March 8th - International Women's Day!!

So yesterday was a big day for women here in Russia... well, around the world I suppose - International Women's Day is celebrated here with much greater enthusiasm and aplomb (and with a very different focus) than at home, or anywhere else we've been. As the Defender's of the Fatherland Day was the all inclusive day for men (Father's Day, Veteran's Day etc.), so is IWD for women. This, however, is an international day, and I don't ever remember noticing such emphasis or importance placed on this day anywhere else, even at home in Canada. And, the emphasis is much different. I checked out CBC for some news and IWD events at home, and the focus is overly political, decrying the lack of equality and rights women have around the world and in Canada. Here, it's a celebration for women! I went out with a friend last night (new friend, story in a minute...) and asked her, "So, it's a celebration for being a woman. Just, for being a woman?" And she answered me, "Yes, of course!!" in a way that made me feel a little silly for asking - do we need any other reason?! Grandmothers, Mothers, daughters, wives and girlfriends are all given flowers and/or chocolates (the chocolate aisle in the supermarket was choco-blocked full of men on Friday and Saturday... pardon the pun) and if March 8th doesn't fall on a Saturday or Sunday, everyone gets the day off of work. So, seeing as how Steve was gone, I bought myself a chocolate bar. Yum. YAY for women! I like the idea that the day brings some attention to women's rights and the many inequalities that still exist even in a country as progressive and liberal as Canada, but a day for celebration alone is so lovely! My friend Dasha was getting text messages all night long from male friends sending their congratulations... for being a woman. Love it.

So! My new friend! Last week we went to a hockey game and Freddy had met this girl through one of his teammates... and she came along. We didn't get to talk too much at the game, but we texted each other a couple of times this week and decided to hang out this weekend. Her english is really good... and she's super easy going and friendly. We met up downtown around 8:30 and found a place to go for some drinks. We talked non-stop and laughed a lot... and drank a yummy bottle of German wine. A friend of hers came to pick us up in what was apparently a very typical Russian car (I didn't get the name of it)... but wow.. what a monster! It was old and rumbly... and apparently the type of car that gangsters and big men drive around - so people are surprised they see a young attractive woman behind the wheel. Anyways, the three of us went to the Summit club, a new disco/nightclub in town, where women got in free! It was our special day.

At first... there were only women... it was a single guy's dream. And I know how many times I've talked about how fancy and glamorous women are here, their clothes, hair, shoes etc... and I've usually been referring to what people wear to the grocery store! I honestly could have been at a fashion show in Milan or something - some of the outfits were so fancy and over the top... dresses, high heels, fancy boots - I don't think I've ever seen so much shiny patent leather in my life! (There was even a photographer snapping pics of people as they arrived... making everyone feel very glamorous and important... we missed this part though - arrived too early.) I was definitely the only girl (maybe person) in there wearing casual shoes... mrrrrr. More comfortable to dance in! We danced for most of the night... I swear, the men have the weirdest dance moves - I wanted to secretly film some of them and then post - it's sort of like a chicken dance with the arms and a random spazzy leg flex/bend unflex/straighten spastic movement... very weird and frankly completely unattractive. (I feel sorry for all of these beautiful fancy Russian women ... the men are blech. No offense.) Around 4am we were both getting sick of the smoke and increasingly deafening techno beats... time to split. Dasha called us taxis and we called it a night. It was SUPER fun... awesome to meet (and connect with - important!) another friend.

More good news - Steve and the guys won last night! Five in a row... they are on such a roll! They're now in 7th place! Awesome... Here are a few pics from around the neighborhood - we've had a few sunny days which is a mixed blessing - sun means very windy... and the whole ice and snow melting and refreezing to form sidewalk ice sheets... not so easy to walk on. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Near the mall... sort of on the outskirts of town - beautiful view!

The main intersection near our house (our building is just behind the big apartment block on the right)... this sidewalk is pure ice!