Call me Elsa
I never feel connected with my ethnicity, Polish-Russian, until I'm carrying something heavy on my hip! Today I walked home from the grocery store with way too much food in a heavy bag, all hoisted up on my hip, a canvas bag on my shoulder, my new beaded sandals on my feet, my hair in a bun. Suddenly, I felt the need for a babushka, the headscarf my great grandma always used to wear. In my state of burden, I could just hear the sounds of Polish folk music in my head...I might as well have been muttering to myself. This all makes me think that if my family was still living in southwestern Russia, I would probably be married to a farmer, have six kids, and trudge all the way to the market and back every day with a bag of beets, potatoes, and pickled whathaveyou. I envy people who have a connection to the land and culture.

So, fingers crossed, St. Petersburg '07.
Oh my gosh! I was just looking up pictures of Russian women to show how much I look like them, but I actually think this IS my greatgrandma! ;)

(It does look eerily like her, though, which explains my need for lots of L'Oreal wrinkle decrease cream).