Kazan — summer 2012

While I was in Spain I decided to charge my Russian cell phone so it would be active as soon as I arrived. Then for kicks I turned it on. To my shock, it had connected up in roaming mode with Movistar, a Spanish phone company. I was amazed and pleased. It meant I didn't have to get a Spanish SIM card for phone calls, which I ended up not having to make. But I did pass my number on to my brother, and he gave me a call so that I could talk to one of his Russian crewmembers.

So this morning I checked my phone balance, and it was drastically lower than I expected. Turns out that that six minute and thirty-four second incoming phone call cost me 483 rubles, i.e. a bit more than sixteen bucks. Next time I'll get a Spanish SIM card.

Met today with my new language partner. He taught me some slang like:

• “I don't like to dilute my alcohol.” «Я не из тех, кто любит бадяжить».
• “I drink my whiskey straight.” «Я виски пью чистоганом».

Wow, that's great to know! If I master this vocab, I have a future as a complete alcoholic!

Oh, and our 4-week language invitations came through. I'm very pleased. I'm really looking forward to the arrival of that group.

One of the things that is interesting, although difficult to make final comparisons on, is prices between the US and Russia. Here are a couple I have made today.

That selection of items doubtless seems odd, but these are things I've given as gifts or considered giving as gifts.

Other things are much cheaper in Russia. For instance, unlimited internet on your iPad 3 you can get for about $8/month. Phone service is cheaper. Some food products are cheaper.

Today was the day I was supposed to register with the Federal Migration Services. (Any foreigner staying more than a few days has to do so.) My landlady and I went to FMS only to find out that they don't offer that service on Wednesdays. Glorious.

So we returned home. Last year I heard that some of the local post offices also offer that service, so I dropped by the closest one. Hm. They have the right documentation, and they have a link to download the necessary form, although not really in an electronically convenient form.

So I've downloaded the form and we'll try again tomorrow at the post office.

Every day or two here in Russia when I make a search on Google, I get a message saying they are detecting strange activity on my computer, and then American Google makes me do a little security protocol, and then Russian Google does the same. Kind of annoying.