observations and BFFLs

In an episode of Sex and the City, Carrie's boyfriend at the time writes a book in which the main character traipses around New York City wearing a scrunchy. A scrunchy! Obviously, a real New Yorker would not dare commit such a crime to fashion.
Before coming to Moscow, I wondered how it would compare to other big cities in terms of fashions. I've only been to New York twice but for the most part I'd categorize the people as fashionable. Here in Moscow, I've seen three women (so far...) wearing scrunchies. I don't know if they were actually Muscovites, but they didn't seem to be tourists. There are also so many different classes of people in one spot so it's hard to generalize the fashion. For example, in Luxembourg pretty much all the people are very rich and ergo very fashionable. The rest of Europe also seems (to me at least) to be more fashionable than the States (you don't usually see people out in sweat pants, etc.). I haven't seen people out in sweat pants here, either, but the styles range from nice and new to used-to-be-nice and worn out. Also heads up America, mullets are coming back in style. Ew.

Another observation about fashion: Every woman and their babushka wear fishnet stockings. It seems like in the States fishnet stockings are more...you know...prostitute-ish. Here women wear them to work, to school, to wherever! I even bought a pair of them in sock form. I must try my best to blend in, after all.

Cell phone etiquette is also different than in the States. A few days ago we learned how to talk on the phone, take messages, and all that fun stuff. I'm still terrified of talking on the phone though, and when the phone rings and my host mom isn't here I just let it ring. Anyway, we also discussed Russian mobile phone etiquette: Russians tend to not care who hears what they're saying and talk about all their personal business (which could make for a fun time once I understand what they say, heh heh). They also don't turn their phones off or on silent in movie theaters. Last Friday we saw Inglorious Bastards (in Russian, eek) and three different phones went off during the movie but no one seemed to get mad at them. Strange strange strange. Also, the professor for our one class which is in English has his phone on vibrate but he always stops mid-lecture to answer the phone. I almost want to leave my phone on during class in hopes that someone will call just to see the professor's reaction; maybe once I get them to like me...no sense in giving a bad first impression.


My host mom and I are pretty much BFFLs. Even though I have plenty a stupid moment, it's all good. All we can really talk about is what I want to eat, if I thought what I ate was tasty, and what time I'll be leaving and coming home. We're not so big on the deep, meaningful discussions. I am patiently (well, kind of patiently) awaiting the day my vocabulary allows me to ask about politics etc. Since she's older, she'll have so much to say -- she lived through the USSR, she's seen all the changes. She's packed full of first hand information and I can't ask about it! It's driving me crazy.
One thing I absolutely positively love: She has an Obama calendar hanging on the wall. Every month is a different picture of Obama with a different quote. I got all excited when I saw it and asked her about it, and she started explaining where she got it...but then I didn't understand.
Someday my friends, someday.

I'm still loving the food. Last night she made borsh (yessssss) and this morning I tried buckwheat kasha, a very traditional Russian breakfast food. Kasha is just porridge, but there are many many different kinds. This kind tasted pretty much like warmed up soft Kashi cereal (they totally stole the name). She also makes yummy pelmeni (little meat-filled dumplings). I told her I had pelmeni when I was in Lithuania, and she said pelmeni are a Russian food. The Lithuanians, however, said it was a Lithuanian food. hmm...
Russians also put sour cream on EVERYTHING. It's like their ketchup. We go through a little tub of sour cream about every two days, and it's just the two of us.

One more observation: The no-smiling rule is very important. When we were off at some tourist place I accidentally smiled at some people who were sitting on their car (they looked so cute and comfortable, how could I not smile?) and they said "Welcome!" because they knew I was American. Rarr. However, the no-smiling rule doesn't apply to neighbors. With neighbors you must be friendly, say hello, and all the nice cordial stuff. There's this older man who is always sitting on the bench next to my apartment entrance, and now he recognizes me and we always say hello. See? Russians are friendly, it just depends on the situation.