Weekend Rundowns

My weekend is just ending now as today's the day Russia marks their (anglo-american assisted) victory over the Nazis, i.e. Victory Day.

Very relaxing weekend, overall.

Friday - attended a birthday party for a friend's wife. Very traditional Russian-style do held in a small bar - lots of toasts, table full of food, people dancing around to cheesy pop music, even a bit of karaoke. Pretty fun, actually.

Saturday - Worked daytime (in exchange for Monday off) but left early to take a nice stroll home in the beautiful spring weather. Subsequently succumbed to massive allergy attack from inhaling far too much pollen. :evil: Stayed in on a Saturday night for the first time in recent memory.

Sunday - Sports bar in the afternoon for some football. In the evening, over to club Gaudi for Chris Liebing (well done, great set, but computer DJing does leave one missing the 'performance' aspect) and Westbam (couldn't sync 2 songs properly if his life depended on it). Great crowd and atmosphere.

Monday - Felt a bit off after previous night's excesses. Remedied by Chinese food delivery. Watched half of the 5th series of Friends. Another quiet night.

Tuesday - lazing around the house, though thinking I should get outside at some point (though I'm a bit anxious to avoid the parades, demonstrations, etc...)
 
Peppermint said:
The others didn't really give a toss
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sorry darling. i did say hello, and returned to the conversation i was in the middle of.

pretty soon you appear to have left without saying goodbye.
:evil:
 
Morbyd, would you/do you have problems as a black person in Moscow? There has been quite a bit in the press over here lately about an upsurge in racist attacks in Russia against Africans, Vietnamese - basically anyone not white.
 
BBS said:
Morbyd, would you/do you have problems as a black person in Moscow? There has been quite a bit in the press over here lately about an upsurge in racist attacks in Russia against Africans, Vietnamese - basically anyone not white.
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I'd be lying if I said I felt 100% safe, especially with the upsurge in incidents over the past few months. For example, I don't ride the metro (taxis are one thing that's still cheap around here). I live in the center, which is marginally safer than the poorer outlying areas of town, and I work and go out mainly in the center. I try keep my eyes open and pay attention to my surroundings. I try to avoid large groups of wayward looking youth, avoid areas where groups of kids hang out, avoid large demonstrations and such, etc...

I heard there was a bit of grumbling in the company when I was hired (I work for a Russian firm) but since the bosses are also minorities (Jewish) that kind of attitude didn't fly. I get along with everyone just fine though.

Sometimes I used to suspect problems with 'face control' at some of the clubs was related, but having been a regular around town for nearly 5 years has mostly eliminated that problem.

I think the majority of people here are not racist... I've had many a taxi driver tell me how distressed they are at what's happening. They recall how, particularly back in the Soviet times, Moscow welcomed everyone especially the foreign students who seem to be bearing the brunt of recent attacks.

Just this week, at the request of a friend, I was advising an African-American guy who might be coming over here on a fellowship. He'd actually already been attacked when he was here on a language training visit last autumn. I told him there is risk, but there's reward in that it's a fun city, fascinating culture, and challenging work environment.

Also, if you think about it, racism is often a factor in assaults in some parts of the US, the UK, and Europe every day, but the involvement of skinheads here has made it something the media (especially foreign) gives a lot of coverage.

Sorry for rambling... it's something I've been thinking about a lot lately, especially as I approach 5 years here in August (and 10 years abroad) and start to get an itch to try someplace new.
 
russ said:
sorry darling. i did say hello, and returned to the conversation i was in the middle of.

pretty soon you appear to have left without saying goodbye.
:evil:
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Thanks Russ for explaining who everyone was. :)
Sorry I didn't say goodbye but I thought I'd not disturb you any more.
 
Had the second week of the feria de abril so attended friday and saturday, I really had lots of fun:D:D. Now I need to rest.
 
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