goats

Valentine's Day never really ended at the ol' boarding school, where dating is forbidden and students are obsessed with it.

In a chart on passive tense in a girl's notebook: I am taken. I am not taken. Am I taken? [next line]. He is taken. He is not taken. Is he taken?

One of the English teachers who gives me Russian lessons gets her jollies from trying to teach me to say “I want to marry your son” in Russian. She sent her son after me to give me a ride home. It’s unusual to be driven here, since there aren’t that many private cars, and my house is much closer by foot, but I let him drive me. Of course, all my students saw. When my host sister asked where I was, they told her I’d been bride-napped by the teacher’s son.

There’s frequent speculation in my host family about who will be the next to go – a cousin was “stolen” by her boyfriend. Shatagul is often teased for the deep-voiced suitor who calls. It’s really great to hear my host mother imitate him. They asked me if I would be bridenapped. “I don’t need that. I don’t have the time,” I said. “Well, he’s not going to ASK you,” said Damira. But, apparently, sometimes they do.

Enough about luuuv. I’m learning grammar through ridiculous sentences, because this is how I hold my tutor’s attention. “I want to buy a goat.” “Why do you want to buy a goat?” “Because I want to quarrel with my neighbors.” “Okay. Which goat do you want?” “May I look at the purple striped one?” “Here you go.” “This one is too tall. May I see that one?” “Yes. Here you go.” “Great. I’ll buy this one.”