Trips Abroad

I went to the bank today. Service is slack and Western Union (the much belauded amenity) doesn't work because of the Saturday. All the more reason not to work tomorrow because of Sunday. I don't know about Monday for sure. But on Tuesday I shall almost certainly go to Moscow. Pity I lost time today. The good thing is that I did tear myself from the PC and had a break.

Dollars are easily available over here. Go to the bank, and buy as much as you please. Not like in old Soviet times when having foreign money was a crime. Dollars were in high demand in the early 90s as the ruble plummeted. Now it stands still because of the huge oil prices (Russia is a major exporter of oil and gas, you know). The dollar, by contrast, is falling (thank Saddam and Bush). So people are not in a hurry to buy dollars now. I have some dollars on hand, mostly due to my trips abroad. 

 When I travel (for instance, to Berlin last summer but one) I am paid a certain amount in dollars.This is for me to live on. I don't remember the figure, because I travel seldom, but it enough for three decent (without vodka and caviar) meals a day. Normally I try to be economical and thus save some dollars and take them home. As for luxury food, such as whiskey, I buy this at duty-free shop, where it is remarkably cheap. If I remember right, a half liter bottle costs only 6 dollars. Last time I bought SO much I could hardly drag my bag. Not all for myself, of course. Something for friends and good people. This spring I shall probably go to Berlin again. For this I am translating a book about military aircraft. But I don't think I shall meet the deadline because the boss intervenes all the time with super-urgent assignment. I warned him that the book will not be ready on time. I am not a magician or a machine. Also, it may be that I won't go. Such trips are unpredictable. I told my boss that I'd like to go with him to the UK (once in two years they hold air shows there). He said no. Much too costly. Besides, in such cases all of a sudden so many people discover that they are fine translators and excellent interpreters. I imagine, they travel mostly for sight seeing at the expense of the company. Plus dollars left over after the trip. I feel with my GUTS they I need a CHANGE OF SCENE! I must go to some country for a refreshment, for a shake-up. But ... if I go I shall have to work there like a horse. A terrible strain on the mind and the nervous system.

If you were a poor boy from Africa and if my rubles were as valuable as greenbacks I'd gladly send you every now and then small amounts. Why not help if you can help it? But even the falling dollar doesn't fall into my chimney by itself... :-) In a letter (or in a face to face talk) I could tell you some things I won't dare on the Net. Just in case. What I am terrifically afraid of is illness. If I fall ill, for whichever reason, the boss, despite the tremendous respect for me, will dump me. The firm needs a WORKMAN. I'm working. Real hard. But I'm afraid of a disease. I take good care of myself. Must eat sensibly, work out regularly, sleep sufficiently, rest when tired... All this I do not do... I'm just working and working... The boss is going to meet King Abdullah of Jordan. I have translated questions to be put to the King. As a matter of fact I had several opportunities of meeting the King. For instance he attended the company I had worked for. So I could be used as an interpreter. But by that time I had already left that work. With a very easy heart and a sigh of tremendous relief. And became a janitor (door keeper). But I translated by nights for one company in Moscow. Finally, they put me on the staff. Today I am translating books for them. Two are finished. The third one is in progress and will probably finish me...Pity I didn't show that site to my boss. He would respect me all the more for this (and could have given me a raise :-)