Chivalry is Alive and Well Here in Russia

today, i got picked up by a 20-yr old russian student.  i think.  here's what happened.  my friend and colleague julie-ann and i took a walk to a grocery store about 10 min away from the office.  we needed some air, and to stretch our legs.  while shopping, a storm rolled in.  btw, july is the RAINIEST month in moscow.  there has been a thunderstorm nearly every day so far.  june, too!  and they come in fast and strong.  typically don't last long.  it's like living in the mountains again!  so bizarre.  the coolest part is that you can see them rolling in, and then you run for cover before the downpour is unleashed.  ANYWAY, so while we were shopping a storm rolled in.  neither of us thought to bring our umbrellas or rain jackets, as it was perfectly sunny when we left the office.  as we stood under the store's awning watching the pouring rain and pondering our options, a young gentleman approached us, opened his large umbrella, and beckoned us under.  we tried to explain we had a long way to walk, but he wouldn't hear of it.  so, off we went!  was a bit awkward starting out, trying to find the best configuration for him to hold the umbrella, and all three of us to fit underneath.  but we fell into an easy gait and introduced ourselves.  he was timor, a russian student from nizhny novgorod, here in moscow to get a work permit from the czech embassy so he could study at a university in prague.  he is pursuing his masters in technical engineering.  he spoke a little english, more than i spoke russian, but i tried to say as much as possible in what little russian i do know.  it was a pleasantly awkward walk to the office.  when we arrived, it had stopped raining.  and as he was closing his umbrella, he asked if he could get my number, "so we could maybe go walking again?"  if he were 20 years older i would have taken him up on it.  instead, i did give him my email address, gently thanked him, and sent him on his way.  now, whether he was trying to pick me up or not, i don't really care.  what was so pleasant, was that he walked us all the way to our office, protecting us from the rain.  that did not surprise me here, where chivalry is alive and well.  men get up from their seats for ladies, always let women pass through doorways first, hold doors open for women, husbands hold their wives purses at parties.  there are very defined roles for men and women socially here, which is kind of nice, actually.  it's like the US in the 1950's, but women hold high-level positions in the workplace.  otherwise, the chivalry, the high heels and low-cut blouses are the same.  ha ha!

anyway, i thought it was a distinctly russian experience, and i appreciated it very much.