Meeting New People

Since the Maxim fiasco, I have decided that it is best to try and take chances, put yourself out there, and see what happens.

This plan worked into action the last time I was posting to all of you lovely readers. Someone asked me a question about the computer next to me, and I helped him out, but explained that I didn't really understand Russian. He then asked me (in English) if I spoke English. He wanted my help sending out an e-mail and asked me the usual: where I am from, what I am doing here, etc. Except he already seemed to know a few things about me after I did the "I'm an American, I teach at a university" business. Turns out he knows one of my students who has obviously talked about me.

Anyway, he asks if after I am doing checking e-mail if I will go to a bar or cafe with him. Because he has not shown any signs of being sketchy and it's daylight and in public, I agree. I run into another volunteer before I go and tell him what I am up to--we have English club in an hour, which also makes for a good escape.

We go to a bar and he brings me some tea and we chat for a bit, he using mostly English and some Russian and me trying to use mostly Russian, but probably more English than I'd care to admit. We exchange numbers and I leave.

I have feared doing this sort of thing in the past, but I feel that if I really do want to make attempts to learn the language and know the people, I have to make use of these opportunities, especially when people seem to only want to talk to me, nothing more.

This case was an especially good experiment because he works on ships and should be sailing off in a little more than a week.

Overall, that day was an excellent one--heading out to the English club I was presented with flowers from the boys and a gift from the student that I helped earlier in the week (and who I've written about prior). I'm going to try to ride this good-feeling wave as long as I can!