I interviewed a young mom last week for my research, and she mentioned getting a massage as something she did when she found time for herself.
I couldn’t resist finding out for myself what relaxations Novgorod had to offer, with the weather slushy and the usual entertainment options–smoky dance halls filled with half-dressed teenagers or beating yourself with damp birch branches in a babushka-filled steam room–far from relaxing.
The mom was generous enough to answer my off-topic query. She sent me contact information for a facial masseuse ($3 for a 1/2 hour massage!) and an osteopath.
Facial massage I can handle. Even enjoy. But osteopath? In Russia? I have a healthy fear of Russian hospitals, from friends’ study abroad horror stories–hospital beds decked out in leopard-print sheets and duct-taped Adidas sandals for hospital slippers, or prescriptions for drugs that were outlawed in the United States in the 1970s. On the other hand, we have Russian friends in the U.S. who have traveled back to Russia especially to consult with Russian doctors.
What do you think? Should I let myself be palpitated back to health?
