So, this weekend, Oksana went to the mall while I drove Nasreen to the Halal grocer. We purchased some Allah-blessed meat so that she can eat something other than eggs and fish, and then drove back to the mall to retrieve Oksana.
Thirty minutes before our return, I texted Oksana, warning her we were on the way. But when we arrived she didn't respond to either phone calls or texts. After 10 exasperating minutes, I started driving home.
A few minutes later, Oksana called, wondering where I was and telling me how she was "trapped" in line at Express without cellular reception, and had been trying desperately to call and text me.
Without adding the boring additional details, let me just say that I had to let Oksana know that I couldn't come back to the mall to get her, and she needed to find out where and when the bus to our area could be picked up.
"Don't you care about me?" she asked.
*deep breath* (fortunately this is not my first day interacting with teenagers) "Yes, Oksana, I do care about you, but I can not come get you, and you need to find out how to get on the bus."
"Well, I don't even know if I want to come home."
"I think I would feel exactly the same if I was in your shoes right now, but I can't change the situation."
Thankfully, about 3 hours later she walked in the front door, safe and sound.
And I don't think she hitchhiked.
Another successful cross-cultural experience tucked under O's designer belt: navigating public transport on her own! Kudos to Oksana!
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