October 2009- Stay-at-home-dad- Russia

Well its now the second month here. I have been out on the Metro a few times carrying my child on my back in a kid backpack. I get funny looks from Russians, I think Russians like children and a smile grows over the miserable faces. The Metro is a beautiful to look at, but like any big city the Metro is very crowded. Not speaking Russian does make it hard and you have to plan all trips on the Metro before you go so not to get lost. Our car is still un-usable as the customs did not take a note of the engine number on their form as I'm told they are too lazy to look at the engine to check it. The moving company( who's name I wont mention), lost our car ownership papers so although our car arrived in Russia we have not been able to collect till this week. Staying at home all day is hard when you are used to working in my case since the age of 16, although I am lucky to spend time with my offspring its hard work looking after a baby. You have strict feeding and sleeping routines that must be followed and many nappies to change. This is all the more hard in an alien place like Moscow.

Finding a flat here is not easy, its very overpriced a basic flat can be from 2,000 euro per month and they like to be paid in cash as they do not pay tax. The standard of most flats is very poor unless you can spend 3,000 and more per month. Most Russians seem to think that foreigners have their rent paid for by their employers but those days are over for most expats abroad. More thoughts on this later....

I don't know anyone here yet so I feel a bit lonely and isolated here, this may improve, we will see. I have applied to join the Women's Institute, yes that's what I said, the women institute! although I am a man, my wife can join and I can go along as a member to their coffee and knittingmornings, where the conversation may jump from birthing experiences to my husband is a *** tard etc etc. Its way of meeting other parents. I am trying to form a men's parents club. there are more and more "stay at home dads" nowadays so I may have some luck? We will see. Sorry for my spelling and punctuation on this blog but I have no patience to check it!