- 2/29/2008 10:00:00 PMMoscow Trip - Day 19Today is US Embassy Day. I'm glad Marina brought us to the Embassy yesterday so we could see the inside and know where we needed to go and what to do. For those of you who are on your way to Russia to adopt, here is a little FYI for you. When you enter the embassy for your appointment, you must acquire two "tickets" after you go through the the security check point and before you go to Window 4. The machine where you get the tickets from is in the same room as the metal detector. It is a small machine that looks a little like a small lottery ticket machine. If you miss that and don't get your tickets right away, they send you back.
Dima picked us up around 10:00 AM. We headed to the Museum of Military War History. If you are a war history enthusiast, this would be right up your alley. Peggy was a little crabby and didn't like it much, but she was a good sport anyway. Dima, Michael and I loved it. It was different seeing all of this war history and it not being American War History. Some of the battles were the same - such as WWI and WWII, but they also had history on their other major wars with Germany, France and Afghanistan. One interesting display was the remains of the American U2 spy plane and a model of the rocket that shot it down.
Another interesting thing I noted while moving through the museum was all of the photos of Red Square. When the Russians want to pump the people up and get them energized about something, they do it there. If you look carefully in the background, you can notice that one of the church's that was there originally and is standing there today, is not in the photo. You can thank Joseph Stalin for that.
After we finished the inside displays, we went outside to see the bigger items. Lots of rockets, tanks, trucks and my favorite - the HIND - one of the biggest, baddest and fastest helicopters ever made. It was cool. As a US Army Helicopter Mechanic, I had to study images of these but this was the first time I had ever seen one in person.
One thing I'd like to mention - that I've mentioned in many forms before is the subject of Russian bathrooms. Often times in a public restroom, you will have to grab the amount of toilet paper you think you're going to need from a common role near the entrance. In some cases, they have already torn off pre-defined lengths of paper and hung them on a hook for you to grab. Here is another FYI for you - take more than you need. It is better to over estimate than under.
As long as I'm talking about unusual Russian things, yesterday while we were out and about transporting our paperwork, I received a number of odd looks from people. As it turns out, I was carrying a bag that had the emblem of the current reigning party in Russian government. The bag is blue and has a picture of a bear with red, blue, and white stripes over head. This symbol represents Vladimir Putin's party. The elections are coming up and most people think it is a sham. On the other hand, Peggy was carrying a bag with two naked black women with very very long red fingernails. I think it was some kind of advertisement for a nail salon or something. No one gave her a second look. Hmmmmmm...?
After leaving the War History Museum, we headed to McDonald's to meet with Marina for lunch. We were stuck in traffic so we called Marina. She went into McDonald's and ordered for us. When we got there, we picked up our food and ate in the van. Then we went to the Embassy.
We were the fourth family to enter the Embassy today. Even though we had to go back and get the tickets we missed, we still got there way ahead of dozens of other people. It was nice to hear so much American English being spoken. All of the stories were very similar to ours, "I had to wait 10 days... I'm glad the 10 days is over...".
The cost of of Michael's passport with Visa was $400. The "interview" is not really an interview but just a review of all the paperwork involved such as the court decision, what we need to keep on us at all times, the mandatory Russian military service required of all Russian males when they turn 18 and how that affects Michael, what dual-citizenship means and how the US treats that, the "secret" manila envelope that we will transport to immigration services when we reenter the US and finally and most importantly... that Michael will become a US citizen as soon as the plane wheels touch the ground in Atlanta, GA.
I had originally been told that neither Peggy nor I need to go to the consulate on Monday and that Marina would go. The man we spoke with at the Embassy gave us the court decree from Cheboksary and told us that this is the proof that he is our son - legally. If we are stopped and are without this paperwork... who knows. It is important to keep this and our passports with us at all times. We told that to Marina and she said we will go with her to the consulate on Monday. I think it is very close to Arbot street and her and Peggy want to go shopping/site seeing again.... more hmmmmmm....????
We left the Embassy and were about to head home when plans changed again. Marina said there was a very nice Ballet Theater building where we could take some photos. There is so much construction going on around here that the theater got sucked into it. It too is under construction and covered with a large canvas that shows what it will look like when complete.
Here is another FYI for those of you about to travel to Moscow - be flexible and ready for plans to change at any moment. In some cases, the plan will have changed without you even knowing about it. Here are some others:
- bring along some shoes that are comfortable for walking long distances and a quick pace
- definitely layer your clothing. If I had to re-pack my suit case knowing what I know now, I would bring more short-sleeve, button up shirts and plain thin white under shirts. Over here there doesn't appear to be a thermostat in any building or apartment. The heat is either on or it is off. Since it's winter now, the heat is on. That means that they control the apartment temperature by opening a window. If you're in a place where they don't (or can't) open a window, be prepared to cook and sweat like a pig.
- You generally do not have to pay if you want to check your coat when entering a museum or some other building, but be prepared to pay 15 Rubles or more to use the toilet. For that matter, most public places DO NOT have a toilet or restroom.
That being said, we went to see the Ballet theater, it was closed and under construction and Michael had to pee so I paid 15 Rubles for him to go in a port-a-potty. He thinks it was worth every kopeck.
We drove back to Marina's flat and she asked Dima and I for some help. Her father had purchased a new sink and cabinet for her son and was going to install it in her son's flat. Her dad (aka Grandpa) is in his late 60's and has had a stroke. Dima and I carried the vanity unit and some other stuff down stairs and into Dima's van. We drove over to her son's flat where we were met with joy by the fiancee Natashia. They do not have any kitchen cabinetry and do all of the dishes in the bath tub. Dima had to leave so Marina and I carried the sink and base into the kitchen and then we had tea while Grandpa worked his magic.
Watching him work and seeing how Marina behaves around him is inspiring. I don't know how old Marina is but she wants to be a Grandma. She is an adult mature woman and she loves her "papa". At 67 years old, Grandpa is still very much the "go to" man when you need something done. Here he was, a stroke victim and slightly paralyzed on one side, installing a kitchen sink for his future Grand-daughter-inlaw. He had his tools with him and worked his magic. Left, right, stand up, squat down, crawling into and out of the cabinet. Then the test - water on... fill the sink... check the drain... no drips - success! Natashia jumped up and down saying, "thank you, thank you, thank you". Marina and I clapped. Then Grandpa got his reward - hugs and kisses from Marina and Natashia. I told him, "good job".
It is easy to see how much love bounces around in this family. Marina, Grandpa, and Grandma give, and give, and give. There is no shortage of reward for giving. There is the love of family multiplied over and over again. That is what I want.
With Dima gone, we were forced to take a taxi home. I asked if she was going to call one and she said, "No. I show you how we do it in Russia". We left the flat and walked to the street. Marina walked arm-in-arm with her father, helping him to the street. It was dark so we stood right on the edge of the street. Marina was in the street flagging down cars, he father stood in the gutter and I stood on the curb. It was a little cold, so Marina told me to put my hood up. Being that it was dark, and that I was wearing a dark coat and standing on the curb (and perhaps looking very tall and large), I thought I might not look like a nice character to a car passing by. I said to Marina, "If I put my hood up, I will look like a criminal". She reached over and put her father's hood over his head. He mumbled something to her and pulled it back down. I asked, "what did he say?" She replied, "He says it makes him look like a criminal". That's funny to me.
Marina flagged down a car. She opened the door and began chatting with the man inside. Then she said, "get in". This didn't look like a taxi to me and it turns out it wasn't. It was an elderly man willing to help someone out. Marina had negotiated a price when she first opened the door and he agreed to take us. She said, "without you and Papa here, I would never get into a strange car". She said most people in Russia are willing to help someone like this. All they ask for is some gas money in return.
We drove home and Marina translated the conversation between the driver and her Papa. The driver complained about how young people are disrespectful towards older people - especially on the subway. It is a commonly accepted behavior for younger people to get up out of their seat and offer it to an older person when on the bus or train. The driver says that you see this sort of thing less and less these days.
We got home and Marina said, "tonight we celebrate!" Today was a great and productive day. Peggy and I legally acquired another child and Grandpa was a hero. Grandma made ravioli and I prayed. I thanked God for keeping us safe and for all the work that we all accomplished today. I thanked Him for the new friends and family we've found in Russia. We ate and made toasts to the children and to family using Luda's secret moonshine recipe.
After 19 days in Russia, my camera's memory card is finally full and my cup runneth over.
