Cultured Soul

Despite the lack of blue skies and sun in St. Petersburg, I have found that the light has always been shining in this city. In the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to experience the wonders and magnificence of high-culture in art galleries and on stage. What is incredible about this city is the plethora of opportunity to attend an exhibition at a museum, listen to an opera, watch a ballet, and view eminent works of art.

A couple weeks ago our weekly excursion took us to the Michailovsky Theatre located on “Площадь Искусств” or the Square of Art. It is almost next door to the Russian Museum. That night, it had begun to snow big beautiful flakes which only added to the magic of the evening. We met in the lobby and after we received our tickets we checked our coats and hastened to find our seats. I was seated right in the middle which was great because I was able to see both sides of the stage equally well. The seating area is also not very big so, really, no matter where one sits, one is bound to have a good view. The inside of the theatre is spectacular. The gold detailing and the artistry of the walls, the seat boxes and the ceilings made me feel like I had walked into a lavish palace. The show began. The opera was called “La Triviatta”. Although the opera was performed in Italian, subtitles in Russian displayed above the stage allowed for comprehension.
The next week brought us to a ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre, arguably one of the most beautiful and best theatres in Russia and perhaps in the entire world. The most famous ballerinas have graced the stage of the Mariinsky and this evening I had the chance to see it for myself. The luxurious stage curtain opened and “Romeo and Juliet” began. It was very interesting to watch Shakespeare’s masterpiece in ballet form because obviously the play was meant to be performed as a play, not a dance. However, one would never guess that after watching this performance. Not only was every move the dancers made absolutely perfect, the story was marvelously captured without any words at all. Inside the Mariinsky Theatre:

If I were to choose one place that I love walking through the most, it would have to be the Russian Museum. It is one of the greatest showcases of Russian art in the world. Collections of Russian icons, statues, 18^th century to 20^th century art, as well as folk art, fill the large rooms of the old Michailovsky Palace. With my Student ID I can get in for about 30 roubles, which is the equivalent of about one dollar. (By the way the Hermitage is absolutely free with Student IDs! J) Some of my favorite pieces of art include the “Last Day of Pompeii”, painted by Karl Brullyov, “Barge Haulers on the Volga,” painted by Ilya Repin, the statue “Girl with a Butterfly” and “What Freedom!” painted by Ilya Repin. I got the chills when I first saw Barge-Haulers on the Volga because I first learned about this painting when I was in 8^th grade and seeing it in real-life was just incredible. I find it the most relaxing and mind-freeing experience to walk slowly through the Russian Museum. To be surrounded by the works of so many masterminds makes me feel so lucky live in this impressive city. Outside of the Russian Museum:

I am looking forward to returning next semester for all of the culture and art that this city has to offer. The sun really does shine all the time.

A Taste of History

Hello all! Things are going well here, I’m just chilling on this rainy Friday evening. It’s nice to relax every once in a while. I had a pretty busy week. We had grade consultations, and I’m doing really well in my classes. I’m finding that I understand SO much more of what the teachers are saying. It’s amazing how much my listening comprehension has improved in just about 2 months. I also really enjoy being in such small classes. My teachers are great. A couple weeks ago, my conversation practice teacher invited my class over to her apartment and she taught us how to make blini! (thin pancakes). It was a lot of fun; we ate them with sour cream (of course) and raspberry jam. We also enjoyed a hot cup of tea and some nice Russian conversation!
It’s pretty cold and wet here, it’s been in the 30’s and 40’s lately. Guess what! I finally have internet (kinda) at my house. It have been on a crazy hunt looking for an antenna in order to get better reception, however after a few days of different salespeople sending me all over the city, I have decide to forfeit. I do not have a strong enough connection for Skype, but at least I can keep in touch with people with email, facebook and AIM. (which is more than I had before).
Well, it looks like I will be going home for Christmas which is really nice because I miss my family and my friends so much. My original plan was to stay in St. Pete in between semesters but plans have changed. It will be great to get back to Connecticut and relax. (Cleaner air there too)
If I were to recommend anything to anyone who is planning on studying abroad, it is to keep a journal. You will easily forget thoughts you had about simple things and the way you felt when you went somewhere/ saw something. I’ve written almost every day that I’ve been here. I’ve filled one and a half journals and I know that years down the road I’m going to open them up and really enjoy reading them.
I’ve been on a few excursions since I last posted. I had the opportunity to visit Piskarevskoe Memorial Cemetery. The mass cemetery is a memorial to the 2 million people (soldiers and civilians) that died during the horrific Siege of Leningrad from 1941 to 1944. The Siege of Leningrad was the 900 day attempt of the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy and Japan) to capture Leningrad- because of its industrial strength and the hub of the Baltic Fleet- Hitler felt that this would be a good way of getting into the Soviet Union in order to conquer it. However they were unsuccessful. People died by the thousands from little food, no electricity, the plunging temperatures and disease. Over 490,000 people are buried in this cemetery. There are 186 mass graves and they are labeled with stone slabs with stars for soldiers and a hammer & sickle for civilians. A pathway leads down the center of the cemetery from an eternal flame to a bronze statue of Mother Russia. As we walked from the flame to the statue, classical music played throughout the cemetery. The day we went it was a very gray day, and bitterly cold. It added to the solemnity of the place. Engraved in stone behind the statue is a poem written by Olga Berglotts, a survivor of the siege. I was able to really understand the depth of the sadness and loss experienced by the people of Leningrad when my host babushka told me that her grandparents died of hunger during the siege. Can you imagine that? I’ve have never felt closer to Russian history. Her grandfather rests in the cemetery. Her daughter Ira brought home a documentary on the blockade for me to watch. It was in Russian. I listened and watched as she explained things that I didn’t understand. I feel very fortunate to have been able to hear their story and I feel like I understand this dark time in Russian history much more.
The next week I went to the Russian Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography. (Located next to the Russian Museum) It was interesting. We had a guided tour and afterwards we were able to walk around on our own. I was able to see traditional costumes, tools, cooking utensils, toys, furniture, crafts, etc. from different ethnic groups and people in all the diverse parts of Russia as well as the different former Soviet republics.
The excursion this week was the Baltika beer brewery, located in the very north of the city. We got on the Baltika bus off of the metro which took us to the brewery. It’s like its own little city. What is fascinating about the place is that you don’t really see that many people working there. (the reason probably being that just about everything is automated and so high-tech). It was really cool to see the expanse of machines, vats, pipes, and rooms all dedicated to the production of beer. Baltika exports to 52 different countries and is second in Europe in terms of beer sales. Baltika brand is also responsible for 80% of beer exports from Russia. At the end of the tour, the guide brought our group to this large room where we were seated at a bunch of tables filled with different kinds of beers and sandwiches. It was really fun and it was an interesting excursion. Too bad I don’t enjoy the smell or taste of beer. Haha.
Things are great here and I’m so happy. I hope all is well with you guys, wherever you are in the world. <3

All Aboard! Волга, Волга!!!

Well, first of all, so sorry I have not posted in what seems like forever!! I have had quite an eventful time since I last posted. I went on a cruise down the Volga! It was one of the most interesting and wonderful experiences of the semester so far. I began my journey on an overnight train to Moscow. We arrived in Moscow the next morning and spent about 8 hours total, taking a bus tour of the city and then exploring on our own. The last time I was in Moscow was in 2006. It seems so different! I think it’s because this time I was able to see a lot more. Walking onto Red Square is always a fantastic feeling, so much history and beauty kind of hits you in the face, it’s so overwhelming. I love Moscow, but it’s a city I probably would never want to live in. It is very large and a little intimidating. I must say, St. Pete is the place to be. I love it so much more than Moscow, purely opinion though. I don’t know what it is about St. Pete that is so wonderful but I think it has to do with its charm and character; it’s very hard to explain. Me in front of the Kremlin:Anyway, I got on another over night train in Moscow to Ulyanovsk. Ulyanovsk is the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin, the communist revolutionary leader that was the driving force in the fall of the monarchy in Russia. (He lies in a Mausoleum on Red Square in Moscow now). I was able to see where he was born and walk through the house he lived in with his family. In Ulyanovsk, we boarded the cruise ship. I was rooming with my Russian friend Anya, a girl studying in St. Pete with me and a girl studying in Vladimir. We had two portholes as windows and we were just above the water. It was so beautiful at night and in the morning. At night, the moonlight shined on the water and in the morning the sunlight made it sparkle. So pretty. The boat was amazing, we had “dress-up nice” dinners and I was able to spend a lot of time with my friends.
The next city we went to was Samara. There, we got a tour of Stalin’s Bunker, which is 37 meters underground. (about 11 stories deep) Hitler’s Bunker was about 11 meters underground if that gives you an idea of how deep this actually is. We got to walk around the city as well. I woke up a little late this morning so unfortunately, I forgot my camera this day. Oops! I was not happy with myself. It’s ok, I have great friends who said they are going to share their pics with me. J We ate breakfast and lunch and dinner on the boat just about every day for the whole week. Every evening we had a lecture in Russian given by different professors that came on the trip. My group all had to give presentations in English based off essays we had written in Russian. The Volga is beautiful. The trees along the coastline were red, yellow and orange. It was so nice to see trees and not buildings. What is interesting about the land we saw from the boat is that it was different all the time. Sometimes there were trees, sometimes cute little towns, rolling hills, farmland, raw coastland that was a brown/yellow color (which was cool because it looked like it belonged in Arizona or something).
We spent the next day in Saratov. There, we visited a catholic church, the first that I had seen at all in Russia. My favorite part of the day was when we went to a monument for WWII at the top of a mountain looking over the whole city and the Volga. It was located in a military park. Again, we had a bus tour and got to walk around on our own. My friends and I also stumbled upon an amazing indoor food market that looked exactly like Eastern Market in Washington DC. Volgograd was next, and was probably the most interesting city we visited because it is the location where the Battle of Stalingrad took place. The entire city was destroyed during this battle. We were able to see a building that was the least destroyed amongst all the buildings; it looked completely destroyed. Now the city is really beautiful, it is completely built up and one could never guess that a devastating battle took place here upon first glance. On our bus tour we saw so many monuments in commemoration of the battle that was the turning point of WWII and led to the retreat of the German army. About two million Soviets were killed in this battle. I witnessed the changing of the guard at the eternal flame near the Mother Russia statue (Родина Мать). This statue is enormous and she holds a sword rising up to the sky. It sits on a hill and our tour guide told us when people arrive by train to Volgograd, you are able to see the statue from the train.
The day of after Volgograd was a day spent only on the cruise ship. We had a lecture on the wildlife and plant-life that we would be able to see in Astrakhan, our next city. That night we also had a Captain’s dinner where everyone dressed up really nice and I tried red caviar for the first (and last) time. The next day we were in an Astrakhan. This city is located on the Volga Delta, right on the Caspian Sea. I unfortunately was not able to see the Caspian Sea, which was a bummer because we were so close but nevertheless it was an amazing day. I saw the fortress there and I walked around with my friends for a little more than 4 hours. The sunset was incredible and the city was just beautiful. It was so interesting because the diversity there was unlike anything I had seen in any other part of Russia I had been in so far. The different influences in the architecture were also very cool to see. That night, we got on a 37 hour train ride back to St. Petersburg; A night, a full day then another night. It was fun though, we all bought a lot of food for the train and we had great conversations, fun times and tea. I didn’t sleep well at night, though, I was in the bed right next to the door that led to the bathroom. It slammed EVERYtime someone had to pee. So, I woke up a lot.
This trip is something I will remember for the rest of my life. It was incredible and I would do it again in a split second.

Peterhof, Puskin, Pelmeni

Hi everyone!!! I am still having an amazing time here. I'm a little sick today, I have a sore throat and a runny nose, i.e. the common cold. I'm feeling good though!!! I LOVE my classes, my favorite being my conversation class. I am surprising myself with how much my speaking skills are improving. :) I am speaking much more quickly too. Two weeks ago I went to Peterhof! It was amazing. Peter the Great built it and it was influenced by the Palace at Versailles in France. It has this unbelieveable cascade of fountains, statues and BEAUTY. We walked around the park and we ate lunch on the grass, overlooking the Gulf of Finland! It was incredible. There are also a bunch of fountains that you can run through and get wet, I was soaked by the end of the day. It was really fun though.
This past week, I went to Puskin which is just outside of St. Pete. I got a tour of Catherine's Palace. It was beautiful. My favorite part was the amber room where literally everything in the room including the walls, picture frames etc. is COVERED in gorgeous amber. For those that don't know, amber is a brownish-reddish-yellowish-orangy kind of stone. We had so much fun that day and my friends and I have alot of great pictures from walking around the grounds of the palace and lunch over looking the water. I feel so lucky to be able to see so many amazing places like this and it is unlike anything I ever imagined. I'm sorry I can't put up pictures right now, but I'm in an internet cafe and have no idea where to stick the USB drive. I'm also having alot of trouble putting pictures up on facebook, but I will keep trying! Maybe one day it will work. The weather is dreary here today, it's been getting colder and it has been more rainy.
Ok, now I need to talk about the food. I have had quite a culinary experience here. Firstly, I must mention pelmeni, which everyone I know loves. They are basically potstickers but are more circular; they are dumplings with meat inside. There are many different types of pelmeni but my favorite are the Siberian pelmeni. Of course, they have to be covered in sour cream. :) I have made it a rule for myself, to try everything that is offered at dinner at least once, because I never know if I will like it or not. It was pretty funny the other night, my Babushka made this appetizer that was a fish (herring, I think) that she said I wouldn't like. She told me to try it though. She slathered butter onto a piece of black bread (my favorite kind of bread so far) and then put the piece of fish on top with some onions. To make a long story short, I loved it and she was shocked, but of course happy to hear that. I am also eating alot more than I normally eat but I walk EVERYWHERE so I'm not worried lol. Well, I going to go and have some blini (thin pancakes, alot like french crepes) for lunch with my friend on this rainy afternoon in St. Pete. Love you all.

The Hermitage and what I've learned thus far

Hey guys! So I went to the Hermitage for the first time yesterday... talk about grandeur! It was incredibly beautiful. I plan on going back about 10 times lol, there is so much to see! I also get in for free with my Russian student ID which is amazing. I'm really loving this city. I'm used to the metro now and I seldom get lost( and I've only been here for a week!), and...I can read a map! yay! I am also really enjoying living with my host family. Did I mention that they have a dog!? Her name is Choaby. She's a boxer! For those of you that don't know, I have a boxer in the USA too (her name is Sasha), so this just makes the family situation even better than it already was! She has a lot of energy and when my alarm clock goes off in the morning, she comes into my room to make sure that I get up. So essentially, I have two alarm clocks. lol. Here is a picture of Choaby:

I really like school alot. I just finished a paper last night about the first excursion we went on. (The tour of the city by canal). I also have a peer tutor now! Everyone in the program is assigned a peer tutor which is basically a young Russian student, who is either in the university or has already graduated. We meet about once a week for a few hours and talk to each other. (No English allowed!) She also helps me if I have questions on homework. She's pretty cool, her name is Anya. She is a speech therapist for children. Here is a picture of the sunset on the Neva River that I took while on the tour of the city by boat:

Mom and Dad will be happy to hear this; I am also learning how to live more frugally and simply. I take MUCH shorter showers, I'm not buying anything I don't really need and I'm using my head more lol. That sounds weird but I guess what I mean is I am thinking more before I act. I'm having a little bit of trouble with lowering my voice in public though. Oh yeah, and the smiling thing is getting better for me. Russia is not some cold, dark place where no one smiles. It is just a place where you have to be more consious of what you are doing, who is around you, what you say and how loud you are. These are all things that I have usually taken for granted living in the US. Oh, I must say though, my habit of not crossing the street unless the walking sign says to has really helped me here in St. Pete. Russians drive ALOT faster and are much less likely to stop for pedestrians who have decided they will cross the street when they aren't supposed to.

I've been exploring the city and today I had an espresso with a couple of friends and after we went through a couple malls. SO many shoe stores. :) Here is a picture of me laughing at something on the the grand staircase of the Winter Palace/Hermitage:

What's great about this city is that I can do something different everyday if I wanted to. Weekends are great for exploring museums, ballets, operas, theaters, the different sections of the city, etc. It really is one of the most beautiful European cities!
The wind is starting to pick up today. I know that this is a preview for colder wind that will come later. The weather has been fair; nice for walking in but lately has been rainy and is usually in the 60's. I miss home and the US for certain things (mostly my family) but I'm starting to adapt and it gets easier to live in Russia everyday. Side note: I love the food. <3

A Whirlwind of Russia and Amazing Times, however...No Internet

Yes, as you might have guessed, I have no internet at home. I'm sitting in an internet cafe on Nevskiy Prospect. I miss you all! My host family is amazing. They have pretty much adopted me into their family. I'm living with a 78 woman, named Tanya, whom I call "Babushka" and her 40 year old daughter who is known as Ira. They are both amazing! Babushka makes the most amazing Russian meals, which always begin with borsht, include meat, tons of vegetables (which I am SO happy about) and usually ends with fruit. Both she and Ira speak only Russian with me and I speak no English in the house! So intense lol. By the way, my Russian is much better already. My English, however is getting worse...lol. I am now attending classes at my university. They are all conducted in Russian. It's tough but the teachers all all very patient and nice, and I am improving so much. I'm taking a speaking practice class, grammar, politics/culture and language/culture class. I took a tour of the city by canal yesterday, it was GORGEOUS. St. Petersburg is amazing. The autumn is beautiful here, It has been sunny everyday/ maybe only a little cloudy on some days and it has not rained that much! Of course, later I will be telling you how dark and bitterly cold it is but for now, it is really nice. I've decided that I'm going to stay for the year by the way, I just need to do a mini-reapplication process for the next semester. I miss my family and my friends, but I do not feel homesick yet! Amazing. lol I'm surprised too. They say it's when you get sick that you really become homesick. Hopefully, that won't happen. Sorry for such a short blogpost but I have only a limited time before I need to be home for another one of Babushka's yummy dinners. Love from Russia ;)

Beginning of the Journey

Incredible. I have been in St. Petersburg a total of two days and I feel like I’ve been here for at least a week! Tonight is my last night in the dormitory, tomorrow I am meeting my host family. I am going to be staying with a 60 year old woman and her 40 year old daughter. (who seem lovely, by the description I was given in my home stay letter).
Well, let me update you guys on the last few days…(please ignore my poor grammar should you come across it… I have REALLY bad jetlag).
I had my orientation for the program on Tuesday in Washington DC and for two and half days the program staff prepared us for the depths of some place called Russia. I have to say, I had a very vague and unclear picture of what St. Petersburg would be like. I got on the plane on Thursday and flew to Frankfurt and from Frankfurt we flew to St. Petersburg. The flight went alright, I was sad because I had a really comfortable neck pillow that I was really looking forward to using in the over head “cubbie” as I like to call it, and I only realized this when I was about to go to sleep on the 7.5 hour flight. I decided against getting the pillow as I didn’t want to drop anything on the sleeping people below. This resulted in a stiff neck and a sore back. Planes are the WORST places to sleep.
When we got to the Frankfurt airport, I was intrigued by the ultra-modern and industrial look of the airport. It was very clean and I was going to stop for a Belgian waffle on the way to my gate, but since we had to go through 2 security checks and walk across the entire (very large) airport, I forwent the waffle. I will just have to travel around Germany one day…
Alright, so after landing in St. Petersburg (a very tiny airport), my group (a total of about 28 of us) went through customs. It’s one of those experiences where you are so nervous, but nothing ever happens. Once I was successfully allowed into the country, we loaded up a bus with our bags (around 50 bags each weighing around 50 lbs or so.) the bus was full to the brim, literally. It was raining. We drove through the city, which through me through bit of a loop. First of all, I instantly impressed with sheer size of the city. We passed parks, libraries, churches. It was beautiful. Then, to my dismay, I fell asleep.
We arrived at the dorm and we had to unload all of our luggage again and drag (a little more than 100 lbs) of stuff to the lobby of the dorm. There were stairs. Gah. I got in this teensy weensy little elevator to go upstairs to my room. Once on the 4th floor, I went down 6 hallways, all with doors in between. My roommate and I used lots of teamwork to drag all of our stuff to our room.
Once we got there, we got to wash up and then….. took a walking tour of the city!! :D There are not enough words to describe my first impression of the canals, the Church on Spilled Blood, the Hermitage/Winter Palace, the people, and the grand Palace Square. Ah, It was PERFECT. The sun was shining and it was about 65 degrees. We stopped for dinner at an adorable little пирог (pie) place where I ate пирог с капустой и красный чай. (cabbage pie and red [berry] tea). It was simple and cozy and was just the right meal to begin my stay in Russia.
That night, I was awoken at 1 in the morning by fireworks right outside my window. Way to start with a bang. Lol. Today, we met our resident director in one of the dorm lounges for our group meeting; he gave us our week schedule and a helpful city-information book. I also bought a Russian cellphone to today which I’m really happy about. After that we used the metro for the first time and visited out school, where I will be taking classes. After that we had lunch. I tred Kvass for the first time. Not as bad as I thought it was going to be. We went to the largest bookstore in St. Petersburg called Дом Книги. (Books House) I bought Anna Karenina in Russian. This is probably getting in a little over my head but my goal is to read the book in English first, then attempt to read it in Russian. (Obviously with the help of my noble companion, my dictionary.) Well, I’m totally exhausted and need to get some sleep, but I hope all is well with all the people I know and love in various parts of the world. Спокойной ночи! (Good night!)

3 days before I leave for St. Petersburg...

Well...the first of many blogs! (I hope). I leave in three days. Oh. My. I am beyond nervous. I'm also extremely excited. I have everything I need now; my bags are packed, I have my dictionary(very much needed), the description of my host family is very promising and I will be in DC for my departure orientation on Tuesday. whew. I will be flying out with all the other students in my program. I'm really happy about that. We will be able to get to know each other two days before we leave. Can't wait to meet everyone!
It seems like it has been truly a long journey to get to this point. I've been wanting to spend a significant amount of time in Russia since I started studying the language in 7th grade. I went during my junior year to Moscow for 4 days (I also spent a little bit more than 3 weeks in Ukraine during this Eurasian trip). That was an incredible experience and I've missed Russia ever since.
I guess my nervousness stems from the fact that I will be away from my family and friends for so long. Perhaps it is the fact that I will be attending a Russian university. This is slightly daunting. Not going to lie. All of my classes with be IN Russian. This, I know, is the best way for me to really acquire as much of the language as possible, as well as improving my listening comprehension. I feel prepared, I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be! I have this really strong feeling that I am going to have an amazing experience there :) I'm not sure how much internet access I will have. So there may be few blogs, but I hope I can let you all know what I'm up to and how the time in Russia is going! :) Miss you all already.
'Til the next post...До свидания!