Evidently the, at least American or British, notion of the line or queu is lost upon our contemporaries in Moscow.
Ex. 1: Trying to buy moisturizer
It is baffling that it was harder to get through the "line" to buy my product, than to decipher in Russian what it was I wanted (which I did without a problem, thank-you-very-much). The mass of women at the checkout counter was more of a clump than a line, so I, being the American that I am, tried to find where the end was. Little did I know, but from recent experience should have suspected, that it was just a free-for-all mash of humanity. It was comforting that the Russian woman next to me got equally as frustrated with the situation. She gave up and left; I persevered, being cut "in line" by numerous older women before I elbowed my way through, and am now the very happy owner of almond scented, dry-skin moisturizing lotion.
*Note: Yes, it is this important to have moisturizer.
Ex. 2: The ladies' room at the Stanislavski and Nemerovich-Danchenko Ballet and Opera Theater
Enormous lines, as can be expected. The stalls can be reached from the right and left. The "correct" line formed to the left. I noticed the, much smaller you would have been yelled at in the US for starting another line, line to the right. Made like the Russian example I had been presented with and joined that one. Only three people ahead of me. I guess I am learning from the earlier experience of the day. Made it back to my seat with about 20 minutes of intermission to go...
Ex. 1: Trying to buy moisturizer
It is baffling that it was harder to get through the "line" to buy my product, than to decipher in Russian what it was I wanted (which I did without a problem, thank-you-very-much). The mass of women at the checkout counter was more of a clump than a line, so I, being the American that I am, tried to find where the end was. Little did I know, but from recent experience should have suspected, that it was just a free-for-all mash of humanity. It was comforting that the Russian woman next to me got equally as frustrated with the situation. She gave up and left; I persevered, being cut "in line" by numerous older women before I elbowed my way through, and am now the very happy owner of almond scented, dry-skin moisturizing lotion.
*Note: Yes, it is this important to have moisturizer.
Ex. 2: The ladies' room at the Stanislavski and Nemerovich-Danchenko Ballet and Opera Theater
Enormous lines, as can be expected. The stalls can be reached from the right and left. The "correct" line formed to the left. I noticed the, much smaller you would have been yelled at in the US for starting another line, line to the right. Made like the Russian example I had been presented with and joined that one. Only three people ahead of me. I guess I am learning from the earlier experience of the day. Made it back to my seat with about 20 minutes of intermission to go...
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