Deep Thoughts About Money and the Holidays

My last phone bill was 271,020 rubles ($127.00). My dial-up connection cost $25 and the rest was for international calls to США (USA). So what you ask? Well, my landlord’s father didn’t have enough cash to pay the bill. You see he pays for everything and then I pay him back. To put things in perspective you should know that the average Belarusian makes $200 USD per month, and a doctor earns about $400. I was actually embarrassed to have such a high bill even though back home it would be totally normal. When I paid my bill I wondered what the lady was thinking as I handed her my wad of rubles, the same amount that she probably earns in 3 weeks.

When the topic of money comes up, I have to explain how much it costs to survive in the United States so they get some perspective. But somehow it always feels like I’m apologizing… when you’re talking to someone who makes $2,400–4,800 per year, it’s hard to convince them that my $25,000 grant is nothing in the States. After a few of these agonizing discussions, I have learned to steer clear of the subject.

Being here has made me question many things about my life back home; for example, do I really need to wear a new outfit every day of the week? Do I really need all those shoes in my closet? Does every person really need a car? Do I really need to use throw away bags when I shop? How many presents do I really need to receive or give on Christmas? Do I really need a new cell phone or camera just because the newest model is smaller or has more features? Over the past three months, I have learned that the answer to all of these questions is “no.” To blend in with my colleagues, I wear my clothes more than one day; I don’t have a car so I walk or take the bus; and when I shop I always bring my own bags with me. And speaking of technology, I am among the privileged few who have a computer in their homes, let alone a high-speed Internet connection with Skype.

In many ways, living here has been a very liberating experience. Life is simpler, but in many ways it is lived on a deeper level. Many people have to work two jobs to make ends meet, entire families share the same small flat, most people don’t have cars… but somehow they manage to survive. It seems like the little things mean more here. I’m not saying that everyone should sell all their possessions and move to Belarus. I’d be lying if I said this place didn’t have any problems because it does. But what it does have is a version of life minus the commercialism and materialism that surrounds us in the United States. As for me it’s a breath of fresh air, especially as the holidays approach. Do we really need to start hearing Christmas music and advertisements the day after Halloween? If increasing retail sales and credit card debt is the main spirit of the season then I guess the answer is yes. I can’t tell you how good it feels to remove myself from the feeding frenzy that I know is going on back home.

Seeing yourself and your culture through the eyes of others is an intense experience; sometimes you like what you see, but other times you don’t. I’ll leave you with this thought: A fish that never leaves the sea, never discovers water.