Fun with Russian (or "the Rooskie language" as Russ' brother Jim calls it...)

First, we want to thank Kristin, Aidan and Pam for the greetings from KAPistan! We just loved the Mother's Day cards, and seeing you both.

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I listened to some Russian language tapes for a few weeks before we left, but they were primarily for business travelers. So while I might be able to ask where a conference room is, or order a gin & tonic from the hotel bar, that really hasn't come in handy on this trip! Our time learning the Russian alphabet was well spent - many words are the same as English, once you sound them out. It's fun... the most 'foreign' looking word, once sounded out, will turn out to be something simple like "hot dog" or "supermarket." It makes even a walk down the street or a menu like a fun puzzle, and we just love it. We most assuredly look dim-witted moving our lips as we figure out the sounds, but it's still somewhat challenging to us, so we're used to that by now! It has certainly given us renewed appreciation for how challenging learning to read can be, and why Aidan sometimes just didn't feel like reading.

The other aspect of Russian, that the library tapes did not cover, is words for kids. We are now fluent in various bodily functions, and simple words like give, throw, kiss, say, be careful, good girl, outside, shoes, help, etc.

But for all we've tried to learn, we could not get by without Oxana. She is a lifesaver at the grocery store (figuring out things like soap vs. lotion, horse vs. beef) and in restaurants - where she will read the menu to us, help us order, then head off for dinner or her lunch break. Of course, at the babyhouse, having her there has been critical to understanding the doctor and caregivers. And when it comes to communicating with Valeria, we are even more reliant on Oxana than we would have imagined. Even though she is only 2, Valeria understands everything; Oxana has helped explain things to her and talk her down off the ledge more than a few times (figuratively, of course). We know we're not the first parents who've wished we could bring her home with us!

Here are a few fun words in Russian.

Russ here: Oh,and thanks Jim for being a trouble maker. We are sitting together for all of these blog posts.

"Ramstore" is the grocery store.

"Minimarket"

This is Karaganda's seal, seen all around town.