We just returned home from meeting with a friend-of-a-friend, "L", who volunteered to translate our Who Loves Baby album and the thank you cards we picked up for our driver and translator. (We're going to place their $$ in the cards.) We sat at Starbucks with her for about 1.5 hours and she gave us some great tips for our trip.
"L" took everything home with her and I'm picking it all up Friday morning. We bought two albums, originally thinking we would keep one here for Baby C to have once he or she is home in case something happens to the one we leave at the orphanage. However, since we're not sure if there will be 1 or 2 Baby C's, we asked "L" to translate both, just in case we are referred twins or siblings and both albums stay in Moscow! If that's the case, we'll re-create them in between our trips.
Oh, and sometime before Sunday I'm going to pick up some blank note cards to leave with Baby C's caregivers to write notes if they have any memories or well wishes they'd like us to share as Baby C grows up. "L" offered to translate these cards as well once we return home.
"L" is actually from Azerbijain and has lived in the US for 14 years. Amongst other things, we asked her if she had any suggestions for gifts on our next trip. Here are 2 tips for traveling families: She said that Big Red gum is actually a HUGE hit in Russia, as cinnamon gum is not available anywhere. She also told us that many men appreciate receiving baseball caps since none are sold in Russia. Finally, she said that any type of "American gift" would be greatly appreciated.
Other tips she gave us were: RUN across the street if you absolutely need to cross! And go with a crowd since there is safety in numbers. That part of the conversation was actually quite funny. Apparently, and we already knew this, traffic laws are rarely/never observed and drivers think pedistrians should do the yielding.
Food recommendations - She also told us to try kebaps (kebabs), bleeniy (blinis), borsch (beet soup), katlyeti pakeeyefskee (chicken kiev), and pelemini (dumplings). Good news for me - she said that you really can't go wrong with any type of dessert or pastry! YUM!
Prayers for our Children
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3 comments:
Thanks for sharing all the great ideas!! Good luck on your trip. How it exciting that you leave in 4days! Hopefully we will be able to connect on 2nd/3rd trips. We plan on staying there the 21 days for the 2nd trip so we will have to connect when you are there.
L sounds great! Her tip about crossing the street is no exaggeration. The drivers really will run you down! Look for the underground passage whenever possible (which takes you under the street so you don't have to risk your life crossing)!
We went into 2 different grocery stores, and both had their own bakeries, so lots of pastries and desserts were available!
Sounds like good advice from your friend. You'll enjoy the flight on Aeroflot to Russia - too bad we will just pass each other in the airport. We will be on the incoming flight that you will leave on! Maybe we can get together sometime in VA!!!! Godspeed!
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