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

[zzmeey.livejournal.com]

I don't think she can't use or buy a calculator. She's just used to use "счёты" I guess. It's an old-school quirk, so to speak. And it's definitely not the only device for calculating sales - as people have said before - there's a register in the cheese section (they have to have it according to the federal tax code and business regulations).

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

There are no regulations that require food workers to wear gloves? In the U.S., we have this.

[zzmeey.livejournal.com]

Maybe there are some... In a mall or a supermarket I rarely see food workers without gloves. But these regulations are apparently not that strict to follow for this place :) Anyhow, big or small you are, it's obligatory to have a register to make reports for revenue inspection.

PS. And may I ask you something? Have you really expected hostility towards you because you're American? And if so, why? Will be grateful for the honest answer.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Yes, I thought maybe there would be hostility because the tone of comments in my blog have changed over the past few months. Many insults and abusive anti-American comments, for no reason. However, they are probably just written by trolls or Krembots. It simply proves the point that people are much braver and different when communicating anonymously via the Internet, when compared to real life interactions. :)

[zzmeey.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Yeah. I know, right! There are a lot of trolls over here :) I mean in the Russian part of LJ... And maybe some people who feel increasing pressure on Russia from the US government recently because of, you know, that Ukrainian issue..

Anyways, I understand, you had your reasons to worry and I'm glad that it turned out we're not so hostile but even friendly :)

Have a nice trip all over Russia! :) You have a very interesting blog that can show us our own country from another perspective. Thanks! Looking forward to your future entries.