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!