Monday, June 18, 2001
Tuesday, June 19, 2001
Wednesday, June 20, 2001
Thursday, June 21, 2001
Friday, June 22, 2001
Saturday, June 23, 2001
Sunday, June 24, 2001

Pre-Trip Journal Week One Week Two Week Three Week Four Week Five Week Six Week Seven Week Eight Week Nine Week Ten Week Eleven Week Twelve Week Thirteen Week Fourteen Week Fifteen

Monday, June 18, 2001
I heard a rumor that they might be turning the hot water back on today. So when I got up this morning, I decided to try the bathtub. I turned the faucet and got brown water. Not just a little rusty, but brown. And it was nothing even close to hot. I decided to check again when I got home this evening, and lo and behold! Clear, hot water. I immediately jumped into the shower. Ahh, what a wonderful feeling! I've been waiting for this moment for two weeks.

This morning, on the way to class, I found a great bakery that has sesame rolls for 3 rubles, 50 kopecks ($0.12). What a deal. I know where I will be getting breakfast from now on!

Tuesday, June 19, 2001
Today was a busy day. I had to sign another contract at the University, and I didn't know that I needed additional photographs to have my visa extended. So I hopped on the Marshrutka to the Metro station and found a place there that made document photos.

Unfortunately, it had been raining all day, and my hair was wilder than Medusa's. When I got my pictures back, I basically looked like a raging lunatic; out-of-control hair, a crooked grin and eyes bugged out. I have never, ever seen a worse picture of myself. I decided that if I turned that picture in, they would never, ever give me a visa because they would suspect I was a mass-murderer. So I got another set taken, which was still bad, but at least I didn't look like I'd just escaped from the asylum.

I figured out how to catch the Marshrutka from Chernyshevskaya Station back to Smolny and dropped off my photos so I wouldn't have to go there tomorrow. Then I was off to Vassilevsky Island to meet Olga at her job. She works in a lamp store for the wealthier residents of St. Petersburg. It was very lovely, being right off the sea. While I was there I asked for some adhesive tape, and learned that it is generally called "Skoch." Well, of course I got very excited and proceeded to tell her all about 3M.

Wednesday, June 20, 2001
I have been feeling pretty down lately. I think that I've settled into a routine, and now the homesickness is setting in. I've realized that the hardest part about being here is that no one smiles at you. The street is a sea of straight faces. I understand the reason, that life is difficult here, but it doesn't make it any less depressing.

On a little bit happier note, I feel like I am making much faster progress this week with the language. I think I'm really starting to adjust to normal speech and I've started to pick up many more words. I also sat down and studied for a while today, which was a big accomplishment. I haven't felt very motivated to do so, probably because I was pretty burnt out on school in general.

Thursday, June 21, 2001
I think I have fallen in love with Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. Whenever I hear Russians speak of him, they do so with reverence, and I finally understand why. We read two of his poems in class to day, the second of which almost brought me to tears. I don't quite know how to describe it except to say that the words combine to form a sort of music, and the language has a grace that is simply unsurpassed.

So after class, I decided to go to Dom Knigi to buy a book of Pushkin's poetry. I walked with Hatori to the Metro station, and we had a lovely conversation in which I tried to explain America to him. He seemed to be very interested in what I had to say, because it is so different from Japan. Of course I invited him to come and visit sometime, and he told me that I would be welcome in Tokyo.

The sun finally came out this afternoon, after a few days of very gloomy, wet weather. Unfortunately, this also means that the humidity is around 80%. I decided to walk home from Kupchino Station, and by the time I got home all of my clothes were just soaking wet. I took a nice, refreshing shower, which I continue to appreciate immensely.

Friday, June 22, 2001
I feel very, very relieved. There was some concern at the school that the Russian government would not accept the results of my HIV test when I extended my visa. (Typical Russian bureaucracy!) I was not crazy about the prospect of having more blood drawn, so it was great joy that I discovered my application for extension had been accepted. In two weeks I will receive my new visa, valid until my departure date.

Today was Mitsuhido's last day studying at the University, on Sunday he will go home to Japan. He arrived in St. Petersburg a year ago, with no previous experience studying Russian. After today's lessons, Jarrod, Hatori, Kenji and I took him out to bid a fond farewell. Claire was off to Moscow, therefore unable to join us.

We walked about two kilometers to the Dutch-themed Pelikan restaurant. The food was excellent! Jarrod said "It's unfortunate that the food is so good here because I always want to eat too much!" I can agree with that sentiment; I don't think I've had such a delicious meal since arriving here almost four weeks ago.

We sat there for three hours, drinking beer and conversing in Russian. (I bought everyone a round of beer amid much protest, until I explained that it cost less for five "pints" in Russia than it does for one in America.) It was a blast! We talked about so many things which I can't even begin to remember now, but it doesn't matter because I had a good time! Mitusuhido was very grateful for the afternoon, and kept thanking us profusely. (He is Japanese, after all!) We will miss him, but are happy for him to be reuniting with his family and friends.

Saturday, June 23, 2001
Not very much happened today. Olga and I intended to go to the White Nights festival but our plans were thwarted on two counts. Olga came down with a cold yesterday, and we've had rain off and on today. So instead I stayed home and did housework. The good news is that I'm getting good at ironing!

Sunday, June 24, 2001
I awoke at 6:30 this morning to the telephone ringing. Understandably I was quite confused, but then when I heard my mom on the other end I was pretty happy. The special code that Tatiana and Alexei gave us has a rate of 13 cents a minute, which just can't be beat. So I talked to my parents for about 40 minutes and then went back to sleep.

I lay around in bed until about 2pm reading, which was really, really nice. Today was a gorgeous, breezy sunny day, and I had my window open. For me it was a nice, lazy Sunday.

After I got up, I finished up the last of the cleaning. The place looks great! (I have to earn my keep, after all.) The only exception is the floors; I couldn't find the vacuum cleaner. Even so, I think Yulia will be very happy when she gets home, because it looks better than when she left.