Cabbages and kings

It’s hot. Days and weeks of heat non-stop – a really extreme summer this year! I try not to take too much work because my head can’t work well. And when I don’t work, my child would come to me and talk. Or she calls me out for a walk (in the evening when the heat reduces a little) – and talks.

She can talk for hours. She talks, and I listen. I know she needs it because she has too many thoughts about lots of things, like:

• Movies, cartoons and TV shows
• Comics and superheros (Batman and Joker – oh no!)
• Evil characters and why people like them
• Gender, its natural and social aspects, stereotypes, and gender queer people
• Families, parents and children, and why she doesn’t want a family in future
• Discrimination of all sorts and why Russians don’t understand it
• What is empathy, and if it’s OK to live without it
• Why people need religion, and what’s good and bad about it
• Time traveling and what time period she would choose if it were possible
• Star Wars
• Computer games
• Robots
• Cabbages and kings

… and many others, I just can’t remember right now.

Of course she says that I shouldn’t listen if I don’t want to, and that I can stop her at any moment if I feel it’s enough. And it really happens sometimes when my brain gets overloaded, but mostly it goes fine. Some problems are interesting for me too, and we discuss them together. When she speaks out all her thoughts, she goes to her room and leaves me alone.  It’s fine, but… I feel that she needs someone else for a listener except me. That’s why I’m so glad when my nephew comes to visit us sometimes – at least they can discuss computer games and Star Wars!

No hot water again…

Hot water supply is stopped again. It’s already 3-rd time within the last 2 months. I hate it! Everybody hates it.  Actually it is a usual thing, kind of an integral part of the warm season. I tend to forget about it each time. I am waiting for spring. I dream about summer. And when it comes, this thing comes too and spoils the joy.

 This tradition began from Soviet era and never changed since then. Hot water disappears for a week or so at a time. It happens during warm season only because in cold time the same hot water is used for centralized heating that cannot be stopped. It is done allegedly for the purposes of check and repair of piping. But nobody believes it – why do the repair so often? The real goal seems to be simply saving municipal money. In a big city like mine these outages go in turn, district after district.

 Living in an apartment without hot water supply is really inconvenient.  We can’t take a bath or shower. Washing dishes or washing one’s hair becomes bothersome, too. People try to accommodate somehow, installing electric heaters or heating water by gas in a big saucepan. Those who have friends or relatives living in another part of the city can come to them for a bath. Well, we are used to inconvenience. We are used to constant survival. But beyond inconvenience there is something more. We feel humiliated. We feel that authorities don’t care a fig for us common people. Such attitude is really disgusting. It’s depressing, too. I don’t want to do anything at home, like cooking or cleaning etc. And then, as my child says, it doesn’t match the image of a civilized country that Russia is trying to create.

 The strange thing is that no one ever tried to do anything about it. Yes, we are unhappy and angry, but nothing happens. No strikes or meetings or complaints. Actions of authorities, however offensive, are accepted silently like a thing that cannot be changed – like weather, for instance. Are we too patient for our own good? It’s largely the reason of many bad things that take place here.

…And then a happy day comes when hot water appears. People rejoice, take a long-awaited bath and forget their troubles again. Until the next time.           

Japan: Story of my love. Part 4 – Beach, cakes and other things

One of the days I had no appointments with my friends and decided to go to a beach. I was staying in Hiratsuka city, Kanagawa Prefecture, and knew that there was a good beach in Chigasaki which is the next station by railway. So I took a train to Chigasaki. 

I really have a passion to explore various places by my own, but there was just a little problem. I knew how to ask a question like “Sorry, where is something?” in Japanese, but absolutely couldn’t understand the answer. When I approached a young girl in the street to ask where was the sea, I had a hope she would just point the direction. But she started explaining it in many words among which I could only understand “station”. So I returned to the station and started my search once more. After I asked a group of guys about the beach, they quite reasonably didn’t even try to explain the way but advised me to take a taxi instead. There really was a taxi stand nearby. While thinking what to do next, I discovered there a map of surroundings, very good and detailed. So lucky! The sea could be seen Southwards. Now I knew the right direction and began walking.

The part of Chigasaki lying between the station and the sea was all small streets and houses with tiny gardens. I could see people watering their gardens on that hot summer day. The walk took about half an hour. Houses ended and I saw a highway. By direction signs and some surfers making their way to the sea by cars and bicycles, it was clear: the beach is somewhere there!

Oh yes, it was there. A wast sandy beach and the great Pacific ocean. By the time I already had a short glance of it in Kamakura when we went down to the seaside together with Chie, already in twilight. I was impressed by strong waves and their roaring sound. Here it was the same: tall roaring waves. That beach was absolutely different from those I had known in Russia, for example at the Black sea. Sea is not an ocean, you know. Waves rarely become tall, and a lot of people are swimming. Even more people are lying under the sun, covering the whole place all over like seals. We have quite a little part of sea coast for such a big country, so every summer it is really packed with vacationists.

Japanese beach was totally different. Not crowded at all, which really surprised me. People were coming with families and putting tents to protect themselves from the sun. Children played in shallow water, and fathers were teaching them to surf. Are Japanese all surfers? Anyway, it must be a really hard job to swim in such waves. But I wanted to feel them, I wanted to enter this wonderful ocean.

Here one more problem came up. There were no changing cabins or any other facilities in sight, nothing at all! The beach seemed absolutely wild. (Later I discovered another beach equipped with all necessary things just next to that place). Where could I change into the swimwear? Why am I so stupid? I should have done it beforehand! Oh no… Looking around desperately, I found a sort of a low fence enclosing some empty space. It was deserted, far from the water and could shield me from strangers’ eyes quite well. So I went and climbed over that bamboo fence and quickly changed there. Still don’t know its purpose, but that time it really saved me!

Now I could enter the water! I put my clothes and handbag on the sand, not far from someone’s tent. In Russia such carelessness about personal belongings is simply impossible. When a family or a group of people goes to swim, one of them always stays to watch the things. But here I could leave it without fear. The ocean at last! Yes, I couldn’t swim there but I could play with the waves letting them roll over me and sway me and knock me down. Fantastic feeling! The water was very warm and very salty. The sand had unusual dark colour, looking almost black when wet. I enjoyed the ocean as long as I could and left the beach reluctantly, trying to hold in memory the powerful sound of waves. 

What else I wanted to tell about? There were so many fascinating things I discovered during that trip. Cakes in a cake shop at my station – I wanted to taste them all! Sometimes I bought one when returned from sightseeing in the evening and took it to my hotel room. Other kinds of shops – oh yes, I love shopping in Japan! I bought some clothes and shoes, and presents for my daughter and others. I even had to buy an extra bag to pack all the presents. Among them there were pretty soft toys from a theme shop with goods from Hayao Miyazaki animation. Everybody will be so glad! 

The trip was going to an end. I didn’t want to leave but was eager to share my impressions with family and friends and give them presents. Bye, Japan!  I did return there again several times, but that first encounter was really unforgettable. I still keep some souvenirs from that time. Don’t know when will be the next, but I will sure see you again. It’s a promise!

 

2 weeks alone / 一人の２週間

My child has gone traveling for 2 weeks, and I am home alone. Such a rare opportunity! In fact we are very close, me and my daughter, and are on quite good terms. She will be 16 this summer. Of course I don’t share all of her interests and even not always understand what she is talking about, but nevertheless our relationships are very good, almost equal. But I like to be alone sometimes (she is the same, I know!)

So I am happy facing these two weeks on my own. Such a lot of free time for thinking and doing whatever I want! Naturally, there is work as well, but I’ll try not to take too much… SUch great plans! I wonder how much I really fulfil. I am bad in managing my time. Maybe it’s better just relax and enjoy. 

It’s summer, my favourite season which is somehow associated with happiness for me anyway. It’s just happiness to feel comfortable physically, warm and light and free. To wear summer clothes and shoes. To see green trees and smell flowers. Oh well… Summer also means traveling for most Russians. It’s season of school vacations, and everybody take their children and go somewhere. I hardly will manage a trip this year. But I ‘ll try my best to enjoy the summer here. 

As for these two weeks, I am not going to see any people except my dance-class colleagues and my distant fiance (by Skype). Quiet time of contemplation, that’s what I want. To think my life over and see where I should move next.

娘は２週間に旅行に行って、私は今家で一人でいます。珍しいチャンスでス! 本当に、私たちは中がとても良いです。彼女は今年の夏に16歳になります。もちろん彼女の全部の興味を分けないで、彼女の話も時々分からないのに、それでも仲が良いです。ほとんど等しい相手です。でも時々一人でいるのが好きです (娘は同じだとしっています!)

そして、一人の二週間を迎えて、嬉しいです。何でもしたいことや自分の考えに沢山時間があります! 相変わらず仕事がありますが、その量があまり大きくなくして見るよ。。。 すてきな予定をしています! それを実現するかどうか。時間を管理するのは苦手です。多分ただリラックスして楽しんでも良いですね。 

今は夏で、私の大好きな季節です。なんとか毎回も幸せと連想します。体で過ごしやすくて、暖かくて軽い感じも幸せです。夏の服や靴も。。。緑の木の葉を見て、花の香りを嗅ぐも。。。ね、ロシアのほとんど人には、夏も旅行のシーズンです。学校の休みなので、皆は子供たちを連れて、 どこかの行楽地に行きます。私は今年その余裕がないと思います。でもここも夏を楽しんでみます。

この２週間は、ダンスクラスの仲間と私の離れている彼氏しかだれとも会わない積りです 「彼氏とSkypeで話します。」静かな反省の時間が欲しい。自分の人生を考えて、次はどこへ進むか決めたいです。

Japan: Story of my love Part 2 – First Impressions

It was quite a long way. First I had to get from my city to Moscow which took 24 hours by train. By airplane it would be only 2 hours – oh yes, Russian trains are slow! – but I took a train to save money. In Moscow I received my passport with Japanese visa in the travel agency, and then there was still long time before my flight. I was very nervous and worried like a fool about numerous fictional obstacles that could arise unexpectedly. What if I don’t pass control in the airport or my visa is wrong somehow? In addition, my face looked awful because of allergic rash. What if they don’t let me on board, mistaking it for some dangerous infection? Maybe I’d better wear a mask? I am really stupid and over-panicky when it comes to such things. Luckily, now I usually travel together with my daughter who takes things much calmer and tries to comfort me as well.

At last it was over, and I was in the airplane. A huge Airbus, first time in my life! The flight from Moscow to Tokyo takes almost 10 hours, actually the whole night. I was scared only a little in the beginning, but then… just looking for ways to spend time and trying to sleep. Flying to the East, we saw sunrise very early and headed further towards the sun. And then after crossing the sea it was there below: all neatly divided into squares, with tiny ships along the coastline.

Japan! I am in Japan! Nobody came to meet me in the airport, but I remembered the instructions of my friend: “First you should take Narita Express to Tokyo and there change to Tokaido Line, orange colour, to get to your hotel.” Very good and clear explanation. Only there was no railway. Really! I went out of Narita building, looked around but there was nothing except highway. Where is the train? I returned inside and asked a man wearing uniform: “Where is the train?” That time I knew only very few words and phrases in Japanese – enough to ask a question but not enough to understand the asnwer. Luckily, in Narita everybody can speak English, so he readily taught me what to do: “Go down there please”. The railway station was underground! I still had to get used to it. In Japan many things are underground, like shopping centers, stations, parkings and so on.

The first challenge was over, and I felt more confident. I got to my station without any difficulties, easily found the way to the hotel by map, and at the front desk they handed me my rented mobile phone which had been already delivered. I took a shower, changed clothes and went out to explore the town.

It was really hot. Of course everybody warned me about it beforehand, but now I felt it in full measure. Japanese summer heat is just different from that of our climate zone. The sun is burning fiercely, and you need to drink very often. Luckily, drinks are available everywhere from those helpful vending machines. Most unusual for me were very early sunset (7 p.m. in August) and the fact that it didn’t get cooler even at night. Here in Russia twilight can last almost until midnight in summer, and evenings are usually cool. Well, now I like both ways! I had a great pleasure walking along evening streets, feeling hot air and looking around curiously. So many little restaurants and shops with food – food was everywhere! Parking lots for bicycles! Everything was new and strange, but I never felt lost, scared or lonely, even alone in the crowd. It was rather safe, relaxed and excited. Feeling of Japan…  so special for me. From the very first day and every time afterwards, I feel happy when I am there. Just happy. Every moment.

To be continued…