating Americana arrived via Media-Mail. So it has been enroute to our
place since mid-December. (Media-Mail
goes space available for about $1 a pound – the ONLY practical way to really
ship books, magazines, etc,)
So, after ooohing
and aaahing over the paperbacks, we settled in for a happy orgy of video
mania. It is hard to decide whether to
simply watch, enjoy and indulge in a viewing frenzy or to be practical and put
some aside for a future day when America seems like a distant memory.
One unexpected
delight was a simple DVD with about ten hours of HGTV burned on it. How I miss HGTV! I become mesmerized by it! I can easily be sucked into a video void for
hours and hours and hours. It is
addictive! So, needless to say, I parked
myself on the hard, soviet-era sofa and pulled my laptop closer to watch the
was decorators and designers work their magic.
(One show I really enjoyed is the one about designing for small
spaces…our one room flat here is 3 meters by 5 meters!)
So while most
people in the USA were indulging in Easter and spring rituals this weekend, we
were masking our homesickness and nostalgia for America with a serious video
fix, thanks to Carrie and Chad, our official Easter Bunnies!
·
Saturday, 15 April 2006
Snowsuits in springtime…
The laundry snaps
in the breeze as a young mother hangs up crisp white sheets on this beautiful
spring morning. Her long dark hair wafts
invitingly in the breeze. She wears a
white shirt and a dark skirt; her legs are bare and make me think of summer
days ahead. The child who stays close to
the woman’s side as she works, is bundled up in a sturdy red snowsuit with only
a bit of his face peeking through to the fresh air. Yes, a snowsuit! Daffodils are in bloom, tulips will soon
follow, but the youngest among us still wear snowsuits…hmmmmm…
This behavior
puzzles me and I see it often. Children
are routinely bundled up, from head to toe as if a wintry blast may occur at
any moment, while the adults are more appropriately dressed for the genial
weather conditions of a spring day.
There is also an
obsession about drafts I this country.
Buses and marshutkas are like sweat boxes this time of year and do not
think you dare to open the window for some relief…no, this is totally
inappropriate and dangerous to your health according to the locals.
You just have to sweat
it out, like those poor little kids in the snowsuits!
Bazaar Behavior….
We stepped indoors
at the bazaar to buy some vegetable salads.
There are about 15-20 women competing for business. Each has open plastic bins, mounded high with
a variety of 8-10 colorful pickled salads.
We never know how
to choose which vender to purchase from and often buy a salad from one vender
and then proceed to another to make a second purchase – the spread the wealth around
system.
The women lure you
over with offers to try their salad. They
stab some salad on a fork and extend a bit toward you. You take it in your fingers, sample it and
then wipe your fingers on a communal towel hanging in front of the sales
table.
Some customers
make the rounds sampling, sampling, sampling and then wander off without ever
making an actual purchase. Once you have
made a choice, you indicate how many glass-fulls you would like and then fill a
plastic bag with whatever salad you choose.
Sometimes, often actually, they will add some salad you may not have
tried. This free salad may tempt you to
return and buy some next week.
People push and
jostle one another while all this is going on.
If a customer lingers long at a given table, other potential customers
are likely to arrive and queue up behind you.
Interest attracts crowds, something these venders learned on the job and
not in a classroom.
We made our choice
of venders, ruling out one where we observed a hungry young man gorging himself
on forkfuls of wonderful pickled carrot salad directly from the open bin. When he was done with the fork he turned it
over to the woman who used the fork to stir up the remaining salad. We ruled out making a purchase from this
salad vender.
This week while we
were purchasing our beet salad from one vender, the lady at the next table
bagged up some seaweed salad and gave it to us.
“You are dobrovolets?” she asked (in Russian), smiling. I said yes as she thrust the bag at me. (Dobrovolets means volunteer, as in Peace
Corps Volunteer)
“Take it,” she
said. “A gift,” she said, smiling again.
Another salad lady
gestured to us. “Where are you from?”
she said in Russian. “Ahhhh,
America! My brother lives in
Portland!” Some phrase-book influenced conversation
followed.
Apparently the
salad ladies have been discussing us and probably would talk about us some more
after we left. Not many Americans live
around here.
As we talked, I
observed a large handsome dog staring intently at the meat counter as is trying
to decide on a purchase. I imagine the
saleswomen might be in the habit of giving him a treat on occasion. Lots of dogs and cats roam the meat market
angling for handouts. The venders seem
to be a pushover for animals. Soon I see
a small sausage fly over the counter and the big dog gracefully snatched it
from the air like a catcher might reach up to snatch a baseball. He quickly finished his snack and resumed his
vigil at the meat counter.
The beer dregs…
We finished up our
Saturday shopping at the bazaar and sopped for the local version of “fast
food”. You can get a hot dog – not what
you might expect….kind of a sausage topped with shredded pickled carrots,
cabbage and watery catsup. We opt for something
else more traditionally Ukrainian.
While I wait for
Mark to bring our lunch to the table, a “bag lady” appears by my elbow. She reached for a couple abandoned beer
bottles left on the ground by previous patrons.
People collect bottle here – recycling bottle is business her, but I was
quite surprised when she held the first bottle to her mouth and drained the
dregs. I was spellbound. She polished off the beer remaining in the
second bottle and stuffed them in her collection bag.
·
Friday, 14 April 2006 – Good Friday (Aren’t
all Fridays good?)
I am in a
shoulda-been-a-social-studies-teacher mood today!
I spent an hour or
so perusing some materials about how Easter is celebrated in Ukraine and
Russia. My head is full, so now details
are about to spill out in this journal.
People are still
recovering from about fifty years of Soviet-era fears and restrictions so
conversations about things-religious are often contradictory and
confusing. I read a lot so my
impressions morph a bit as I speak to people, observe life and try to make
sense of what I have read.
Last year, I
missed the Easter experience since I was medivaced back to the USA and missed
seeing how our host family celebrated.
Mark can tell that story.
So here is what I
know about Ukrainian and Russian Easter traditions, which are deeply rooted in
a Slavic past. Of course, here in
isolated Kerch, we have more of a Byzantine influence I guess!
There is no Easter
Bunny here, I know that for sure! And I
will miss the colorful Easter baskets filled with jellybeans; chocolate
bunnies; and those sticky-sweet, toxic-waste yellow peeps!
Eat it while you can…
Maslenitsa (butter
fest) seems to kick off the whole Easter experience. It is generally a weeklong binge that proceeded
the 40 days of Lent when the devout give up meat and animal products (that
means not only meat, but also no fats, cheese, milk, etc!) as well as
dancing.
Of course, people
are far less stringent about the dietary deprivations of Lent these days, but
it is hard to imagine just what people could possibly find to eat in those days
that did not have some kind of animal product in it! During the winter months even now, it is hard
to find much in the way of vegetables or fruit.
I envision day after day of boiled potatoes (no butter) and steamed cabbage
with a side of boiled grains (kasha). No
wonder vodka was so popular!
In any case, in
places like pre-revolutionary Moscow and St Petersburg, Maslenitsa was a time
for dress balls and costumes and carnival festivities. On the last day of the festival, a straw
“Prince Carnival” was hauled around town on a sleigh while crowds cheered and yelled,
“Stay with us forever! Don’t leave
us!” The effigy was burned as the dark
days of Lent began.
Now days,
Maslenitsa is more of a bliny-festival.
People whip up 30-40 bliny (per person) and serve them with dripping
butter and rich fillings. These
wonderful, small pancakes are delightful.
So, not much
happens during the 40-day Lenten season, but people in these snowy paces really
look forward to spring and Easter. It is
traditional to clean the house thoroughly just before Easter week. People paint and re-plaster, take the carpets
outdoors and beat them clean, and other heavy tasks associated with spring-cleaning.
Decorated Egg-stravaganza
One of the
preparations for Easter that is typically Ukrainian is decorating Pysanky
(Easter Eggs). There are elaborately
painted eggs painstakingly created by applying layers of beeswax to the egg and
dipping them in a variety of colorful dyes.
It is much like the process of Batik work.
Sometimes the
elegant eggs will have what appear to be the letters “XB” – these are the
Cyrillic and signify Christos voskres or Christ is risen.
These eggs are so
detailed and are stunning collectables. Children
normally dye eggs in much the same fashion we do in the USA.
The egg dying
tradition actually predates Easter.
An interesting
historical reference to eggs and Easter is the story about the original Faberge
Egg. Czar Alexander III (1884) asked his
court jeweler (the original Faberge!) to design a special gift for the
fortunate Czarina. The result was a white
ceramic egg that opened to reveal a yolk in the shape of a golden hen with tiny
red eyes. The hen bore a regal crown
with a ruby pendent in it. The Czarina
was suitably impressed and began sharing this kind of decorative eggs, though I
presume far less valuable versions, with her court and others.
Other Easter Traditions
Other Easter
traditions here in Crimea include baking a Kulich, a special fruit and nut cake
baked in a tall, tall pan, glazed and inscribed with XB. The other traditional Easter delight is the
Paskha, a Russian confection made of rich cream, pot cheese, eggs, raisins,
almonds, etc.
(Here’s one of the
things that confuses me – in Ukraine the word Paskha seems to be more of a
bread or a cake which has many superstitions associated with it. Like everywhere else in the world there are
disparities in what people say and what people do…..)
The Kulich and
Paskha will be lovingly placed in a basket lined with embroidered towels,
nestled among decorated eggs and small amounts of cheese, sausage and other items
that will be served to family and guests on Easter. The baskets are taken to the church at 11PM
on Saturday night. The priest will bless
them during the 4-hour services. The
church is packed with people, there is incense burning and chanting, a
procession around the outside of the church.
At 4AM on Easter,
people return from church and gather in their homes to begin feasting. They begin with wonderful zakuska, an
assortment of rich, often salty or savory hors d'oeuvres eaten with frequent
shots of vodka. The main course will
follow, and since Lent is over, there is lots of meat and fat!
People eat, eat,
and eat. It is traditional to linger and
books say they will simply rest or nap, but keep returning to the table until
Sunday evening. Once source says that for
three days, no cooking will be done and nothing will be reheated, so the
preliminary preparations are important!
The Kulich and
Paskha are savored with hot chai (tea).
There is impromptu singing and dancing and there are egg-cracking
contests among the guests as people, tired of the long grey winter, take delight
in the simple pleasure that spring is in the air. Easter is a sign of renewal.
Christos
voskres! Voistinu voskres! (Christ is risen! Truly he is risen!)
(Easter is this
Sunday in the USA, but here in Ukraine it is not until 17 April this year. I explained how the date for Easter is set in
my Thursday journal entry.)
Now, class
dismissed!
·
Thursday, 13 April 2006 – Maundy Thursday
(John 13:44)
We do it twice here – Easter tales.
There is a full
moon tonight.
This is the first
full moon following the vernal equinox so for those of us following the
Gregorian calendar so this Sunday is Easter.
Here in this post-soviet era country that for so many years did not have
the freedom to share religious holidays, Easter will not be celebrated for yet
another week.
We get to
celebrate twice!
This delay in
celebrating the holiday here in Ukraine is somewhat confusing, but essentially
those who follow the Julian calendar experience a thirteen-day lag. This is compounded by the tradition that
Easter must follow the Jewish Passover, and cannot coincide with it. So, Easter
celebrations in Ukraine will always e from one to five weeks later than Easter
services in the USA and many other parts of the world.
The traditions we
observe here are such a mix of pagan, religious and soviet-era tradition –
resulting in quite a mix of customs and rituals. Here in eastern Crimea, we are more
influenced by the Russian soul than by the Ukrainian heart, so our experience
differs vastly from that of Peace Corps Volunteers living in western
Ukraine.
Breakfast and Dacha Daydreams
We woke early
today because the bright sun broke through the grey skies of the last few days
to bless us. We thought we had
overslept.
I dozed off again
and Mark got up and started the breakfast ritual. Some time later, I pried my eyes open and
made my way to the kitchen. I looked at
the clock and was surprised to see it was not yet 7AM.
Over morning muesli
and lots of hot coffee, Mark and I had a leisurely conversation while we
observed the neighbors in our courtyard emerging from their flats to start
their day..
As often happens,
the entrepreneurial part of our personalities kicked in. Soon we were making elaborate plans for a
retirement village based on the idea of individual dachas (think small, rural
cottages) set on a central courtyard. The ideas spilled out. I could almost see
the happy retirees working in their gardens and caring for their cats and
dogs.
I believe if I had
the money, this is one enterprise I would actually pursue back in the USA.
______________________
SERENDIPITOUS NOTE: “The Rest of the
Story”…
It is much later
in the day that I write the next couple paragraphs, but I feel compelled to
interject them here. I just had one of
those rather amazing moments of serendipity!
I just looked up
“dacha” in my Merriam Webster Dictionary because a friend and I recently
discussed how it is pronounced in English.
I asked my computer to tell me what word rhymes with dacha (which, by
the way, means small Russian cottage often used in summer months). The unexpected answer delighted me. It suggested the word “kwacha”!
Now kwacha may be
a rather obscure reference for most people, but kwacha is from the
Chichewa/Bantu language in Malawi and literally means: it dawns. It is also used to refer to the money of
Malawi. Of course, I know this because
my brother has made Malawi his home for over 15 years! (There are photos of kwacha in “My Malawi
Journal” on our webpage.)
Soooo, it dawns on
me (pun intended!) my daydream retirement community can be called: Kwacha
Dacha!
(FYI: Dacha and
kwacha rhyme with the English word “gotcha”)
_________________________
My plans for today…
One of my
activities today involves drafting a letter to send to a variety of libraries
and small business centers in the USA.
My basic purpose is to find ways to develop the budding Internet Center
at the library. Networking…
I hope to learn
what kind of training other libraries consider appropriate for managing a
computer center and to explore options for using the Internet Center as a
community resource (ie: business workshops, etc), and I just want to network a
bit. Of course, I am also interested in funding
– how do people do it? At this point, we
are just trying to get up to speed on a variety of issues and develop a network
out there – brainstorming through technology.
Since we are not
library professionals and as Peace Corps Volunteers we have a limited amount of
time to set any wheels in motion here in Crimea (only about a year left here!),
we probably seem a bit brash. A sophisticated
library professional might use a different tactic or strategy. I just hope we can find professionals
interested in partnering or mentoring our organization or at least willing to
share, suggest, guide, nurture, cultivate, etc.,
Sustainability is
important too, but I am not too concerned about that at this point - The local
central library director is such capable, enterprising woman with great
confidence, charm and determination so once she gets behind an idea, she can
make it happen. (She is also lots of
fun!) She would make a wonderful
general!
Time to start my
“official duty day”…just one more cup of coffee and a cat break at the kitchen
window first!
·
Wednesday, 12 April 2006
Mark came home with a camera full of
daffodils and grape hyacinth. He took photos of the colorful signs of
spring on his daily walk to and from work.
The leaves indicating day lilies are thick in the park too.
In keeping with
custom, the monuments (and there are many) commemorating the Great Patriotic
War are heaped with spring blossoms recognizing the anniversary of Kerch’s
liberation from fascism on 11 April 1944.
The flowers generously heaped at the base of these statues are presented
from the heart and not as part of some organized ceremony, so they are all the
more impressive.
·
Tuesday, 11 April 2006 – Anniversary of Kerch’s
Liberation (1944)
A Little History Lesson is in Order: Kerch,
the Hero City
The Great
Patriotic War (WWII) devastated much of Europe and took its toll in Kerch,
Crimea too. Despite everything, the
indomitable spirit of the local citizens helped them survive.
An amazing story
unfolded on May 20, 1942, when Hitler’s troops occupied the Kerch Peninsula and
over 10,000 men, women and children hid underground in the Adzhimushkai Stone
Quarries where they remained close to starvation until late October 1942 - after 170 days they prevailed and were free
to come out again!
The courageous
citizens of Kerch proved their stamina again in November and December 1943 when
the historic Kerch-Eltigen Landing Operation took place and battle blazed on
Mount Mitridate, right in the heart of the city.
April 11th, 1944,
the city of Kerch was finally liberated from their German invaders, but not
before 30,000 inhabitants were tormented and shot and 14,000 people were
removed to Germany.
This day is now set
aside locally to celebrate their liberation from the Fascists.
The city of Kerch
was officially recognized as one of the 12 Hero Cities of the Soviet Union,
honoring the incredible courage and bravery of the local citizens and soldiers
during those cruel years of the Great Patriotic War.
Using Water…
When I am in
America, I will take a veeeeeeerrrrrry long, veeeeeerrrrrry hot shower.
I am not complaining;
just anticipating a pleasure that I will relish when we return to the USA
sometime in June or July next year.
America has good
plumbing.
I am self-conscious
of all the water we use here on a daily basis.
I know as an American I am accustomed to simply turning on the tap and using
hot water, but in my efforts to be culturally sensitive, I become so aware of
my habits and find myself changing my behaviors. I may be getting a little paranoid though.
I wonder if the
other people in our flat are conscious of how much water flows through our
pipes and down the drain here on the first floor. Do they even care?
“Those crazy Americans
certainly use a lot of water!” I imagine Tanya saying as she stirs a bit of
sugar into her tea. “What do you think
their water bill is, Svetlana?”
“Oh, who cares,
Tanya?” Svetlana might say, nodding her head thoughtfully. “All Americans are rich! If I had that kind of money, I would not
spend it on hot water. No, I would buy a
new spring coat or a pair of boots.”
Our landlady
advised us to unplug the hot water heater at night – save a few kopeks you know!
I can hear the
water flowing from the flats above and next door. I hear their televisions and their phones
ringing. When warm weather arrives and
windows open for a cool sea breeze, we will no doubt hear more.
Diminished Sensations…
This morning I
lingered in the shower and used all the hot water. I consider my shower as a small vacation or
an actual hobby. I take such great
pleasure in the act.
Since my surgeries
last year, some of the pleasure in showering has diminished; I have lost
sensation in most of the left side of my torso.
I cannot describe it well, but I do not really feel the heat or the
water. It is a vicarious experience – my
head knows, but my skin does not. (This can be dangerous since I love really
hot water, but cannot actually feel the heat…I could be burned.)
When you have
surgeries, you often do not know what small (and large) pleasures you are
giving up in exchange for the results.
When I catch
glimpses of those foolish make-over programs on television (yes, sadly, “The
Swan” and its ilk, are aired around the
world) I wonder if those individuals having this cosmetic surgery know or have
a clue what goes along with the transformation.
They may come away from the operation looking wonderful, yet they may
have lost sensations and they may feel as though they are living in someone
else’s body.
There are terms to
the contract that I think they may not understand. Would they make the same choices if they had
a second chance?
Of course, I did
not really have a choice.
But I am here,
taking hot showers…
Update on the Courtyard Cast of Characters
Still no signs of
Catwoman or Poodle-Boy. It is a mystery.
Thankfully, a woman
in the end building where the arbor was recently built has been feeding the
courtyard cats at least once a day. She
is not systematic about it nor does she supervise the meals so dogs wander in
and can create some havoc at the diner site.
A new dog, Spot,
has joined the cast of courtyard regulars. There are not many dogs around here
with actual spots so he stands out. (His
brown spots on his white body resemble the spots on dairy cows actually). Spot showed up recently and has taken to
napping in our garden, displacing my cat friends. Spot is afraid of people and runs when we
come and go.
Spot does not seem
happy. He lets out s loud, sonorous,
mournful howl periodically day and night.
Mark finds it disturbing.
When I hear Spot
howl, I want to howl too. It is as if I
can feel his pain or melancholy. The
howl has a visceral effect on me.