Blog by Sumana Harihareswara, Changeset founder
Last night, for the first time in months, I dreamt…
Hi, reader. I wrote this in 2001 and it's now more than five years old. So it may be very out of date; the world, and I, have changed a lot since I wrote it! I'm keeping this up for historical archive purposes, but the me of today may 100% disagree with what I said then. I rarely edit posts after publishing them, but if I do, I usually leave a note in italics to mark the edit and the reason. If this post is particularly offensive or breaches someone's privacy, please contact me.
Last night, for the first time in months, I dreamt a particular sort of dream: I spoke to someone, realized that they didn't understand me, and had to switch to my stumbling Russian. This reminds me of my only analogous real-life memory:
One day in St. Petersburg, probably Monday 18 June, I unexpectedly stayed late talking with John at the hostel, and called my host mother to tell her I'd be late. "Vera, hi, I'm sorry I didn't call before, I'm going to be late, but I'll be home by 7:30 or 8. [Pause. Realize that Vera didn't understand any of that. Try to switch into Russian mode.] Vera, privyet. Aaah, ya chut'-chut', uhh, [John supplies the word for "late," but in the masculine, but I'm so anxious I use it anyway] opazdal, no, uh, ya dumayu chto, uh..."
Not the worst gaffe I made in Russia (war bookstore, anyone?) but the worst I made that week.
