Obshezhitie.

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Finland reigns supreme in the hostel. The girls talk Finnish amongst themselves but Yulia, Yenu, Kseniya, and Natasha also have Russian as a second mother tongue.

I speak in Russian with everyone apart from Michael and Tamzin. Christa, Tuuli, Linda and Haidie are also from Finland, Claire is from France, Kolya is French Canadian and Karin is from Finland and speaks Swedish too. The hierarchy is much like the winter olympics that everyone spends their evenings watching in the lounge: Finnish and Russian are going for gold, English is acknowledged but firmly at the bottom of the pecking order!

Zhanna's class this morning was a waste of time. The native speakers are taking a specialist translation course, the rest have all been pushed together. Those of us that have lived in Russia before should be taught separately.

The lesson in the afternoon was much more comfortable, and a chance to do some proper work. Aleksandr Ivanovich's English to Russian translation class, with just the three of us. He is a tall man, about 50 with a distinguished moustache.

There is always ice hockey on TV in the lounge; tonight was Finland's turn to beat the USA with everyone cheering them on.

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Photos

Ploschad' Sovetskaya.
Soviet Square.

Studencheskii pereulok.
A street which runs between the university and the river.

A street which runs parallel to the river.
The design and colours of buildings in Tver are stunning, if they have been looked after. Even those that are in ruin are charming.