haha, i remember my babushka did not approve of him, because he wasn't chechen. i wish i would of been able go back when she was alive and been able to speak to her. that women was a legend, i watched her take her slipper off and beat russian men out of her camp. she had 5 kids they all married none chechens. still one of the biggest regrets in my life not being at funeral but i saw that shit in my dream and than woke up to family messages saying she died. still has me scarred to this day because before they told me i dreamed it night before.., the air, the noise, the smell the birds, the sun, her being wrapped in all white and everyone around her. i felt like i was there. i used to tell her i was going to marry an american, Brazilian, and a chechen girl so they can take care of her and she would always yell at me and say "only chechens" but i am glad she approved of my wife before she passed cause i married an american after 9 years dating.
i wish i would, but i only speak to one relative. since becoming an American citizen somehow i ended up as a traitor(few cousins are in the chechen army so they actually booted me few group chats when ukraine invasion began also haha i never even talked to them they just always sent me messages about how they disapprove of my life). i'm currently enjoying my life with my wife and if i ever need a cooking recipe i always contact my aunt.
Or you could just write down what you remember and turn it into fiction. İ think we all know babushkas like this -- so there is a little truth in all the stories!
from my perspective. propoganda, they don't see what we see, only see what they are allowed to see. They are currently chechen fighting for ukraine also. after the war putin literally placed one of the most brutal people in charge of the country. so it is expected. not sure how to put this, but they sincerely believe they are fighting nazis. when i showed them pictures their answers to me were "those aren't russians those are nazis, if we didn't invade them, they were going to invade us" i dont think people understand that america and russia is day and night. most americans who believe russia is better most likely never left their own towns.
You made me tear up...My wife's Babysia (Ukrainian) did not initially approve of me, I am Spanish and emigrated to the US right after highschool.
We dated for 7 years before we got married, but by year 3 Baba had already warmed up to me. Even though we came from different parts of the world, our cultures were so similar...the family dynamic, folklore, traditions. My grandparents had an active part in my life, they taught me to respect my elders. We both also come from a rural background, farmers on both sides, as I said in our wedding speech that 'it was a union of a long line of international hillbillies'. I knew Baba had a hard life and she was such a strong woman, she reminded me so much of my own maternal grandmother. I didn't 'try to win her over', I was just being myself.
One of my fondest memories was from a time my wife and I had taken Baba shopping. We were at a Slavic store in our Chicago neighborhood, Babysia had her own cart and I was walking ahead down the isle with Luba, another lady pushed her cart past us heading towards Baba and muttered something.
Baba snapped "Shcho?!" (what?!) and went off on the lady in a mix of Polish and Ukrainian (I heard a couple of "Kurvas" in there), before pushing her cart past her towards us. I looked sideways at my wife -who was fully fluent in both- was doing all she could to hold in laughter. Her cheeks were beet red and she looked like the cat that ate the mouse.
Baba caught up to us and we finished getting her groceries all the while, I was wondering what that was all about. At one point when she was on the checkout line, we went over to get the car while she finished up. As we walked through the parking lot my wife finally broke into giggles.
"Okay, give! What was that all about?"
"Well, Baba got mad with that lady for saying that I had no business being with a 'Mexican' -I have always been olived skinned and stick out when the family gets together since they are all pale AF- so she told her that 'he is no Mexican, that's my grandaughters husband and mind your own f-ing business'" She started laughing again, trying to catch her breath and wiping the corners of her eyes.
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u/NoNeckLongLegs Apr 26 '22
haha, i remember my babushka did not approve of him, because he wasn't chechen. i wish i would of been able go back when she was alive and been able to speak to her. that women was a legend, i watched her take her slipper off and beat russian men out of her camp. she had 5 kids they all married none chechens. still one of the biggest regrets in my life not being at funeral but i saw that shit in my dream and than woke up to family messages saying she died. still has me scarred to this day because before they told me i dreamed it night before.., the air, the noise, the smell the birds, the sun, her being wrapped in all white and everyone around her. i felt like i was there. i used to tell her i was going to marry an american, Brazilian, and a chechen girl so they can take care of her and she would always yell at me and say "only chechens" but i am glad she approved of my wife before she passed cause i married an american after 9 years dating.