Mikhail in Russia

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 29 Dec 2006, 16:33

Since early this year I've been swapping emails and parcels with this dude in Russia. Such a nice guy and we have loads in common.

I'm on a mailing list for an ambient house band called The Orb (yes, "Little Fluffy Clouds") and Mike (Mikhail) posted English translations of bits of Radio Moscow sampled on some Orb tracks. I mailed him and asked him some questions (specifically - what did Russians think of Roman Abramovich (answer - a crook)) and discovered that he was as enthusiastic and inquisitive about life here as I was about all things Russian.

I think I kicked off the parcel-swapping by sending some dvds of live Orb concerts - but this has now extended to a wonderfully amicable and mutually beneficial system of swapping whereby I've had the opportunity to be exposed to things like classic Soviet-era cigarettes and chocolates, and Mike has developed a taste for oatcakes!

Mike's parcels come in brown paper, tied with string. I took a photo of the last one and will post it sometime.

The blizzard of information we've exchanged has kept pace with the parcels. I'm a Russian history bore, and being able to ask dumb questions to someone who doesn't mind is a real treat. Mike's grandfather disappeared into the Gulag - there is no trace of him, not even from local KGB archives which became accessible to Russians after 1991.

Some of the things Mike has asked have really made me think about my surroundings - I had to explain sash & casement windows for example, which he'd only seen on television.

Since the web chucked us all into a big global melting pot (those of us with wires, and language notwithstanding) I'm sure there have been many similar stories of people striking up friendships - not that pen pals didn't exist beforehand!

Of all the people I've met through the web, though, Mike is my favourite. We've had so much to talk about we've not even had a chance to discuss The Orb yet!

Black Mamba · Post by **Black Mamba** » 30 Dec 2006, 10:47

Certainly sounds interesting Dadaist. My middle snakeling is having a go at learning Russian, he seems to be really interested in Russia.

I'm suprised you haven't discussed Star Wars with Mikhail yet?

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 31 Dec 2006, 14:08

My latest parcel from Mikhail :

"Belomor" and "Prima" fags

"Korovka" and "Bird Milk" CCCP-era sweeties

Bolshoi chocolate - only used to be available in Moscow, unique because it was wrapped in cardboard and foil and not just paper. Again USSR era.

Oatcakes & salt sticks - Mrs Dadaist didn't like the cookies as they weren't very sweet, but I thought they were lovely. They tasted slightly burnt and of nutmeg and cinnamon. These appeared maybe 30 years ago in the SU and were hard to come by.

Pryanik (spice cake) from Sura Land.

Ahmad teabags - I've sent Mikhail some Brodies and Jenners tea - you can buy some western brands there now but Mikhail didn't know the difference between the bona fide (PG Tips & Tetley) and this one, which I think is lying about being "No 1 ENGLISH TEA" .... Ahmad teabags!!!

You should have seen the customs form which came with this lot!

My personal favourites from this stash are the "Bird Milk" chocolates - a kind of souffle in dark chocolate. Really nice.

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 31 Dec 2006, 16:54

Spot the 'ringer'?

ali · Post by **ali** » 31 Dec 2006, 17:11

bearcub wrote:Spot the 'ringer'?

picnic!

....and did you notice how those prima fags shamelessly ripped off a kraftwerk album cover. outrageous!!!

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 31 Dec 2006, 18:48

bearcub wrote:Spot the 'ringer'?

Not Soviet-era, but from Russia. We're doing a side-by-side comparison.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 17 Jan 2007, 10:13

Black Mamba wrote:Certainly sounds interesting Dadaist. My middle snakeling is having a go at learning Russian, he seems to be really interested in Russia.

I'm suprised you haven't discussed Star Wars with Mikhail yet?

Sorry about the delay in answering, BM.

We've not discussed Star Wars yet - there just hasn't been time. It's too far down the list.

I'm positively cross-eyed with excitement over my latest trade with Mike.

Going to Russia -> 2 Agatha Christie books, 2 coin catalogues, oatcakes

Coming from Russia <- "Semnadtsat mgnoveniy vesny" (70s Soviet tv mini-series about a spy in Nazi Germany : take note Poppy) and a doll for Neo-Dadaist #1

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 17 Jan 2007, 19:17

Oh I've taken note all right!! Sounds just my cuppa with a new, interesting slant.

Was it written by Ivan the Karreski??

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 19 Feb 2007, 14:16

Another successful swap has now been completed. My coin catalogues have arrived in Russia, and today our parcels arrived :