I am Leaving Tomorrow

I have been thinking about writing a conclusion blog for a few days now and I am not entirely sure where to begin. The truth is that there are so many memories I have made here in Russia, it is impossible to attempt to describe them here. I don’t have the writing expertise to explain how utterly amazing it was to go on the roof of our 22 story hostel to watch the fireworks going off for Victory Day. I can’t put into words how inexplicably beautiful St. Petersburg was with it’s grey skies that made the colors of the buildings stand out like beacons. And to save my life, I can’t describe my strange attachment to this place with these amazing people who have undoubtedly changed my life.

There is something about Russia that is so incredibly intangible, it’s impossible to understand. I will try to describe it though. There have been so many times where I have been walking with a fellow American friend and something inexplicable happens. Perhaps an older woman enters onto the Metro in a floor length fur coat in May. Perhaps a gigantic group of 100 people breaks out into song and dance in the middle of the mall (yes, it happened, I’m not kidding). Or maybe even someone engages in the simplest act of kindness: smiling at a complete stranger (it wasn’t until I arrived here that I realized how precious smiles are). But at any length, these serve as very very small examples of the mystery that is Russia.

I already miss this place. It’s absolutely beautiful this time of year. I never thought that the snow would melt or that I would see the sun again, but it’s stunning here. The sun stays out until 10:00pm and the city just feels alive. We were walking near red square the other day and the sun was shining, the tulips were in bloom and the grass was a perfect, Kelly green. It was just such an extraordinary contrast from the cold and grey (but still beautiful in a magical kind of way) winter I experienced while here. I suppose the weather serves as another token of Russia’s slyness: you never know what the day is going to be like.

So, in an attempt to wrap things up I will simply say that Russia was the most uncomfortable, different, strange, enlightening, beautiful, influential, stunning, amazing experience of my life. I will never trade my months here with anything. Many of the memories I have made here are so incredibly precious (some are too precious to blindly share on this blog- sorry!) that I consider them like a collection of diamonds. This time here has been worth everything to me and I want to come back to this place again. 

I Promise I Am Still Alive...

To those who have been following my blog and have been disappointed in my absence for the past few weeks, I am deeply sorry. I have been going absolutely crazy working and studying for one of the classes I've been taking. It's called "Energy Management Systems: Local, National, & International Implications". So at first glance, this may seem like a harmless pro-Environmentalist course but in think that, you would be extremely wrong.

Basically this course boils down to engineering: rich with mathematics, physics and chemistry (yummy). For those of you who do not know me, to state it plainly- I am not a math and science person. The first day of classes when our professor, Dr. Buffington, was talking about kilojoules, BTU, kilograms and megawatts, I thought my mind was going to explode. I think my face maintained a blank stare for about 45 minutes. (Except when he mentioned kilojoules- as that reminded me of jewels, which reminded me of those little troll dolls with the hair that sticks up and the rhinestones on their bellybuttons. That thought entertained me for the better portion of a half-hour...)

Long story short: I worked my butt of for this class, ended up understanding it and got an A! Thank God for small favors, right? However, as a result of my understanding of this course, the door that was forever shut to math and science has a crack in it. I am rethinking my whole law school path and considering business school because I actually enjoyed the math formulas. Oh, how things can change.

Anyway, as a result of my incessant working, I have been leading a semi-boring life. As you can see, I've gone on many field trips (which is a requirement for the course). I am learning a tremendous amount of information about agriculture, but also about business management, marketing and international trade laws.

This semester has turned out to be far more life altering than I assumed. Well, let me rephrase, it is far more life altering for different reasons than I assumed. I knew that I was going to grow as a person from the basic fact that I am living out of the country, in a completely new environment, without English and sweet tea (one guess which of those was the hardest to get used to...). However, I never thought that this experience could potentially shape my path of study and future career. As I stated before, I always assumed law school would be the next step for me. Now I feel as though my eyes are opening up to an entirely new range of choices that I never considered before. Normally, I would be overwhelmed by my indecisiveness but at the moment I feel like I am standing on a beach marveling at the ocean, and I can't wait to see where the tide will take me.

My Russian Exam

Think you're cool... look what I can write! :) Haha, just kidding. I just thought that this would be an interesting tid bit to share with everyone back home. Russian is such a difficult language and it had been the most prevalent cultural reminder throughout my trip. Read and be confused!

My Family:

Моя семья живет в Америке. Мои отец и мать живут в Южной Каролине. Мой брат живет в Колорадо. Моя семья не большая. Моих маму и папу зовут , Эдвард и Мишель, а старшего брата, Майкл. Мой папа врач, а мама медсестра. Мой брат продавец. Моему отцу 64 года и моей маме 46 лет. Моему брату 23 года. У меня есть бабушка. Она живет в Пенсильвании. Я люблю всех в моей семье. Моя семья щедрая, заботливая и смешная. Моя семья очень дружная и приглашает всех к себе в гости. У меня есть собака. Ее зовут Мэгги.

My University:

Я учусь в университете Клемсон. Клемсон Университет находится в Клемсон, Южная Каролина. Мой университет большой. Мой университет имеет 20.000 студентов. Мой университет является очень старым. Он был построен в 1889 году. В нашем университете работает много профессоров. Студенты могут изучать многие предметы в Клемсоне. В Клемсоне, студенты изучают историю, машиностроение, науку, литературу, математику и многое другое. Я изучаю историю. Я очень люблю историю . Мои профессора отличные. Они очень интересные и умные. Я буду получать степень бакалавра в следующем году.

My Friends:

У меня много друзей. У меня много друзей из школы. В России, у меня есть друзья. Мои новые друзья, и я учимся вместе. Мы изучаем науки. Моя лучшая подруга живет в Америке. Ее зовут Эмили. Она учится в университете. Ей 20 лет. Я познакомилась с ней, когда мне было 2 года. Она, как моя сестра. Мы ходим по магазинам вместе. Мы занимались плаванием вместе. Она умная, смешная, красивая и добрая. Мои новые, русские друзья Инна, Makc, Максим, Алиса, Лилия, Катя, Кристина и Елена. Они студенты.

My City:

Я живу в Южной Каролине. Южная Каролина очень интересная. Это красивый штат . Многие туристы приезжают в Южную Каролину. Они ходят на пляж. Летом, я люблю ходить на пляж. Моя семья и я ходим на пляж часто. Когда я отдыхаю, я люблю читать в парке. Я хочу посетить Калифорнию. Это красивое место. В Калифорнии есть горы , пляжи и прекрасные виноградники. Я хочу посетить Санкт-Петербург. Там есть много дворцов.

Moscow:

Я люблю Москву. Я учусь в университете России. Я знаю немного о истории России. Я также изучала политику России. Я ходила на Красную площадь и в Кремль. они очень интересные. Я видела художественный музей имени Пушкина. Он очень красивый . Метро в Москве очень быстрое. Я ходила в торговый центр. Погода в Москве холодная. Дома не так холодно как в Москве. Там тепло сейчас. Я хочу приехать в Москву снова, потому что я буду скучать по друзьям.

My day:

Я просыпаюсь в 7 утра. Я завтракаю в 7:30. Я ем йогурт на завтрак. В Америке, я езжу в школу в 8:00. В субботу и воскресенье, я хожу в парк. Я читаю там. Иногда я хожу по магазинам с друзьями. Я обедаю в полдень. Я ем дома. Обычно я кушаю суп и хлеб. Потом , я гуляю. Потом, я делаю домашнее задание. Я ем ужин в 7 вечера. Мне нравится смотреть фильм на ночь. Потом я иду спать.

My hobbies:

Я люблю читать и гулять. Моя любимая книга “The Wizard of Oz”(Волшебник страны Оз). Я люблю делать домашние задания в парке в университете. В школе я изучаю много. Я читаю много книг. Я изучаю историю. Я люблю разговаривать с моими родителями. Моя мама очень смешная. Моя мама и я ходим в магазин вместе. Мы также ходим в кино вместе. Мой брат живет далеко, поэтому я не вижу его часто. Я танцую и пою часто. Мне нравится играть в футбол и заниматься гимнастикой.

CLAAS Agricultural Equipment

On Wednesday, April 13, 2011, we took a bus to the CLASS Agricultural Equipment storage facility in Moscow. Our group was sufficient smaller for this field trip, as Helen was the only Russian who joined us and Shelli and Dr. Buffington were both ill. Although everyone was missed, the smaller group definitely provided a more intimate experience and those present had a great time goofing around on the bus. The drive was not as long as the trips usually are, as the facilities are located within the Moscow region.
After our brief drive (only an hour or so) we arrived on the location. CLAAS is a German company that produces agricultural equipment for farmers (tractors especially). CLAAS is the largest agricultural equipment company in Europe and provides numerous products to farmers across Russia. The equipment is very modern and renowned for its quality. The specific facilities we were touring did not manufacture the equipment on site, but was a storage and distribution center for the products.
Three people greeted us upon arrival, the first man being the head of the marketing and communications department. The first man, who actually is a graduate of Moscow State Agricultural Engineering University, showed us around the warehouse that houses the equipment. There is a very specific and complicated process by which the products are categorized and stored. I cannot say that it was not confusing. We were also informed that equipment ordered by Russian farmer must be shipped to this location and then it may be distributed to the farmers. It is a very extensive process that our tour guide deals with, as there are many tariffs and processes required by customs for the shipping of these products. I was very impressed by his knowledge and understanding of the company.
After touring the large (and chilly) warehouse, we entered into the offices of the company. We were shown the places where dealings with customs and technical processes are made. After the brief office tour, the other two people who greeted us initially sat us down in a business conference room and gave us an overview of the company. I was very impressed to learn that CLAAS is a family owned company, It was founded in the early 1900s and to this day is still owned by people within the CLAAS family. The granddaughter and son of the creator are the official owners of the company but other family members hold shares within the company. I thought this was very interesting and I was very impressed that they were able to maintain the integrity of the company this way.
After the initial overview, we were told that within Russia plans have been set into motion to create a manufacturing center in the Krasnodar region of Russia. This would be a great economic opportunity for the Russians as the manufacturing plant would provide many jobs and economic growth for the region. I am happy to see that European countries are investing more and more into Russia. Agriculture is still very much a early business for Russia and I think the more European businesses invest in Russia, the stronger Russia’s agriculture programs will become. CLAAS is a great example of the future of Russian agriculture and I hope to see many more instances of this.

Greenhouses

On Wednesday, April 6, 2011, we took an adventure to the greenhouses own by Moscow State Agricultural Engineering University. As we walked downstairs, we were welcomed with an unexpected surprise- warm(ish) weather! This proved to be a great thing because the greenhouses were within walking distance. I can’t say I wasn’t excited to skip a bus ride and spend some quality time walking to our destination. I knew it was going to be a good day from the start.
As we came upon the destination, I noticed that outside the greenhouses was a small building with many people waiting in a line. After inquiring, Dr. Malashenkov informed me that many people purchase the products of the greenhouse every day. I thought that was really interesting because it showed that not only does the greenhouse cater to research and development but also to providing local produce to the community. It reminded me of the co-op my family joined to receive local produce from the farmers in our area. It reminded me of home.
After our walk, we arrived at our destination. The number of greenhouses at the location amazed me, as there were at least a dozen. The greenhouses were very large and also very impressive. Once we entered the greenhouse, we were met by a young man who proceeded to show us around the facilities. We began our tour by viewing the process by which the plants are grown. The greenhouses specialize in produce, mainly tomatoes and cucumbers, but they also grow grains, cabbages, grasses and flowers.
We were shown the methodology by which the seeds for the grains, grasses and flowers are planted. It consisted of a great apparatus in which the soil, seeds and fertilizers are placed into trays in an assembly line fashion. It was very interesting and very technical. After the seeds are planted, they reside on the floor of the greenhouses, which is kept at a very humid temperature. Some specific grasses are kept in specialized areas that are warmer, as these types of grasses are grown primarily in the southern regions of Russia where it is climatically warmer.
After this portion of the tour, our guide informed us about the astronomical costs of heating and ventilating the greenhouses. It was truly astounding the costs for upkeep and maintenance of the greenhouses. The greenhouses were run on a combination of natural gas and fuel oil. Ironically, this was a direct correlation to the information we learned in Dr. Buffington’s class about energy efficiency. I’m sure that Dr. Buffington could help that facility and teach them some ways to save money.
Once we were informed of the costs, we ventured to the greenhouses where tomatoes are grown. The tomatoes are grown in a very technical fashion with rows and rows of plants. Each tomato plant resides in a bag to contain the roots and each root bag has a small hose connected to it to provide water. Apparently, this is a great nuance in the greenhouse business, one that Dr. Buffington was very impressed with. This prevents water from being wasted and ensures the highest efficiency of delivering water. The water is treated with minerals that provide nutrients to the tomato plants. I was terrified to find that bees are kept within the greenhouses to promote pollination. I am slightly allergic to bees, my body has issues with histamine thus any bite or sting causes the area to swell up like a balloon. It’s not life threatening in the least bit, just an annoyance. I was so nervous that I was going to get bitten, but fortunately all was well!
After visiting the tomatoes, we walked to another section of the greenhouse complex that provided space for research as well as the growing of cucumbers and herbs. The cucumber area was fascinating and definitely my favorite part of the tour. I had no idea that cucumbers were grown vertically on vines (we don’t grow them in my garden at home) and the vines were grown in rows. The area looked a lot like a jungle and our group has a fun time walking down the aisles. I thought for a second that I was in South America! It was a fun adventure. The herbs grown there consisted of dill, mint, basil and several others. They were grown on horizontal trays raised to about waist level height. Although we probably weren’t allowed to do this, Alisa and I picked a few leaves of basil and chomped on them. It was delicious and provided a great ending to a fantastic tour!

Beer Factory

On Wednesday, March 30, 2011, we went on an excursion to the Ochakovo Beer Factory. Everyone was extremely excited to go on this trip, which was evident by the extra participants we had accompanying us. We had additional students from Moscow State Agricultural Engineering University joining us on our trip, whom we had never met before. The company was welcome and served to excite us about what was in store for us (I mean, if people are giving up several hours for an event, it should be a pretty exciting one).
Once we arrived at the enormous beer factory, our tour guide joined us. She was extremely effervescent and eager to tell us all about the factory. Ochakovo is a Russian beer company that makes Kvac in addition to their many variations of lager. Our tour guide seemed very proud to be working at the facilities. Before we entered into the building, she elaborated our group on the agreement between the Russian military and Ochakovo Beer Company. Ochakovo would sponsor the military and supply beer and in return the military would provide support and protection. This was relevant in explaining the two tanks outside of the factory.
Upon entering the building, we changed into white lab coats and placed covers over our shoes. Maintaining a sterile environment is extremely important to the factory, as it is a hub of Ochakovo Beer, providing it throughout the world from that specific location. Once we changed into our attire, our tour guide elaborate on the history of the production of beer. It was a very interesting and surprisingly violent process of crushing, beating, smashing, straining and squashing the grain into a pulp and then packing it into a barrel to ferment. It was quite comical to watch out tour guide bringing out the different tools and going through the motions.
After we were given the history of production, we were led into the room where the mash was stored. There were gigantic vats of mash containing 65,000 L each, and in which gigantic fans churned and mixed the solution. The mash is made from hops bought from Germany and the Czech Republic. It was interesting because this room was the only one we were not allowed to take pictures in. After going through the production room, we were shown the various marketing techniques and logos of the company. This included the stickers on the bottles of beer. The most interesting part of this was that recently they had a contest to find a new man to feature on the bottle. I couldn’t help but wonder how interesting it would be to have your face as the face of a beer company, and your picture on every bottle.
We were shown through the rooms where the yeast is stored. The yeast is also bought from Germany in small quantities. In these rooms, the yeast grows enough to fill several gigantic tanks and is used up to 5 times, after which it is no longer useful. This yeast is mixed with the mash and water and fermented. When it is time to cool the beer it is transferred into a very chilly room containing extremely large tanks. Each of these tanks can hold 700,000 bottle of beer. There is an extremely high number of tanks, so you can only imagine how much beer is located in this factory.
The most interesting aspect of this factory was how extremely modern and European it was. There were very few workers because everything was operated mechanically. The Russian students were not quiet about their awe over the vastness of the factory either. I believe that everyone had an excellent time at the factory and I would love to go back again. Oh, and yes, we did have a beer tasting at the end of the excursion. However, beer does not taste very good to me at 4:00 in the afternoon so that was not my favorite part of the trip. I’m sure others enjoyed that very much though! ☺

Field Trip to an Extension Office

On Wednesday, March 23, 2011, we ventured by bus to the Extension Office in Sergiyev Posad. It is necessary to note that prior to this trip, I had no knowledge of the existence of extension offices nor their functions and applications to farmers. With this being said, I would think it is fair to note that I was thoroughly confused throughout the majority of the field trip. However, after the meeting at the office, my fellow classmates were able to illuminate me about the provisions and function of extension offices in the United States, clarifying a lot of my confusion.
To begin, we set off from Moscow at around 8 am and rode approximately 2 hours to Sergiyev Posad. Several of my classmates and I have previously voyaged to Sergiyev Posad to visit the famous monastery located within the town’s boarders. Thus, the town had an air of familiarity as we arrived at the Extension Office. Once arriving, we were ushered to the office of the man in charge and seated around an extremely long table. After a few minutes, we received an introduction from an assistant, welcoming us to the office. After introductions, the head of administration joined our table and proceeded to explain to us the function of the specific office. I have to admit that understanding was difficult as the man spoke Russian and the overview was conducted through Dr. Malashenkov’s translation.
From what I gathered, there is a hierarchy of extension office in Russia: regional, district and national. The extension office we visited was federally run and thus holds a lot responsibility and performs many functions. In Russia, the extension offices cater directly to the needs of the farmers. The farmers may request to have seminars concerning specific production and farming techniques and it is the responsibility of the extension office to create classes to cater to those needs. As it was explained to me, in the United States, the extension offices will cater to the needs of the farmers and will automatically hold seminars without the mandate of the farmers. In the US, extension offices promote agriculture more extensively than in Russia as they have many promotional techniques. For example, to incite interest with children, extension offices in the United States facilitate 4H and other agriculture groups to stimulate and spread knowledge among the youngest generation. The administrator at the Sergiyev Posad office said that they were attempting to begin planning such programs, but currently none were in place.
There is a lack of workers at the offices in Russia. The administrator explained that is was a result of students becoming educated and wanting to practice their knowledge in other countries. This brain drain directly affected the extension office at Sergiyev Posad and it seemed that the administrator held resentment about this fact. However, the most entertaining aspect of the trip was when the director offered Katie McKee a job. Granted, she did not accept, it was interesting to see the administrator directly recruiting. So, if anyone in the US ever wants to work in agriculture in Russia, I would suggest giving that man a call.
Overall, the extension office visit was very illuminating for me because I learned about the existence of extension offices. I realize that that seems rather glib, but growing up in an environment in which agriculture is not a primary topic, it is easy to miss out on certain things I suppose. I would like to see Russia try to promote agriculture to its younger generations. I think that if students become more excited about the opportunities they can receive in agriculture and it’s enormous global impact, they would be more inclined to seek a job in that field.

A Career in Agriculture...?

For the month of March, we were honored to host Dr. Katie McKee from Virginia Tech as she taught her class, Educational Programs in Agriculture for Developing Countries. This course (with an impressively long name, no less) encompasses many aspects of implementing agricultural programs into international communities. I am a history major with the hope of attending law school, thus it is safe to say that I was completely uneducated in the field of agriculture. Dr. McKee, being the enthusiastic teacher she is, offered help and careful guidance throughout the month. Beginning with defining agriculture and concluding with a project involving the management and creation of our own educational program, I have grown to understand the importance of agriculture as a global catalyst.
In a very unexpected turn of events, the teachings of Dr. McKee have helped define a career path I am interested in pursuing. A very important part of the coursework involved the understanding of indigenous cultures. In short, indigenous people are the local people of a country and it is important to analyze and value their way of life to implement a successful education program. I have always been extremely interested in the inner workings of different cultures and I have always hoped to attain a job that encompasses those values (and involves a lot of traveling!). Who would have though that agriculture would present so many opportunities in international relations? I certainly did not.
To be honest, I have always had an interest in respecting the workingman, and upholding and protecting the sanctity of their knowledge. I believe that blue-collar workers are very much like indigenous people of foreign countries in that they have their own expertise and methodology, which should always be taken into consideration and respected when trying to implement assistance and advancement. I wanted to explore the application of fighting for and championing the blue-collar man in a realistic job setting (and also one that was very relevant to me as I would like to be an attorney). It wasn’t until the introduction of respecting farmer’s rights and ethics in class, that I believed there to be another usage of my curiosity. However, this time it is in a field of study that is completely different from anything I have ever been exposed to before- agriculture.
Overall, I am surprised by how much I have learned and grown from a course for which we only attended 8 class periods. It’s funny how life has a tendency to give you a push in a direction when you are least expecting it. So, in conclusion: agriculture is for everyone!

A Down Week

So this week was fairly mundane. We had a very large group project due for one of our classes, which seemed to encompass the majority of my time. Although it really didn’t, I felt like it was a looming presence over the entire week. Another looming presence was the reality that Katie McKee is leaving us. Although she was only here for a month, she was a vital component of our group and I am really sad to see her leave. It wasn’t until after she arrived that I began singing show tunes on the streets of Moscow. Let’s face it, that’s life changing.
But unfortunately, besides the grey weather and schoolwork, there wasn’t too much involved in this week. So, instead of doing something productive I was able to sleep a lot and I went to the grocery store. I enjoy grocery shopping here. It’s very different because it’s sort of like a free for all. You know those images from the early 1990s at Christmas time when parents were fighting for the red power ranger action figure? Exactly like Russian in a supermarket.
I anticipate this coming week to be a really good one though! :)

Italian Adventure

To continue our fantastic day, we decided to embark on an adventure to an Italian restaurant close to the heart of Moscow. I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was at the idea of eating Italian food. Granted my perception of true cuisine is slightly incorrect (Olive Garden isn’t authentic? What?), regardless I was thrilled. Now do not get me wrong, the Russian food we have been consuming has been delicious and I truly have no complaints about any of my culinary experiences thus far. However, Russian food has a tendency to be maybe more savory than the food I am typically used to. The texture is consistent and the flavoring isn’t quite as spicy as my palate is accustomed to. It’s not a fault at all, just a difference. Thus, we figured Italian was the best way to *spice* things up.
After inviting the entire group, our dinner party was narrowed to Karlie, Katie and I. The three of us have actually been consistent travel buddies for the past week and it’s fitting because we all have very similar demeanors when it comes to adventuring. We are very spontaneous and hold time as a relative concept. Our attitudes definitely came in handy that night because our guidebook was misleading. That sneaky little sucker of a book did not include very detailed instructions on how to locate the restaurant. Katie and Karlie, being more daring adventurers than I, took the reigns and bravely navigated the streets. Granted we were a little lost at first, but had I been navigating, we would have ended up in Mongolia!
We ended up wandering the streets of Moscow for about 90 minutes looking for this restaurant! Luckily we were able to maintain positive mindset, particularly because we're all Sound of Music fanatics so we sing all the time on the sidewalks. The three of us decided it was time for several verses of "My Favorite Things" because when the dog bites, and the bee stings, you just remember you favorite things and then you don't feel so bad- right? :)
I couldn’t have been happier exploring though, because we were in the very affluent section of Moscow’s neighborhoods! The streets were adorable, lined with unique boutiques and little, ornate cafes. Because we were completely famished, we stopped in a quaint, French pastry shop. I got a little piece of cheesecake for 60 rubles (only about $1.30!). It was fabulous and provided much needed glucose.
Fortunately, Katie was determined to find this restaurant and used her mapping skills to ascertain our bearings and locate the right direction. When we finally found the Italian restaurant, the hostess saw our distress and immediate sat us. I ordered the margherita pizza and enjoyed every bite of it (yes, I ate a whole pizza- we hadn't eaten all day... minus the tiny cheesecake). All in all, the night was perfect. I feel like when you’re not looking for it, you’re most likely to find something great. Upon reflecting on the night, I was reminded of a quote from the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “ Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”. Fortunately, that night we didn’t miss anything.

Mid-Afternoon Adventure

I must say that I had one of the best weekends ever. On Saturday morning, Karlie, Katie, Marie, Miles, Maxime and I ventured to my (Katherine the Great of course) summer estate, Tsaritsino Palace. The palace was commissioned by Catherine the Great as her summer palace in 1775, but because the palace wasn’t up to the Empress’s standards she had it torn down and rebuilt (minor budget setbacks- aka zero money- prevented the estate from finishing during her lifetime). Can you say diva? I like her already!
Anyway, we entered Tsaritsino Palace through a heavily wooded area, which was quite shocking to find in Moscow. Combine the snow on the ground, on the trees and the snow falling from the sky, it created a wistful and magical ambiance that continues through our adventure. I fully plan to venture back to the park when it’s a little warmer and walk along the trails.
Now to the estate- it’s a miniscule little place, quite humble and cozy. Yeah, I’m totally kidding, this place was gigantic! Katie McKee and I had a fabulous time walking around speaking in British accents about “our palace” (it is our namesake after all…). I couldn’t help but imagine the decadent world Catherine the Great must have lived in to envision such grandeur. It definitely wasn’t too shabby!
However, after venturing through chilly temperatures and snow, we were in desperate need of some heat. Fortunately we came across a fabulous little coffee shop and delighted in ordering some coffee and blini (similar to crepes). The café itself was an aged house that had been renovated to accommodate guests. It was adorable and capped off a picturesque mid-afternoon adventure.
*Special thanks to Marie and Katie whose pictures I used for the slideshow!

One Great Night

As a feisty Irish girl, it is to be expected that I would celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with much fervor and festivities. During my years at home, my mom would provide my brother and I with buttons and greet shirts to signal to the world that we were Irish and proud. Our dinners would be complete with green mashed potatoes, green applesauce, green cookies, green pancakes, etc. Thus, coming up onto March 17, 2011, I was a little apprehensive about the idea of celebrating St. Pat’s in Moscow (especially because the annual parade on Arbat Street was canceled). You know what they say though, if you can’t bring Mohammad to the mountain, you bring the mountain to you…or something like that.
It’s very important for me to make sure that I am always wearing green. Unfortunately, I did not bring any green items of clothing to Moscow. I instantly changed that by drawing a shamrock on my forearm with a green pen. Problem solved. Dr. Katie McKee, our fabulous teacher for the month of March, shares my affinity for Irish culture and was just as enthusiastic about engaging in an adventure. So, at about 3:30 we set off to find some mischief.
Karlie, Katie and I began our festivities for the day by taking the most convoluted route on the Metro possible. We had 3 line changes and multiple stops on each line; it was an ordeal. I noticed the banality of the Russian people more so today than other days. No one was wearing green, no one was cheerful, and no one was celebrating. It was tragic.
Our destination for the day was an inexpensive souvenir shop on the other side of town. Unfortunately the guidebook did not include detailed direction, so ultimately we were unable to locate this mythical souvenir shop. However, while on our wild goose chase, Katie entertained us with Irish folk stories. We also kept ourselves entertained by singing show tunes up and down the sidewalk, much to the chagrin of our fellow pedestrians. (Our harmonies were incandescent, in case you were wondering)
So, after our unsuccessful venture, we decided to take a chance on a strip mall located close to the metro. Being the lackadaisical people we are, Karlie, Katie and I had no problem absentmindedly wandering the myriad of little shops littered with suspicious Russian storeowners. I don’t think the concept of customer service is quite as pronounced in Russia as it is here in the US. Nevertheless, this did not temper our mood (we were hyper after singing songs from The Sound of Music).
After a bout of unsuccessful, yet entertaining, shopping, we decided to stop in T. G. I. Fridays for a little American dinner. I could have cried tears of joy at the sight of chicken fingers and honey mustard. I never realized how much I missed those little bundles of cholesterol. Our waitress was the nicest girl I’ve come across. She was so enthusiastic and willing to speak English. We wondered the motives behind this service. We debated whether or not there was a correlation between the customer satisfaction and the T.G.I. Friday company’s American origins.
St. Patrick’s Day was in full swing at T.G.I. Friday. To make a long story short, I will just saw that our night concluded with free t-shirts, full stomachs, and a happy state of mind. But overall, I think it is important to note the disparity in customer service between the boutiques and our waitress at T.G.I. Friday. I suppose Russia is a nation of contrasts, which was perpetuated in our fantastic night out.

American Food

Last Friday was a pretty long day for me. I will spare details but it’s necessary to know this to explain my necessity for American food. You know those days where you would elbow a small child for a cheeseburger? Exactly.
We decided to venture out into Moscow to look for a Starlight diner. It’s a common chain restaurant throughout Moscow that specializes in typical American cuisine. Little did we know the treat that was in store for us that evening!
We arrived at the diner fashionably later (about 1 ½ hours after we left) and needless to say, I was starving! So, we’re sitting in this diner and the wait for service allowed us to fully soak in the experience. The décor was stereotypical 1950s, a la Happy Days. It reminded me of a poodle skirt my mom made me for Halloween one year. The waitresses were dressed in “traditional American clothes”- cheerleading skirts and tops. Overall, it was cheesy but still quaint enough to not be ostentatious.
When our waitress came to our table (she was very enthusiastic and unable to speak a word of English) I ordered the best looking cheeseburger on the menu, with mushrooms, mozzarella cheese and some kind of pesto sauce on top. But also with it came… FRENCH FRIES! I had no idea how much I would miss these little bundles of cellulite, but I have. The idea of french fries and ketchup brought a smile to my face, so of course I ordered some. Not going to lie, it was absolutely delicious. It tasted like the American flag, freedom and Capitalism all rolled into one (just kidding, but you get the idea haha). Overall, the entire experience there was great. We had familiar food and we all engaged in lively conversation without the common worry that something we ordered would come out completely different from how we thought it would be (common occurrence at the canteen- I had no idea that the thing that looked like chicken was actually liver…).
I know this doesn’t seem like a big deal, but Russian food is impossibly different from American food. Everything here is starch based, or meat wrapped in bread or a salad with mayonnaise on it. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the culinary experience here, however the same foods can get a little old. Friday night was the perfect way for me to hit a restart button on the food here in Russia. I just needed a throw back to good old America to be able to appreciate the differences of Russian cuisine.

Dairy Farm

Okay, being from the suburbs (former boondocks but as a result of urbanization it’s suburbs) of South Carolina, it shouldn’t come as a shock that I have never milked a cow. I’ve never really seen a cow up close before. Crazy, I know. So you can imagine my excitement when I was informed that our class would go on a field trip to a dairy farm!
We woke up on Wednesday (3-2-11) morning at 7:00, boarded the bus by 8:00 and by 8:15 I was already fearing for my life. No kidding, I was terrified that we were going to die. Take New York City driving, add some snow and ice, and then throw in the inability to see road lines and you have the setting. Now picture a rickety bus, packed with students, inaudible conversations in Russian, swerving and turning and my nightmare is complete. I am exaggerating (the driver was very efficient and in no way were we actually in danger) but this gives you a pretty accurate picture of the drive to the dairy.
You can imagine that I was so excited to get off the bus. We were out in the country; it was beautiful. There were expansive fields completely covered in snow and birch trees. It was exactly what I thought Russia would look like. Anyway, once we exited the bus the owner of the farm- a very well dressed woman- greeted us. Unfortunately for us, she spoke no English (typical haha). So poor Max was elected the translator for the day. I think it was pretty difficult for him, dairy terms are pretty specific haha.
Anyway, it was a small corporation that was all-inclusive. At this farm, they bred, raised, milked, cared for and housed the cows. They also produced, packaged and distributed the milk products. It’s known as a vertical corporation, one that controls all aspects of the manufacturing of a product. Yep, you learn something new every day.
So, once the inner workings of the farm were explained (number of workers, salaries, etc.) we entered into the holding building for the cows. I can honestly say that I have never in my life smelled anything like it. Not kidding, most interesting/disgusting smell I’ve ever smelled. I’m not trying to sound like a priss; it was just unusual. Anyway, within this building resided about 300 cows. They were very intimidating creatures the way they were packed in. They also had horns, which Dr. Katie McKee pointed out to me was very unusual. What also seemed unusual was the fecal matter layered on the backsides of the cows (hence the smell), but I suppose it would be difficult to maintain pristine conditions on such a small scale.
I could elaborate more on the cows, but I will spare you the dirty details. Haha, it was actually a fascinating experience. I’ve never really witnessed such blatant agriculture and I found it to be very educational and interesting. There was one cow that I thought was absolutely beautiful. She was about 4 months old, solid black with big beautiful eyes. We bonded. I would have taken her home, but that would be way too difficult to explain to customs…
After we visited the cows, we boarded the bus and went to the production building of the farm. Here, the milk is pasteurized and depending on the fat content, it is make into either milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. After it is sorted and created, the milk or milk products are packaged into boxes. That was the most fun to watch. I love watching those “how does it work” shows on TLC where they show topics like how crayons are made and they show the manufacturing in factories. It was a similar cycle with workers putting boxes into the machines and systematically they are filled. Another fun aspect was the lab coats we had to wear to enter the processing plant. On top of our heavy, outdoor jackets, the white lab coats look a little bit ridiculous. It added to the joy of the experience. That and the free samples of dairy products we received at the end of the tour! BEST PART OF MY DAY.
So, after consuming my body weight in milk, yogurt, kefir (can’t even begin to explain that one here) and cottage cheese, we boarded the bus. Alisa (a Russian classmate/friend) started jumping around saying “Milkshake! Milkshake!”. I couldn’t have said it better myself. Luckily, I fell asleep on the bus not ten minutes into the ride home and didn’t wake up until we were back at our dorm. I would say that it was a pretty amazing experience, one that I would like to repeat!

More details soon!

We went to a dairy farm this week! It smelled crazy and I learned way too much! It’s pancake week!! More details to come!

Monk Fringe

noun- the beautifully quaffed hair encompassing the periphery of the scalp of a male religious living in a cloister and devoting himself to contemplation and prayer and work. (Ex- see Friar Tuck.)
verb- unusual activity practiced during Schuster family functions; cause of origin: unknown

If you’re not a member of my immediate family, I realize that the aforementioned statements make absolutely no sense. Don’t worry about it. If it made sense to you, you would be a Schuster and then you’d have even bigger fish to fry haha.

However, I mention all of this because today we went to a monastery! Specifically the Sergiyev Posad, approximately an hour outside of Moscow by train. This is a major religious site for Russians; many pilgrimage there, as it is a very hallowed place. Today, Max, Marie, Dr. Katie McKee (our newest addition- our fabulous new teacher for the month of March), Maxime (from France), Miles and I made the journey to see what all the fuss was about. I’ll let the pictures tell you, but to say it was amazing wouldn’t do the day justice.

One Night in Ukraine

In class on Friday, I decided that I had spent enough time inside the dorm. It was time for a group activity, and I was going to participate. Sometime enough’s enough and staying inside one more night would have put me over the edge. Although I still wasn’t feeling back to my normal self, I knew making the effort to get ready and actively pursue a goal would be stimulating. Every now and then if you fake it, it might come true. I told myself I was going to be healthy, so for that night I was.
After my weeklong experimentation in polar isolation, I would have been happy to go to McDonalds for dinner (which we have done twice already by the way). However, when I made my declaration of adventure in class, Max suggested a Ukrainian restaurant a few metro stops away. He had sound reasoning for his selection that immediately swayed us…“It’s good”.
Boy, he wasn’t kidding either. I didn’t bring my camera, and I wish I had because this restaurant was exquisitely charming. The exterior resembled a traditional Ukrainian home (apparently gingerbread houses are very popular there) with window boxes, wooden arches and white walls. The interior was quaint and cozy- very much like walking into a family’s mountain home. The ceiling was exposed wood, as were the walls. The décor looked as though someone had taken it from a grandmother’s house- dark woods, vibrantly colored cushions, pictures of ordinary people on the walls and ornate tapestries covering parts of the walls.
Because Max had called ahead for seating, we had our own room. I couldn’t have asked for a better setting. The room was small, maybe half the size of a freshmen dorm room. There was a large bench attached to one wall, making up one side of the table’s seating with chairs comprising the other part. It added to the comfort and intimacy of the space. I mean, with 11 of us it’s going to be pretty intimate regardless, but here I felt like we were a family. The waitresses were dressed in traditional Ukrainian dress, which includes an intricate flower headdress. Shelli and I (the 2 waitresses of the group) were both amazed that they didn’t knock them off their heads during the service. Had it been me, someone would have had flowers in his/her borscht.
When I asked Max what was good here, a simple “everything” assured me that I was about to have a good meal. Ukrainian food is very hearty and homey. It’s simple, and savory. The waitresses brought out bread with a spread in many small pots. It wasn’t until after our first piece that Nadia informed us that the delicious, scrumptious spread we were consuming was pure pig fat. In shock, I replied “I’m sorry, did someone send me back to South Carolina? I just ate straight fatback?” Oh well, when in Moscow do as the Ukrainians do…? Another traditional (and surprising) addition to our meal was a drink made of vodka, honey and horseradish. The first two ingredients sound delectable, however it’s the third that threw me for a loop. Despite all reservations, the drink was tasty (not without an intense kick, mind you) and when chased with a bite of a pickle, I can understand its appeal.
As my appetite had diminished over the week, I was already filling up from two slices of pumpernickel so I decided to get a small portion of mushroom dumplings. It was heaven. The mushrooms were tender and had to have been cooked in a sherry of sorts because the flavor was perfect- sweet but savory. The dumplings themselves were well made and surprisingly light. On top were sautéed mushrooms and a dollop of sour cream (it’s everywhere in Russia). When (yes “when”, not “if”) we return, I’ll have to get the largest portion because they could have been the best things I’ve eaten here in Russia.
I couldn’t have asked for a better night with better food and better company. The dynamics of our group are so strong it’s amazing we all have known each other less than a month. Sitting around the table, eating practically homemade food, I realized the importance of good friends and good family. Without either, the experience of the night would have been wasted. It takes great conversations from good friends to turn an isolating room in a Ukrainian restaurant into a family dinner table. And it takes the knowledge gained from having a good family to realize how precious it is to find such comfort and love in others. I’d say it was a pretty great night.

I opened the door…

And influenza. (Get it? “In-flew-Enza”).
This past week was flooded with disease. It was such a significant occurrence that I am going to devote an entire blog to it because you cannot imagine the inconvenience and turmoil being sick abroad can cause. As I have mentioned before, the cold is biting, howling, yelling, asking, telling, barking, etc. so my fellow Americans and I spend a lot of time together inside. This type of cohabitation is bound to draw up disease. Like a ticking bomb, it’s only a matter of time.
I was stuck first. (At least I think I was, it’s a toss up between Nadia and I). I had a brutal case of the sniffles, which was followed by a fever, and then the chills and then sweating and then a headache and then a migraine and then a whole bunch of orange juice and hibernation. It left me feeling extremely dejected because not only was I in pain, but my friends went out to a Georgian restaurant without me! (Only kidding, I was happy to stay in bed... it just invokes more sympathy to say they left me haha). I haven’t felt that ill in such a long time. Also, it didn’t help that the heat in my room is slightly defective causing an ice-box type effect. It was just lovely.
As a result of all of my woes, I was in such a state of sorrow. For this type of misery there is only one cure (besides self-pity)… MOULIN ROUGE. There’s something about Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor and those catchy song and dance numbers that makes me really happy. Don’t judge me. But basically, I laid in bed all week and watched movies online (such an active lifestyle).
After a solid 3 days, my fever finally broke. I was left with intense, but manageable, nasal congestion and a wicked cough (wicked as in malevolent, not Boston/British slang). So it wasn’t clearly determined what illness overcame my poor body this past week, but I can say that it was a filthy one. It was a dirty, rotten scoundrel but I am lucky to say I prevailed! Good always triumphs over evil.
Well, this has been a sufficiently cheerful blog. I do believe that this predicament is worthy of documentation though because it’s most definitely part of the Russian experience. It’s cold and damp in Moscow, if you don’t get sick you’re a freak of nature. I’m sure this has been a positively stimulating piece of literature. I’ll add better blogs soon!

Picture Assignment

Russia is getting colder. And accordingly, we are not leaving the dorm as much because hypothermia is not a desirable condition. However, on Friday (2/18/11) we ventured out into the arctic tundra to take pictures for an assignment. Although I couldn’t feel my face or my hands, my group and I had a great time! The assignment was to take pictures that would adhere to specific rules (rule of threes, interesting angles, etc.) We stayed close to the dorm, taking pictures outside and within academic buildings. This is what we came up with! Oh, and a few pictures feature my groupmates, Lena and Max!

Red Square

Saying Russia is cold is a complete understatement. The temperature is cold, yes. However, once you factor in the wind, the snow, and the “70 degrees is cold” mentality of a South Carolinian you have an absolutely arctic combination. I should say that it’s not entirely intolerable, but categorizing it as slightly unfavorable doesn’t do the weather justice. This is a necessary preface because it gives insight into the reasoning behind my unwillingness to leave the hostel. I’m not usually a boring person, but I am afraid that I have caught a case of boredom recently; I think it’s safe to say that we all have. (This is no reflection of the Russian’s hospitality btw, it’s just cold and we prefer to hide from it than venture out)
So, on one fateful night, I was sick of it! I came into the classroom where everyone was congregating and announced to everyone “We are doing something fun tonight, dammit!” Everyone ardently agreed and we set out to find something to do. This was our first venture without the Russians (Nadia was with us though, so I suppose that’s not entirely true) and we couldn’t have been more excited. The metro was much more enchanting while riding it with only Americans. I think after riding it over and over, the Metro would become standard and mundane, but not for us. We took pictures of the stunning stations and looked around at all of the colorful passengers.
Miles looked up a restaurant before we left that had traditional Russian food. However, when we went to the address, the restaurant was gone! We couldn’t find it anywhere! The whole experience was hilarious because it was just our luck to lose a restaurant. So, we decided to go to a sushi restaurant that was nearby. Let me tell you (in case you were wondering), sushi tastes exactly the same in Moscow as it does in the US. I don’t think we’ll go there again, not because it wasn’t delicious (because it most certainly was) but I would prefer to engage in the Russian experience sans the ubiquity of modern mass culture.
Okay, so dinner is over! What next? Well, we weren’t exactly sure (we hadn't planned that far ahead). To pass time we walked back to the Metro, taking pictures and gabbing about the magnificence of Moscow. Seriously though, Moscow is beautiful. There is such culture and charm within the center of the city; charm that is rooted in its age and history. The buildings are stunning and intricately ornate, and the people are fascinating. They are eclectic in style and dress (I'll try to get pictures without being awkward or creepy!) I love it here.
Anyway, on our way back to the metro we decided to go to Red Square! I was so excited because I missed out on the scenic tour of Moscow that the other students participated in upon their arrival. We studied the Metro stations, found the right one and began walking to Red Square. I know this sounds corny, but my anticipation grew and grew the closer we got to the landmark. I mean come on, Red Square is the pinnacle of Moscow. When you’re standing on the sidewalk in front of traffic, you can be in any city. There is a sort of anonymity associated with busy streets, the cluster of people and traffic lights. But standing in Red Square there is no denying you are in Moscow. Red Square IS Moscow.
It was one of the most breathtaking sights I’ve ever seen in my life. St. Basil’s Cathedral does not look real. As one of my friend’s said, it looks like it belongs in the game Candyland and I couldn’t agree with her more. I was completely overcome by the majesty of the place and I had the enthusiasm of a small child as I was skipping on the cobblestones. I think the feeling was transcendent throughout our entire group, because we all had a magnificent time. I want to go back again soon!

Fixed!

Shelli said that I can use my memory card to directly upload pictures onto my computer! Problem solved :-)

Shoot

Okay, so in my hurried packing I forgot to pack the cord that connects my camera to my computer. So I can’t upload pictures… fabulous. I’ll just make sure that my friends here take a whole bunch of pictures so I can show them to you! I feel so dumb…

Hanging Out

It’s very important to know how to converse here in Russia because we spend a lot of time hanging out together. It’s great for me though because I absolutely love to talk. The girls spend a lot of time together: me, Nadia, Shelli, Karlie and Marie.

Nadia is originally from Ukraine but she lived in France for about 13 years. She has the most wonderful accent, it’s a combination of French and Russian. For those of you who know me very well know that I love accents so I’m trying to pick hers up haha. She is a little older than the rest of us (btw, I had no idea she was older, the French/Ukrainian are beautiful!) but I can’t tell at all because she is so lively and enthusiastic. She is very helpful while traveling around our town because she is fluent in Russian, so she’s helped us a lot in the grocery store. I enjoy her company very much because she is very worldly and I love hearing her talk about her hometown of Dijon.

Shelli is from Lousianna. She is not the typical southern type, which is kind of what I expected (you know, Lily and pearl wearing/Carolina Cup type). She is extremely effervescent and so enthusiastic about everything. She reminds me so much of my best friends from home (Emily and Kitty especially). I really like being around her because she is very sunshine-like which is needed in this grey weather of Russia.

Karlie is from Virginia. She studied abroad in Ghana last semester, which is amazing. She is more reserved than Shelli and Nadia, but she has a great smile (I know that seems creepy but it’s true). Her family owns a beef-raising farm in Virginia, which she is very knowledgeable about. I can tell that she knows a lot about the world because sometimes she says very specific facts, which never cease to amaze me. Although she’s sometimes quiet, she definitely has the best one liners.

Marie is also from Virginia, she goes to Virginia Tech with Karlie. Marie reminds me a lot of my friend Leacy, she’s very intelligent (everyone is very smart btw, I don’t mean to single out just Karlie and Marie as the “smart ones” haha) and a little sarcastic. I love sarcasm so her personality is an excellent balance to Shelli and my hyper energetic characters. I really like Marie because she is extremely easy to talk to as well. She would be the friend who I would turn to if I had a problem (which is the same as Leacy).

But overall, we all balance out each other very well. I have a feeling that we’ll keep in touch for a long time after we leave Moscow!

Movies

On my third night here, we decided to go see a movie in English. There are definitely slim pickings for such a specific order, so we were stuck going to a movie about the Jihad in England at a theater in the center of Moscow. I didn’t care for the subject matter of the movie but I was so excited to go to the center of Moscow that I would have gone to see a movie about grass growing.

We took the metro, which could be one of the most efficient systems I’ve ever seen. Also the metro stations are beautiful. For those who don’t know, the metros have stained glass windows, chandeliers, marble floors and some of the most interesting people I’ve ever seen. There are people from all walks of life in the metro, from women in heels and fur coats (I wanted to be like them haha) to people in work out gear and parkas. I would have been content to stay on the metro and just people watch.

We reached our stop and began to walk. Unfortunately, our group (3 Americans and 3 Russians) were not entirely sure how to get to the theater. After about 30 minutes of walking and questioning a police officer, we found the theater. The movie was a dud. It was funny but at the same time it was attempting to be poignant, I don’t know- not my cup of tea. But it was an experience we all shared together, so it was a good one.

After the movie, we rode back to our part of town (it’s slightly north of Moscow- maybe 5 stops outside the center of town). We stopped and got schwarma (sharma, shooma, schwurma, I don’t remember exactly what it’s called haha). It’s basically a wrap with some kind of meat and tons of vegetables and I think maybe hummus inside, it’s not bad. We sat around for about 2 hours talking about how strange the movie was and making plans for this weekend. We know we want to go to the zoo eventually, but we’re not sure when that’ll happen. I’ll keep you posted!

Skating

Yes, I went ice skating. (I’m sorry mom, I know I told you I wouldn’t go because you thought I’d break my arm but I didn’t fall and had an absolute blast!) I was a little apprehensive about going at first because I have skated maybe twice in my life, but after going around the rink twice I got the hang of it. I’m lucky in that I’m decently coordinated, which made everything more fun.

But let me talk about how we got to the rink. Moscow traffic is insane. There are lines on the roads but it’s difficult to see them and sometimes they aren’t there at all. I’m just glad that I don’t have to drive here because I would have panic attacks at every turn. We rode with Max, a Russian guy who speaks English very well. He and Maksim (the quiet guy from France who seems extremely nice but doesn’t speak any English) rode in the front while Marie, Karlie and I squeezed into the back. We were joking that if we got into an accident we would be fine because there was no way any of us would be able to move. Anyway, we made it but not without a few honked horns, speeding cars and a dump truck stopping in the middle of the road (no big deal…).

I can’t lie, ice skating was the most fun experience I’ve had in a while. I was skeptical at first about doing something so seemingly stereotypical but I promised myself that I would take advantage of every opportunity presented to me (because hey, you only live once, right?).  It was a great bonding experience for everyone because it allowed us to have something in common. Max and Christina (a Russian girl who is friends with Max and Maksim (yes, another Maksim but this one is Russian and speaks English very well too- he’s really nice and funny)) were the best skaters, and led us in a traditional Russian skating game. Basically you line up in two lines and hold hands with the person across from you (like you’re making a tunnel). Then a single skater (an odd number of people is necessary for this game) skates through the tunnel and grabs a person’s hand and drags them to the end of the line. Then the partnet left is the new skater. It’s not as barbaric as it sounds (dragging someone through a tunnel haha) and it’s a lot of fun because there’s always the risk of falling.

After skating we all went to McDonalds (yup, there is McDonalds in Russia). I wasn’t hungry so I split a small McFlurry with Shelli (American who was going to be my roommate but lives next door- she’s a riot and so so nice too). Apparently McDonalds is very popular among students in Moscow, it’s funny how things are similar here and there.

But anyway, things are amazing here. This would be an experience I’ll remember forever.

Welcome

Professor Konstantin Malashenkov and a fellow student named Sasha greeted me at the airport. I met Konstantin Malashenkov when he was visiting Clemson University in late October. During this meeting, I was wearing flip flops, which he laughed at and said I wouldn’t be able to wear in Moscow. So, of course when he saw me he pointed and said he was happy I wasn’t wearing flip flops (because 4 inch heeled boots are a much more practical choice).

They told me that today was a “warm” day, the temperature was only 0 degrees. Now, upon first hearing this my stomach dropped. Warm at 0 degrees is insanity. Anyway, you can imagine my surprise when I walked outside and didn’t turn into an ice cube. Actually, the sun was shining and the wind wasn’t bad, so compared to the heat of the airport the cold felt nice. I was a excited- little southern girl thinks 0 degrees is refreshing. (Yeah, about that, they use the Celsius system Russia so 0 degree is more like 32)

Anyway, Professor Malashenkov was very nice as well as the boy Sasha. Sasha did keep trying to hold my arm so I wouldn’t fall on the ice. I suppose my concept of chivalry is non-existent because at first I thought he was just being creepy. Haha, I need to meet new guys apparently. We first went to the administration building to register my papers, then we went to the dorm. I was exhausted after not sleeping but I was so excited to meet everything that I was hyper. It’s amazing how things work out because the people I’m staying with are some of the nicest and most interesting people I’ve ever met (both Russian and American). It’s going to be a fun 4 months, I can already tell.

I’m living by myself, as this was the only room left. I’m not complaining though because I can listen to my music without having to worry about displeasing someone else. The rooms are basic but surprisingly comfortable and cozy. I like it here a lot. I haven’t felt homesick or sad yet, which I might attribute to the non-stop activities we’ve been doing.

The first night I was here, we all stayed up late talking and listening to music. It was an absolute blast. It wasn’t until I realized that I had been awake for nearly 36 hours that I decided to go to bed. I slept in until about 4 pm. Considering we were up until 6, this wasn’t a completely absurd amount of time if you think about it. 

Flying

Now that I’ve been in Russia nearly 5 days, I think it will be important to update my blog. So much has happened, but I need to make sure that I include important details so I’ll begin with my flight….

Woke up On Sunday morning, January 30 2011, at 7:00am. I had a very important mental list to complete before leaving for Charlotte airport including showering, blow drying my hair, make up, clothes and packing all of my belongings for 4 months in Russia(you know, the thing I should have done a week ago… no big deal). Surprisingly I was able to complete all tasks without a problem and some time left over, which was a big shock because I am never on time. No, seriously- my mom can attest to this- on time is strange concept for me especially when I have to do my hair.

Anyway, my mom and dad piled everything into the car: 1 checked bag, 1 carry on and my gigantic tote bag/”purse”. The soundtrack for the car ride was provided by Wilson Pickett (Mustang Sally, etc.). It was a lively upbeat CD to mask the silence of my anxiety haha. I never like to admit when I’m nervous about something (and I still won’t admit it now) but if there ever was a time for nerves that car ride was definitely it.

We arrived at the airport and now it was time to retrieve the tickets. Now, I have failed to mention the weight limit of the checked bag. It’s 50 pounds. I had to fit 4 months of clothes into a bag all weighing less than 50 pounds. My mom was so nervous it wasn’t going to work and I’m sure had multiple back up plans on the off chance it was overweight. So, when I sat my suitcase on the scale I was definitely holding my breath. Miraculously, it was 50.5 pounds!! After that, the whole trip was easy as pie haha.

Seriously though, that was the hardest part about traveling- the weight limit. I made it to my connecting flight from Charlotte to JKF in New York without problems. Once arriving in NY I had about 4 hours to kill, one of which I spent sitting in an airport restaurant, which resulted in paying for a $20 side salad and diet coke. Yes, $20 for a side salad and a diet coke. That’s not okay.

After that ridiculous expense, I sat in the terminal. I tried to read but I was interrupted by a kid asking me where the bathroom was… in Russian. I guess he assumed I was Russian and I pointed to the bathrooms. I’m not going to lie, it made me feel really cool. Oh! An interesting thing I noticed about Russian women- they don’t smile. At least the ones in the airport didn’t. They were all very tall and statuesque with beautiful Eastern European faces, but they held those faces in a permanent pout. So, of course I mimicked that too. Haha, it was fun pretending to be aloof for a while.

The plane ride to Moscow wasn’t too terrible. I had an aisle seat with two empty seats on my left. I can’t say I wasn’t happy to sit by myself (I was nervous about having to make tentative conversation with a Russian). I watched a movie, tried to read, tried to sleep, stared aimlessly at the char in front of me, all to no avail because I was bored out of my mind. The flight was only 8 hours though, and I’ve certainly spent more time being bored.

As the plane landed, my excitement grew. I think I was in slight denial about actually living in Russia, so when the plane began its decent into Moscow it hit me that this was real. I am actually going to a foreign country and I am actually going to live there. This is a scary concept, but one that I was ready for.

Waiting

I don't understand blogs. I've never kept a diary or journal. I think it promotes stalking because you know you always skim a blog when you see one. We're all creepy.

There is truth to the idea that people are jealous of what they don't/can't have and perhaps I don't understand the compilation of memories via text because mine are seemingly mundane. I have had dreams of grandeur my whole life, which have been stifled by my own will toward orthodoxy. (Haha, what a pretentious sentence. I'll make fun of myself for that one when I read back through this...)

I have spent my entire life waiting. Waiting for middle to school to finish to go to high school; high school to finish to go to college; college to finish to go to law school. Waiting for the clock to hit 9:00pm at the restaurant where I work, so we can close the doors and pressure the ill-tipping customers to leave (sorry, $2 for a $50 meal sucks). Waiting for a tv show to start, waiting for a bad date to be over, waiting for that paper to write itself at 2 am, waiting for something/anything truly out-of-the-ordinary to happen.

So, I think it was this mindset and also a little recklessness that strove me to make the snap decision to move to Moscow for 3 1/2 months. Perhaps not my most thought out decision, but scholarship money acceptable and 18 credit hours applied directly toward my gpa sounded pretty nice. Russia in the winter is probably not the best climate for an "anything below 70 is freezing" southern girl but I like scarves and mittens. 

So after careful thought and analysis, I think it will be important to document my next 4 months as they will soon be my first evidence of a lived life.
Now I'm just waiting for Sunday, when my flight takes off.