Russian escapism

Ok, so this is a break from everything-Tuva related... I am going to share a page from a magazine in our bathroom, because it says a lot (I think) about Russian life, and the things that ordinary people here dream about. The magazine is called "Stories from Life" and the cover advertises stories like "He drinks? Be glad he doesn't beat you!" and "True love comes when you least expect it." Now, once again, I may be a terribly cynical person, but when I saw this magazine, I immediately thought it was an example of class A (or E?) escapism, and worth sharing because of what it says about why people resort to escapism and what exactly they dream about.

A little personal background; the excerpt you are about to read is about a nanny who spends the summer in Gelendjhik, on the Black Sea coast between Novorossisk and Sochi. I have actually been to Gelendjhik. Two summers ago I worked as an English teacher in a camp near Gelendjhik, and made trips to the town to use the internet (it was about an hour away). One time my friend Olga and I actually walked all the way back from Gelendjhik to our village, eating apples off trees on the way and seeing a big scary snake. If you are young, speak some Russian, and looking for an adventure, I heartily recommend the Black Sea coast and Crimea. The whole area was where the former Soviet Union sent its workers to relax at state-sponsored sanatoriums and lagers (camps) for the kids. Today it's much more run down, and all the old facilities have been commandeered by whatever private enterprise or individual got their hands on them post 1991. The sea is beautiful and the coast is rocky white bluffs. We saw jellyfish and dolphins there; also pollution and lots of dirty needles on the rock beaches. People go there in the summer to soak in the water and eat baklava. There is influence from Tartar culture still left from the period of Tartar control in the area. Anyways--this trip is one of the most vivid memories in my life. So I read the following story with great interest... I share it with you, because I think you can learn a lot about a people by understanding where they take their vacations, what they fantasize about.

Loves smells like Lavender
By Ekaterina, age 27

I like my work, and I cared with all my heart for Sonya. I was her nanny.

“In September Sonya goes back to school, so for the summer we are sending her to her grandmother on the sea coast,” her mother, Natasha, reminded me at the end of the spring. It was suddenly clear to me that soon I would need to look for new work.

“Do you perhaps have an acquaintance who needs a nanny?” I inquired.

“No, but I will try to find one,” kindly answered Natalya.

Unexpectedly, on my last working day, she asked me if I would be willing to stay on, for the whole summer, as Sonya's nanny, but to work in Gelendjhik.The issues was that Sonya's grandmother had broken her foot and couldn't herself care for the girl, but she really wanted Sonya to come all the same.

“Katya, I would like you, for a double salary, to spend the summer on the sea coast with Sonya. Don't worry about accommodations: my mother has a house on the bluff where you would certainly need to stay” proposed Natalya.

I seldom traveled, and I was a little scared to think of spending the whole summer in a strange place. But, all the same—a double salary! Fresh air! And three months without thinking about looking for new work.... I agreed.

And so Sonya and I stepped out of the train into the hot Crimean sun. The grandmother's driver met us and helped with the suitcases.

“Stanislav,” he introduced himself. “Let's get into the car—they're already waiting for you.”

We drove for a long time on the narrow streets. I lost the ability to speak for the beauty of the landscape. Mountain peeks were surrounded with soft white clouds. The fresh wind came in through the open window, bringing with it the smells of mountain herbs and flowering plants. I breathed deeply and was glad that I agreed to this trip. I liked everything so far. It was my first time in Gelendjhik, and indeed I had never been farther before from Moscow than a summer camp in the surrounding area. I was a homebody.

Soon we turned off the highway onto a narrow village road, leading up a mountain. Across the fields, we could see a small village, nestled in the crook between two hills.
“We are nearly there,” Stanislav commented.

The car stopped beside a large, two-story house behind a tall brick fence. Narrow round towers at the corners of the house reminded one of a palace from the middle ages. Oh my goodness! Could I really be going to spend all of my summer in this place? I simply couldn't believe it...

We were met by the housekeeper—a short, stout middle aged Tartar woman.
“Hello! My name is Aishe,” she introduced herself. “Valentina Mikhaelovna is waiting for you. It's unfortunate that she herself couldn't come out to meet you—because of her foot.”

We entered the large courtyard, and looking up the high walls were covered with grape vines. Along the road were blooming rose bushes, and all through the courtyard was a sweet aroma. It was like a fairytale. In the house were many exotic plants, and reclining on the sofa amidst soft pillows was Sonya's smiling grandmother. Her right leg was in a cast up to the knee.

“My darling!” Valentina Mikhaelovna opened her arms to greet her granddaughter, nearly knocking over the sofa.

“Granny, this is my nanny, Katya! Katya, this is my grandmother!” Sonya quickly introduced us.

“Hello, pleased to meet you” I said, tiptoeing closer.

Valentina Mikhaelovna seemed a good and sweet woman. She treated me like a relative and not a servant. We sat right down at a table in the garden.

“Katya, I have asked that a room be prepared for you on the second floor. The view from there is marvelous, and it is right next to Sonya's room. Is that ok?” asked the grandmother.

“Of course! I will take the room with pleasure!” I said.

When I saw my room, I fell into shock. It was so huge, bigger than my entire apartment! With its very own bathroom! And from the window I could see tropics, and the road leading up to the mountains.
I really must walk in those mountains, I decided. The phrase “Died and gone to heaven” rang in my ears. Everything filled me with delight. It was true that the entire responsibility for Sonya was on my hands, but this didn't worry me: she was a well-behaved girl.

(story continues. If there is interest, I can put the rest up here... basically Katya meets some guy named Nikolai who likes to kiss her hands, and it's great).