ST. PETERSBURG – After another day of hiking up and down the stairs of the Faculty of Journalism, I asked Pavel, my university host, about students in wheelchairs.
He said he’s been at the Faculty for six years and he has never seen a student in a wheelchair. He also said as far as he knew, there was no accommodation for disabled students.
“Is that the right word?” Pavel asked.
I nodded. “It must be strange for you, coming from the U.S.”
Then he added: “It’s Russia.”
Either as an afterthought or as an official explanation, people use that phrase with me to sum up how things work in St. Petersburg. I wonder if it’s because of my inability to speak Russian. Or – if that phrase sums up decades of bureaucracy, tradition and the status quo that can’t be moved by a new generation of movers and shakers.
During class, I asked students about an elected student government body. They said there were talks about organizing one but it never happened.
“It’s Russia,” explained one student.
I decided to incorporate that phrase into my Twitter lesson. I created a Twitter hashtag for the class: #itsrussia. It’s not trending on the microblogging app. At least not yet.
After class, I enjoy dining out and sampling Russian food. Since many museums close by 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. – I am learning more about Russian culture through the cuisine.
I found Stolle located down the street from the Faculty. It’s a coffee house that specializes in fresh pirogis. I ordered two – one beef and one salmon. I also had some green tea. My dinner added up to 200 Roubles.
The crust was flaky, light and paired nicely with my savory meat. The salmon had a creamy sauce that was soaked up by the crust.
I’m a big fan of pointing and using fake hand signals when it comes to ordering food in this town. At Stolle – the pirogis are laid out on the counter and it makes it very easy for me to explain exactly what I want on my plate.
I was happy to introduce Shuana, my translator, to the Goulash with chanterelle mushrooms at Na Zdrorovye. I couldn’t stop myself from spooning up the savory, meaty sauce over the ‘shrooms. I also added a dollop of sour cream to the mix.
There was live guitar music playing and little girls twirled around on the dining tables. I loved all the kitschy wall decorations inside Na Zdrorovye. My translator said this was a full Russian dining experience.
“Now I know where to take my foreign friends,” Shuana said.
Next week, I’m looking forward to another Russian tradition, the ballet. I just bought tickets to Spartacus at the Mariinsky Theatre.
Pavel was worried about me heading to the Theatre by myself. He had a entrance exam to study for and the other ladies in the office had other plans that night.
I assured everyone that I am quite capable of enjoying beautiful ballet dancing on my own.
I don’t think it’s necessarily the American thing to do. However, I would say dressing up for the theater and watching shows on my own is something I know how to do.