So last was Riga and that takes us up to the part were we travel to Belarus. We'll start with how we even managed to get there because if you look at a map you will find that Riga is not so close to Minsk.
The night we got into Riga Igor found us a carpool ride from Riga to Minsk. Yes, they have this, yes it is safe and yes, you have to speak Russia to apply. :)
Our host was kind enough to take us to the "meeting spot," which as it turned out was not a very well defined location. To start our difficulty we were unable to find the spot that the guys driving had described. When we found what we thought was the spot we didn't see the van that we were supposed to go in. So we tried to call...except the phone number we had for him didn't work. Did I mention that the night before they almost canceled on us since they couldn't get a hold of Igor? For some reason they could not call Igor and Igor couldn't call them. An issue with the country codes was the culprit that we ultimately decided was the problem. Since we couldn't contact them via good old fashion phones we had to rely on our web connection. However, when you are in a parking lot somewhere in Riga it isn't like there is a Google wifi balloon sending you free signal everywhere so it turned out to be a bit of a problem. We did have a wifi hotspot available via our phones, but Igor only had the website available and logged on his computer that made things a tij more challenging in the communications department. I was trying to be patient but feeling a bit anxious about this whole situation now and worried that maybe we were going to miss our ride but, it all turned out alright, as it always does and we eventually did find the guys. To be far they were not really where they said they would be but hurray for phones and wifi hotspots!
The car ride, which we shared with two Ukrainian guys and a girl from Belarus living in Latvia was for the most part uneventful and easy, if not a bit cold. (At one point I took off my boots and stuck my socked feet into my gloves to warm them up). The drive was nice and I think Igor enjoyed the conversation however I didn't catch much (Russian). It always makes me more hopefully and more motivated when in these types of situations because I know if I just buckled down and worked harder on my Russian I could at least participate, however briefly.
After about 3-4 hours of driving we reached the Lithuanian, Belarusian boarder. We had no problems on the Lithuanian side although the girl checking our passports did think that Igor and I "make a good match USA and Belarus." Not sure what that was about but I took it as a compliment. Our crossing there was only about 10 maybe 15 minutes at the absolute most. On the Belarus side though it took quite a bit longer.. We had to go through several checks and rechecks. No offense Belarus but really? Oh well. We guessed that they were not used to Americans coming in via car (cuz it is a bit odd I suppose) and according to Igor they gave him a bit of a hard time about my passport. They apparently scrutinized it pretty heavily but in the end they let us on through and about 2 hours later we were in Minsk!
We stopped by the bus station to see if we could get tickets to Zaslonova that evening (it was only about 5pm) but unfortunately there were not any buses for the rest of the evening that went there so we did what any good family would do and we called Igor's brother (you remember Vasil, not to be confused with uncle Vasil or Father Vasil) to come and get us. If you are thinking at this point, "hey but I thought Igor's brother lived in Moscow?" well you would have been right but they moved to Minsk about 6 months ago, so win for us.
In the morning we were off. We had some time to kill before our bus so we thought we would just jump on the metro and go to the center of town. We didn't have any cash which meant I had to tried to pull some out with my ATM card...turns out that I couldn't do it. I actually sort of knew this before we went since my banks said that Belarus is "on the black country list" meaning that none of my cards would work there. Don't worry I gave them an ear full about how they are making banking with the seriously inconvenient and I might have to go elsewhere. Anyway, enter the Savior bank card from England!!! I have had it since that year that I decided I didn't want to live in America any more and so I scampered off to play in England. I can't tell you how many times this card has saved my took-us, actually I can a total of 2 but that's not the point, it's amazing! So yeah we were able to get some money and get our metro tickets.
We found a mall and a since we are kind of coffee snobs now we decided that we would treat ourselves and Igor's parents to the present of a good coffee maker. Yes, that's right we found one of these bad boys in Minsk! it wasn't as good as the one that we have at home but it worked just fine.
Our time in Belarus was a bit of a whirlwind and I will try to tell it as faithfully and as in order as I possible can but I make no promises that they are in the right series of events. We were there for almost 4 weeks, we did a lot and not a lot all at once. The overview is that it was wonderful and enjoyable most of the time.
The first couple days were spent just re-cooperating from our crazy walking city tours from the previous week and a half. We went to Igor's school and played basketball with the kids one evening. I got to play with the big kids this year and I even scored!! I watched Igor play chess with his old P.E. teacher and win. I watch Igor play volley ball. I know when I am really not good at something. I don't claim to be good at basketball but I do know how to play. Volleyball is a totally different story. Uncle David will be heartbroken but I don't even know the rules, let alone how to serve or really even hit the ball. So, instead of being a menus on the floor I decided to watch.
One thing about being an American in a place where you don't get many Americans is that you are sort of a novelty. Do you remember how last year we went and visited the English class and talked to them. They made us tea, and sang to us, etc.? Well, we didn't do that this year but once the kids found out that there was an American around I was like a unicorn in a petting zoo. The kids, especially the girls, would sort of swarm around me. Usually they didn't talk to me just sat very close by and whispered to each other. Every once in a while though, one would get up the courage to ask me a question and I would do my best to answer either in really poor quality Russian or as simple of English as I could, to make sure they would understand.
You would be surprised how tiring it is to do that type of English speaking. I feel like I don't even speak the language properly after a while. I hymmm and haaa, umm and ahhhh as I try to think of simpler ways to phrase an answer or ask a question so they will understand. It would be easier to answer with a "yes" or a 'no' but I think that's cheap, especially since they were trying so hard. It was kind of fun though. I have learn more Russian over the last year and it made it a bit easier for me, if only a very little bit. I could hear them talking amongst themselves trying to figure out the correct way to ask the question, to ask what they knew how to, although probably not really what they wanted to know. Anyways, this type of creative alternative, simple English will come up again in our narrative later, so keep an eye out.
Back to our sports play. So I am crap at Volleyball (sorry Uncle David) but Igor is most definitely not from what I can tell and it was fun to watch him play. He played soccer a couple of times too but I didn't the first night because I did know what to expect and my foot had been sore (I fractured the tiny bone under the ball of my foot awhile ago and it still bothers me at times).
One of the first days we were there we felt rather ambitious or rather felt brave. We walked to the sacred springs about 3 miles more or less away. For those of you who have followed over the years, the first time we went to Belarus in 2014 during the summer it was hard for me to get into that ice cold water. I did it on my second attempt but barely got in half way on my first. Well, because I think I am tougher than I actually am I decided that we should go back. Igor did do it last year with his friend Serge in the middle of winter and told me how difficult it was but you know me, I still thought I could do it.
We got a bit lost on our way there, ended up right out side of the military shoot range... had to ask one of the officers for directions lol oopse. Found our way back. Wished we had brought the yak trak snow and ice grips for our shoes that my dad had got us but if you saw how little we brought and how little room we had you would understand. Anyhow, we eventually made it, I was sweating by the time we got there because walking on ice is seriously tough work, feeling like this was it, I was totally got to do it...
I still believe that I could have gotten all the way. I want to lead with that. It's probably not true but I like to believe it is. What was my mistake you may ask? Well... I my mind it was the fact that I took my shoes off too early. Yeah, you heard me. In order to do this polar plunge you must be in your birthday suite or your swimsuit and let me tell you, if there is snow outside and the first thing you take off is your shoes, you are in a world of hurt. I did get my feet in...for about five seconds max and then quickly got out squealing about how cold it was, jumped on to the bench and huddled with my now burning ice pained feet, red as cold can get them. Thus my failed and very sad attempt at the Belarusian sacred polar plunge.
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Igor attempting to warm his hands up after the
plunge. Yeah he did it.
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| Polar Hero |
Ok time for a short break. I leave you with this little guy. A new addition to the Belarusian Farm Family at Igor's grandmothers house. Enter Barshik the super energetic lovable kitten who likes to attack my feet.
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