Freddy, Teddy, Gnome!

These past couple of winters it seems that we have spent a LOT of time with Freddy (our VW) and our mechanics.  Freddy does not enjoy the sudden plummet to -30 temperatures and it always takes several visits to the doctor to sort out what's wrong and to make him better.  But standing around with our friendly mechanics, I'm always thankful that we have found some that we not only trust, but who also treat us with respect.  There was a time when we used to dread having to take the car for even the most minor of check-ups or routine oil changes.  Trying to find a good mechanic that you can develop a relationship with is hard enough in your own language, culture and country, but in Kazakhstan,....

Back when we first started driving a car here we were some of the very few women behind the wheel, and as far as we could figure, the ONLY women who took their car to the mechanics.  Not that it was culturally inappropriate or taboo, it just wasn't necessary and didn't happen.  When we wandered into a new garage, we felt like we drew a lot of attention,.. and yet at the same time it was hard to get anyone's attention.  The latter because that's just the way things go here; if you want some one in the 'service' industry to assist you, it is up to you to command their attention.  You must say the first words.  If you're lucky, they'll acknowledge you shortly after that and perhaps even make eye contact.  Regardless, you must seize the moment and quickly say whatever it is that needs to be said to have your needs addressed before someone else with a louder voice or clearer Russian diverts their attention. 

So, walking into an unknown 'service' centre, into a new bastion of men who are simultaneously aware of you, and yet not paying attention to you requires several deep breaths before opening the heavy steel door that guards their kingdom.  More often than not, when we finally managed to secure someone's attention we were treated with smirks and sniggers that made us feel as if "oil change" was a dirty phrase! 

Of course, there was the one time early on in my car-Russian vocabulary days, when I boldly stated in no uncertain terms that:
     "whenever I step on the baby chicken, it squeals"...
 I think I realised my mistake only a few seconds after it came out of my mouth, and after all, is it my fault that clutch and baby chicken sound so similar to a novice russian speaker??? but the damage was done, and the guy we were talking to decided we were idiots that he had no hope of understanding and passed us off to someone else, who passed us off to someone else... the upshot of that visit was that we never went back there again!

With experiences like these, I was so thankful when we stumbled across Teddy and the Gnome.  We had bought a new battery for our LADA, and the guy behind the counter had been unusually helpful so we decided to ask him for a mechanic he recommended.  Good move!  He gave us the name of the owner of "the best mechanics" in town, and we walked in, armed with real weapons!  Asking to see the owner by name and patrynomic commands immediate respect - you must be somebody!  We explained we had been directed by an acquaintance of his (name and patrynomic) and VOILA! instant obligation to assist!  He passed us on to one of his mechanics, and we have never looked back since.  Teddy (nicknamed by us, because he's a bit of a teddy bear) and the Gnome (nicknamed by the other mechanics, because, well, he DOES look like a gnome!) treated us with respect from the very start.  They patiently listened to us as we tried to explain various squeaks, squeals, rattles and bangs, and worked hard to translate our Russian into concepts they could understand. 

Much has changed since those early days of me driving and floundering with the Russian language.  Where there used to be a handful of rusty old LADA's rattling down the main street, it is now bumper to bumper PRADOs, LandCruisers and the occasional Humvee.  Half of these are driven by women, many of whom take their cars to the mechanics themselves.  My Russian has improved, but sometimes I'm the one that needs to work hard to translate the Russian into concepts I can understand!  Take for instance something I heard last winter while we tried to get our "we-don't-get-this-cold-in-Germany" VW to behave.

Initial, on-the-spot, internal translation:
     "You may have a problem with the valve of the single man not moving properly - you may need to replace him"

What they really meant, figured out at home with my online dictionary, wikipedia and much linguistic wrestling to make the words fit the context:
     "You may have a problem with the idle speed air valve, you may need to replace it"

Who knew - the Russian words for idle and bachelor are from the same root! :)