10th December: Part of the Family

The weekend was fairly quiet but exactly what I needed. On Saturday, all we did was visit Vanya’s grandfather in the evening. Julia was there too, struggling with the flu but glad to see us nonetheless. As usual, I was given excessive amounts of food and made to try everything; Vanya’s grandfather is always pleased when I like the new food he’s given me. A little later, Vanya’s dad and grandmother returned from Moscow and soon after this we left. This time when we said our goodbyes we hugged, and Vanya’s grandmother told me I was like one of the family and could visit at any time.

Once the three of us (Vanya, Julia and I) were on the marshrutka we decided that, since we didn't think anyone would be in town, we’d go back to Vanya’s and watch films together like we did that first time. A quiet night in was definitely just what I needed, and the three of us seem to work well together as a group.

The next day I managed to sleep in again and caught up with a bit of work before it was time to go to Vanya’s friends’ joint birthday party at 4pm. The custom here is for everyone to put some money in their birthday card, which the hosts then use to pay for the party. This meant everyone was relaxed in ordering salads, pizzas, juice and vodka and no one had to worry about the bill at the end. We played Russian versions of some popular games we have in England – Mafia and Charades. Interestingly, they’re practically the same apart from the fact that, in the Russian version of Mafia, instead of a doctor there’s a prostitute, and in their Charades you have to act out a noun, and you’re told what you have to act out by the previous person.

We spent the rest of the night chatting, and it turned out everyone was really nice – and of course, really interested to find out about me. At around 11 we decided it was time to leave and walked one of the girls to her bus stop and waited with her. It’s really great how everyone looks out for each other here; it didn't even cross anyone’s mind to leave before she was safely on her bus home, even though this meant waiting for half an hour in the snow.

When we got back to the flat, Natasha and Ivan were still up entertaining guests. Of course, I instantly became the centre of attention as the guests were fascinated to find out what I was doing in Yaroslavl. After they’d left, Natasha offered me some food and before I knew it I was being presented with a plate of fish, bread and salad. It was then that Ivan turned up the Ukrainian music on the huge old-fashioned stereo and decided to teach me the polka. At first we were just stopping and starting, laughing at my pathetic partner dancing skills, but soon we were dancing rhythmically around the living room. Just another day in the Russian household I guess!