I know. What!? So I was having dinner with my family tonight and they were talking about numbers of people and locations and food… like as if they were planning a big ol’ party. Well we do lots of that here, so I wasn’t really too concerned about any of it. And then they turn to me and ask if I will come and visit when Alihan is married. What the what!? Isn’t that what already happened?? She lives here, they sleep in the same bed, she cooks all the meals, they’re always together… and what was all the hoopla about last week if not for a marriage? I mean, they had a videographer for the party (and apparently he liked me – there are one too many shots of me dancing and giving toasts in my broken Russian. My host family got a kick out of it. They kept fast forwarding until they saw me, then they’d laugh and say “Moladetz! Kraseeva! Moi Amerikanka! Well done! Beautiful! That’s my Amierican!”) and that wasn’t for the wedding!? So that was…? Just an engagement party, I guess? But then what about the Muslim prayers being sung and all that stuff the next night? What was that all about!? Oh good heavens… I need to learn more Russian! And I feel like at this point it’d be really stupid for me to ask, like I should know. But don’t worry, two years from now when I speak fluently (Ha Ha!) I’ll give them a call and say “Ok, rewind! What the heck was going on while I was there!” and we’ll get this all sorted out. :)
In other news, I’m leaving on Saturday! I’m so excited to get up to Krasney Yar and get to work for real. These 10 weeks have flown by and dragged on all at the same time. And of course all along I knew that things weren’t permanent here, so I haven’t really “settled” as much as I will be able to up in my village, so I’m looking forward to that. I’ll be sure to keep you updated just as soon as possible…
Also, here are some pictures from the un-wedding. I wish I had some video too, because the Turkish dances were fun to watch, but the pictures will have to suffice!
5 comments:
Well that is very weird. I'm disturbed for you. Also, I'm not sure who that dude is in the last picture, but, please, stick to the plan: 1. Meet a Dr. from D.C. area 2. Seduce him using those classic Morrison girl wiles 3. Move by me and be rich. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3!
Hm, I'm not sure about the D.C. part of the plan . . . Anyway, strange stuff. Boy are you going to have lots of great stories to tell when you get home!
Hollay-
It may be that marriages there are more old fashioned...in that they're comprised of several events that stretch over weeks of time.
Just a thought.
Anyways, I sure miss you. Hope you're doing well.
Love ya!
Interesting stuff about the un-wedding. Maybe it's like those old "betrothal" things. I remember reading that people who got betrothed in certain parts of the world were married (for a year and a day), but after that first year they either got married for real or split up if they hated each other. I guess that makes sense in cases where they've never even met before - how do they have any clue that they want to be together.
Hi Holly,
I don't know if you remember me from high school but I found your blog through a friend of a friend of a friend. Anyway, I totally can relate to the unorganized chaos that somehow reassembles itself into life. Hope all is working out well for you!
~Emily
Post a Comment