Wednesday, November 21, 2007

In Which I Look Forward to the Adventure to Come

Yeah, I know. We're not even in Moscow yet. Okay, the Spouse is. But I'm still writing this from the comfort of Bratislava.

We're in a sort of Bureaucratic Limbo. We can't officially leave (and by leave, I mean apply for a Russian visa) until we are legally in Slovakia. Of course, I can drive over the border. But the Russian consulate here requires applicants for Russian visas to be legally in the country from which they make the application. In this case, Slovakia. Or I can apply from Washington, D.C.

I will be legal as soon as I get my Slovak residency permit. Which is apparently now available, and we can go on Monday and get them. But the funny part is that we need the receipt saying we applied way back in June . . . which we don't have. We got approved, we got a letter saying we were approved, they have our application on file . . . but we need to prove we applied.

Apparently there will be a Phone Call on our behalf and all will be resolved. But it is amusing.

Not as amusing, however, as this story in today's Moscow Times. We have this to look forward to!

This link might lead you to photos of Moscow.

Happy Thanksgiving to my friends and family in the US. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and it just doesn't really happen when you are an expat. The point is a gathering of lots of people, noise, football on in the background, dogs fighting under the table, children running around, everyone over indulging, and then naps, with more football on in the background. I don't watch football, but I love to nap to it.

So enjoy and think of me. And please, no marshmallows in the sweet potatoes. It's just wrong.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Too funny. Sorry, but I beg to differ regarding marshmallows and sweet potatoes--there is probably no more sublime taste in the universe. But each to his own. We're not doing traditional this year. Older child remains ensconced in NYC. Younger child is in Connecticut with step-dad's family. My dad and step-mom are in Jamaica. Mother-in-law in DC with sister-in-law's family. So it's just me and Kathy. I'm making Mahogany Duck from a 1983 Gourmet recipe. Involves drying duck for three days in auxillary fridge, painting with sweet ginger glaze for a day, roasting slow for three hours. No sweet potatoes. But I am doing green beans with mushroom soup and French's onion rings. Couldn't be Thanksgiving without that.

Anonymous said...

No football here. Just THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS based on a Clifford Odets screenplay. Great flick but later learned he cooperated with HUAC. No dogs but eleven cats underfoot. No cathair in the mashed parsnips and potatoes which we enjoyed with relish. And it's never too late to learn about the humble cranberry.

Anonymous said...

Just a friendly hello from a Vladivostok expat (also a mother, also recording the experience online). I just found your Bratislava writing and really enjoy it -- I'll be looking forward to more from your move to Moscow (good luck!).

Anonymous said...

Priviet!
All the best for your new experience further in the east!
Come and say good bye to the Bratislava expats this saturday for a last glass of wine with us!
Dosvidania
Penny

Anonymous said...

That is right....brown sugar and butter....NO marshmellows!! Yuck! What an exciting life you lead Amanda! This last year, I married a Colombia sweetie, a little younger than me....eeeeekk...he is a below the knee amputee....drunk driver hit him on a motor cycle years ago in Colombia. Is is a sweetheart, hard working, good hearted man. My daughter was married Nov 17th. Ahhhhhh....what a beautiful night! All was so perfect and sweet! Her theme was The Sweetest Night of the year and it WAS!!!!
On a more sour note....too many of my friends are surviving cancer, it is eought already! One, her lymphoma is back, we just heard the news and it isn't good. So we are counting all of the blessings we have in our lives and trying not to be negative in anyway!

Big hugs!
Pam in sunny Florida! Still helping moms get those babies on the breast,building their immune systems so they may have less risks in their little lives later in their adult world.

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