The language barrier is always good for a laugh

Day 28

Some of you may remember that while learning Russian, the longest phrase I was able to master was "Mooshna plateet po credeetnay cartouchkia"(may I pay by credit card?)... well, umm, I don't think I'm pronouncing that exactly the way that my Rapid Russian course intended. This morning Tim mentioned, to Shizada and Makhabbat, my attempts to learn this particular phrase and on their prompting I took a deep breath, puffed out my chest and repeated. Immediately Shizada cracked a large gold toothed smile and started laughing so hard that she clutched her side and wiped tears from her hazel eyes. Makhabbat followed suit. Apparently, I was asking "May I pay by credit potato?". The thought of my solemnly querying about "credit potatoes" to well-meaning clerks across Kazakhstan was more than the two good ladies could bear. I had to admit it was pretty funny. I was happy to be the comic relief of the morning.

In my own defense, we have all had similar moments of comedic translations while attempting to navigate the 'Russian Only' world of Kokshetau. Some of you may remember how Tim inexplicably ended up purchasing four of everything on a beverage excursion to the Viola market. Four bottles of Coke Light. Four cans of Red Bulls. Four bottles of beer. Four large jugs of water. He barely made it home with his bulky purchases. To this day, we can't figure out what he said to make them think that he wanted four of each.

Tim's love of Red Bull (I know, I know, I can't stand the thought of all the chemicals in that stuff) has also led to one of the standing jokes of our trip. After several slightly more successful trips to the Viola market, Tim thought that he had figured out the Russian word for Red Bull. Unbeknownst to me, he would stroll confidently into the market and point to the Red Bull. The clerk would take one down and say "Skulka?". Tim, feeling pretty smug at his mastery of the language, would say proudly "Da! Skulka!" The clerk would shake her head and ring him up. Only after about a week of similar transactions, did Tim proudly inform me that "Skulka" meant "Red Bull." "No, honey" I told him. "'Skulka' means 'how many?'. The clerk was asking you how many drinks you wanted!" Makhabbat thought this story was so funny that now everyday after the babyhouse, she asks Tim if he wants any Skulka. Usually the answer is 'yes' in which case Makhabbat claps Nursulatan on the shoulder and says "Skulka!" Knowing the routine, Nursultan answers "Da! Skulka!" and we are off to the cafe on the edge of town for snacks for the long road home.

Mom, too, has had some pretty funny trouble with translation. Just last night, out to dinner with Thelma the adoptive mom from NY, Mom asked the waiter to bring her "sok." (juice). He returned with a bottle of juice. Mom grimaced, shook her head, and said a little more firmly, "Niet. Sok." The waiter blinked and returned with a different kind of juice. Again the little American repeated, "Niet. SOK." The waiter, looking a little frazzled, returned with two kinds of juice. Finally mom gave up. She had been trying to order bread!

I guess the moral of the story is- if you are traveling to Kokshetau, learn Russian! Just a little, or you will be even more lost than we are. Here's the bare minimum of what you need to know:

1 - adin

2 - dva

3 - tree

4 - chitearya

5 - pyat

6 - shest

7 - syem

8 - vosyem

9 - dyevyat
10 - dyeasyat

Hello (informal)- Preevet or Zdrastvuitee

Goodbye - Paka

Yes - Da

No - Niet

Please - Pajaloosta

Thank You - Spaseeba

I Need - nooshna

That/There - tum

Bigger - Balshoya

Smaller - Maleenky

That all/ Through - Vsio

What's that - "Sto eta"

Bread - hlep

Water - vada

Memorize at least that much, and you won't be graceful, but you'll be able to manage here in Kokshetau.

In other news, I'm taking my Kokshetau experience to new parts of the web. In just a couple of hours I hope to be posting a video tour of the babyhouse to YouTube. You'll be able to walk through the front door of the babyhouse and down the hall to Garrett's room. I'll also show you the music room and the nursery and the activity room. All of those juicy details that I was so deperate for before I traveled. Until I figure out how to add the video to the site, here is the link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0QSQjyheoo Click and enjoy!

Garrett was in high spirits again today and greeted us with big smiles and a little coo of happiness. He is such a quiet little bug. I wonder how a few months with my wild man, Calvin will change him. I bet the caregivers wouldn't even recognize their little "vinegreteka." Here he is today cruising around the music room in that little walker.

Here's Makhabbat telling Garrett that he needs to sleep. I don't think he believes her.

Paka,

Becca