On the Bus

The following is a partial transcript of a (Russian) conversation on the bus:

Sunday, 22 Feb 2009

10:51 am
(Chelovek enters the marshrutka and takes the seat behind Americanetz. Chelovek taps Americanetz on the shoulder and hands him a 50 ruble note.)
Chelovek: One person.
Americanetz: (Nods, passes the 50 ruble note to the next person, who passes the note to the next person, who passes the note to the next person, who passes the note to the bus driver.)

10:54 am
Chelovek (to Americanetz): Where ---- money ---- ----?
Americanetz: I don't know.
Chelovek: You ---- ---- ask ---- money ----?
Americanetz: I'm sorry, I don't speak Russian. I'm learning to speak Russian, but I don't speak well.
Chelovek: ----?
Chelovek (to driver): ---- ---- money -- -------!
Driver: --- ------ -- ----! (Fishes out several notes and coins from the dashboard, passes the money back to Americanetz, who passes the money to Chelovek.)

10:56 am
Chelovek (to Americanetz): You not Russian fellow? You German fellow?
Americanetz: No, I'm not Russian. I'm American.
Chelovek: ----- German -----. You ----- German -----. ---- ----- -- ----.
Americanetz: I'm sorry, I don't understand.
Chelovek: You German?
Americanetz: No, I'm not German. I'm American.
Chelovek: American? Ah! ----! Boosh ---- ---- Abama ---- president. ---- Boosh president ---- ---! Abama.
Americanetz: Yes, Obama is president, now.
Chelovek: Abama ---- -- -----.
Americanetz: Yes, I hope Obama will be a good president.
Chelovek: ----- Abama ----- --- -- ----- president ---- --- ...
Americanetz: I'm sorry, I don't understand.

11:01 am
Chelovek: --- -- ------ --- --------?
Americanetz: I'm sorry, I don't understand.
Chelovek: What you --- -- ------ doing in Anapa?
Americanetz: What am I doing?
Chelovek: Yes, why you here?
Americanetz: I'm a teacher. I will be teaching English in Anapa.
Chelovek: You're an English teacher? In Anapa?
Americanetz: Yes, an English teacher. (Looking out the window). This is my stop. Good bye.
Chelovek: Good bye.

I'm calling this exchange a draw, since I couldn't pass on his request to the driver. I also missed most of his rant/rave/whatever about presidents Bush and Obama, but then he didn't seem to be looking for a response. Current score: Ryan-2, Inquisitive Russian People-3.

Ask the American, he knows...

While walking around several people have stopped me to ask questions. I must stick out somehow (probably the running shoes). Several weeks ago a driver pulled off the road onto the sidewalk (almost hitting me) to ask me directions to somewhere. I think he was asking directions, I couldn't understand a word he said. I wasn't much help. Judging by the look on his face, he seemed both annoyed and amused that of the hundreds of people walking around he had picked the ignorant American to ask directions of. I had another biker looking guy (I didn't know Russia had bikers) ask me for a cigarette or a light or something smoking related. Again, this guy seemed to think it funny that he had found an American. Just two days ago another man stopped me to ask the time. This time I both understood the question and was able to answer in Russian. The fellow went on his way none the wiser. Less the wiser, perhaps, since I gave him a very inexact time. I rounded up 17 minutes to the next hour because 3 pm is easier to say than 2:43 pm (don't tell my Russian teacher). No biggie, both of us walked away happy. Ryan-1, Inquisitive Russian People-2.