Turukhtan

Monday, November 24, 2003

The fire in RUDN

There has been a terrible fire in a dormitory of the Moscow university Druzhba Narodov im. Patrice Lumumba. 36 people have died, and over 150 have been hospitalised.

I used to know a guy who studied at that university while I was in Moscow, and who probably still is there. I've been searching Russian news services all evening trying to find a list of casualties. Of course, not all of them have yet been identified, but the news service NEWSRU.com is keeping a list of the nationalities of the victims.
The guy I knew was from Jordan. Unless he was a citizen of Palestine, he is not in the list. Unless ...
There is a hotline where you can call and ask about the condition of students you know, but I kind of hesitate to call, as I only know this guy's first name, and I'm not even sure how it's spelled in Russian.

Israeli news services tend to get up lists of casualties very quickly after suicide bombings. It must be routine by now for them.
I suppose that it's slower in this Russian case also because it's not that easy to identify people who have died from fire, and the victims were mostly foreign students, who might not have so many relatives or friends in Moscow, who could identify them.

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My family has always lived far away from our relatives. My grandma made it a habit to always call and ask if we were okay if something had happened in the country where we were currently living, even if it was hundreds of kilometers away from us.
I'm beginning to be like that, myself. Whenever something happens - a suicide bombing in Israel, a fire in Moscow, etc. - I always hurry to the computer and try to find out if the people I know and love are among the victims.

Posted at 10:31 pm by turukhtan
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Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Aargh, I've wasted 40 crowns.

Once again, I'm trying to avoid my studies by rummaging in my fascinating drawers, and writing about my findings in my blog.

Turns out that I still had a couple of old acceptable passport photos, that I made in Moscow (for prolonging my visa). Still, maybe it was just as well, since I look even dorkier in the Moscow picture. (The paper and print quality is better, though ...)
I actually thought that those pictures had been pick-pocketed along with my calendar in Petersburg (it was too similar to some kind of purse), but apparently not.

I also found a couple of even older pictures, for which the word 'dorky' is too weak!

From left to right:
1. My picture from Moscow. 2. My picture from 10th grade, just before I discovered the magic of make up. 3. My picture from 5th grade: a hopeless nerd and seemingly resigned to my apparent fate. (Why was my hair like that?!)

Posted at 8:30 pm by turukhtan
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Waaah! I'm a loser!!!

Along with the fascinating pictures, I also found a piece of paper that I had apparently used for learning Spanish words.
"Entero, llorar, apenas, cufaderse, cazar, golpear, apoyar, delgado, desundo, engañar, añadir ..."
I understand the meaning of one or two words vaguely, but most of them just leave my mind blank! And I actually used to know these words!!! Dammit! Why didn't I go to the jungles in southern Mexico and fight with EZLN right after secondary school?! I would have learned to speak perfect Spanish with ease! Now, it'd be a damn lot of work just to get back all that I've forgotten along the way. How can I flirt with Sup when I can hardly form basic sentences?
I understand people who speak Spanish somewhat, but it's harder to start speaking it myself. My active vocabulary has dropped to somewhere around 500 words. Not good ...

At least I still know that "estramonio" means spike club. That's something ...

Posted at 8:27 pm by turukhtan
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Here's my latest dorky passport photo:

I was disappointed when I found out that the automat only made four copies of one of the four pictures it took. And here I had been making such funny faces ... When the machine was already preparing for the takings, I noticed only in the last minute my possibly suspicious attire: "Aargh, off with the kheffiyeh!" - "Aargh, off with the 'no to war' badge!"
Typical that my chin had to develop that giant zit now of all times. (Damn menstruation ...)

I made these passport photos for my Russian visa. I ordered the flight tickets this morning, and got them for a particularly cheap price if I paid for them on the same day. So, I hurried to move some saved money to my 'working' account, and went to the post office to pay for my tickets. I also had to fax the receipt to the travel agency, so I asked the post office clerk to do that. At that, she replied that they didn't have any fax. What?? I was completely baffled. A post office without a fax machine! She calmly explained that I would have to go to my most favourite bookstore (read more about it at the bottom of this long page, on June 18th) and ask the guy there to send the fax. But I was still so confused by this strange fact - no fax in a post office - that when she said that it would be so-and so many thousands of crowns, I replied, "But I can't pay that! I don't carry that much money on me! ... Oh, sorry, of course I can pay with my credit card!!!" Followed by nervous laughter from me, and estranged looks from the clerk.

Oh well.

Posted at 6:58 pm by turukhtan
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Sunday, November 16, 2003

Speed up

Oh, and another important thing to do when going to Russia:

I must learn to speak Russian in a normal speed again!

I had to make myself speak slowly, clearly, and completely unnaturally when I came back from Moscow and took a Russian course here in Lund. Now, everyone in Russia will laugh themselves to death at me again if I don't do something about it - fast!

Posted at 7:59 pm by turukhtan
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Web browsers + Packing list

Must ... get ... Internet Exploder 6.

My old Exploder seems already hopelessly outdated, and it freezes on all too many occasions. Certain kinds of damnated advertisements (like the ones at Blogdrive) kill it off instantly, as do certain kinds of pop up windows.

This is particularly annoying now that I'm researching the Separation Wall in the West Bank, since both Ha'aretz and Jerusalem Post have that kind of freezing pop up ads on their websites.
Yes, thank Marx for alternative, non-commercial websites, designed for the working man's web browser ...

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What to bring when going to Russia:
+ Toilet paper (public toilets in Russia don't have paper - you're expected to bring your own)
+ Small change, absolutely no bills above 100 roubles (no one ever has any change, except perhaps in posh stores and internet cafés in the big cities)
+ My Zenit 312m
+ That babushka-charming way of mine

What you don't have to bring, since you can buy it in Russia:
+ Valenki (felt boots) and other warm clothing (scarves, fake fur caps)
+ Piroshki in all forms, sizes and tastes
+ The world's best chocolate, ice cream, beer (Baltika! <:op), bread, books, etc.

Posted at 7:53 pm by turukhtan
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Saturday, November 15, 2003

Na Baikal!

It seems like I'm going to Siberia this winter, to this very place. It's hard to believe! It seems too good to be true, really.
I hope my company, two comrades from Romania, will be fine fellows, and that we will get along well on the long train rides.
I'm a bit nervous about this, too, since I will have the main responsibility as the only person who speaks Russian. But it'll be fun ...

Posted at 9:53 pm by turukhtan
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Tuesday, November 11, 2003

A word about dics IV

I finally found out that the Oxford Concise English-Arabic Dictionary has the Arabic vowels written out, and promptly ordered it from Amazon.co.uk. It's a nice dictionary ... but, of course, very small.

There are only three entries for 'hairy':
ash'aru, kaththu-shsha'r (or: kaththu al-sha'r, if you prefer that transcription), azabbu.

Posted at 8:20 pm by turukhtan
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Argh, I just can't stop myself II

You have a dominant kiss- you take charge and make
sure your partner can feel it! Done artfully,
it can be very satisfactory if he/she is into
you playing the dominant role MEORW!

What kind of kiss are you?
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Well, yeah, once I had learned how to do it properly. My apologies to those who had to suffer my attempts at 'dominance' before that ...
MEORW = Must Explore ORal cavity Wantonly

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HASH(0x8690044)

Seer

The ULTIMATE personality test
brought to you by Quizilla

Posted at 8:11 pm by turukhtan
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Argh, I just can't stop myself.

You are Form 9, Vampire: The Undying.

"And The Vampire was all that remained on
the blood drowned creation. She attempted to
regrow life from the dead. But as she was
about to give the breath of life, she was
consumed in the flame of The Phoenix and the
cycle began again."

Some examples of the Vampire Form are Hades (Greek)
and Isis (Egyptian).
The Vampire is associated with the concept of
death, the number 9, and the element of fire.
Her sign is the eclipsed moon.

As a member of Form 9, you are a very realistic
individual. You may be a little idealistic,
but you are very grounded and down to earth.
You realize that not everything lasts, but you
savor every minute of the good times. While
you may sometimes find yourself lonely, you
have strong ties with people that will never be
broken. Vampires are the best friends to have
because they are sensible.

Which Mythological Form Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

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Morpheus

?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla

Heh ...

Posted at 7:47 pm by turukhtan
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