So it's my third entry and I'm already slacking on this whole regularly posting thing. I can assure you that it's not necessarily because I was having fun (the whole time) this last week. I will start this blog off with my first of possibly more than one editions of "Fun Observations Upon Which I've Drawn Hasty Generalizations that I Don't Necessarily Believe Competely."
Fun Observations Upon Which I've Drawn Hasty Generalizations that I Don't Necessarily Believe Completely:
1. The Vodka does taste different in Russia. Vodka is still my least favorite liquor, but my opinion of its Russian variant is more favorable. It's not that it tastes any better, per se, but, as I was told by people beforehand, it "goes down easier." Luckily it also stayed down. I can't say the same for the other Americans in our little class. It is also dangerous to drink with a Scotsman, but if the Scotsman speaks much better Russian than you, it's actually really useful (Love you, Paul! I know you're reading this!).
2. Many of the men from Russia/former USSR (perhaps just the engineers at this company) are not all that tall. At 5'6", I'm usually dwarfed by my friends, but I feel more average (perhaps even... tall?!) here.
3. Seatbelts aren't necessarily taken seriously in many parts of the world. This might be some American naivete, or maybe I'm a goodie-two-shoes assuming Americans follow this law more willingly, but the company has a really strict seatbelt policy in all its vehicles that they felt was necessarily to really hammer into all our heads more than had ever been necessary in America. There were several very graphic British-made videos shown us of what happens even if a backseat passenger isn't belted and those in front are. The results weren't pretty. We also got to ride this little contraption called The Convincer, which simulates head-on collisions at 8 and 12 kph, which do give you quite a jolt, even when you know it's coming, and even at such low speeds.
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| The Convincer |
4. Fried, Pickled, Mayonnaised, or Bust. The ways of preparing food in our cafeteria here are few. They are usually pretty tasty, but there's a very short list of overarching themes governing them. They've managed to fry things here that I would have avoided doing--most significant being the pizza dough. Mayonnaise is a key mixing and bonding agent in what may be hundreds of permutations of different salad ingredients. It's fine in slight moderation (coming from a guy who used to abhor mayonnaise with every ounce of my being), but it's getting to be ridiculous. It also appears in other things I would have avoided doing, like pizza. There are a lot of things pickled here, but I actually like that. It's just unusual for me to see so much other vinaigery goodness.
5. Beef at dinner will come in two general forms, but they have at least 20 names for it. There is either a stew form, which might be Stroganoff or something else (they all taste the same until you pour on the hot sauce), and then there is the ground beef version. I found the ground beef version hilarious, because of all the names they apply to it (sometimes cutlets or meatballs), but it's really just meatloaf shaped like a ball or a turd. Doesn't mean I like it any less, though. I always go back for seconds and thirds (covered in hot sauce).
6. Like the Dave Chappelle-ian "Black people," there is a not "juice," but "drink" in our dining hall. (See Dave Chappelle's standup bit about "Purple Drink.") It's not that there's anything lost in the translation. There is a Russian word for juice that is clearly translatable, but at some point in the juicing process, the juice becomes "drink." Perhaps it's their way of referring to an ade, but they do it with orange and cranberry and cherry and things that are supposed to make juice. It's not a big deal, other than that it makes me think of Purple Drink every time and I smile.
7. The dining hall workers sport a uniform style that I will heretofore refer to as the "Russian Schoolgirl." You all have heard of the Asian or Catholic schoolgirl look, right? White button-up blouse and plaid skirt, yes? Well, the Russian Schoolgirl look is similar except with black skirts, black heals, and black neck-kerchiefs. It looks really classy. In fact, all the Russian woman dress super classy. I really have no idea if schoolgirls in Russia actually wear uniforms like that, but, again, this is just the image that comes to mind. Just keep that mind of the gutter, will you?
So there you have it. Wasn't that fun? In other news, I have now completed the weeklong introductory course known as Oilfield Services 1. It is my first step in a long series of industry-leading training, which brings me back into the classroom. I had excitedly exited academia, sick of that whole establishment, ready to get out into the world and put some knowledge and skills to use. Of course, I end up working for a company that spends a lot of time and money educating me in its own version of school. At least all this is completely applicable to my occupation. The first chunk is full of administrative details, driving school, and safety training, which isn't all that exciting, but eventually we'll get to start working on real engineering problems again, which I must say I've started to miss.
I think this is all I feel like writing at the moment. I'll try to just post shorter blogs more often. No marathons like my first ones for awhile.
Until next time....
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| OFS-1. Yeah! We're number one! |
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