May 23

06:00 "I will miss you and I love you all." Thanks to Tanechka, Olga, Dad, and Uncle Vitya... for not making me cry and for seeing me off with such positivity... I love you all...

On the plane, believe it or not, my favorite... RAKU was traveling with us! Well, not exactly her, but very similar. When asked to swap seats with Nastya, she replied, "Get over it," and then spent the whole flight keeping Tanya from sleeping, periodically reminding her of her presence by poking her with her elbows:) A wonderful reminder of my home university:)

14:00 (Tmn), 12:00 (Msk) "Bye, Russia. Although no, see you later." Flying to Paris.

We saw the Eiffel Tower from the plane. Far away, behind the clouds, but we SAW it. A dream came true.

The woman sitting with us was the wife of a famous artist. She was flying to organize his exhibition in the capital of France. "Bohemian life" - that's what we called it. She almost bought us mascara for a crazy amount of money right on the plane:) There was no mascara in stock. Oh, the gift fell through...

18:40 (NY) Arrived. No culture shock:) No wonder, after an eight-hour flight.

Tanya's luggage was lost. As an apology, they gave her seven dollars, which we successfully ate away at McDonald's. (I only ate ICE CREAM! Don't think anything bad)

We tried to call our parents. We asked an American to help with a payphone. He couldn't get it to work. He let us call from his! Thanks, Halyavushka:)

The luggage arrived with Nastya on the next flight. We were happy to see both:) We took a taxi. Heading to the hotel.

23:00 (NY) The hostel is good. We didn't regret the money. A room with two huge beds and, as expected, a TV, a coffee machine with free coffee, a shower cap, little shampoos, soap, and a bunch of other nice things.

We are tired. To the shower and SLEEP...

May 24

12:00 (NY) Drank our coffee. Finished the remaining buns from the plane. And off to conquer Manhattan!

The subway costs $2.25. Insanely expensive.

We walked from Downtown along Broadway, only forward. Saw the Statue of Liberty. Saw a bunch of people speaking English!!! This is a shock for us:)

15:00 (NY) Arrived at Times Square. Neon and regular, colorful and black-and-white ADVERTISEMENTS. They are everywhere. They aren't like this anywhere else. They say that if movies show such a variety of banners, it's always the same place:) We saw it:)

17:00 (NY) "Terenya as always," you would say... I left my bag at McDonald's (we just went to the bathroom, it's free there, and we are Russian). The bag had my passport, all my money, and documents!!!! I only realized this three blocks later... I don't think I need to tell you how we ran back...

The bag was returned without any problems, as if it were a normal thing for them. I almost cried with gratitude.

18:00 (NY) We are looking for the bench where Salinger sat Caulfield. Naturally, in Central Park. It's an oasis amidst civilization. It's huge; walking the whole thing is unrealistic even in a week. We lay on the grass. Nastya was calmly chasing squirrels. Tanya was dreaming of Him, but Another was in her bag:) Oh, what fickle women we are!

20:00 (NY) "Girls, where is everyone going? Let's go too!" said Tanya, seeing a huge elevator taking crowds of people into the basement of a huge Apple building. Oh, yes! A bunch of laptops of various models. Ready for testing. But let's not forget that we are Russian. We just went on the internet and sat there until it got completely dark.

22:30 (NY) We are home. Our neighborhood is small and there are many Black people here. No, everyone here is Black. Opposite is a dry cleaner. How nice...

May 25

09:00 (NY) We woke up:) No wonder - free breakfast is only until 09:30. And we love freebies:) Not only did we stuff ourselves with delicious baked waffles, cereal with milk, but we also took buns, cheese, and cream for coffee with us. Instead of a glass of juice, we poured two bottles... Took them with us... mmm... yummy:)

11:00 (NY) Took the subway to CP. Naska went to the zoo, then we looked at her photos. Sunbathed on the grass again, watched people. So interesting! You can swear loudly or discuss someone right next to them:) And no one understands!!! It's indescribably cool. The main thing is to break this habit before Russia:)

And we also saw two guys, one of whom was rubbing the other's back... How cute... mmm...

15:00 (NY) To the airport. Planes soon. We are parting ways with Nastya. Sad. From the subway, we took a monorail train controlled by a computer. How far technology has come, we are moving forward, but without a driver!!!

We mixed up our terminal, but still made it safely. Waiting.

21:00 (NY) Boarding. Met a girl from Perm, she was flying to see a friend. Quite interesting.

We sat on the plane for an hour and a half. It turned out to be broken and they kicked us off, damn it. Jerks:(

The man in charge of boarding said a lot of incomprehensible words. And when I asked him to explain "slowly, because I'm from Russia," he started showing everything with his fingers, as if I were not only from Russia but also slow... This amused us a lot.

As a result, boarding was delayed by three hours. While waiting for another plane, our new acquaintance with a sparkle in her eyes said that she had just "seen Cameron Diaz," that she had talked to her, but "didn't let her take a photo." Oh, what a pity - we thought. And smiled condescendingly: it was so incredible and stupid.

00:00 (NY) Standing in line. Everyone is exhausted and tired. I turned around and... almost peed myself, sorry. Standing right behind us was an absolutely unmade-up... Cameron Diaz!!!!! I thought I had lost my mind. And I couldn't find anything better to say than:

• Excuse me, we are international students. Please, photo with you...
  So, from what she said, we only understood "no, otherwise everyone will want to, I'm sorry, forgive me." And finally, pointing at my teeth:
• I like this too
  AAA!!! She liked my rhinestone. God, I'm not living in vain:)

May 26

08:00 (NY) 05:00 (LA) Arrived. Soft landing to us:) The view of night America from the porthole is simply mind-blowing... Everything is in lights, everything is glowing and shimmering. All streets are strictly parallel to each other, as if drawn on a map. It's magical.

We are met by Alena and Jeff. Very wonderful people - we look at their couple and it takes our breath away: God grant everyone to love LIKE THIS... And to take such care of each other.

They are helping us out. And we are just afraid to even think about what would have happened to us if they weren't there...

And the time difference with you is now 13 hours...

We are living in yesterday.

10:00 (LA) Woke up, stretched. Had breakfast. And our Alenochka, skipping work, like a mom, led us everywhere: to apply for a Social Security Card, to look for work, gradually telling her story, her fairy tale...

13:00 (LA) At Universal City, we were told to fill out a resume on the website. In Ralphs and Jons stores, they sent us to the same place - to the endless depths of the internet space. How everything has become technological.... Okay, we are filling it out... Alena is helping us.... Watched a video from their wedding... You can't imagine what a fairy tale it is....

May 27

11:00 (LA) Took a local bus for the first time. To make it stop, you need to pull the string on the window:) "Pull the string, and the door will open" - we remembered a great children's fairy tale:)

15:00 (LA) Filled out a bunch of resumes on websites, went to the now-familiar Universal City. Talked kindly with everyone, not afraid to go into all the clothing, grocery, shoe, souvenir stores, cafes, etc., in a row...

So far, no results.

Thoughts appear that we will soon have to return: the bank account is not eternal... Almost despaired.

18:00 (LA) The always-positive Alena didn't let us be sad. She grabbed us, put us in the car, and took us to Hollywood, to the Walk of Fame:) A gorgeous place... Like we were in a movie.

I want to buy everything. Everything is inexpensive and so INSANELY beautiful.... But spending money is dangerous. There is no work. It's impossible to put into words... Just some kind of "anti-shopomania." We constantly exchanged phrases like "later," "wait," "we'll find something better"... It's hard, damn it... Besides, the always-quick I decided to overcome an obstacle in the form of a step-fence by jumping over it. But, naturally, having accelerated, I didn't notice the iron thing and crashed into it with my forehead with all my might. "And a star burns in the forehead"... And a little bit under the eye too:) But I saw a scattering of beautiful little stars...

22:00 (LA) Alena got us hooked on the wonderful series "Doyarka iz Katsapetovki"!!! Native, Russian... Watched it, not having time to follow the plot development. Under it, the girls went to the sleepy kingdom:) Good night and sweet dreams, as they say:)

May 28

Everything is still the same... We are looking-looking-looking...

Watching "Doyarka iz Kh.", the main character has become almost like family already:)

May 29

09:00 (LA) Wake up!!! We wake up the hostess and go to change her image. Well, not with our own hands, of course:)

10:30 (LA) Hair salon: Alenushka went to get highlights.

We are drinking a delicious cocktail and eating cookies:) At the same time, we are calling all the ads in the newspaper:) They set a meeting for Monday. And we don't seem to be in a hurry anywhere anymore... Oh...

12:30 (LA) We hear a Russian dialogue in a flower salon. I butt in with the phrase "do you have any work?". A girl named Inna, with beautiful teeth and relatives in Tyumen, with some special zeal writes down our numbers and promises to do everything possible:)

Alena came out - we didn't recognize her. Stunningly styled long hair, shimmering in the sun) And her eyes sparkled:)

And it doesn't matter at all that we, the slowpokes, were half an hour late for the appointment:)

13:00 (LA) Went to Beverly Hills!!!! 90210 is the ZIP!!!!! Never knew:)

13:30 (LA) Mini-tour with an unyielding guide (now with a new hairstyle) to the district of blue men... During the day they didn't show themselves as actively. But we learned their distinctive signs (tan, raised butt). There are many of them there, handsome, muscular, tanned. The main thing is they live calmly and confidently:)

14:00 (LA) Manicure and pedicure - the next step in the transformation of our princess:) And we, according to old good tradition, are looking for work.

15:00 (LA) It happened! Russian restaurant "Talisman". The great hostess Gulya. One vacancy. And Nastya's recommendation.

• Take us to work! We can do everything!
  An adult, lively Uzbek woman with an infectious laugh and a very smoky voice was amazed by our grip.
• Are you from Nastya?
• No! But if necessary, then from her too:)
  Result: exchanging phone numbers with her, with the cook (who is about to go to work at a film studio and, perhaps, will take us with him), and with the owner of the Russian (!) store "Tashkent":) Hope dies last!

16:00 (LA) The impressions from the nails overshadowed all emotions from Gulya:) Indescribable beauty:)

We arrive home. We wave to Jeff, who left with friends to walk on a warm Saturday evening.

And... we watch... "Doyarka iz Khatsapetovki"!!!!:)

21:00 (LA) The girls got bored. The girls want to party. The girls went for wine:)

Smoked "Hookah" (that's what they call it), drank wine, and chatted about everything in the world. With friend Olya, Jeff, and Denis. The evening was a success!:)

Red day on the calendar - first time I tried rosé wine. First time I drank in the USA:)

00:30 (LA) "Girls, two more episodes left! Shall we watch?"

Everyone fell asleep. I watched to the end:) The Happy End brought me to tears:) God, how sentimental I am after all...

P.S. And in America, when buying a glass of cola, you can pour drinks into it at any fast-food restaurant! We tried, it worked! Now we carry a glass with us:) Saving money!

May 30

13:00 (LA) I was woken up after all:) Hooray:) Ahead is "Russian Party"! We are in anticipation!

19:00 (LA) Before Party. Trying on Alenochka's wardrobe (we, wanting to save time and energy, didn't take "human clothes," preferring T-shirts and shorts to them)

21:00 (LA) Still dressed by the hospitable hostess, brightly made up and partly looking like the newly acquired "ID" (here we are still minors after all), having drunk some wine, we hurry to the long-awaited party.

22:00 (LA) In line, we memorize the texts: - I am Yaroslava Bostanzhieva. I am 23 years old. My Date of birth is October 11, 1988. So, according to the horoscope, I am LIBRA (I don't know how it will be in English, I'll show with my hands).

• Tanya - Alena Glushko (Interestingly, following us is our Alena, with exactly the same date of birth and zodiac sign. Only now Morgenstern) We are afraid. But a DJ friend of our "American parents" (very, by the way, famous in certain circles) leads us in without any problems. At the entrance, we get free CDs of his new album. And... we party!!!
  23:00 - 02:00 (LA) Club. Russian hits mixed with foreign ones. Russian men mixed with Americans, Armenians, Black people. Young and slim mixed with old and fat. The variety is initially scary. But after one portion of Jägermeister with Red Bull, the world becomes more beautiful!

Two halls - each with its own music. Open-air smoking area. Glass ceilings. Heat. Women selling roses. Men buying roses. Photographers. Flashes. Laughter. Fun. Chaos...

We had an indescribably fun time. These were moments of such night drive that we didn't want to leave!

In the bathroom, they leave tips, there you can use perfume and take a candy.

That Russian girls are in demand is not a myth. That every second person in America is a director is also not a myth. A business card of one of them (such a bald one with a beard, but a veeeery charismatic Nikita) ended up with me an hour later.

Besides directors, there are also pot-bellied ones nearby: one brought his number on a crumpled napkin (with a cute homemade signature "Tolik"), and another said "I want dance with you":) He ran away from my laughter:) But seriously, we played "I don't understand you at all" and parted on good terms.

The only miracle that caught my eye was Sasha. Has lived here for 10 years. Dances not bad. Decent face. But, as you know, the law of meanness works - he disappeared somewhere about 20 minutes after our all-consuming acquaintance:)

02:00 (LA) You can't drink. It's the law, you understand. The disco is being wrapped up and everyone is going home:) Tomorrow is a holiday:)

We unanimously agree that they rest longer in Russia and that's great! Pride for the Motherland overflows! Also overflowing is the amount drunk and the sleep coming over us:)

May 31

11:00 (LA) Memorial Day. A great holiday in America. They remember soldiers who died in various wars. Everyone has a day off! Alenka gathered the girls, we are going... to the ocean:)

13:00 (LA) After long wanderings along various Free Ways, after an hour of searching for parking, finally, we reach the long-awaited sight: a huge beach, crowds of people of various nationalities and colors - some in burqas, some naked... Some light, some dark. The only thing that unites these people: they are re-lax-ing! FOR REAL!!!

I saw the ocean for the first time. I never understood how it differs from the sea. Wet my feet - brrr.... the water is freezing, but the kids are swimming - it's a terrible thing what's happening:)

15:00 (LA) "Girls, is everyone hungry?" Yes! We are going to a Mexican restaurant. To start, a cocktail for everyone... mmm... Yummy:) The native "Pina Colada" reminds me of the no less native cafe "Assorti," which in turn reminds me of the dorm... Home, sweet home.

In order not to poison your stomachs, I won't reveal all the goodies:) But we were on a roll. The phrase of the evening was (in translation):

• Amigo, I want all the cocktails! I came to get drunk!
  That was Nastya unable to restrain the impulse of her pure, breaking-free Russian soul:)

Oh, girls, let's party:)

17:30 (LA) Damn, we came to sunbathe:) We even put on swimsuits... what is this?! Sun, where are you?.. It's getting cold. A photo with a lifeguard, five minutes on the warm sand, watching the huge space filled with crosses, crescents, and stars, imitations of coffins, and data on where and how many people died. That's it, home. Time to go home!

19:00 (LA) "I demand a continuation of the banquet," Nastya was indignant. And we went to the house of our "parents":) Previously, which is quite natural, we stop at a store for wine:) Aaaa, what was there:) We are few, but we are in striped vests, as they say:) They didn't want to sell alcohol, and we didn't want to leave without it.

Nastya, Alena, you just look young:) This is not a reason for sadness! This is a reason to "continue in the same spirit!".

23:30 (LA) The wine is drunk. The vital forces of the day are running out. Before going to sleep, we are watching the new series "Vanechka" (well, not about him, not about him - if anyone thought so).