Russia, June 15, 1998
Change is in the Wind
Like Bart Simpson said 'A cold northeast wind is blowing'
|
As a Simpson's fan back home, I can remember a scene where
Bart was looking at an approaching storm and the change it would bring.
He said,' A cold Northeast wind is blowing'' as his hair
danced (well, wiggled) in the wind. Today, as I look out my window at
the trees dancing in the cool Northeast wind, I am reminded of that
scene, for change is in the wind.
I am writing this at 9 pm, about 10 minutes after getting home from work. These days 12 hour days are no stranger to me anymore, 8 to 8 (or 8 to 9 like today), Monday to Friday being normal now. Nothing like the Peace Corps experience I originally planned on having. I am changing into a workaholic, like my cousin-in-law, Matt, busting ass to get ahead. On Friday, the man who is my manager, actually who used to be my manager and is now only in name, is leaving. I will be the new manager. The man in charge of the expat payroll and the entire staff account process for 300 expats and 1500 staff accounts (before our merger with Coopers & Lybrand). I am a little shocked at the responsibility I now possess, much more than I ever had before, and more than I would have in the States. I hope I can do my conscience right, and be at least competent at my new tasks. One of the other people leaving in June told me about a maid she employs. I am about to give up on house-training Arthur, and hire her to pick up after his mess in the common area. This is an odd step for me. I am used to running a hose quite efficiently, as my housemates in DC learned fast. I am pretty clean (thanks again, mom) and I like to keep a clean house, but Arthur is a little different. In case he reads this some day, lets just say he has a different outlook on tidiness, and I can't seem to convince him otherwise. Maybe his mother's impending visit on Sunday will motivate him. Unfortunately, the young lady I was spending time with ended her visit to Moscow last week. Claire, a spicy English woman who was teaching English in a Moscow suburb, packed her bags and headed to Lake Bikal. She is spending two weeks there, soaking up the nature it has to offer, before returning to Moscow and immediately leaving for England. I already miss her and I am contemplating a hiatus from the dating scene until something decent comes along again. I am also contemplating quitting my Russian lessons. I know, I know, I live in Russia, I should be learning he language, but, but, but... There are so many reasons, time, work, energy, patience, etc, which make me want to duck out on the whole scene. I am learning new words, albeit at two or three a week, and I do have good listening comprehension, but I am so drained or busy by 6 pm, that I have canceled the last three of five opportunities to study! Tonight I should feel energized to study, the weather finally changed (from a heat wave of 30+ C to a cool 15 C) and the sun is still shining (we are so far north it will not set at all around the solstice in late June), but after I finish this page and the bottle of beer I'm drinking, I am going to relax in the hot tub. |
