Sometimes I like it here

OK, so I had a funny experience today while I was trying to get a little sunshine in my afternoon. I was running my course proofs for Autumn 2010 over to the Registrar--late, of course--and bumped into a trio of people standing in a hallway looking a bit lost. The woman, this blonde, blue-eyed beauty with a heavy Russian accent stops me.

bbb: Excuse me, could you tell me where the bookstore is?

Me (looking around to be sure she meant me): Um, well, are you looking for the bookstore that sells books or the other bookstore?

bbb: Ah, (speaks Russian to her partners, after a moment of gesticulating by the older men I realize they want souvenirs based on the umbrella pantomime one just performed) these gentlemen would like souvenirs. Is there such a place?

Me: Sure, yeah. That's the bookstore. You want to go out those doors and down, cut across the quads, and then between some buildings....

bbb: (translating all of this)

Me:...you know, never mind. I have to take these papers over to another building so I'll walk you part of the way.

Older gent #1: Dank yiou.

bbb: These gentlemen are two of the top economists in Russia. He (pointing at older gent #1) is the top economic scholar from St. Petersburg and he (pointing at older gent #2) is the top scholar in Moscow. They were here visiting Roger B. Myerson (totally didn't know this guy was a Nobel Laureate. He walks by my window every day). I am just their translator.

Me: (as we emerge outside) Oh, they really got lucky with the weather today! The quads are in full bloom.

bbb: (translating to them and then to me) Yes since the weekend was so bad. What are the quads?

Me: These squares (pointing to buildings and grassy areas) are the quads.

We talk and chit chat and I hear older gent #2 speak to her, she laughs.

bbb: He thinks that the scenes of the labyrinth in Alice in Wonderland must have been filmed here. This is very confusing.

Me: It is. And, all these buildings connect, too, so in winter you don't actually have to go outside. I can move from one side of the quads to the other without stepping outside.

bbb translates.

Me: This campus has been used in a bunch of movies, like "When Harry Met Sally" and "The Fugitive".

bbb translates, older gent #1 asks a question.

bbb: "The Fugitive"?

Me: Yes, you know the movie with....(and I draw a complete blank)...um, not Jack Nicholson...ummm....you know the guy, he's in a lot of movies....oh! yeah! He was Han Solo?

Older gent #1, very excited: Han Solo!

bbb: Not Harrison Ford? He was Han Solo, right?

Me: Yes! Harrison Ford!

Older gent #1 talking to older gent #2: (lots of Russian...) Han Solo! Yes! Yes!

Older gent #2: Han Solo! (and turns and smiles really big at me)

Yep. I think I left the top Russian economists thinking that "Star Wars" was filmed right here. My contribution to US/Russian relations. Excellent Monday.