AFSP: International Survivors of Suicide Day 2011 Webcast OD
By the way, I missed the live conference on Saturday, so I'm watching the recording now. For anyone who doesn't know, I lost my beloved friend and brother Thomas Ronald Kane to suicide on May 5th, 2009. If you would like to become educated about this phenomenon, you will learn a lot from real people by watching the podcast. Click the link above.
Blessings and love,
Beth
Sunrise on Mt. Sinai
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
India, Japan, and the doctor's office
Hello and welcome back. Lol. Probably nobody reads this, but I feel it's worth it, even if just for me. How nice to be in a place you like, with a daily routine you like, a life full of good people, good occupations, happy at home, happy at work, etc. Thank you, God!
Looking forward to Christmas vacation at the end of December, but enjoying the meantime.
I had my first visit to a doctor in Russia. It was bound to happen sooner or later. I've lived here (not in a row, but all together) a total of 14 months. I felt ok, but after having a headache all day on Friday, I decided to go check it out just in case. I have good insurance and it was free to me anyway, plus a new experience to blog about, lol. A Russian recommended I go, saying that because it hurt behind my eye, that means some wind could have blown on me strongly and affected my nerves. I have never heard of this, and was pretty sure it was just lack of drinking water and not enough sleep. Russians also say you shouldn't read lying down; it's bad for you eyes. Sometimes I doubt where the line is for them between medical knowledge and superstition. But eh, what do I know? I'm no doctor. So I signed up for an appointment at the poliklinika.
After signing in, they told me which room I would visit and sent me back. No forms to fill out? Nope. No waiting in the waiting room and then they call your name? No. Ok. I found the room. The door was closed. I knocked. No answer. I opened the door. Oh, gosh. There were some people in there - I guess someone was seeing the doctor. Sorry! I shut the door. I looked around and asked a bystander, what's done here? He asked which doctor I was seeing and said he was in line for her too. Have a seat. Oh, ok. Russians love to stand in lines.
When it was my turn, I went in. There was a lady sitting at a computer looking at the screen. "I'm listening." Uh, .... I looked at her name tag. It was the doctor. "Oh, it's you. Hello." She made eye contact and smiled. Then we chatted. She was very frank and cold. "What's wrong with you?" "Nothing, I just, had some questions..." After our conversation, she examined me and gave me a perscription for my throat, which appartently there was something wrong with. No linguistic barriers; luckily I could say and understand everything I needed to. :) All in all, a pretty successful visit. Mostly similar to what I'm used to in the US.
Last weekend I went with Pasha to this exhibit they were advertising in the metro - "MYSTERIOUS INDIA." He suggested it, but it just so happens I love Indian culture. While we were there, we visited another exhibit on the next floor - "SAMURAI, THE ART OF WAR." They were both so cool! I can say I went to Japan, India, and back to Russia in one day :) They both had art and artifacts of all kinds. The samurai thing was mostly about the costumes and the swords; India had a lot about Hinduism. They both had live demonstrations - Samurai about how people fought with those swords (using bamboo swords for demonstration purposes, of course) and it was impressive. Some center where they study martial arts in Moscow had a small group of people come and show us how it's done. The most impressive part was when they screamed really loud as they attacked. It was also somewhat funny when one guy put on a face-mask helmet and the other one bopped him on the head. He just stood there. It was like slapstick. Then, in India, they had dances! Beautifully dressed and made-up dancers performed various traditional dances. It was extremely gorgeous and entertaining. Of course, I love that stuff.
Here are some more pictures from work. Last week I let them do finger painting - turned my back for 10 seconds and one child had understood it to be face painting. It was hilarious. Go, avatar!
Love,
Beth
Looking forward to Christmas vacation at the end of December, but enjoying the meantime.
I had my first visit to a doctor in Russia. It was bound to happen sooner or later. I've lived here (not in a row, but all together) a total of 14 months. I felt ok, but after having a headache all day on Friday, I decided to go check it out just in case. I have good insurance and it was free to me anyway, plus a new experience to blog about, lol. A Russian recommended I go, saying that because it hurt behind my eye, that means some wind could have blown on me strongly and affected my nerves. I have never heard of this, and was pretty sure it was just lack of drinking water and not enough sleep. Russians also say you shouldn't read lying down; it's bad for you eyes. Sometimes I doubt where the line is for them between medical knowledge and superstition. But eh, what do I know? I'm no doctor. So I signed up for an appointment at the poliklinika.
After signing in, they told me which room I would visit and sent me back. No forms to fill out? Nope. No waiting in the waiting room and then they call your name? No. Ok. I found the room. The door was closed. I knocked. No answer. I opened the door. Oh, gosh. There were some people in there - I guess someone was seeing the doctor. Sorry! I shut the door. I looked around and asked a bystander, what's done here? He asked which doctor I was seeing and said he was in line for her too. Have a seat. Oh, ok. Russians love to stand in lines.
When it was my turn, I went in. There was a lady sitting at a computer looking at the screen. "I'm listening." Uh, .... I looked at her name tag. It was the doctor. "Oh, it's you. Hello." She made eye contact and smiled. Then we chatted. She was very frank and cold. "What's wrong with you?" "Nothing, I just, had some questions..." After our conversation, she examined me and gave me a perscription for my throat, which appartently there was something wrong with. No linguistic barriers; luckily I could say and understand everything I needed to. :) All in all, a pretty successful visit. Mostly similar to what I'm used to in the US.
Last weekend I went with Pasha to this exhibit they were advertising in the metro - "MYSTERIOUS INDIA." He suggested it, but it just so happens I love Indian culture. While we were there, we visited another exhibit on the next floor - "SAMURAI, THE ART OF WAR." They were both so cool! I can say I went to Japan, India, and back to Russia in one day :) They both had art and artifacts of all kinds. The samurai thing was mostly about the costumes and the swords; India had a lot about Hinduism. They both had live demonstrations - Samurai about how people fought with those swords (using bamboo swords for demonstration purposes, of course) and it was impressive. Some center where they study martial arts in Moscow had a small group of people come and show us how it's done. The most impressive part was when they screamed really loud as they attacked. It was also somewhat funny when one guy put on a face-mask helmet and the other one bopped him on the head. He just stood there. It was like slapstick. Then, in India, they had dances! Beautifully dressed and made-up dancers performed various traditional dances. It was extremely gorgeous and entertaining. Of course, I love that stuff.
Here are some more pictures from work. Last week I let them do finger painting - turned my back for 10 seconds and one child had understood it to be face painting. It was hilarious. Go, avatar!
Love,
Beth
 |
| After we washed him :) |
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Greetings, one and all! How's life in the US? I've already become quite detached from it. The novelty of living here has worn off and I can say I'm quite happy. Let me tell a little bit about how we celebrated!
First, we, Pasha, Lena and I, spent all the day before and all the day of preparing - cleaning, going to the store, cooking, decorating, and getting ourselves ready, in our costumes, etc. We barely made it by the time the people got there! Sadly, all my foreigner friends couldn't come, but two of my Russian friends could. So, we had all Russians celebrating a foreign (to them) holiday. What did we do?
We decorated the kitchen by hanging leaves from the ceiling, adding a bit of garland here and there, putting up Christmas lights, and Pasha and I colored several little halloween-themed drawings. Late into the evening, when everyone was drunk (except me, but they made an exception for me because I'm not Russian) we carved a pumpkin! But the rest was done Russian style: arrange a beautiful table with food, drink, treats, h'ordeuvres, etc., and all sit down together, very formally, and pronounce toasts as we drink up. People make conversation and tell anecdotes, which we call jokes. It's all very nice and fancy. They asked me how we do things in America, and I couldn't really even answer. I guess we just party! I could say, though, that for us it's less "nice" and less formal.
The leaves are still on the ceiling.
Later on in the weekend I went to the New Tretyakovskaya again and finished looking at that one Gay exhibit, saw a bit more of the permanent collection, and then went out with my friend Marie Helen, a 45-year-old Swiss lady who is now my coworker and one of my first friends here in Moscow.
Moscow is a huge city. Most of the people live in apartments, even in the suburbs, and dream of buying not a house but an apartment. It's very very expensive, comprable to New York City or even more expensive, and many Russians tell me that it's basically impossible to get credit, although I see ads in the metro for just this.
Today I skipped my beloved Mass and went instead with a friend to her church. It is a protestand Christian center. As far as I understand, there are services there of different denominations at different times, for both Russians and foreigners. I listened to an Evangelical service in Russian. After that Shakara and I went to an open air market, and boy, was it cold!!! I bought some nice warm boots and wore them home. Been meaning to do that. I think I'll be set for the winter.
Well here's the rest of the halloween pics. Love and blessings to you all!!!
First, we, Pasha, Lena and I, spent all the day before and all the day of preparing - cleaning, going to the store, cooking, decorating, and getting ourselves ready, in our costumes, etc. We barely made it by the time the people got there! Sadly, all my foreigner friends couldn't come, but two of my Russian friends could. So, we had all Russians celebrating a foreign (to them) holiday. What did we do?
We decorated the kitchen by hanging leaves from the ceiling, adding a bit of garland here and there, putting up Christmas lights, and Pasha and I colored several little halloween-themed drawings. Late into the evening, when everyone was drunk (except me, but they made an exception for me because I'm not Russian) we carved a pumpkin! But the rest was done Russian style: arrange a beautiful table with food, drink, treats, h'ordeuvres, etc., and all sit down together, very formally, and pronounce toasts as we drink up. People make conversation and tell anecdotes, which we call jokes. It's all very nice and fancy. They asked me how we do things in America, and I couldn't really even answer. I guess we just party! I could say, though, that for us it's less "nice" and less formal.
The leaves are still on the ceiling.
Later on in the weekend I went to the New Tretyakovskaya again and finished looking at that one Gay exhibit, saw a bit more of the permanent collection, and then went out with my friend Marie Helen, a 45-year-old Swiss lady who is now my coworker and one of my first friends here in Moscow.
Moscow is a huge city. Most of the people live in apartments, even in the suburbs, and dream of buying not a house but an apartment. It's very very expensive, comprable to New York City or even more expensive, and many Russians tell me that it's basically impossible to get credit, although I see ads in the metro for just this.
Today I skipped my beloved Mass and went instead with a friend to her church. It is a protestand Christian center. As far as I understand, there are services there of different denominations at different times, for both Russians and foreigners. I listened to an Evangelical service in Russian. After that Shakara and I went to an open air market, and boy, was it cold!!! I bought some nice warm boots and wore them home. Been meaning to do that. I think I'll be set for the winter.
Well here's the rest of the halloween pics. Love and blessings to you all!!!
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