27 January 2009

check!

Today our school, which backs onto the naval academy, has to be emptied by 3:20 p.m. because there was a chance President Medvedev would visit. That worked for me! Today was the day I had to meet with my (lovely, lovely) Russian sw to hand in my paperwork.

I went it, paperwork in bag, a block over to meet with E. I found the building AND the door and went inside. Smiling broadly, I politely greeted the receptionist, "Hello. I speak Russian very badly. My name is Kate C." "Aah. You want E." "Yes! Thank you."

We found her, she had the form ready for me to fill in (and even had a typed copy of what I needed to write). I did, we reviewed my "many papers", and she gave me a document about my ppr's. (I told her I understand. You come to my house. You watch the girl. You say, "Excellent girl!" Documents and papers... She laughed and agreed.) Then came the part that you'll be so proud of me for pulling off smoothly. I gave her a bottle of wine!

See, I've been asking friends at school how to do the "mandatory gifting". I don't know how to do that. I don't even tip well. But, what I've learned is that you simply bring out the gift at the end after everything is finished and say "with a bright, open face" This is for you! I did vary from the script and simply said (with a bright, open face) Thank you so much!

(I did a little practice run by buying a duplicate bottle of the wine for my friend M who helps me SO much and won't let me do anything for her. I gave it to her and asked her to just taste it since I don't drink wine. I told her I didn't want to give the sw a bad bottle of wine. Ha! Even she was impressed with my gifting.)

We had a little chit-chat about d2b (gender, age, and it's a good thing) and then I left. On the way out, I saw a bucket outside her door with some carnations in it. I think wine trumps carnations.

Remember she said that this review would take it while? She said to call her next Tuesday.

I love Russian bureaucracy. I seem to navigate it much more smoothly.

13 comments:

Tami said...

Smooooth! I'm so proud of you! :)

Tina in CT said...

Any more palms you can grease to speed the process along?

Did the President visit?

Anonymous said...

you are my hero!

(what was the wine??)

Rachael said...

Hoorah!

votemom said...

i am smiling.
and now with this happy news, i will go to sleep.

thanks Lord.

julian said...

Yeah!! Have hoop, Kate will jump!!
Can't wait til next week!

kate said...

habesh, it was a SOUTH AFRICAN wine called Long Mountain--nice label and not cheap. It seems to me that more people like red wine than white, so I called a friend from the wine aisle at the French supermarket and she said to get a Cabernet Sauvignon. IT seems like, generally, older is better so I got a 2003.

How'd I do?

Anonymous said...

excellent progress. Also it's always a good sign when they know who you are on arrival...

Jim said...

Nicely done, Kate! I guess with a little more Russian language practice you could start a sideline business as a Russian adoption facilitator. :)

kim said...

Yeah! Keeping my fingers crossed. Gotta love those "gifting policies" in Russia. Wine is a great idea. When we went to visit the passport office to get the kid's passports, and after waiting an extra week in the country, I just lost it when I sat down with the official. She took pity on me I guess b/c I was so upset and gave me a box of chocolate. :) I guess gifting can work both ways.

Suz said...

Wow it is great to read some good news from you!

I laughed when you said, "paperwork in the bag." I pictured how everyone in Russia carries things in store shopping bags. I never "got" that?!

Suz, longing for Russia especially the last few days

Annie said...

Good work! I got better at that "generosity" too, over my various visits. The big thing I noticed is that it seemed to be much better just to hand over the gift, with little fanfare. That went most against my grain....I always felt like I should gush and they should open it or at least admire the wrapping say "You shouldn't have!" etc. But, no.

julian said...

I have to reply to SUZ as my friend and I always joked about our documents being carried around Russia in a GAP bag folded over!!