- 15 hours flight, mean stinky lady next to me, movie in French and cold food with the taste like plastic. How do you think?
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- Sure, - I put my passport on her desk.
- You say your name is Dmytro Masnyi? - she asked me with quite an interesting smile, which meant nothing to me then and I didn't even want to ask her what was so funny about my passport.
- Not just me, but also the Government of Ukraine says it. Why?
- You're not Dmytro! You're Benjamin Button - she said with so excited face, that I felt a desire, all of a sudden, to look in the mirrow...just to make sure that I'm still Dima and that Bulgarian lady was just a lady and not some traveling witch.
- Ha-ha, aha-ha, - she kept laughing like a hyena, - just look at you visa picture and the picture in your passport.
- Aha...So?
- Just LOOK at them. Isn't weird?
- Yes, mem, people usually have pictures in their documents, like passport and visa. Yeah, very weird...
- No, I'm trying to say that you look much younger on your visa picture, than in the passport, even though it was issued much earlier than your visa. It's very curious. Ha-ha
- I see, mem, that you're curious and obviously you feel great today, which is fine, but I wouldn't like to miss my flight to Austin just because you think that I'm not natural phenomenon from the movie. I'm getting older, trust me. Can I go?
- Oh yes, here is your I-94. It was great to talk to you!!! Welcome to United States!
- Thank you. I didn't think my first conversation here would be so unusual, but it was fun...in a way.
So, now you know how America met me. With airport lights, lost suit-case and this crazy speedy black lady in the airport, who apparently was ''pitt-addicted''.
Difference in the way people deal with each other in US and Ukraine became my first experience and practical observation. I couldn't not to notice it, as well as I couldn't ignore it. Even though I was very tired by the end of my trip, I made one conclusion for myself - I liked black American lady in Atlanta much more, than old Bulgarian lady from the plane, who was a pure representative of the post-soviet style of communication.
Is that the real lady? Like, is that her photo? Or just a random photo of somebody that looked like her? Please tell me it's the latter - that'd be great;).
ReplyDeleteI'm curious if you could do her accent - if you heard it and if it sounded different to you at all. Atlanta is famous for it's accent, especially its AAVE (look it up).
I'm also curious to see what your analyses are of these experiences and the differences you're noticing. Remember, I only have an idea of "post-soviet styles of communication" based on very limited input (movies, meeting some people, etc.). Can you define this?
Your style is great and fun to read! I'm looking forward to reading more...and I've got to get my eyes on that passport/visa!;)
Did you take a picture of her?
ReplyDeleteIndeed, while, Americans are more open in having conversations with unknown people we, post-soviet nations are more reserved.