Incomplete understanding

“как будет это по русский? (kak budet eta paruskee – or – What is this called in Russian?)” I ask the nice woman behind the counter at the corner store as I point to a liter bottle of 7UP. I’m just curious if maybe they call it “syem verh,” (literally, seven up) or if perhaps they just say “seven up” like we do. The woman puts on her “man-this-guy-must-be-dumb” face as she replies, “севен ап – syeven ahp – seven up.” She might have even rolled her eyes. I couldn’t help but laugh and accept my change.

I’ve been meaning to write recently about some of the major things that are going on here, and some of my first impressions (or better my first extended impressions) after having lived two months at my site. There are many things that have been very different for me about this country, and others I have pretty easily adapted to. However, I made a list the other day of things that I don’t quite understand. They are:
1. The grading scale at the school goes from 1-5. However, when students don’t do their homework, or completely fail a test, we still give them 2s. 3 is a passing grade, and so a whole term of almost all 2s and a few 3s will somehow still pass. So, I wanted to give some students 1s for when they don’t do any work, therefore making them have to actually do some work to bring their grade back up to passing. I asked my counterpart, and she said she had to ask the administration, which she did. The word from on high came back, “You can’t give 1s.” Why is there a 1 if you can’t give it?
2. Oblast akims (mayor/governor) aren’t elected by the people. I’m not supposed to discuss political matters, especially on the widely circulated medium of the internet, so I’ll leave it at that.
3. The hole in the bottom of the toilet bowl is in the front of the bowl, not directly below your evacuation chute. Instead, there is a ledge where your unused food sits until you flush it down, frequently requiring a follow-up cleaning with a toilet brush. I like to call it the poop pedestal, and it baffles me.
4. Students, especially at the University (who I hear about from Mike), expect things they haven’t earned. This goes back to the first point about grades. He has students who, at the end of the grading term, come to class for the first time and say, “Mr. Mesquita, you gave me a 0 for class a few weeks back. Can I get a 5?” Mike asks, “Are you in my class?” The reply: “yes.” Mike: “I’ve never seen you before.” Student: “So what about that 5?” Things have been handed to them without any work. The end product, the result, the big picture is rarely considered. They are focused on the process. “I studied all night before the test, that should get me a passing grade.” “I’m glad to hear you spent time studying for the test – how did you do?” “Oh, I failed it.” “Hmmm.” “So how about that 5?”