Alright, I'm not technically in Russia. I suppose I haven't actually "left" Winnipeg yet, if you want to get all obsessed with the details. But the fact is that-- at just 7570.9 km away--I am much, much closer to Moscow than I have ever been.
Everything is finally in motion; as of today I have had lawyer-friends read the contract (thanks Portage and Delaney!), signed said contract, researched the school that will employ me, contacted the Canadian Embassy to do a really good job of researching the school that will employ me, forwarded a copy of my passport, provided my professional credentials and diplomas, sent references, and supplied all the necessary visa information.
Of course to accomplish all this, I had to take on Russian fax lines for the first time. For those of you unfamiliar, it includes the following steps:
1) Dial a number containing approximately forty-seven digits
2) Wait for the line to pick up. In the time this takes to happen, you may want to run to the washroom, balance your checkbook, read the paper, take a nap.
3) Find out that the line is busy.
4) Repeat steps 1-3 no fewer than fifteen times.
5) Give up faxing and just scan and email copies of all your documents.
And my first taste of the Russian mentality came when I informed my new employer of these difficulties: "Just keep trying" he said, "Try a lot. It's just like that."
So now I practice what will surely be one of my most valuable pieces of advice in dealing with what is to be my new home: "It's just like that." A philosophy that includes a shrug? I can get behind that...
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