Hey, I am Felix. I am an ex-pat in Moscow, Russia. I have been working in Moscow for around 10 (ten) years. Yet this is my first article, and I wrote it in English since I think I can express more.
For the first article, I think I will not write a lot. I still haven't figure out what topic I should write. Well, I don't want to limit myself right.
I have been writing on my Tumblr. Well, anyway, let's get to the point. As an ex-pat, when you live abroad, you still have your values from your hometown. I grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia. A metropolitan city with one of the worst traffic in Sout East Asia, or maybe the world.
In 2010, I arrived in Moscow, and Moscow welcomed me with this cold weather (-15 degrees) and snowy. Luckily, I did not get any frostbites, but I got my chickenpox after a week of staying in Moscow. Weird, huh?
It was a tough time for the first three months. To adapt to the new culture, as well, to adapt to the environment. Here are some lists that I think accurate about how it feels to be Indonesian in Moscow.
1. Rice
When most people here eat bread, I prefer rice. Rice has become the leading food since I arrived in Moscow. Although I can survive without rice, still if there's rice, then I will choose rice. Fortunately, I can easily find rice in Moscow.
2. Indomie
Thank God that since 2019 the most famous and the most instant noodles from Indonesia 'Indomie' penetrated the Russian market. Nowadays, you can easily find Indomie, especially in the Asian Market. And I also found Indomie on Utkonos. Indomie is a real lifesaver, mostly when I was lazy to cook and in need of a quick meal. And, sometimes, I have Indomie with rice. Oops.
3. Toilet paper
A tissue will always be tissue. So, instead of using napkins that are made from the same material, I sometimes use toilet paper as a napkin. LOL.
4. I need to wash after number 2
Well, if you are familiar with the terms number 2, it means to go to the toilet for a pup :p Ten years living abroad, and I still cannot wipe my ass with tissue or toilet paper. Gosh, no! I need water to clean. And that's why I bring a bottle of water if I go to a public toilet. And you can find water on my toilet, which is confusing for my guests.
5. Guling
Guling is an Indonesian word for a long pillow. I used guling a lot when I was in Jakarta. It feels so good to sleep wit guling, like when you hug someone. Unfortunately, it's a bit hard to fin guling in Moscow. But I can survive to sleep without guling. There is a story behind why Indonesian sleeps with guling. But I will save it for later.
6. Coin and balm
When I got sick, like having a fever or when my body feels cold, I often do 'kerokan.' 'Kerokan' is a way for Indonesian to cure or to lower the body temperature. For 'kerokan,' you need to have a coin and a balm (like Vicks or other balms for sickness).
You put the balm at the corner of the coin and, after that, spread the lotion using the coin to your body until your skin bruised red. Don't do it too hard. At least, when you see your skin is red, then you have to stop it.
The problem is, you need to ask someone to do 'kerokan' because your hands can not reach the back of your body. And trust me, I feel so much better the next day after 'kerokan.'
Well, I think that's all the points that I want to highlight for my first article. I hope you enjoy reading it. Feel free to comment, but be nice ;)