Chapter 5 - Nikolai - encounter in the metro

I’ve become acutely aware how reading an English language book in the metro can single you out as either a foreigner or snobby Ukrainian learning English. Unfortunately the minute I open my mouth and say anything in Russian, everyone realizes that I’m of the former group. This is what happened one late night as I was returning from work.

I was standing on the platform of Sovietskaya metro, minding my own business, reading a bit of Plato’s Republic when this young man came up and stood very close to me reading my book over my shoulder - a disconcerting action in and of itself! Then just as the train pulled up and everyone on the platform pushed and shoved their way into the carriage this bloke starts asking me about my book.
- What is it? "Платон, Ресбулика."
- Have you read Stephen King? "Нет."
These questions lead into the obvious…
- Are you Canadian? "Нет."
- Where do you come from? "Америка, Колорадо."
We push and shove our way onto the train carriage…
- What are you doing here? "Я учительница Английского языка."
- How long will you be here? "Шесть месяца."
And so on and so forth…

This went on for the duration of the metro ride back to my stop - Холодна Гора (Cold Mountain). Finally as we arrived at the station before my own the stranger introduced himself as Николай (Nikolai). He expressed his excitement for having met and talked with me and I reciprocated, though with less enthusiasm as I was still rather wary of meeting strangers in the metro. He exited the carriage, the doors closed behind him and I was able to again concentrate on Plato. About five minutes later we arrived at the end of the metro line and my stop. As I left the station I was relieved not to be accosted by anymore English language enthusiasts. It was another interesting experience in the day of the life of a Native Speaker in Kharkov.

[Disclaimer: The conversation quoted above took place entirely in Russian (and pigeon Russian), I have translated parts of it here for those readers who do not speak that beautiful language.]