Getting to know Ark

Well we have started another week.  Today/Monday has been good and busy so far.  We met two other couples who have arrived for their court hearing tomorrow.  One is from Farmington Hills, not far from us and one originally from Romania, but has been living in NY for the last ten years.  Both of them are adoption little boys from Kotlas.  We spent a couple of hours chatting as we were waiting on instructions to buy Ally’s plane tickets.  For some reason Dimitry (or facilitator) wanted us to go to a woman he knows to get the tickets today.  However, the Aerofloat (airline) office that used to be in the hotel is not here anymore.  So after having to call him we had to wait in our rooms for instructions on where she had gone.  Since we don’t have custody of Ally yet and her name is different, it is normally hard to get tickets.  We just do and go where we are told.  J 

 

A couple of things I am going to ask a Russian person about is why all the trees in a park are painted white from the bottom to about four feet up.  Then a lot of the tops are cut off as well.  At about fifteen feet, the trunks are just exposed at the top and little branches sprout from the edges. 

 

The locals seem to take curious glances at us, but do not really stare.  We don’t really feel  much animosity here.  We felt more on display at Kotlas.  That was a smaller town.  It is really hard to describe how we are different as there are different kinds of people here.  Thomas thinks it is our faces are rounder and sometime smiling.  But pretty much,. Everyone notices us as we walk by.  A lot of the women wear heels and tight clothes, but not all. Most of the people are very skinny as well.  I have noticed a lot of different hair styles, but no curls.  Usually their hair is up or straight.   I wonder what they think of us, but assume just like, oh look, Americans.   There are a few Norwegians at the hotel.  They speak English and are working on getting a large Yacht ready.  We met the skipper and he was telling us about this has been a long project and they won a trial with the Russians and now they are having trouble getting all the parts they need to get going.

 

Anyway, another interesting thing is a lot of the music here is American, and in English.  Sometimes we hear Russian, but mostly pop songs from the 80’s and 90’s.  For example in the restaurant we were in last night, they had all these American videos on a screen, and I know that the locals who don’t speak English did not understand.  But wonder what they think of it.

 

The kids are all wearing hats, and it has been a bit chilly here, maybe in the 50’s.  Since Ark is on the water there usually is a breeze as well.  I did buy Ally a cute sun hat and a couple pair of those cute tights.   I still need to find a little stroller and a kids toilet seat cover thing.  I guess I have plenty of time.

 

Okay well enough for today.   Hope everyone is doing well at home and please send emails.  It is going to get boring here.  

 

Love Christine & Thomas.