назад в СССР!

[peacetraveler22]

I'll never know or experience life during Soviet times, but during some of my visits to Russia I feel like I'm transported back to that era, or even another century. The road trip is coming to an end, with the final stop today in Yaroslavl. Along the way, I explored many small towns and spent an entire day and night in a village, talking to the locals in their homes, eating freshly prepared meals, and sleeping alone in an old house in the forest! But that will be the topic of another post. Yesterday in Soligalich, I entered a small meat shop and discovered this woman. I don't know for certain, but this blue uniform looks very Soviet, especially the hat. However, the most interesting thing in the provincial shops was...can you guess from the photo? :)

The object below! I became so confused when the shop owner started moving the balls, and thought she was offering to play some type of game. Then, my Russian travel companion informed me this is the shop's "calculator" or cash register, to add up the total cost of your purchase. How does it work? I still don't understand, but I was always bad at math. :)



The woman in the cheese shop next store was wearing this same blue outfit, but she is progressive! She had a normal adding machine, and even modern day scales to weigh the cheese.



I think it's always good to preserve your culture, including some old customs. But, yes, I was shocked to enter many small shops in Russian provinces and see no cash register, but this wooden contraption to calculate sales. Not just one or two shops, but a lot. Is it normal for a "modern" country? I think not. But maybe older people are so tied to tradition that they don't even want to purchase a basic calculator, which I assume is inexpensive in Russia. Progress in thought, technology, infrastructure...all signs of a healthy nation and culture in my view.

So many other things to write about, but I have no time on the road. :( On this trip, I've  met a lot of friendly Russians, and experienced no hostility based on the fact that I'm American. I'm very happy about both of these things! More to come soon...

Comments

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Do you think you still remember how to use it? If you wish to practice, just visit a remote Russian province. :) I saw them many places.

[vasha-masha.livejournal.com]

А у вас детям не дарят счеты? У нас у фактически каждого ребенка есть.
http://yandex.ru/images/search?text=%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B5+%D0%B8%D0%B3%D1%80%D1%83%D1%88%D0%BA%D0%B8+%D1%81%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%8B

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Calculators do not get viruses, or even cash registers are far as I know. If we do not use our skills, we lose them. So, I doubt future generations of Russian children will have any idea how to use this wooden device.

[zhanorus.livejournal.com]

Напрасно! был бы классный сувенир!
А научится на нем считать дело 20 минут. Но зато в Америке таких людей бы набралось с десяток или два!

Представляете? среди такой массы людей, миллионов и только пара десятков умеет и вы в их числе!

Прислать вам такой сувенир? :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Yes, as I said, the cheese lady is progressive! :)) No, meat lady used it to tell me the cost. It was not only a decoration. Maybe it's a good way to rip off tourists, who can't understand any Russian because the cost of items doesn't appear on a lot of goods in Russian provincial stores (canned goods, candies, etc.). There are very few labels, and the price is not identifiable. I usually had to ask.

[tropical-degree.livejournal.com]

I believe so..
When I was in elementary school, in Russia, mathematic teacher used Щеты for counting.
Also, Щеты , not only for shops using, also, for a pharmacy.
Russian sistem is like this: 1 gr of medicine - 1 button and so on....:)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Have you used it before?

[zhanorus.livejournal.com]

У нас есть разные туалеты.
Может вы выбрали таких проводников которые вас водили только в страшные места :)

Хотя действительно смешно. Мы настолько привыкли, что даже не замечаем ужаса нашей жизни.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

My brain exploded with all those numbers and calculations! :))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I still use an old school tooth brush. The electronic ones tickle my mouth and remind me of my sex toy. :))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

When is the last time you went to a remote Russian province?

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

No, I've never once seen this is America. Not even in the boondocks where rednecks live! :))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I did not see them for sale anywhere I visited. Otherwise, I would have bought one for my nephew. He is very smart and loves math.

[me-frai.livejournal.com]

principles of work performance of digital calculator and wooden one are not very different. Usual simple operations like addition, diminution or multiplication - it's not more difficult to manage them by wooden device in comparison with digital one. If you add to this factor power of habit and really existed poverty of remoted settlements in russian province - you will get equality of complicated new and primitive old under such conditions.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

No, it is not a common toy or object for American children.

[vasha-masha.livejournal.com]

Наши дети умеют пользоваться счетами, с ними их знакомят еще в садике . Счеты удобное пособие, чтобы учить что такое единицы, десятки, сотни, и как складывать двузначные числа. Но для решения задач их конечно же не используют, либо вычисляют в столбик, либо , что посложнее - на калькуляторе.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I lived for a night in the Russian village, where most homes did not even have a toilet inside. Only "outhouses." :))

[zhanorus.livejournal.com]

ОК. Я пришлю вам. Дайте адрес в почте LJ. Это будет мой вам подарок.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Okay, it is a logical and reasonable explanation you gave. You almost convinced me it's normal to use the abacus. :))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Of course, American children also learn this. They do not use calculators in school. :) I was speaking only about me, as an adult. Everyone remembers all multiplications, basic square roots, etc. They are brainwashed into our memory during elementary school.

[kremlin-curant.livejournal.com]

Lot of Russians hate innovations, modernizations. They still live as in the middle century.
Still slaves, alas.

[naysayer15.livejournal.com]

Don`t tease me :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

It's very nice! :) I will send you my address in a message.

[vasha-masha.livejournal.com]

А это наш советский пенал

[zhanorus.livejournal.com]

Я жил в такой деревне почти 3 года :)