[Amysue1112]

HI Doreen!
Welcome to the family! This really is a wonderful place..I have been here since o4 when we started our adoption, and these folks helped me through some pretty rough times (and celebrated the great times too!)

Here is a few pieces of info I found helpful...

1) They sell antibiotics otc in Russia...we stocked up on some Amoxicillin just is case we got sick there.
2) The clothes thing didn't seem to be true..they wore a lot of dark clothes, some were really dressed up, others very down. Our interpreter wore jeans the whole time. Don't stress about the clothes, just don't stand out. Tennis shoes really stand out..they have them but they look more dressy. We wore jeans many days.
3) People were very nice. I learned some basic words...Hello, Goodbye, Thank you, Excuse me, I do/don't understand/speak..and the big one I would have NEVER thought would matter...Good/not good...that was very helpful when people were talking about our adoption in Russian....and I heard them everywhere.
4) Go online and get a copy of the subway system in Moscow in English..then you can match it with the Russian one. We did not do this, and got lost underground!
5) Especially in Moscow, there is Sbarro and McDonalds everywhere..you will find food!
6) Russians like carbonated water...ask for "no bubbles" if you like it that way..they usually understand. The tops are color-coded..I can't remember what they are though.
7) Eat Pelmini...they are meat dumplings and more like food we are used to. They sell them everywhere
8) Russians don't have the same "personal space" rules...don't be nervous if they stand VERY close to you in line!
9) Take toilet paper everywhere..they didn't even have it in the courthouse!
10) Be careful about what you say..it is so easy to slip and say.."gosh, they are so poor, how sad" Russians are proud people, and often don't know how bad things look to us.
11) After accepting our referral, we took flowers to the MOE lady..she was very pleased!
12) If you get sick easily, brush your teeth with bottled water, I have known some to get very sick just from washing their teeth with Russian water..I got a stomach thing, but don't know if that was what it was from.
13) I found a backpack purse to be very helpful, and a little medicine box with a few of everything, pepto tablets, antacids, motrin etc. Nice to have if you are gone all day from your stuff and you feel ill.
14) Take some empty trash bags for dirty clothes, and some sink detergent to wash basics.
15) Take a small canvas (or something like it) empty bag. Great when you go to a market for food or buy souvenirs...often they don't have bags to carry it! And helps to use as an extra carry on if you need to..often incountry flights make you check carry-ons, since there is so little space on their planes.
16) Often the hotels are in Euros...just be aware they may cost more than you think...also, there is a VAT tax on everything, which I think is like 18% or something like that.
17) Don't be worried about meeting your referral...from what I have been told with older kids, anyone "new" is exciting to them....bring stuff for him, and I am sure things will go GREAT!
18) You could list your region, so others who have been there can give you region specific info.
19) If your agency is like ours, there was someone to meet us everywhere...never felt unsafe or confused..except in Atlanta airport! haha

Ok, I suppose that is enough info for one sitting! Good luck, and welcome! You will find a wealth of info here, and no question is a dumb one!!

Take care!
Amy