A Matryoshka Doll, also known as a Russian Nesting Doll is a set of wooden dolls of decreasing sizes placed one inside another. The first set of Russian doll was carved in the year 1890 by a Russian artist named Vasily Zvyozdochkin (repeat 3x for a quick tongue twist) from a design by Sergey Malyutin. The design principle behind the Russian Doll was patterned after the simple onion bulb with its skin that will reveal the same onion skin within when peeled. How exciting is that.
Russian Dolls showcase the artistry and craftsmanship of the Russian people and their love for elaborate designs. Consider the amount of time involved in creating a set of Matryoshka Doll as it is carefully carved out and painted to perfection. Indeed, you can't rush art. And you can't haggle, I mean, it's a shame, haggling on a piece of art. A Russian Doll is priceless, timeless, a thing of beauty to behold, such as these squad of dolls we found at Red Square tiangge's ( souvenir stalls).
And so to you, my favorite Russian Doll, hear me when I say... even with those small crumbs on the corner of your tiny lips...
You are beautiful. You were ready for this kind of life. I was amazed at how well you handled yourself since the day we got here; with ease and no complications. You ate the food they ate here, you wore the clothes they wore here, and you walked the way they walked here, in a stride, in a straight line. And you were enjoying it. Not only were you vacuuming the house and mopping floors but also you were cooking the family's breakfast. All of these, just before school time. Then I see you slay Goliath under the guise of Algebra and Chemistry; with one stone you slew your enemies. And sometimes even with tears on your eyes you recite, "I can do ALL things through Christ Who strengthens me!" Philippians 4:13) How blessed is a mother to have you for a daughter my favorite Russian Doll.
Matipid. You look up the internet for the English translation to this Tagalog word and it generates words like "economical" or "frugal spending." But I would like to bring this word to a higher distinction of Godly character; more than just being matipid, you are a faithful steward. In Tagalog we call it mabuting katiwala, with the perspective that everything belongs to God and we are just carers and stewards of things that are temporal. You look over Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary where he further explains that "it is required in stewards that a man ( or a woman )be found faithful (1 Corinthians 4:1)." Look at this picture of your three year-old Stabilo markers and your two-inch long, err, short Faber Castell pencil below.
The empty marmalade jar that you recycled to be used as your personal effects holder.
This empty sparkling wine bottle that you are keeping for future use.
My dear Russian Doll, it is worth affirming that besides being matipid, you also exuded a certain sense of simplicity and contentment in you as revealed in our conversations a while back. Simplicity in that you repeatedly told your father and I that you're agreeing to go to the mall with us because you had our permission to buy only black outfits. That is how simple you will be.
"Are you threatening us about you buying all black outfits?"
"No. I'm just informing you so you won't get surprised."
"But why all black?" "It is called grunge. No pink, no flowers, no frills. It's simple and it's my kind of fashion, please."
You were contented for the staples you have in your wardrobe, some pairs of jeans, some T-shirts and that you were fine with mixing and matching them every once in awhile. But we've had this kind of conversation before, to the point of "argue-sation", much like taming a screw. We were informed ahead of time that as expats living in Moscow, while in public places like malls, parks, or in the streets, a politsiya may summon you and ask for your passport. That's all right. Just show them your passport. It's legal SOP even if we're law-abiding expat tax-payers here. Do not panic.
My dear Russian Doll, you were prepared for this kind of life. We all knew that there will come a time that we may face the unavoidable no matter how we shun the possibility of dealing with the politsiyas. It is part of the choice we made as an OFW ( overseas Filipino workers ) family. And so your father and I agreed that we will do our best to look our very best at all times in order to not catch their attention albeit our exotic looks being Asians with our brown skin and dark hair. We will camouflage.
Your father handed you your shopping money and I could tell that you have resolved to not spend all of it on a shopping spree. You knew what you wanted, something cheap but chic, bearing in mind what your father advised you to look out for in clothes to wear; those clean lines that are modest and not frilly, something that befits a stunning morena like you as he winked his eye. You gave your father a dagger look because you couldn't draw the line between awkward and flattery, my Russian Doll. But deep inside, you giggled, because you value every single word your father say about you. Your father has defined for you the true meaning of beauty; those clean lines that are modest and not frilly, something that befits a stunning morena like you as he winked his eye- and his voice always echoed deep down to your heart. And to you that has become your standard of beauty and not based on the number of thumbs sticking up on social media.
You got a few pieces of these for a bargain price of 499 Russian rubles each. Did we agree that these shirts cost cheaper than the ones we have back home at Tiendesitas?
It has become a habit of ours to have this handy-dandy currency converter app all the time because we always want to keep track of our spending.
And Russian Doll, this made you happy and feeling accomplished for the day because you knew that you have contributed something of value to our family; to be matipid, simple, and content. With all my biases on every lines of this post, I would like to tell you that these characters that you showed were admirable, bloggable.
