Thanks, Empress E.

In this last month, I've been massively exploring, taking pictures, slipping and sliding on ice, and getting to know more about my family and friends here. But I've also been going to school. Here, to be exact. Also known as the "Smolny Institute" within St. Petersburg State University. I'm not sure what I did in my relatively short life to deserve this, but I am forever grateful. The cathedral (actually a concert hall) and the surrounding complex was built by Empress Elizabeth I as a nunnery, having herself a desire to enter the convent in her old age (though she never got around to it). We can thank Bartolomeo Rastrelli for the crazy color pallet and extravagance of design. Rastrelli was an Italian architect Elizabeth recruited to create her Winter Palace, now the Hermitage Museum. Elizabeth continued in the footsteps of her father, Peter the Great, in westernizing Russia, especially by inviting European artists, engineers, architects, and thinkers to Russia. Eventually, the Smolny non-convent morphed into a center of education for noble young ladies in the late 18th century. Famous Russian painter, Dmitri Levitsky, depicted many of these students in a series of portraits entitled, "Smolianki"

On our first night in St. Petersburg, we got a drive-by glimpse of Smolny Cathedral. The program directors told us that this was the entrance to our university and our jaws dropped like kids in a candy shop. We have yet to close our mouths.

Welcome to Rossiya!

Dearest family and friends,

I hope this blog finds you happy and well! Nearing the three week mark here in St. Petersburg, I wanted to let you know that I miss you a lot and only wish that you could witness with your own eyes the things I've seen and will recount in the months ahead. I hope my words can do my experience justice.

These past two weeks have been a crazy trip, to say the least, processing millions of incoming observations and trying to make sense of them all. I took my first hit of the culture shock drug as we hit the ground in St. Petersburg. Everyone was speaking Russian. Snow and xenophobia filled the air. It started to hit me-I'm in RUSSIA!!! WOAH. During the first few days, my program ran an intensive orientation, where jet lag definitely got the better of me (8 hour time difference from the US East Coast. FYI: Russia spans 11 time zones!) Gradually, orientation became a good bonding experience, and we all managed to retain some helpful tips on surviving and thriving in our new surroundings (some of which have proved quite handy already):

-Don't drink the water unless you enjoy dissentary illnesses such as Giardia Lambia.

-The mullet is accepted as a current hairstyle and is even encouraged.

-The sun rises at 9:30 am, sets at 4, and hides behind a blanket of grey clouds in between. Only 65 days in the year are sunny.

(A powerpoint slide showed the phrase "Question Authority" with a giant line through it...mmmm about that...)

-Avoid eye contact and smiling on the street/public transport. It is considered rude or can be taken as a flirtatious invitation (sounds easy enough, right? We Americans smile and stare more than we realize).

-Stray dogs and cats most likely have rabbes. No matter how adorable they are, don't touch. Even if black pugs solicit your participation in Treat to Eat programs :(

-It is illegal to be drunk in public. If you run into the militsia/police, you're off to what's affectionately termed "The Drunk Tank." This is one place not on my list of must-sees. The militsia, dressed in uniforms reminiscent of Soviet times, pretty much scare the crap out of me.

etc. etc. etc.

So, on Day 3, after our second HIV test at the Otto Clinic and last paperwork, it was time to meet our homestay families, whom we knew nothing about until the previous day. I'll be honest, I had a huge knot in my stomach thinking about this occasion, the almost certain miscommunications, etc. But after realizing that they probably wouldn't bite and were extremely decent people for taking me in the first place, I started to get excited. My host mom, Galina Bacilevna (approx. 65) came out of the apartment building to greet me and introduced me to her daughter, Elena Vladimirovna (approx. 30). Elena then introduced me to the apartment, which consists of a kitchen, bathroom and shower (separated), my room, and living room. It's tight but very cozy and WARM! Tea is like water in this country and is always brewing. The apartment is centrally located on Grashdanskaya Ulitsa, about a 15 minute walk from Nevsky Prospect, the main drag of St. Petersburg. My first night in the apartment, Elena V. took me on a walking tour of the city and our neighborhood. She was very knowledgable about St. Petersburg and its history but unfortunately, I could only understand and respond to about 25% of what she told me. Still, it was super gracious of her to show me around and make me feel welcome. Both Elena V. and Galina B. have been really generous so far, especially in the language department, patiently listening to me butcher their language and other times, consoling me when I am left totally mute. I often get the "it's cute that you're trying" look. We're now starting to learn each other's idiosyncracies, both a fun and frustrating process, about which I'll be able to comment more as time passes.

Anyways, I wish I could relay everything at once, but my energy dwindles with the sunlight.

Thanks to everyone who has sent me messages and mail for keeping me connected. I really appreciate it, and please continue to update me on what's up in your life too.

Much Love and Spakonee Nochee-Good Night :)

P.S. please forgive my neglect of this blog for ohhh, a year and a half and the complete irrelevance of its title at the moment ;P As always, photos of this semester can be found on Flickr.