Hello again!
Well, I officially finished my second week here in Moscow. My classmates and I went out for sushi to celebrate (ok, so we weren’t celebrating my being here, we just wanted sushi…). Was absolutely delicious. I guess it doesn’t hurt that we were at our Japanese friends’ favorite Japanese restaurant… They basically ordered the entire menu. Seriously. Tea, two boat-loads of sushi, three types of tempura, shrimp spring rolls, tempura sushi, more sushi, sashimi, miso soup, sake (the best sake I’ve ever had, not that I have had lots), and, to top it all off, green tea ice cream with sweet rice balls and red soy beans. That may sound weird to you, but it was awesome. (sigh) So tasty. They treated us all as a “cultural exchange.” It was a blast. Oh yeah, and the name of the Japanese restaurant? - Japanese Restaurant. Appropriate, no?
I start individual classes on Monday. Do not quite know the schedule, or how it will work, or where I’m supposed to go…but I’ve come to expect a lack of information. I am looking forward to it, but will miss my current class. I will probably ask if I can sit in on it at least once a week. They were far too advanced for poor, little me, and it was hard to learn, but my listening comprehension has improved rapidly and it’s been a lot of fun. As Jason aptly put it, there gets a point where it stops being a challenge and starts becoming impossible to learn. I wonder if I could do a mixture of both…
That’s it for now. I still don’t have any bananas and I fear to go back to the store. Am doing some sightseeing this weekend and went out with Joe. More on that later.
Oh yeah, that reminds me. Apparently, it’s supposed to get really cold in February. Really cold. As in cars stop working cold. Now, when I came, I thought it was cold. You stick a Florida girl in negative degrees and she’s going to think it’s cold. Being a Florida girl, I have an ingrained hate of clothing (really, jeans and a t-shirt is about all you are going to get out of me) which proved to be stronger than my fear of the cold. I have barely forced myself into a hat and gloves, let alone scarves and layers. That, I presume, is going to change. It’s supposed to get -38 degrees Celsius. I don’t want to even figure out what that will be in Fahrenheit. Blech. Thus, I am going to try to get my sightseeing out of the way when I can. Wish me luck!
Loves to all!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Moscow's White Cherry Blossoms
Moscow is absolutely stunning in winter. I woke up yesterday, only to look outside my window to see a world of white. Granted, there is always snow everywhere, but usually it’s relatively old and starting to turn unappetizing colors. During the night, it must have snowed because everything – the trees, the buildings, the cars – was dusted with white. It looks like God throw powered sugar on everything. The trees, though, are the most stunning. During the winter, most are completely bare, bestowing upon them a haunting feel, like a poignant melody hanging on its last breath. In the summer, apparently, they turn colors and bare apples. Now, with the snow clinging to them like leaves, they look (as one of my friends aptly put it) like Moscow’s own white cherry blossoms. The sky turned this odd grey-green color right before the sun came out, bathing the snow with light for only the second time since I’ve been here. I can remember few things as beautiful. Needless to say, I didn’t get much work done in class. I spent too much time gazing outside like a silly schoolgirl with her first crush. :D
It’s moments like these that remind me that I am in one of the most vibrant, beautiful cities in the world having an opportunity few others get the chance to experience. I feel like Anthony Bourdein on one of his more uplifting jaunts. Fun times, great food, and amazing friends. What more could a girl ask for?
With that, I will cease with the corny, passionate waxing. I’m off to take pictures and find that snowman I heard about… Loves to all!
It’s moments like these that remind me that I am in one of the most vibrant, beautiful cities in the world having an opportunity few others get the chance to experience. I feel like Anthony Bourdein on one of his more uplifting jaunts. Fun times, great food, and amazing friends. What more could a girl ask for?
With that, I will cease with the corny, passionate waxing. I’m off to take pictures and find that snowman I heard about… Loves to all!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
That's Not a Banana, That's a BANANA
Went on another shopping trip today. Great adventure. Who would have thought that grocery shopping could be like a bad suspense movie. Action, adventure, crazy mobs, getting yelled at by angry women... Oh the joys of Russia! I will continue to say this, the food is awesome! Two fresh (I mean, super fresh) baguettes - $.30, a loaf of bread (don't ask me what it is) - $.50, two homemade bagels $.20, and two rasberry pastries $.50. A memorable trip to a Russian grocery store - well, $15, but still...
I tried to buy some bananas, thinking this would be an easy process. Oh no, that would be sensible. You need to pick said bananas, weigh them, press special buttons that spit out a tag (ok, I admit, that part was fun), and then stick said tag on bananas. Overall, not too bad. Or so I thought. But, no, no, no. Apparently, there are many different kinds of bananas. And each one has a separate tag. Of course, the special little buttons don't indicate said difference, but all good Russians know the difference. I think this was once of the things Dr. Denner taked about when he said Russians don't want foreigners to fit in. So, after I got yelled at for using the wrong tag and watched my lovely bananas be taken away (the horror! my poor bananas! what if they are mean to them!), I was promptly yelled at again.
The Russians are super paranoid about shop-lifting. When you enter the store, all large bags must be scanned, enclosed in these plastic bags and then air-zipped. It's a pain. So, last time, I bought a reusable plastic bag (being the good environmentalist that I am), and put it in my tiny purse. Too small to be zipped-up. When I got to the register, I took said reusable bag out of my pursue under the watchful eyes of the cash-register-lady and moved to put groceries in the bag. She promptly bursts out into violent spasms of rage, yelling at me in some foreign language, cursing at, what I can only assume, my mother, my heritage, and my sense of style (those Russians are serious about their fashion). Apparently, I needed to have my grocery bag zipped up, even though (folded up), it is about the size of my hand and was safely secured in my purse. Of course, how could I have been so stupid.
Anyways, I finally got out of the grocery store alive (with nothing I put on my list, too much bread, and reindeer sasauge because it was funny). And then my knee promptly gave out, leaving me stranded miles from the university with groceries. At least I didn't have to carry my bananas as well...
That's about all for now. Am working on classes (they made sense yesterday! OMG! Today, less so), am still beng stoped by guards (and am currently being glared at by the cafe's security - snicker), and my battery is dying. Loves to all! TTFN!
I tried to buy some bananas, thinking this would be an easy process. Oh no, that would be sensible. You need to pick said bananas, weigh them, press special buttons that spit out a tag (ok, I admit, that part was fun), and then stick said tag on bananas. Overall, not too bad. Or so I thought. But, no, no, no. Apparently, there are many different kinds of bananas. And each one has a separate tag. Of course, the special little buttons don't indicate said difference, but all good Russians know the difference. I think this was once of the things Dr. Denner taked about when he said Russians don't want foreigners to fit in. So, after I got yelled at for using the wrong tag and watched my lovely bananas be taken away (the horror! my poor bananas! what if they are mean to them!), I was promptly yelled at again.
The Russians are super paranoid about shop-lifting. When you enter the store, all large bags must be scanned, enclosed in these plastic bags and then air-zipped. It's a pain. So, last time, I bought a reusable plastic bag (being the good environmentalist that I am), and put it in my tiny purse. Too small to be zipped-up. When I got to the register, I took said reusable bag out of my pursue under the watchful eyes of the cash-register-lady and moved to put groceries in the bag. She promptly bursts out into violent spasms of rage, yelling at me in some foreign language, cursing at, what I can only assume, my mother, my heritage, and my sense of style (those Russians are serious about their fashion). Apparently, I needed to have my grocery bag zipped up, even though (folded up), it is about the size of my hand and was safely secured in my purse. Of course, how could I have been so stupid.
Anyways, I finally got out of the grocery store alive (with nothing I put on my list, too much bread, and reindeer sasauge because it was funny). And then my knee promptly gave out, leaving me stranded miles from the university with groceries. At least I didn't have to carry my bananas as well...
That's about all for now. Am working on classes (they made sense yesterday! OMG! Today, less so), am still beng stoped by guards (and am currently being glared at by the cafe's security - snicker), and my battery is dying. Loves to all! TTFN!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Vhat izz thees 'sun' you speeek of?
Hello again!
I decided to actually sit down and write a decent blog post consisting of more than me just looking suspiciously from side to side and repeatedly telling you all the time and date. Mostly, I’m just avoiding work.
Dad left on Monday after a final two day blow-out consisting of me getting very little sleep and eating a lot of food. The food was great; the lack of sleep less so. Go figure that I would need my dad to act like a proper college student…
I can’t quite remember what I have talked about in my other posts (I’ve done a lot more than I posted – oh I long for the days when internet was cheap and readily available), so please excuse me if I repeat myself. I’m sure there is a lot of stuff I will miss, so please also continue to send me emails berating me for the lack of depth and just anything interesting in my posts. I really should be sleeping…
Campus is absolutely beautiful. It is one of Stalin’s Seven Sisters, if that tells you anything. The main building is so large it is its own zip code. Yes, that’s right – one building is an entire zip code. It was built to hold 30,000 people and now also consists of multiple stores, classrooms, restaurants, and random post offices (not, of course, that I can receive mail). I live in Sector “zh” with my lovely suitemate, Susan, who has been an incredible help. She’s been here since September and has patiently answered all my questions from how to open the bloody doors around this place (a feat of epic proportions, I assure you) to why the guards seem to take pleasure in stopping random students and harassing them (apparently, you need to show them all your passes in order to get through – something that is very difficult when you have not been given said passes). Classes are still messed up, but I’m hoping for the best. My classmates, who have been another big help, have taken pity on me and offered to take me out for sushi (there are massive amounts of sushi restaurants around). I am quite excited since two of said classmates happen to be Japanese diplomats. I figure they know a thing or two about sushi… I haven’t made it to any of my internships yet and probably won’t be able to until classes work out, but have started on some more translations. Unfortunately, the internet café in the main building is lacking internet access and I must trudge across campus (it takes around 10 minutes to walk from my end of the main building to the front) and pay outrageous amounts of money to angry women in order to use the internet.
Mostly, I’ve been hanging out with dad and Joe. It’s been a lot of fun and I has given me a study abroad experience like no other (and I’m only at the end of week one). Joe has been more help than I ever imagined and I will be eternally grateful. I have experienced grocery shopping at 4:00 in the morning (we could learn a thing or two about food from Russia, seriously) and learned how to work gypsy taxis. Gypsy taxis (as some of you might know from Jason’s blog) are unofficial taxis. Basically, people who want to make a few extra bucks will pull over on the side of the road and take you where you need to go. They are about 10x cheaper than official taxis and a lot more fun. Granted, as a general rule, foreigners (and women in general) are warned to stay away, but Joe knows what he’s doing and has an irrational fear of my metro. Ah, the metro. My one and only true love. The savior to the lazy and directionally challenged. But I digress. Do not worry, mother. I will stay away from the taxis when I’m on my own. Scouts honor.
It has been unseasonably warm here. In fact, I went to a restaurant yesterday and they (wait for it) turned on the air conditioning. Air conditioning. In Moscow. In January. The past couple of days, it has rained instead of snowed. This has made everything slick with ice (even the snow has a layer of ice on top of it) and thus relatively dangerous. And amusing. Nothing is funnier than watching a woman in 4 inch high heels and a floor length fur coat flail wildly in an attempt not to ruin said fur coat by falling into a pile of sludge. I have not, I am proud to say, fallen even once.
Of course, my next blog post will probably come from a hospital where I am staying for breaking my leg after falling on the ice. But until then, I will continue to use it as my personal skating rink while everything shakes their heads at the crazy amerikanka. Granted, I’ve already busted my knee (according to dad, I might have a menicious tear), but I blame that on my inability to watch out for stationary objects. Speaking of vicious objects, a word to those in Moscow during the winter: walk far, far away from the edge of buildings. Caution tape is strung along the sides of buildings all over Moscow and I finally figured out why. Massive icicles form on buildings and kill a couple dozen people a year. Go figure.
I have also been warned away from dogs. Large packs of stray dogs roam around Moscow. Mostly, they supposedly leave people alone. The dogs do what they please and the humans let them go through the gates first. Just don’t feed them, I was told. And what happens my first day there? This old baboosha decides to feed one of the dogs which then comes after me. (sigh) I do not look like a tasty meal. I’m far too scrawny. But all is good. Hannah and doggie are now friends. Wait, where was I?
Ah, yes, the weather. I have heard many people complain about how Moscow is always dark. I prepared myself for a lack of light and being forced to stay in my room until April. And it is true. The sun does not exist in Moscow. I was having a conversation with a Russian woman and tried to describe to her how odd it was to never see the sun. I don’t think she knew what I was talking about when I said the word sun. Ha. (They also don’t understand the concept of cereal. Poor, deprived Russian people). But actually, it is always light here. Always. There are so many artificial lights that it is perpetually dawn. My internal clock shalt never straighten itself out. But all the light makes me feel relatively safe walking around at all hours of day and night. Moscow never sleeps. That must be why everyone is so cranky…
That’s all for now. I need to do some work and get some sleep lest I become one of the cranky Moscow people (Moscowites? Moscownians?). Loves to all!
I decided to actually sit down and write a decent blog post consisting of more than me just looking suspiciously from side to side and repeatedly telling you all the time and date. Mostly, I’m just avoiding work.
Dad left on Monday after a final two day blow-out consisting of me getting very little sleep and eating a lot of food. The food was great; the lack of sleep less so. Go figure that I would need my dad to act like a proper college student…
I can’t quite remember what I have talked about in my other posts (I’ve done a lot more than I posted – oh I long for the days when internet was cheap and readily available), so please excuse me if I repeat myself. I’m sure there is a lot of stuff I will miss, so please also continue to send me emails berating me for the lack of depth and just anything interesting in my posts. I really should be sleeping…
Campus is absolutely beautiful. It is one of Stalin’s Seven Sisters, if that tells you anything. The main building is so large it is its own zip code. Yes, that’s right – one building is an entire zip code. It was built to hold 30,000 people and now also consists of multiple stores, classrooms, restaurants, and random post offices (not, of course, that I can receive mail). I live in Sector “zh” with my lovely suitemate, Susan, who has been an incredible help. She’s been here since September and has patiently answered all my questions from how to open the bloody doors around this place (a feat of epic proportions, I assure you) to why the guards seem to take pleasure in stopping random students and harassing them (apparently, you need to show them all your passes in order to get through – something that is very difficult when you have not been given said passes). Classes are still messed up, but I’m hoping for the best. My classmates, who have been another big help, have taken pity on me and offered to take me out for sushi (there are massive amounts of sushi restaurants around). I am quite excited since two of said classmates happen to be Japanese diplomats. I figure they know a thing or two about sushi… I haven’t made it to any of my internships yet and probably won’t be able to until classes work out, but have started on some more translations. Unfortunately, the internet café in the main building is lacking internet access and I must trudge across campus (it takes around 10 minutes to walk from my end of the main building to the front) and pay outrageous amounts of money to angry women in order to use the internet.
Mostly, I’ve been hanging out with dad and Joe. It’s been a lot of fun and I has given me a study abroad experience like no other (and I’m only at the end of week one). Joe has been more help than I ever imagined and I will be eternally grateful. I have experienced grocery shopping at 4:00 in the morning (we could learn a thing or two about food from Russia, seriously) and learned how to work gypsy taxis. Gypsy taxis (as some of you might know from Jason’s blog) are unofficial taxis. Basically, people who want to make a few extra bucks will pull over on the side of the road and take you where you need to go. They are about 10x cheaper than official taxis and a lot more fun. Granted, as a general rule, foreigners (and women in general) are warned to stay away, but Joe knows what he’s doing and has an irrational fear of my metro. Ah, the metro. My one and only true love. The savior to the lazy and directionally challenged. But I digress. Do not worry, mother. I will stay away from the taxis when I’m on my own. Scouts honor.
It has been unseasonably warm here. In fact, I went to a restaurant yesterday and they (wait for it) turned on the air conditioning. Air conditioning. In Moscow. In January. The past couple of days, it has rained instead of snowed. This has made everything slick with ice (even the snow has a layer of ice on top of it) and thus relatively dangerous. And amusing. Nothing is funnier than watching a woman in 4 inch high heels and a floor length fur coat flail wildly in an attempt not to ruin said fur coat by falling into a pile of sludge. I have not, I am proud to say, fallen even once.
Of course, my next blog post will probably come from a hospital where I am staying for breaking my leg after falling on the ice. But until then, I will continue to use it as my personal skating rink while everything shakes their heads at the crazy amerikanka. Granted, I’ve already busted my knee (according to dad, I might have a menicious tear), but I blame that on my inability to watch out for stationary objects. Speaking of vicious objects, a word to those in Moscow during the winter: walk far, far away from the edge of buildings. Caution tape is strung along the sides of buildings all over Moscow and I finally figured out why. Massive icicles form on buildings and kill a couple dozen people a year. Go figure.
I have also been warned away from dogs. Large packs of stray dogs roam around Moscow. Mostly, they supposedly leave people alone. The dogs do what they please and the humans let them go through the gates first. Just don’t feed them, I was told. And what happens my first day there? This old baboosha decides to feed one of the dogs which then comes after me. (sigh) I do not look like a tasty meal. I’m far too scrawny. But all is good. Hannah and doggie are now friends. Wait, where was I?
Ah, yes, the weather. I have heard many people complain about how Moscow is always dark. I prepared myself for a lack of light and being forced to stay in my room until April. And it is true. The sun does not exist in Moscow. I was having a conversation with a Russian woman and tried to describe to her how odd it was to never see the sun. I don’t think she knew what I was talking about when I said the word sun. Ha. (They also don’t understand the concept of cereal. Poor, deprived Russian people). But actually, it is always light here. Always. There are so many artificial lights that it is perpetually dawn. My internal clock shalt never straighten itself out. But all the light makes me feel relatively safe walking around at all hours of day and night. Moscow never sleeps. That must be why everyone is so cranky…
That’s all for now. I need to do some work and get some sleep lest I become one of the cranky Moscow people (Moscowites? Moscownians?). Loves to all!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Pictures!
The promised pictures...
OK, so the captions are all messed up, but you guys are smart enough to figure it out... ;)
The only other dark-skinned girl in Moscow... ;)
My windowsill/pantry/refrigerator. Thanks Tiffany!
The view from my dorm
Hannah and Natasha at St. Basil
Joe, dad and I. St. Basil
Dad and I. Still at St. Basil
The gang at Scandinavia. Joe, me, Natasha (behind me), Brian's Natasha, Brian, and some dude I don't know...
My room! Small, but cosy.
One of the main cathedral's in Moscow. One of my metro stops is to the left. Not bad for a landmark, yea?
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Looks all cute and fluffy, right?
OK, so the captions are all messed up, but you guys are smart enough to figure it out... ;)
The only other dark-skinned girl in Moscow... ;)
My windowsill/pantry/refrigerator. Thanks Tiffany!
The view from my dorm
Hannah and Natasha at St. Basil
Joe, dad and I. St. Basil
Dad and I. Still at St. Basil
The gang at Scandinavia. Joe, me, Natasha (behind me), Brian's Natasha, Brian, and some dude I don't know...
My room! Small, but cosy.
One of the main cathedral's in Moscow. One of my metro stops is to the left. Not bad for a landmark, yea?
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Looks all cute and fluffy, right?
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Internships and Getting Stopped by Guards
Hello again!
Computer is still not up, so I can't post anymore video blogs. Just finished my first week of classes. Am in the wrong one (25 hours a week instead of 9 at a very advanced level), but hope to get that worked out this week. My classmates are very cool - two Japanese diplomats and an Italian woman whose working at a school here in Moscow. They all speak near fluent Russian, so it's been a challenge, but they've been a big help. Will see if things get easier on that front.
Met up with Jason (one of my fellow Honor students from Stetson) and had lunch. Am going at with Dad and Joe tonight and will do the touristy thing tomorrow before dad leaves on Monday. Survived my shopping trip with flying colors and have been doing nothing but eat this past week. The food is sooo tasty here...
Have been offered another 3 internships with the potential for one more. This will bring my total to 4 (potentially 5). So I am excited, but completely overwhelmed. Will tell you more about them as things develop.
Have been experiencing the joys of being foreign looking. Keep getting stopped going in and out of buildings out of campus (even my dorm). Hoped this would stop once I got my official pass, but it has not. Had a little scare with almost getting stopped by the police today, but my resident director showed up at the most opportune moment. Hint: don't loiter in the metro, especially if you have darker skin. Although, I have been repeatedly stopped and asked for diretions, which is cool but weird. Must be the hat...
So far, everything's been great. Love the city, the food, and (surprisingly enough) the weather. Silly americanka with her playing in the snow and ice... Am becoming fond of Russian music and terrible Russian cappucinos. Promise to post pictures asap. Loves to all!
Computer is still not up, so I can't post anymore video blogs. Just finished my first week of classes. Am in the wrong one (25 hours a week instead of 9 at a very advanced level), but hope to get that worked out this week. My classmates are very cool - two Japanese diplomats and an Italian woman whose working at a school here in Moscow. They all speak near fluent Russian, so it's been a challenge, but they've been a big help. Will see if things get easier on that front.
Met up with Jason (one of my fellow Honor students from Stetson) and had lunch. Am going at with Dad and Joe tonight and will do the touristy thing tomorrow before dad leaves on Monday. Survived my shopping trip with flying colors and have been doing nothing but eat this past week. The food is sooo tasty here...
Have been offered another 3 internships with the potential for one more. This will bring my total to 4 (potentially 5). So I am excited, but completely overwhelmed. Will tell you more about them as things develop.
Have been experiencing the joys of being foreign looking. Keep getting stopped going in and out of buildings out of campus (even my dorm). Hoped this would stop once I got my official pass, but it has not. Had a little scare with almost getting stopped by the police today, but my resident director showed up at the most opportune moment. Hint: don't loiter in the metro, especially if you have darker skin. Although, I have been repeatedly stopped and asked for diretions, which is cool but weird. Must be the hat...
So far, everything's been great. Love the city, the food, and (surprisingly enough) the weather. Silly americanka with her playing in the snow and ice... Am becoming fond of Russian music and terrible Russian cappucinos. Promise to post pictures asap. Loves to all!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
At MGU
Hey again!
I got to MGU two days ago and started classes yesterday. My room is not as bad as I thought it would be and is actually quite cozy once you get used to it. Although the bed might give me back problems... Anyways, I can't post a video yet. My adapter doesn't work and I need to go buy a new one. I am going shopping today so wish me luck. Moscow is absolutely beautiful and I am getting quite good at the metro which is wonderful for us directionally challenged people. MGU is gorgeous and enormous and I am never going to figure it out. Oh, and the guards keep stopping me at every gate because I don't have my official student pass yet... Oh, well. Got to go. Internt time is about to wear out. Will post video and pictures asap. Loves to all!
Ganna
I got to MGU two days ago and started classes yesterday. My room is not as bad as I thought it would be and is actually quite cozy once you get used to it. Although the bed might give me back problems... Anyways, I can't post a video yet. My adapter doesn't work and I need to go buy a new one. I am going shopping today so wish me luck. Moscow is absolutely beautiful and I am getting quite good at the metro which is wonderful for us directionally challenged people. MGU is gorgeous and enormous and I am never going to figure it out. Oh, and the guards keep stopping me at every gate because I don't have my official student pass yet... Oh, well. Got to go. Internt time is about to wear out. Will post video and pictures asap. Loves to all!
Ganna
Friday, January 16, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)