Way to Russia Talk Lounge

init6 · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 3:15 pm Post subject:

Cyndy, were you completely shitfaced drunk when you wrote that last night? NO, the Militsiya cannot throw my drunk ass in jail for doing nothing wrong. Rolling Eyes

Anyway...

For one, I don't go to the Boarhouse by myself - I've been there with expats, yes, but one is the girl from Florida I mention in some of my writings. She speaks passable Russian and helps us out on many occasions. That particular night I was there with her, my roommate, and one of her friends, a Swiss girl who I befriended. I love how people always assume the worst! Laughing

And yes, I see expats trying to pick up the hookers there and I'm pretty sure I was talking to one myself last time. I just made some small talk with her and invited her to our table but when she saw my other two female friends she wouldn't come up there so I let it slide. I'm not in D&M to get laid by any means other than my charm. Laughing

But so far my entire Moscow experience (outside D&M) has been school, dealing with the Soviet-style administrators in our dorm at Shabolovskaya which is jammed with Americans and Western Europeans, and a few places in between. I'm at CafeMax at MGU right now, which I don't much care for (why the hell did I buy a new laptop for Russia if I can't ever get a decent goddamn wireless signal so I can actually USE it?!).

The day after the militsiya incident my friend and I went back to Kurskaya metro to walk around and we ended up buying Nokia 3120 (I think) phones at the "Divizon" store nearest D&M, on the same side of the street. None of the girls there spoke English and needless to say my friend is highly pissed about the cops stealing his phone, but I spoke enough Russian to get us by. We ended up walking at least three or four miles each way from Kurskaya, as we walked about 2-2.5 hours solid from the metro after buying our phones.

We're supposed to get our passports back tomorrow so I can get a permanent probysk and finally buy a damned SIM card. I am a little miffed at why it takes thirty-seven documents to buy a friggin' card for phone service, but it's not my place to wonder. The main problem is that without a "mobilny" here you can't get in touch with a single goddamn person anywhere other than face-to-face! Mad

Despite all the nitpicky little bullshit complaints I have the general experience is quite good. The few Russians I've actually started to talk to at any length at all seem fairly friendly and curious about why I'm here (beyond being a student, etc). The food is fine, even in the canteen at our school (which I believe is called TsMO - the Center for International Education), and I'm learning fairly quickly. I'm enjoying my classes but some of the other people in my group (which ballooned from 6 to 8 in a single day - which is the maximum) just don't seem to get it. I guess putting in a good bit of time with self-study has helped me a lot, but when we start spending an entire class period (1:20) on rubl'/rublya/rublei because someone just doesn't understand the distinction in endings with the progression of numbers...well, whatever, it's just slightly annoying. Laughing

I'll be in touch with you, Vic, and you as well, Anya, as soon as I'm able. I hope it's tomorrow. I don't have class but I hope to get my passport back and beat feet down to Kurskaya to buy a SIM card (I know I can do it at Universitet at some kiosk, but I liked the people at Divizon).

Thanks for the tips and I look forward to pissing off militsiya by calling the embassy in the very near future! Very Happy

cyndy22 · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 5:14 pm Post subject:

Casey I was not sf drunk. Your cocky attitude is going to get you in trouble in Russia. You are pretty naive about what military can and can't do in any country! But like I said, it will just be one of Casey's real life experiences to write about.

mediashark · Moderator Joined: 04 Nov 2004 Posts: 1601

I hope you will not be too naive after that unpleasant incident. Like Paul said, that place is a trap. Don't start getting too much into the nightlife until you can get the... daylife Wink

So don't start reading The Exile yet. Smile

WiFi spots are indeed hard to find. I have it at home though. Smile

Militsiya, my dear cyndy, is far worse than the military. At least the army boys ask politely when they need money because they don't get any to even feed themselves! Poor fellas... give them a few rubles if you see them.

So, Case, try not to look drunk in public, or hold a beer can/bottle where they can see it... and if they ask you to go somewhere with them just shake your head, glue your feet to your spot and chant 'call embassy', pretend you don't know anymore Russian than those two words. Give them a hard time, and they'll bugger off.

cyndy22 · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 5:50 pm Post subject:

"Militsiya, my dear cyndy, is far worse than the military"

Precisely, and despite what Casey or others may think, miliysiya are quite capable of hauling one's ass to jail for the smallest of incidents.

Paul Holmes · VIP Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 969

Sorry Casey if you took it the wrong way. But the D&M is a trap even for the most experience expat who knows the city and can speak Russian.
Being Expat in Moscow does not mean that you are wisest. So it was not crack at you. Apologises if you took it that way.

init6 · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 1:08 pm Post subject:

Well, apparently I did take it wrongly, but I didn't mean to. Sorry to everyone if I sounded "uppity," I think all of you know that I do NOT think I know all there is to know about this place. My luck holds here so far, but I'm going to try not to press it.

One of my main friends here, another girl from Florida, was with an American guy at D&M on (I think) Thursday or Friday and he had his wallet stolen. I keep my jacket on and my "important" stuff in my trousers while there, but to be honest D&M is not my favorite place! But for some reason my (American) friends love to go there. On the plus side, I was blacklisted from the blackjack table there on Thursday night for tripling my money. Laughing

I hope it's not a permanent ban, it was WAY too easy to make money on that table and I wasn't the only one doing it.

But yeah, I'm getting most of the partying out of my system and this week I really just don't have the desire. We weren't offered a full-time language program, only a 3-day part-time (15 hours total) program, so I want some money back from SRAS for sure (since I paid for at least 20 hrs, supposedly 24, per week and for a FT program).

But anyhow, Vic did end up giving me that MTS SIM but it wants a pin code and I have no way to call him. I should have a working phone soon enough and then I won't be so incommunicado like I am now, which really sucks. Worst case I guess I can buy a Megafon SIM for R50, put R100 on it and make a few calls...

MrSpice · Lounge Wizard Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 3436

El Casey, It is interesting to read your russian experiences. Based on my general experience of living in russia I would say this: it is not a good idea to be drunk in public in a large city like Moscow. I don't know if they have changed the law, but in the past it was actually illegal to be drunk and say ride public transport. So the militia even if it followed the law, which it rarely does, could bring into what is called "vitrezvitel" where they would de-toxicate you (and probably rob you too).

In general, I think if you don't speak excellent English and want to avoid any problems with militia, never be drunk in public. If you know you are going to drink enough to be drunk, arrange taxi or someone to pick you up or stay where you are drinking till morning.

I would love to know more about your general impression of Moscow as a new capital of russian capitalism. I am sure some of it looks dirty and run down, some of it looks extravagant and ridiculous, but would like to know what you thought when you visited the center of the city.