Of Skinny Russians and Obese Americans.

People’s reactions to a newborn baby are hilarious.   Worthy of a book in itself.  Israeli women demand a closer look, sometimes a cuddle, and then make some sort of instructional comment.  The Russians, it seems have never seen a sling before.  Bizarre really as  I am sure buggies haven’t been around that long.  Today’s morning in the park was no different.  The usual crowd.  First there was Crazy Grandma with the gold fillings.  (I know its a bit mean to call her crazy as she is really friendly but I have never managed to extract her name).  She did her usual thing of babbling away to me in her strange language – she looks and sounds nepalese but seems also to communicate with the russians.   She positively adores Jojo and Yaron.  Then there’s the Golden Girls as I call them.  A group of four trendy russian grandmas all with blonde hair, accompanying their grandaughters dolled up in frilly dresses.  They normally nod at me and make comments about Jojo which I cant understand, but always smile politely assuming they are positive.  Lastly, there are the group known affectionately as The Bubbas, who congregate in the shaded bench area between Clalit (Doctors Surgery) and the park, and they always stare at me.  Today, two of them approached me and made the usual signs to show me that they were concerned as to whether Yaron could breathe in his sling.  Of course he can, I told them in hebrew (which they seemed to struggle with).  Then of course they are concerned about his neck “wouldn’t he be more comfortable lying down in a buggy? where he can stretch out” er, no I told them.  He likes being close to his mummy, and the action.  It always amuses me how that generation genuinely believe that a baby would rather lie flat all alone on an inert buggy staring up at the hood than huddled against their mothers, as they have done since the beginning of time.  As far as they are concerned, babies belong in buggies, cots and car seats.  How sodding miserable.

Actually it seems Russian parenting is very different to Israeli, I actually don’t think they enjoy being around kids.  In fact I dont think these dames enjoy anything which makes them feel “old”.  It seems materialism is very important to them.  I once commented to a friend on how the younger women dress for the makolet as if they are going out on the town, and she informed me that Karmiel is nothing! Apparantly in Russia this is the norm.  Women starve themselves so that they can afford designer clothes (and get into them).  How terribly sad.  An entire nation who have such poor self esteem that they would rather be stylish than healthy.  How depressing.  Interestingly, it seems the exact opposite of the american obesity/size xxxL  t-shirt phenomena, where people let it all hang out.   I look forward to seeing what these two seemingly conflicting cultures bring to the holy land.

On the same note, is anyone else besides me following Neighbours? I was just wondering if anyone else might have noticed that Steph, just days after giving birth, seems to be in full makeup and back into her skinny jeans again.  Not even a trace of a bump nor a bad hair day.  WTF???