(no subject)

[gnomygnomy.livejournal.com]

Hi, again, guys. I'm going to Russia soon, and I've been thinking of ways to branch out and meet people (or avoid the American ghetto, as it's called) while there. I've thought about taking a language course (in something other than Russian, obviously), joining a sport, a club, anything, and my most recent inspiration has been in the form of music. Yes, I think I want to take a ukulele with me to Russia, because I don't really feel like carrying around a normal guitar, and I think ukuleles are pretty neat. So, my question is, would that be weird?

Thank you! :)

Comments

[mischa (from livejournal.com)]

and if so? are scared of being linched? %))

[gnomygnomy.livejournal.com]

HA! Good point. Individuality rules!

[mischa (from livejournal.com)]

well, i mean ukuleles is not smth. so weird!

[coldtorch.livejournal.com]

what is 'ukuleles'? in russian?

[mischa (from livejournal.com)]

you'll be weird anyway, 'cause you're from States. period

[gnomygnomy.livejournal.com]

Oh, psh! :-P

[alamar.livejournal.com]

That would be weird, positively.

[alamar.livejournal.com]

Come to Veresk ( http://club.veresk.ru/ ) with that and join jam-session, you'll be в тему :))

[gnomygnomy.livejournal.com]

Aw, man. I wish I were good enough for a jam session. Right now I'm still... I call it "learning."

[msk01.livejournal.com]

Great plans! If you will find right people, your plans come absolutely true!
If you'd like, I could help you.
Welcome to Russia!

[spiderhood.livejournal.com]

You going to Russia is indeed not any less weird than you going to Russia with your ukulele. By the way, I'm sure you can get one right there with no worries about all that luggage stuff.

As long as you won't be playing on the streets for money, it'll all be cool.

[gnomygnomy.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't worry. If I relied on my musical ability to survive, I'd... not.

Thank you!

[asyona.livejournal.com]

>>As long as you won't be playing on the streets for money, it'll all be cool.<<

Heh, why not? Stari Arbat is exist for things like that.

[gnomygnomy.livejournal.com]

Stari.. who?

[asyona.livejournal.com]

Старый Арбат. It's the street in the center of Moscow for wolks. There many artist also.

[padruka1988.livejournal.com]

In Russia, you are considered "weird" when you smile at everyone you pass on the street. If you carry a ukelele with you everywhere, I would think you are... different... but maybe not all together weird. If you bring it and say, "Oh, by the way, I play the ukelele..." that's not weird at all. That's cool!

If you have never been there before, I recommend that you try to "lay low" for the first few weeks until you adjust to your surroundings and learn what is OK and what is not. It's not a matter of having friends, it's a matter of being safe. If you look like an American, a foolish one at that, many people will take advantage of you and may even try to rob you or, worse, hurt you. So, certainly, get involved in sports and so forth... Be cautious when meeting new people but of course friendly when you get to know them. Russian people can be pretty "cold" at first, but individually, they are enormously kind, generous, and will be more than willing to make you feel like a Russian!

Good luck and have a blast!

[gnomygnomy.livejournal.com]

That is some good, sound advice. Thank you!

[missa-gorightry.livejournal.com]

Cool icon!

[cranberry-babe.livejournal.com]

Welcome :)

[gnomygnomy.livejournal.com]

Hey, thanks! :D

[bogund.livejournal.com]

perfect!

[gnomygnomy.livejournal.com]

I know! But still not too weird, right? :)

[bogund.livejournal.com]

right! i'm sure you were expecting exactly this answer))

[temcat.livejournal.com]

Where in Russia do you plan to go to? Is it St. Petersburg by chance? Would be nice to meet you :-)

[gnomygnomy.livejournal.com]

Yes! St. Petersburg! That'd be cool! HAVING RUSSIAN FRIENDS BEFORE YOU EVEN GET TO RUSSIA IS AWESOME! :D

[temcat.livejournal.com]

:-) Very warm welcome :-)

[temcat.livejournal.com]

And ukulele is fun ;-)

[gnomygnomy.livejournal.com]

You... play?

[temcat.livejournal.com]

Not ukulele, just guitar/bass. But I've seen people play it (there is a quasi-Mexican street band here that has ukulele among other weird instruments).

[gnomygnomy.livejournal.com]

THEY ARE MEXICANS???!

[temcat.livejournal.com]

Not sure. A couple of them look like they could be, but I'm not very familiar with South American culture, to put it mildly, so they could as well be Chileans or I don't know who else. People call them "индейцы" :-)