I had no classes today....next week on Wednesdays a lecture on the elections starts which I will probably go listen to, but there wasn't anything today, so we went into the city center.
I live in Vykhino, where there is nothing at all to do, and which is about forty minutes by metro to the center.

We walked around Red Square for the most part, went into St. Basil's Cathedral and GYM (goom) and then went to buy train tickets to Kazan for next weekend.

Oh, we also went to McDonald's because I wanted a cheeseburger. Since I only eat them 'plain', we had to figure out how to say that in Russian. It was decided that saying "only cheese" would suffice, but alas, they actually only put cheese on the bun, not even the burger.

Hello,
After a very long trip, I’m in Moscow…which is big, dirty, and quite frighteningly covered in ice everywhere you go.
When we got to the airport, someone from the school met us and then had hired a ‘private’ taxi (i.e. some random person who had a car, which is normal) and he took us to our homestays. Mine, however, he couldn’t find very well, and it was made even more difficult because the streets are only wide enough to fit one car. When two cars end up coming in opposite directions, it’s basically a game of chicken to decide who has to go in reverse. I’m told our driver was quite tame for Russia, and we had to go in reverse multiple times.
My homestay mother is named Galina, who is very nice. She has apparently been hosting students for almost twenty years now. (I think...slight miscommunication because this one turned into a conversation about Germany so yeeah) Her husband is Oleg, and they live on the 9th floor. (I’m not entirely sure who all lives in the apartment...its tiny but still, i think there is a granddaughter who remains quite elusive…) Basically all of my conversations turn out where I feel like things make sense, but at the same time they make any sense at all, so maybe eventually I'll know who all lives there =). I actually understand more than I thought I would though, but I can’t speak it as much as I thought I could either.

I have language class from 10am to 2/3pm four days a week, and then on Wednesdays, we have an optional lecture class that starts next week. Walking there takes about 25 minutes - it could be faster but you have to walk slowly or else you die on the ice.

Oh! and the sun actually came out briefly today, it was pretty crazy!

Info

Here is a map of where I'll be...(and/or the entire continent of Europe. )

The current plan is to spend time in Moscow, Kazan, St. Petersburg, etc. and then down to Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria.

The plan:

Hello!

So after various visa problems, I'm leaving bright and early on Saturday morning, January 26th. I'll meet up with Mike in DC and then we'll eventually get to Moscow on Sunday afternoon. Someone will pick us up, bring us to register our visas, and then drop us off at our homestays. Classes and orientation start the next day, and hopefully the following weekend I will finally get to Kazan to see Aygul and Ildar.

Thats pretty much all I know for the moment, but I'll try to keep this updated. Feel free to email me too!