I think Wednesday will be my update days
I think that Wednesdays will probably become my update days as I have a break-period, which is what I am using right now to type this.
These past few days have been busy. Classes have started for me. I am in what seems to be the “advanced” group of students for Russian language classes. It is a bit intimidating, yet at the same time, I feel as though I am doing ok. What we are working on in terms of grammar and oral fluency is very similar to what Zoya Mikhailevna demanded of us all last quarter.
I am trying to think through all of the things that I have done these last few days, I forgot to bring my notes so I’m feeling a bit scatterbrained.
I’m starting to figure my way around the city. Allegra and I have discovered thanks to Marina that the bus is a better way to get to and from the school than the metro. I heard comments from other students that on weekday mornings that the metro resembles something out of “march of the penguins”.
I now have a cell-phone, my host-mom had an old one she is loaning me for the semester, and I bought a sim-card for it. Send me an e-mail if you want my phone-number.
My classes for this semester, are, at this time; grammar, conversation, phonetics/translation, civilization, culture, and choir. For sure the CIEE choir, but I may also be able to participate in the St. Petersburg State University choir. I need to talk to Irina and Jarlath more about that though.
The weather in St. Petersburg has been quite mild in my opinion. Maybe a little cold at night but not bad. I’ve has to explain to my hosts over and over again however that I don’t consider this to be cold, this is normal, even warm, winter weather for me. If I don’t have my hat on my head or my scarf around me next when heading out the apartment door, (not the building door the apartment door) I get scolded that it is cold out-side and I need to be bundled up. It’s wonderful that my host-mom cares, but I’ve spent the past few days OVERHEATING in St. Petersburg. :-P I guess I’ll just bundle up going out the door and then stick my scarf and gloves in my bag before going the rest of the way to school.
I am noticing that my comprehension of Russian has increased exponentionally since coming here, I have issues speaking still, my grammar goes out the window when I talk. Not completely but I know I must sound quite strange. I am starting to mutter to myself in Russian however and not English, I think this is a good first step.
I have spent more time talking to my host family now, though not as much as I would like. I even had a conversation with Seryosha the other day, though the two of us have more difficulty understanding one another than Tanya and I, I am not sure why exactly that is.
One thing I am shocked by is the amount of TV my family watches. I am not used to watching much TV. Still I try to watch a little just to see how much I can understand. I had the most issues when a commercial in English came on…. It messed with my head.
On the 27th, St. Petersburg had a holiday to celebrate the end of 900 days of blockade during WWII. The news that day was interesting. I wish I could have understood more of the interviews they had with blockade survivors. Allegra, Brian and I went to watch the fireworks over the Petropavloskaya Krepost’. I have pictures from this and from our excursion on Sunday. (click on the photo gallery to see them. :) )
I think I’ll maybe have to update this better another day. I’m sitting in the study room with about 15 other people, so I keep getting distracted from what it is I am writing.
These past few days have been busy. Classes have started for me. I am in what seems to be the “advanced” group of students for Russian language classes. It is a bit intimidating, yet at the same time, I feel as though I am doing ok. What we are working on in terms of grammar and oral fluency is very similar to what Zoya Mikhailevna demanded of us all last quarter.
I am trying to think through all of the things that I have done these last few days, I forgot to bring my notes so I’m feeling a bit scatterbrained.
I’m starting to figure my way around the city. Allegra and I have discovered thanks to Marina that the bus is a better way to get to and from the school than the metro. I heard comments from other students that on weekday mornings that the metro resembles something out of “march of the penguins”.
I now have a cell-phone, my host-mom had an old one she is loaning me for the semester, and I bought a sim-card for it. Send me an e-mail if you want my phone-number.
My classes for this semester, are, at this time; grammar, conversation, phonetics/translation, civilization, culture, and choir. For sure the CIEE choir, but I may also be able to participate in the St. Petersburg State University choir. I need to talk to Irina and Jarlath more about that though.
The weather in St. Petersburg has been quite mild in my opinion. Maybe a little cold at night but not bad. I’ve has to explain to my hosts over and over again however that I don’t consider this to be cold, this is normal, even warm, winter weather for me. If I don’t have my hat on my head or my scarf around me next when heading out the apartment door, (not the building door the apartment door) I get scolded that it is cold out-side and I need to be bundled up. It’s wonderful that my host-mom cares, but I’ve spent the past few days OVERHEATING in St. Petersburg. :-P I guess I’ll just bundle up going out the door and then stick my scarf and gloves in my bag before going the rest of the way to school.
I am noticing that my comprehension of Russian has increased exponentionally since coming here, I have issues speaking still, my grammar goes out the window when I talk. Not completely but I know I must sound quite strange. I am starting to mutter to myself in Russian however and not English, I think this is a good first step.
I have spent more time talking to my host family now, though not as much as I would like. I even had a conversation with Seryosha the other day, though the two of us have more difficulty understanding one another than Tanya and I, I am not sure why exactly that is.
One thing I am shocked by is the amount of TV my family watches. I am not used to watching much TV. Still I try to watch a little just to see how much I can understand. I had the most issues when a commercial in English came on…. It messed with my head.
On the 27th, St. Petersburg had a holiday to celebrate the end of 900 days of blockade during WWII. The news that day was interesting. I wish I could have understood more of the interviews they had with blockade survivors. Allegra, Brian and I went to watch the fireworks over the Petropavloskaya Krepost’. I have pictures from this and from our excursion on Sunday. (click on the photo gallery to see them. :) )
I think I’ll maybe have to update this better another day. I’m sitting in the study room with about 15 other people, so I keep getting distracted from what it is I am writing.
posted by gewreinn at 1:47 PM (St Petersburg time)
3 Comments:
I suspect their TV viewing seems like a lot only because we do not watch very much TV in hour house. But the average American watches 4 1/2 hours per day and the TV is on over 8 hours per day says Nielsen Media. So in that context, is it still a lot? :-)
Gwen? Overheating? Wow, pretty crazy stuff happens in Russia. I luvs you!
very very cool =) sorri to hear about the over heating tho, thats really funny though - your in russia, during the winter, and your over heating.
oh well that works
one of my friends room mates is going to russia next year!!! for school. very cool, he is so excited!
Post a Comment
<< Home