Babushka

[Son of Clyde]

When do FSU women start wearing the scarfs and develop the Babushka look?

Do they wake up one morning and say that this is the day to adopt a new look.

Maybe it is why we are looking for the younger women.

Sorry if this is an inappropriate subject to post but I am getting pretty old myself but prefer to wear clothing that does not date me so much.

Is it just that these old women are so poor they can't afford nicer clothes?

The older women of the US seem to dress different from the women in the FSU but our economy is different.

I noticed this in Yalta seeing so many older women at the outdoor markets. Their lives seem devoted to selling produce. In a way it is sad because the health care and retirement system in FSU probably does not accomodate widow's like Social Security does in the US.

Can some of you experienced guys let me know about the health care and retirement system in Ukraine and Russia?

[Vaughn]

Son of Clyde wrote:

When do FSU women start wearing the scarfs and develop the Babushka look?

Do they wake up one morning and say that this is the day to adopt a new look.

It's a gradual process, humorously outlined here by Herb G. Terry, as part of his Canadian Take on Russia:

I should note the strength of Russian women. While young, they are
beautiful. They flaunt this fact with all the clothes, perfumes and
mannerisms that are known to excite male senses. They are not shy
about their beauty and thoroughly enjoy all the attention it
attracts, in part, because it is a great source of power in Russian
society. They use this authority fully while it lasts and, when it
fades, they undergo an immense transmutation. They shrink several
inches, lose their silky curves in favor of solid muscle, dispense
with their pointy high heels, buy a pair of work boots, fill some
plastic bags with whatever can knock a man senseless, wrap their hair
in a bun or hanky and become, the virtually
indestructible, ''BABUSHKA''.[align=center]From siren.....
[/align]



[align=center]to Babushka....[/align]

    [align=center][/align]

Dude, you crack me up!  Choice.

[Turboguy]

Darn,  All the posts that say you should be hunting for someone close to your own age.   The Babuska photo is probably the closest to my age I have seen but I am sorry, I like the first photo better.   Heck with gals my age.  Just so they are older than my grandchildren.  

[Elen]

When do FSU women start wearing the scarfs and develop the Babushka look?

Calm down . Those old women who're wearing scarf which such "disappoint" you, were born in times when many women still felt themselves "naked" with bare-headed. It was just tradition. We are too close to Muslim Asia .

Modern women you deal with now have another idea about fashion. As for "developing babushkas look" it will be YOURS fault if such thing will happen too early. Let's take more care about your wives if you don't want to have "babuskas" next to you.

 

[Elen]

Can some of you experienced guys let me know about the health care and retirement system in Ukraine and Russia?

health care

In short we all have obligatory medical insurance (supported by taxes paid by employers, though even those who don't work do have such insurance) There is a long list with services we can get free of pay according our obligatory insurance. The quality depends on the region you live in.

You also may buy private medical insurance or pay with cash for doctor in private clinics. All depend on you money. With our beggarly salaries and pensions you can do little in that derection.

As for me I pay only to dantists (SUCH greedy for money bastards:X) In all others cases I'm still satisfacted with medical care I get due to obligatory ensurance.

retirement system

Can't clear understand what's that. Explain please

[Jet]

retirement system

Can't clear understand what's that. Explain please

 

Pension - small money given by government to people who are too old to work full time anymore.

[Son of Clyde]

Calm down . Those old women who're wearing scarf which such "disappoint" you, were born in times when many women still felt themselves "naked" with bare-headed. It was just tradition. We are too close to Muslim Asia .

 

I can see that. My mother's generation (she was born in 1930) wear scarves in church. When she was younger she wore nice hats. It is sad that nature does this to us because I can remember when she was my age or younger. Women in the US have the means to continue to wear nicer clothes but we do see the occasional "bag lady" who is probably widowed and was left with no money.

Retirement is an age when you can stop working or continue on a part time basis and the government (or your former employer) will send an alloted amount of money every month based upon a percentage of money you earned while working full time. People retire at age 55, 62 or 65 and some even continue to work and prolong their retirements until they are too old to work.

[KenC]

My wife has always commented on how American women desperately try to hang onto their youth long after she thinks thay should.  She tells me that there is a point in time, where a woman should just face the facts that she is past the age of dressing like a young woman and go with clothes more fitting to her age.  Of course it is all too clear to see for a young beautiful woman now.  LOL

KenC

[Son of Clyde]

Ken this is funny because I remember there was an older woman at work who told us that even though she has this old body she still thinks like a 25 year old woman.

Mother nature changes our outward appearance over time but our thoughts and ideals remain the same.

[KenC]

Hell, Clyde,

I often wonder who that old man is looking back at me in my mirror.  I don't think like that old guy for sure.

KenC

[Elen]

Well may be our mothers and grands  don't look sich nice like American's ones but we love them any way And there is not in our traditions to send our old parents into (how do you call that ??? - rest houses. And our kids are grown up by full of love  babushkas but  not by some "indifferent" nannies:P:P

 

[Vaughn]

Elen Posted: Well may be our mothers and grands  don't look sich nice like American's ones but we love them any way

And for the most part, Elen, so do we. My wife's Mama is a Babushka - and she'll be visiting us soon. The humor here was not to make fun of (or light of) senior ladies, but to note the remarkable transformation. Elen, my wife is your age - we're not ALL transfixed with young girls. BTW, my father's Mom was a rock-solid Swedish woman who grew up on the farm - butchered her own pheasants and mastered the English language without formal university courses, had thick upper arms, and the kerchief over her gray hair - a virtual Russian babushka, but from a Baltic Sea island. She introduced us to "Blini" in the 50's, and we adored her. Probably most men here have a touching story about their own American "Babushki".

And there is not in our traditions to send our old parents into (how do you call that ??? - rest houses.

I'm no expert in this area, but I can understand the foreign perception - that Americans simply dispatch Grandma to an old age home when she's outlived her usefulness. While that might sometimes occur, I submit that for most adults it's a very difficult decision, one not taken lightly. My own mother, for example, preferred to live alone when Dad died. After five years of this, during which she was visited often by my sisters and me, she finally admitted she wished to live "amongst her contemporaries", that is, folks who grew up on Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey big band music. Her generation.
I'm sure my sisters and I were more upset about the decision than Mom was...

And our kids are grown up by full of love  babushkas but  not by some "indifferent" nannies

For the most part, so are our children - in the midst of their grandparents love. The mass media and rumor are doing you a great disservice, Elen - Grandmas and Grandpas are as American as apple pie.

[Elen]

Well we speak about different "loves" because to my mind love "on a distance"  (eighther to parents who you visit "often" in some place they have "prefered" to home of their children , or to grand children who you see once per month. prefering to live alone) is not the same thing I speak about.  But that is only my opinion. You have your own one (as well as you have your parents something "there")

I do know that difference because my own dauther "knows" only one "real" babushka though my mother-in-law who we saw couples times per year does think she love her grand child too:D

 

For the most part, so are our children - in the midst of their grandparents love

I was speaking about "grow up" but not about love in general. May be I'm wrong but I doubt yours "babushkas" would "dismiss" all their businesses and help you with your kids if you need that.

[Elen]

My wife's Mama is a Babushka - and she'll be visiting us soon
Elen, my wife is your age - we're not ALL transfixed with young girls

Well is your wife the only one chid of her parents?

If so how does she feel herself knowing her not young, probably not very health parents are alone something there in far awful hell named Russia? Does she think they "prefered" to live alone too and 150$ you send them (may be) are all they need for happiness at the decline of their life ?

Btw these questions are to others as well. How did your wives overstep this problem with old parents?

[Vaughn]

Elen wrote:

Well is your wife the only one chid of her parents?

No, she has a sister, 35, married, one daughter living near Mama. There are also many cousins, nieces, nephews.

are all they need for happiness at the decline of their life ?

Decline?[/b] I guess it's all in one's
own perpective...

[Bruno]

[line]
And there is not in our traditions to send our old parents into (how do you call that ??? - rest houses.
[line]


Elena, family value are very strong in your country and it is a great value from russia...

In our country, several people go to rest house because they are alone and wish some compagny... when children take parents home, they have usually not time for take care of them because everybody work... a other problem is money... when living in the same home, the global income of the house rise and you pay more tax... usualy, the same reason is about children who quit the home when they begin work...

But maybe it is need to explain how work rest home... i go explain what i know by my work... i am gardener and work for a state association named OCMW.... they take care of old people, people with low income, and little children...

The rest house is not a jail... you have a section with individual home for couple... they receive the eat home, help for clean,... a other section is some appartment for alone people... a other is like hospital for people who have health problem, ... and a last section is for old people who have no more all her mind... and all this, in a big park... several activity are organised who are more for old people... and you have shop, dancing place, local radio, hairdresser... everything like a vacancy place...

And the more interesting, it is the children garden in middle of all this... each woensday, from 13.00 to 17.00, children make activity with old people...

And i forget the centrum for refugiee... these refugiee use a lot of time with the old people... some make magic show, other little concert of ballaika, other help old people who cannot more walk with wheelchair...

Elena, we try to give the best to our old people... and the work of my state organization is to help these who have not enough money for pay all these service to private business... in some way, modern rest house are like a little city in the city...

 

[Elen]

I tried to compose you post about retirement system in Russia but failed - too complicate:?

The ages of retirement - women -55, men- 60. (They promice us to increase these ages up to 63/67. Fine!! The problem with pensioners will be solved as an average male lives only 58 years in Russia)  

The new pension law was signed in 2002, so nobody actually had a chance to test it yet.

According to the old pension law the amount of retirement money is counted according to individual pension coefficient. This coefficient denpends on correlation of individual salary for some fixed period to average salary in Russia for the same period. But this coefficient can't be more than 1,2:X:X:X. So that now practically all pensioners can't recive more than 3 000 rub. (~ 110$) (the average amount is about 2000 rub~ 75$)

I speak about "common" people. as there are some groups like viterans of WWII, deputies, goevernment workers as etc who have their own law for pension

 

[Elen]

No, she has a sister, 35, married, one daughter living near Mama. There are also many cousins, nieces, nephews.

Well I see you put this problem on the shoulder of her sister. That's all.

(cousins, nieces, nephews ans so far have their own problems.)

But maybe it is need to explain how work rest home...

Thank Bruno I have no need in that as I would not want to face the end of my own days even in the most perfect rest house. (it's just a jail in my eyes)

we try to give the best to our old people..

Always thought that the "best" was your own family next to you but not some "state organization". (Thoufh I do respect their activity) 

 

[Vaughn]

Elen wrote:

Well I see you put this problem on the shoulder of her sister.

In reviewing your posts, you disapprove either way: if my wife is an only child, we abandoned her Mama - shame on us, and now, since you've found she does have a sibling, we've "dumped" the problem on sister. Do tell, what problem? Nice try, Elen - you're very prone to drawing conclusions with minimal information. The truth is, you don't know much about our family, except what little I've told you. Guess I'm glad you're not an interviewer at the US Embassy

I DO appreciate your information about pensions as listed above..

Vaughn

[Elen]

In reviewing your posts, you disapprove either way: if my wife is an only child, we abandoned her Mama - shame on us, and now, since you've found she does have a sibling, we've "dumped" the problem on sister

Yes exactly what I think.

In both cases you are not those pople who take care of old woman directly and personal but only on distance and that 's another thing I speak about. That's my point.

Also my point is not to come to know the particulars  your family's problems but put into american's fiance's heads the idea that old parents they are going to leave behind are problem as well. And don't fool yourself that problem can easy be solved by you green backs, sending through Western Union.

[Elen]

And like you that or not but I AM that your "hypothetical" mother in law whose daughter you would be able to take across the sea only oversteping her (te my) dead body:P:P:P  

[Vaughn]

And like you that or not but I AM that your "hypothetical" mother in law

Ouch - Elen's our self-appointed conscience! Next question - what's your opinion if Mama decides to
come live with us permanently?

[Elen]

Ouch - Elen's our self-appointed conscience! Next question - what's your opinion if Mama decides to come live with us permanently?

 God help you then, [user=12]Vaughn[/user]:D:D

[deden]

LOL!!!