on life in another culture

A. On PDA
This is getting on my nerves. PDA is just not a big deal here, and much more culturally acceptable than in the States. MUCH more.
1. On the metro
a) I ride the metro 4-8 times per week. At least once a week for the whole time I have been here I see a couple riding the escalator down (always down) to the metro in a liplock. From which they do not release for the ENTIRE escalator ride. Which is usually 1-3 minutes long. Sick. I guess it's particularly convenient since the girl can stand on the higher step and be the same height as her boyfriend, and it's a few minutes in which you are forced to stand there and stare at each other.
b) Once I got on the metro and then looked back as the doors were closing. A couple had narrowly missed getting on before the doors closed. They didn't look very upset about missing it, though, cause they promptly attached themselves to each other. "Oh, honey, bummer that we missed this train. Let's just make out until the next one comes along in a couple minutes." Seriously. It's like couples here don't know how to talk to each other. If they have a few spare moments in which they have nothing to do, they make out.
2. On the street
a) The couples making out are always standing in the most conspicuous places. Usually on street corners. It's like they've decided they want as many people as possible watching them
b) Kissing is one thing, but then the guy's hands start moving. That's all I'll say, but really, get a room.
I guess I should say that I'm not against all PDA. It's fine that people aren't ashamed to show they like each other, but there is a limit which I feel is being passed all the time here. People really only want to see others making out at their wedding or in movies. The metro escalator is a little too much.

B. On Internet Lingo
1. Facebook Equivalent
The Russian version of facebook is a website called "V Kontakte" which means "in contact." It looks the same, with the blue border, etc, and as far as I know the features are the same as well. What cracks me up is the bizarre way it has entered the Russian vocabulary like "facebook" entered English. It's used in similarly grammatically incorrect constructions. We say "I facebooked him, I wrote on her wall, I told him on facebook." They pepper their sentences with vkontakte - said as one word - and the sentences sound equally ridiculous to the outsider: I saw her on incontact, I logged onto incontact, I told him in vkontakte, etc. It is pretty funny.
2. Basic Computer Talk
This has been observed both while using computers in computer labs here which are set to Russian for obvious reasons, and in listening to people's talk. It is interesting to see which words have been translated from English, which have been transliterated, and which have been changed to suit the situation. For example, words like "computer" and "disk" are transliterated - they are called "kompyutr" and "deesk." Words like "mouse" and "save" "control panel" are translated - "myshka," "sokhranit," etc. Then there are the adaptations - the USB flash drive is called a "fleshka"; download is called "zagruzka"; to copy a file is "skeenut." It always cracks me up to hear a string of these words together. The sentences are just comical - "skeen' mnye na fleshku" is the best.

C. On Church
I am loving my church. I found it through a friend of a friend, and have been four times so far. It is a reformed Presbyterian church of about 20-25 members. We meet on Sunday afternoons and I go to a small group meeting on Friday or Saturday evenings. Things I like about the service: communion every week with wine (really good wine, too), served to each person with the words "Christ's body/blood broken/shed for you"; corporate recitation of the Nicene Creed and Lord's Prayer; formal prayer by the deacon; prayer "with and for one another" at the end of the service; benediction at the end; after the service everyone stays and drinks tea and talks for an hour or so. It is good. It feels like home. They are trying to create community and grow and preach the gospel. The people are friendly and inclusive. We sometimes misunderstand each other or I don't know what's going on and it can be awkward, but that's okay. I love being in a service that feels familiar but is in Russian. It is great to recite together, hearing the strong, rich Russian language rolling around me while I join in with English (the words are way too long and fast for me to keep up). The building is freezing cold but other than that I can't complain. I wasn't expecting to find a church I was really happy with while I was here. I am thankful.

D. On things that are becoming a habit
1. Drinking a lot of black tea. Every morning with breakfast and when eating with other people. It is good but I can't drink it after about 7 pm or I don't sleep. They just add sugar here - no milk.
2. Carrying a map, camera, water bottle, umbrella and book to read on the metro with me wherever I go.
3. Paying in cash.
4. Spending every evening alone, usually reading and/or listening to music or podcasts, and eating every meal alone.
5. Checking my email 4-5 times a week.
6. Wearing a scarf, 2-4 shirts, and socks that go past my ankle.
7. Feeling lazy if I don't walk enough in one day to make my feet sore.
8. Getting yelled at. My guiding philosophy while exploring is to do whatever I want until I'm told not to. This involves opening and walking through doors, entering buildings, walking past security desks, crossing streets, etc. It seems like more often that not I am not supposed to be doing this, so I get corrected. But the way I see it, it's as easy to try to do something and be stopped as to find someone and ask whether I'm allowed. Plus, maybe sometimes I get away with things that I would be told are not allowed, if I had bothered to ask. But it does lead to many rebukes...