Okay, this is how much worse it could get. Since my family already had the embarrassing winter months out of the way, they obviously couldn't ignore the summer. Summer in New York City can become unbearable, especially for girls and their hair. My mother decided it was too hot outside and decided to cut it into the style of a military man going through basic training. They don't have extreme heat problems in Russia and so the thought of putting my hair in a pony tail escaped her.

The older I got, the easier it was to escape my Russian roots. But sometimes, living in a Russian home is enough to give it away. You see, Russian people LOVE onions. If there's a pot on the stove, an onion will most likely be involved. Eating them is okay, but smelling like them is definitely a problem. If only I could be Italian and smell like Parmesan cheese all the time. Ohhh, Parmesan cheese....