Sitting on a bench in the main hallway of ISLU I feel a bit like I’m in high school. While the students are more or less my age, the girls seem to compare themselves to others, always trying to fit in. You see very few people trying to stand out for different reason than being the envy of all the other girls. Tall, noisy boots (the shinier the better) and long fur or fur-trimmed coats are absolutely necessary. A few dress more “alternatively” by way of industrial looking boots and changing color schemes rather than the standard shiny-black. Ah, how I love to people watch! Fashions are similar to what I saw in Krakow, but not quite the same as in Prague. The large fur hats men wear five their heads such a funny shape. Women, too, wear fur hats but of a different shape. Theirs often match the fur of their coats and have details of sequins, felt flowers, or embroidery. Boots, again, are a necessity. It’s lunch hour and the clang on heels on the rock floors echo loudly. How they walk in heels on the snowy streets of Irkutsk, я не знаю! Even I slip sometimes in my Patagonia boots, though only when the squeaky snow fills the treads. There's a group of good girlfriends on the other side of the hallway talking pictures and laughing. They all have rather dark hair, though each girls is shaped quite differently. There are by far more girls than guys here at ISLU. I know all men must serve in the army—it might be hard to get out of service for scholastic reasons. I'll have to look into that. The ratio must be 4 or 5 girls per guy. There are security guards at the entrance and a few other places around the university. They wear camo uniforms—a little intimidating, if you ask me! I don't think they do much outside of checking everyone’s student ID every now and then. How to tell the difference between security guards and police officers? The shoes: the security guards wear comfortable, slipper-like shoes that are not uniform, while police officers where uniform black boots over their pants.
In the main foyer there are 2 counters to drop off your coats. Getting to these counters during “peak hours” is near impossible for those not bred to fight though such “lines”. For example, 6 people can fit at the counter, with their coats on the counter ready to be picked up by the attendant in exchange for a plastic tag with a number on it. At least 10 students, however, will be crowded in front of the counter. When one of the ten has completed the process, the other 9 don't leave that space open, but rather fill it themselves, not allowing anyone else space at the counter to place his or her coat. This will occur with even 5 or 6 people at the counter as they block all others. Therefore, one must literally shove his or her coat onto the counter and hope the attendant takes your coat before you are squeezed out of your place. And retrieving you coat isn't any easier, either. The coats go on rows and rows of hooks ( I think there are 1300 hooks) and three or four women operate the system for within the room. I don't think I have ever seen so many fur coats in my life!
You are an awesome writer, Candace! Is it a rule that you have to check your coat? What a zoo! What is your take on all those lines? I used to have some theories about the manipulating power of those lines. What do the busses smell like? Do they have those gross cigarettes?
ReplyDeleteHow crowded are they? How is your health? I'm reading your account with a little bout of the flu and I cannot imagine being in real time feeling like this! We are praying for your daily, hourly. I don't know if this will go through because I've never set up a 'profile'.