First Impressions

I guess this is called jet lag. It's 2:40 am and I've slept all I want to. I kept the lights off for 40 minutes as I tried to fall back asleep, but had no luck. I decided I'll write my post to the blog and just type it in in the morning (NOTE: now).

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I arrived without any major hitches. Although I learned upon arrival in Moscow that Moscow has 2 airports. My international flight arrived in one and my domestic flight departed in another. One hour to get through customs (somehow I got in the slowest line), get my chemodahn, learn that there are 2 airports, talk to the information woman, take a taxi to the other airport (at $20), check-in, get a boarding pass and find the gate. I have no idea how I made it. I think God must have stopped time.

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The driver picked me up at the St. Pete airport (there are 2 airports in St. Pete too!) and dropped me off at my homestay. Only he didn't tell me this. A woman came down tot eh street and introduced herself, but I didn't know who she was. Only after she took me inside an apartment did I realize this was my host family and not the dorm (where the other students are staying), or the school. Hopefully I'll upload three photos of the (tiny) apartment soon, but in the interim, try looking at my Flickr site. (Click on view SarahPBanJ's photos... Let me know if this works!

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I'm one of only two homestays in the program - which is kind of strange as everyone else lives together. But I live much closer to the center of the city than the dorm - which is in the boondocks - and I'm also speaking a lot more Russian. My host mom, Lena and her family have hosted students from all over the world each semester for five years. And they've gotten pretty good at it. Last night I got home, sat down, and recoundted the day. Talked about some of the other students and my family (though maily about our cat, Arizona as my Russian family has three klotchky'i Dima, Lisa, and another I keep forgetting.

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Inevitably there's culture shock:

1. Bathing: I'm going to really want to take a "real" shower after being here for 10 weeks. My family has a bathtub and a hose. Just not the same. I'll get used to that - though it'll be tough.

2. Russians don't smile. Unless they're in the home. period.

3. The sidewalks are far from even. When it rains (as it's done twice here already), you much step in puddles. There's no way around it. My feet get wet and cold. Yuck.

4. Beilie Noche (White Nights) - It doesn't get dark here until ~12pm. And by "doesn't get dark here" I mean the sun's still out. It's 3 am now and I an see way too much outside. And it'll only get "worse." In the end of June, St. Pete will have a "white nights" festival where they'll celebrate this phenomenen when the days are at their longest. Crazy people. I like my nights to be night. I'm buying a blindfold tomorrow. (NOTE: Didn't happen yet. I'm having trouble finding one...)

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Here's a quick rundown of key people: Lena - mom; Sergei - dad; Lina - daughter and her live in boyfriend Xenia (she's pregnant). There's another sister I haven't met. Americans : Paula (Pamona grad now in med school), Sean (sophomore at UPenn), Tracy (sophomore at UVA), Melissa (other homestay kid at GW) and Matt (also at GW - knows Melissa well). The Candian running family (Gina (28) - a teacher and her paretns) - 'nuff said.

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Took a placement class yesterday. There are 4 levels - I'll be in one of the middle two for sure, don't know which one 'til tomorrow. But a lot of vocab is coming back to me. Which is good. Now if only I could remember the grammar. (NOTE: I was placed in the lower of the two middle levels. Class today seemed about right. We'll be moving quickly which is good since it's all review.)

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to be continued....