D+22

Today I have come to the realization that I am over 3 weeks (22 days since departure from LAX) into this adventure and life is well, completely normal. Despite the fact that I have had to cope with a new country, customs, language, diet, new school new friends and new living situation all of that seems to have fallen into place now. Is till experience occasional difficulties in language or culture shock

Not very much has happened over the course of the last 4 days of note. I have been out grocery shopping every day this week, both for myself and to accompany friends who dislike going out alone. I have finally figured out most of what is available and what I like to buy here which is good. My new favorite item; half of a fresh rotisserie chicken for the equivalent of 2 dollars, served with some boil in a bag barely or buckwheat with some fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, best meal ever for about $3.50 and 30 min of light effort. I have also been able to find some foods that remind me of home when I need it, but the plethora of good Russian food options, both in resultants and grocery stores, at very low prices has kept me very well fed and happy.

However, buying and drinking only bottled water (or boiling it) is still annoying, but I am used to it now and it’s no longer that big of an issue. The other big change on the horizon is the impending departure of about half of the 42 students here to their home stay host families. While this idea never appealed to me, I can see why some people would want it. I will still see them in class and on our weekend cultural events but I will miss some of them when they are no longer down the hall.

While it is good to go out and make lots of new friends from all over the world, I quite honestly still feel most at ease with fellow Americans. In addition, I have grown fond of or developed a healthy respect for some of those leaving the dorms and will miss the worry free hanging out during the afternoons or talking late into the night with them just down the hall.

Tomorrow I have no language classes (a welcome respite) and instead my early Russian and Communist Russia history classes. They are shaping up to be quite interesting and I am looking forward to them once again. This weekend we have quite an interesting activity planned: we are going to the very old city of Novgorod which is quite important in Russian early history and also is a shining example of but medieval Russian and wooden architecture. It’s also an over 3 hour bus ride away, not too bad if you ask me but it will be a long day. Nevertheless it should provide plenty of fodder for a good blog post for Saturday night, so stay tuned!