Off to Moscow?
by Amanda Strohan
The day I found out I was going to Moscow was November 27th. It stands out with striking clarity in my mind, but to be perfectly honest, I didn't give much thought to posting in the busy months that followed, until finally in the spring, reality set in. My departure date turned out to be earlier than originally planned, only to be deferred slightly in the end due to visa delays. Overwhelmingly, though, the process has been remarkably without incident.
In retrospect I really I should have paid more attention when I was packing my suitcases. Some things that I brought were in the pack up kit that the Embassy provided, and for some reason I can't quite explain, I had six pairs of black pants in my suitcase and no comfortable shoes; waiting for my shipment seemed very long.
In any case my first month in Moscow was nothing less than captivating. On one occasion I was searching for a Mango store and as I wandered unsuccessfully with increasing impatience, I looked up and realized I was in Red Square. It gave me the same surreal feeling that came over me when I passed Gorky Park on the way to buy groceries, such a mix it was of the everyday and the extraordinary.
Much to my mother's chagrin, I adapted quickly to the Muscovite phenomenon of hailing a gypsy cab, essentially any driver on the street who will stop and negotiate a price. Not everything is so reasonably priced, though and I've found that the difference between the pricey and affordable restaurants and shops is not always evident. I imagine that without a good handle on the language and exchange rate, you might just find yourself realizing "That just cost me six thousand dollars."
The cycle of my adaptation was perhaps a bit unusual since I returned to Canada for a wedding only a month after my arrival and am only now fully settling in and beginning to discover Russian culture in any kind of meaningful way. There is enough to see and do in Moscow to occupy every evening, and I am trying to balance that with the knowledge that first, I would just like to get to know Russians. On the few occasions I've been fortunate enough to join with them in their homes or around a table, I've been moved by their affection for one another. It is common to hug and kiss among friends and I think their spontaneous toasts are my favourite aspect yet of this culture.
All things considered, I am thrilled to be here and I think my very biggest regret to date is forgetting to bring dried minced onions. A minor culinary tragedy in itself, mind you, but proof, I think, that it doesn't always make sense to listen to the well meaning warnings of others about an "unpopular" post.