victim

Beauty needs its Victim ^.^

Новосибирск 8

Week 2 day 8, 18 Jun 2009 (oh SUNNY day!!! Oh happy day-a!)

I over slept for the first time since I came here! But fortunately I still had some time to get changed, do my usual routine and look presentable before I leave the house.

Today a little change from the usual, we did not head out to AIESEC office first thing in the morning, but instead took the public bus to the summer camp on the opposite bank of the river. Tanya, who is always confused with directions (I think she’s just faking it) couldn’t find the place until Sasha stepped in to ask around and finally we managed to get to the summer camp we were destined for.

At the summer camp, we presented on our countries and following which, about HIV/AIDS (well I’m all so blur about things to do with the HIV/AIDS presentation because my dear TN manager (Tanya) is too engrossed with trying to please and attend to the needs of the other 2 male EPs that she ignores trying to translate rooski (Russian) for me only with exceptions when questions are pointed specifically to me and only me – whatever!!! 我不希罕) But before that, children who attended the ‘seminar’ sang a sweet little Russian song (the song is about sky, mama and some more things, but I forgot) for us and we danced traditional Russian dance (we held hands and walked in circles and ziz zac round the room, and did something similar to NYJC’s tribal cheer *I miss NY loads*) together! (its like an ice breaker activity)

After the presentation our kind host showed us round the camp site, from the arts and craft room, to chess championship room, to the music/choir room, and even to the fitnesss/gym room. The exterior of the building does not look appealing, but inside, it’s a totally different world. The place is well furnished with very Russian/westernized style of curtains and furniture. You will fall in love with the place. Knowing that we will be hungry by then, they were very considerate to serve us with traditional Russian high tea food – apple cake/pie, Russian chocolate candies, chocolate puffs, and of course Russian pancakes (‘belini’). (more cultural exchange session… they love our ‘no chewing gum’ law’, and are amazed by how the Singaporean government maintains peace and harmony in a highly diversified country) By the time we had finish enjoying our tea, its time to play and interact with the summer camp children.

At the play room, those little kids were so lovable. They took small sheets of paper and trust them into our hands, and looked at us with ‘pleading’ eyes, suggesting that we should write some well wishes for them. Since Chinese symbols (characters) were fascinating little scripts to them, I was made to write well wishes for them in Chinese. Well they like it, why not? I love writing in Chinese!!! They want our autographs to remember us, but how if we forget them? those kids are clever man! They wrote well wishes on strips of paper and gave it to us so that we could remember them. (they were all written in Russian… I don’t understand!)

Enough of autographs and photo taking… (for once I felt like I was a celebrity), the teachers invited us to watch they students practice traditional Russian dance. What a world of difference from those Singaporean kids!

Returning from summer camp, we headed back to office again, and time flies… now I’m ‘blogging’ as Sasha (our master) prepares ‘pherlof’ (some rice with meat) for dinner and Nastya teaches me how to make pancakes

Russian pancakes :

Ingredients : Flour, eggs, fresh milk, salt and sugar.

Steps : Beat flour, eggs, fresh milk, salt and sugar all together until a water-like mixture is obtained. Heat the pan up with enough oil to grease the pan and spread the pastry mixture out evenly on the pan and cook. Pancakes can be served once both sides of the pancakes have turned golden brown. Eat pancakes with raspberry jam or condensed milk.

Новосибирск 7

week 2 day 7, 17 jun 2009 (raining)

AIESEC office, preparing powerpoint sides

I made dinner with the help of Sasha. I realized something. Without all the modern technology like rice cooker and pressure cooker, I am really a CMI cook! But I must clarify this, the meal as so delicious that Chetan and Vincente had to raise both hands to agree with it.

*my cooking (;

There is nothing much to blog about today, but I just want to specially talk about someone at this point of time, since I think it’s the most appropriate time to do so. In this apartment, there lives a Kazakhstan EP – Alexandr (Sasha). I think he is really the kind of ‘white’ man that asian women dream for. He cooks our meals (the food he cooks is so delicious that we call him The MASTER!), he takes initiative to clean the apartment, he takes charge of the house keys, he attends to guests, he cares about us. He does all of these quietly without any complains. He is really a gentlemen, and a men of this hours! Where can you find such man?!? I think none! Look at the other male EPs that stay in the same apartment as us. True they do help up, but still they are not as meticulous as master is. I think I am really fortunate to have him staying in the same apartment as me. If not all the house chore and all will be bao-ka-liao by me. I think God really knows what I need even before I know it as ask Him for it. He provides and takes care of me in such ways that are all too amazing. In YOU I Trust (:

I hope someone brings me to church soon. (like every Sunday)

Новосибирск 6

week 2 day 6, 16 jun 2009 (raining)

Its another normal internship day, but seriously, internship with AIESEC is good especially in projects like this! Because its half internship and half touring, have fun and getting to know more people outside of our small island. Internship timings are so flexible that we can report to work at 1pm! (we have irregular working hours) Today is just more preparation work done for the up coming presentations at summer camps, and dry-tech of HIV/AIDS presentation with fellow AIESECers (LC). It as too lengthy, not interesting! (T.T)

*presentation... ....

*discussion time... ...

*i've got an opinion! listen to me!!!

*waiting for discussion to end... ...

I remembered some weeks or maybe even months back, Gabriel told me that he is going to work in summer camps in the states, I thought it would be something like those freshmen camps we have in university. Now in Novosibirsk, I’m soon going to experience it too (; Nastya told me that many Russian parents send their child to summer camps to learn some new skills and interact with other children. Such summer camps last for about 3 weeks or more. (summer camps sound interesting!)

After work, all AIESECers chilled out at KFC. After which, we headed back home and started our summer cleaning for the first time in our apartment. Thanks to Sasha who took the initiative to wash the bathroom’s floor mat that got us off our butts to clean the old and dirty apartment.

*chill out at KFC. (2nd guy from the left, Doma)

*Zaenye looks like some devil here...

*lena, master, bato, kate

*this is not a chop board. this is a sking board that one and sit on and ski through the snow during winter.

*2nd building of NSTU, where AIESEC office is.

Новосибирск 5

week 2 day 5, 15 Jun 2009.

Internship has started, so we were in AIESEC office since 12pm preparing for training and GM (general meeting) later part of the day at 5pm. While waiting for GM, Sasha brought us to the bank to change money (again) and something happened!!! While Chetan was changing his USD to Rubles, a security guard came up to us and chased us out of the bank. we thought it was lunch time and the bank is closing, but soon we came to realised that someone had called to say that a bomd was found inside the bank. Sasha told us that such things do happen in university too when students dont want to go for their exam and play such prank to try to escape it. Sasha (EP) however said that such instances are so common in Kazahstan that it happens almost everyday. During the meeting we did a brief presentation on Spore. Those local delights got the russians hungry!

*GM, Jane (Jania) (president of AIESEC) chairing the meeting.

*AIESECers listening attentively during the meeting

*new committee elected to be in-charged of a trip to the mountains/beach

*president of this project

*Oksana, president of American Young Hearts event.

*entrance of building where AIESEC office is. (2nd building of NSTU)

*the pathway we walked past to get to our apartment. 1st building of NSTU.

*pathway leading to metostation (train station)

thats all for the day. its a boring boring uneventful day!

asian values

my life's gone upside down!!!

when east meets west,

its not such a rosy picture as it seems.

clashes in values, mindset and culture.

its not easy!

asian values - i appreciate them

Новосибирск 4

week 1 day 4, 14 Jun 2009. (raining)

It as early noon by the time we woke up and embrace the new day.

Since it’s a day to get the guys sober, Natsha invited me over to her apartment. Her apartment is situated on the opposite bank of the river, and to get there we took the metro-station and the public bus. She lives with her younger sister who aspires to be an architect. But before we went over, we bought lunch over for her. At the supermarket I had a fun time entertaining myself with Russian dumplings. (show you some pictures later. i left my cable in the apartment)

*(left) some frozen russian food that you deep fry to make it cripsy.

(right) curry puff like russian dumplings. (inside contains potatoes and mushroom)

*russian dumplings. (left) phynetni (spicy)

*(left) typical phynet (or pynetni) stuffed with minced beef.

(right) meat (beef) and rice - meat balls.

*typical koisk that you can find on the streets. (they range from selling hotdogs to fruits to magazines to stockings to... well anything)

Back at her place, we just chat and… more cultural exchange. Her sister showed me her drawings – pro sia!!! In the evening, we went back home and then, more cultural exchange into the late night. Not an eventful day.

*lunch we had. pancakes stuffed with ham and cheese / meat and rice.

*marmalade (fruit candies) we had after lunch.

*me and vera (Nastya's sister)

By the way, if you are confused by the many Shashas, and Kathya(s) (Kate) or Tanyas or Natshas/Nastya… don’t worry, because it’s the same case for me!

some random photos... ...

*Vicente with this head gear. its a kind of hairy bull that can only be found in Switzerland

*Nastya and her sister, Vera

(photo taken from 'contact' - russian FB)

Новосибирск 3

week 1 day 3, 13 jun 2009

Local time 1901, raining outside, 13-8 deg.

Darren ask me online how’s things here is Novosibirsk? My answer was good! Of course all things are good when you finally get hold of the wifi on your laptop. How bad can things get with the internet?!?!?!!?!? I MISS YOU SO MUCH INTERNET! Finally caught you after 2 days being wire-less. Its great that I can post my blog entries online and stop ‘fake’ blogging on word.

Last dinner Sasha made such a huge pot of chicken stew that it could feed all 4 of us EPs for 2 meals. Considering that 3 out of the 4 EPs are male except for me. In fairytales where there is always illustrations of witch pots, there is exactly a small version in our kitchen which Sasha used to make stew for us. Sounds witchy!!! But whatever, the stew is delicious – that’s the most important thing!

In Russia, all visitors (they call them migrants) must get themselves registered with the government within 3 days of their arrival. Today Natsha and Tanya brought us to the post office to get our registration done. Awww naught registration forms, they got our dear TN manager (Tanya) all so nervous that she tore up at least 3 forms just to fill it up right. After much trying and torture (for her), we finally got the registration done and here we are, in AIESEC office. All of us are typing away frantically on our laptops as we savor every moment of being able to use the internet.

*russian post office. (i got scolded for taking pics in the post office. it is not allowed to take photos in governmental buildings)

I especially want to talk about the lunch we had today. We had 'Phynyet'(Russian dumplings) (the spelling might be wrong, but is sounds something like that) dipped into ketchup / mayonise (they treat mayonise like its our light sauce, they put it in everything they eat! Their mayonise have a wide range of flavours) Small cute little dumplings with meat stuffed inside and shaped into something like a hat. (its something like the Italian pasta dumplings) You can eat these dumplings like pasta. Its one of the signature dish in Russia. Shasha claims that he knows how to make those dumplings too! Make it for us soon!!!

Its been about 3 days here and its like holidaying in Novosibirsk! Well real internship will start proper coming Monday.

Rita and Natsha (the slimmer one) had come over in the afternoon to tidy up the place for us and have said that they would stay for dinner, so we were only expecting them back at our apartment. Upon reaching, we were welcomed by a swamp or AIESECers! Practically all the AIESECers of this local committee came. This was the surprise that Natsha (the one who always help us) had told me yesterday. They had planned for a welcome party for all EPs.

*the 'welcome' poster that was stuck on the door of the living room.

*president of AIESEC giving her welcome speech

The welcome party kicked off with a traditional AIESEC dance and some other traditional Russian dance. Next on, there was some ‘skit’ put up by Zaenya, Kate(YW), Rita and Natsha (see pic). Following which, Kate (I shall call her Mama Kate, because she’s pretty much like a mama taking care of us) presented specific gifts to each one of us EPs. Chetan received a traditional Russian long spoon (because he cant cook, his duty is to eat). They gave me a handmade mirror (because I’m a girl, for me to stay pretty). Shasha was presented with a russian doll keychain (because he keeps the house key). Vincente too received a russian doll, but with 2 smaller ones inside (because he is a macho man and loves women).

*Zaenya, Kate(YW) and Rita, putting up some performace for us.

With all this, how can we forget food, the most important ingredient for parties like this. What more is the best to offer us other than traditional Russian summer salad – Okroshka. In Russian, summer is the only time they can harvest vegetables, therefore this salad is only eaten in summer. This salad contains cucumber, radish, potatoes, and some kind of Russian ‘grass’. To eat this salad, add in Kavas (that’s how you pronounce it) and mayonise, mix it and its ready to be eaten. Well, salad is not enough to fill the stomach, so our sweet LC (mama Kate, Natsa, and Rita) hand made pancakes and raspberry sauce, along with condensed milk for us to go along with. Delicious pancakes! It was so much better than Macdonald’s.

*Okroshka - Russian Summer salad

*(left): Nastya, mama Kate, Rita.

Nastya's holding a bowl of condense milk, mama Kate's holing the pancakes, and Rita with the homemade raspberry jam.

Then, more dancing, more vodka, more beer, more cocktail

*my TN manager (Tatiana or in short Tanya) and me

During the party, I made friends with 2 Russian EPs – Margarita (Fann Wong look-alike), and Vitalina (white hair pretty lady). (see picture) They major in English and Japanese, so it was effortless talking to them. Since they were both 20 years old (most of the AIESECers are between the ages of 17-19), so it was great talking to both of them, and especially since Margarita’s mother has been to Singapore and is very impressed by our sunny island. Being in Russia, its almost all about alcohol, so naturally Vitalina treated me to their favourite cocktail. This cocktail is a mixture of small amount of vodka, half a cup of cherry nectar (or fruit juice), and coke. It taste like gummy bear sweets. Such nice cocktail, I would like to know its name, but unfortunately there wasn’t any for it. Upon this, my new made friends decided to name it ‘Joanne’ since they were very glad to meet me in Russia and to be friends. Awww, how sweet of them!!!

Of course, ‘Joanne’ was not the only ‘treat’ that I had that day. Sasha (Russia) offered me all sorts of alcoholic drink he had, from ‘activate energy’ to traditional Russian beer. ‘Activate Energy’ smelled like medicine (antibiotics) and tasted bland. Traditional Russian beer on the other hand did not have any (strong/significant) smell and likewise, tasted bland too. Don’t understand why Russian guys like these kind of beer. For your information, he managed to drink almost the entire bottle (2.5L)!

*(left):Margarita, me, and Vitalina

*(front left): Sasha, Zaenya

(back left): Margarita, me, Vitalina, Tanya

As usual, girls being girls, we like to have small chat sessions during party, so I had a really enjoyable cultural exchange session with them. At this point of time, I want to thank Kiwie! Thank him for kindly offering to design my name-card and suggesting that I give it to my acquaintances in Russia. My Russian friends were really impressed by it and it inspired them to get a box of it for themselves too. (more pictures! Some of the girls can speak real fluent English)

*all these russian girls in this picture speak reall fluent English

*Kate and me. Kate wants to perm my hair!!!

*Sasha (Alexandr) and me

*bird that Kate (wanna perm my hair one) taught me. (the bird has got 'hair'(little fingers). eyes(ring finger) and mouth (thumb and 2nd finger)

*side view of 'bird'

The party lasted about 8 hours! Eventually at about 2 am it was time for home. Russians are really ‘loving’ people. Just like what blogged previously, they love to hug each other whenever they meet of say goodbye. Once in awhile (or maybe slightly more often) they kiss each other goodbye. In Singapore hugs and kisses are not exchanged among friends or even good friends, and to do so, you will only attract the stares and disapproval. This is the exact opposite from Singapore and well, I do get my share of the Russian 'loving-ness' too (more than just hugs). I was shocked! But who cares about all these! We are in Russia, not Singapore! Put the Singaporean cultures aside for the time being and blend into the Russian culture. That’s the attitude!!! (Kate with dark curly hair said that. She likes my attitude!)