It has been some time but to me that means things have been well. The past few days I have been spending time enjoying a short streak of unusal warm and sunny weather. In addition, I have spent time getting to know more about the other students on this trip. The people are amazing and really great. It is still slightly nerve-wracking to go to shops and downtown, but with some members of the group we get through it. Also, I am really working on using my Russian more even if it is just pieces of words then sentences. But I am actually very excited to go try to buy fish. It is hard because you feel slightly ashamed when you are struggling and the workers look down on you but afterwards the accomplishment feeling makes it ok. You realize that that struggle and possible embarrassment was worth it in the end.
So just a quick recap of the weekend, I caught a cold on Friday but I am getting over it at a decent pace. But I had all my elective classes on Friday. I have decided to take 18 credits, and I think I can do it. There really is no homework so I think I will be ok but then that means my grade depends on midterms and finals. But I really like the classes so far and think I will enjoy them. I have started finding reading materials for my classes so I at least can get a background in the subjects since I have very little. I am taking Kiev a Rus to the Revolution (Russian history before the revolution), Russian Orthodox Church, and Contemporary Life of Russia (political science). I am excited to have time to read about these things. But that after classes I went downtown to look for books on these subjects and got a book on Putin, which sounds interesting. Then on Saturday we went to a hockey game and St. Petersburg won. It was fun and dinner was amazing and cheap! It was really good Italian, go figure. Then on Sunday I went looking for books again with some people and found the textbook I need for my political science book along with a travel book for Turkey. After that a few of us made this really simple but good dish where we just fried fish and vegetables together. Anyway, then today I went on the Baltika Brewery tour and got the best souvenir as I have stated on facebook. Instead of tasting like I imagined from my experience at Coors we received steins. It was pretty cool and everyone was pretty excited.
On to other things, I have just been thinking a lot about what I am doing and my decision to come to Russia. I know in the end I won’t regret it and I am just excited to see where this semester takes me. I am having a difficult time explaining myself so let me start again.
Today, I was listening to an old play list on my ipod that I haven’t listened to in awhile. It’s a play list I created for when I am doing homework and for the most part it is suppose to be mellow, slower music to help me concentrate. The ironic thing is that listening to the play list total got me pumped up like a workout play list, which ended up being helpful in making me focus on Russian. Anyway, Kelly Clarkson’s song Breakaway came on and I just had to stop and listen. For the most part, everything she sang about is what I needed at this time in my life. I have talked about this slightly but it just seems to ring more true after dealing with a dose of homesickness. I have never felt challenged like I do now and that was the change that I needed, regardless of how hard I have realized it actually is too breakaway. Yes, I miss my family and friends but this song and some helpful words from friends who have already study abroad is just the reminder I need that our lives are not going separate places. Someone once described it to me as the idea that my friends and family are moving forward and parallel with my life here in Russia. In the end we will dock at the same place and pick up again during that time. That is just something I have realized and need to remember. And now I also have new and amazing friends.
I don’t know those are just a few thoughts that my music as has put into my head. It is truly amazing when music just triggers or creates the reflective atmosphere one needs to make discoveries about oneself. Well, there are other thoughts but those will be for later. Goodnight!
With Much Love,
Emily
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