There and Back Again

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Hello All!

Well, I'm officially back in St. Pete (as of 12/30/2010)! It's nice to be back, but it was also a bit sad to be finished with my travels. I was even considering staying in Riga through New Year because I got myself invited to a masquerade party at this really cool bar/clothing shop, but my bank account disagreed with me and I was beginning to really miss Nevsky Prospekt; so after delaying my return by a day I decided that it was best just to come back. So here I am, getting ready for another semester and my final 3 months in Russia!

What have I been doing since December 30th that I couldn't update my blog you ask? Well, to be quite honest, not a whole lot. Been to a few hockey matches, had some nice walks around the city...just relaxing in general. It's been a great opportunity to get caught up on all the great music I've missed from the past year (thank you NPR music and All Songs Considered!) I discovered the joy of having absolutely nothing to do on the train and I think I'm still trying to shake myself out of that mindset...hence my tardiness with the blog. But I've also been hard at work editing my travel journal that I wrote during my trip. Over the next few days I'll be using various and sundry selections from it to fill you in on my Trans-Siberian experience. For now, suffice it to say that I absolutely loved it and had a wonderful time! It was really interesting to meet Russians who had never been to St. Petersburg or Moscow.

The next group of American students will be arriving on Saturday. I might not be here though since I've been invited to go to a rural banya by some Russian student friends. I figure that I probably shouldn't pass up that opportunity. Right now I'm living with 2 Czech suitemates, Filip and Carel, and a Dutch roommate, Hans. We've been having a good time and been doing a lot of hanging out with the other foreign and Russian students here (right now is exam time and the next semester begins early February). Sadly, most of the foreign students that I've gotten to know will be leaving in the next week. This includes Filip who is leaving today on a 36 hr bus ride to Prague.

And lest you think that I've lost my appetite for travel I should tell you that I've already planned my next trip. I'll be visiting Djib in Belgium in March which has the added bonus of being able to see The Decemberists play at a club in Antwerp! Epic.

Well, sorry to keep this short, but I've got to get going. Meeting some friends for drinks in the city center and I'd hate to keep them waiting! Thanks for reading and stay tuned, I'll have my Trans-Sib travel reports up beginning tomorrow and, if my internet is cooperating, pics too!

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Comments

[Jennie Williams]

Long ago and far away.............
Dear Adam, I still enjoy your writing. I am so glad you have taken hold of life and explored. I hope you have also kept some semblance of record of the time in the Army as well as you have been doing in Russia. You must have acquired quite a good collection of international languages by now. I envy that as I have always had a fascination with the relationships between all of them. The question is how much is by ear and how much is off the written page? Erika who has also been following you on facebook and these blogs which I have forwarded, thanks to your mother. No, I don't see her. She is very busy in her life and I have only high hopes for her. Erika-you can imagine teaching in New York with children of all sorts of ethnic backgrounds. Her latest challenge is that she has a Chinese boy who recently arrived, did some time in public school, but he has almost no English ability. She cannot use any of the European language knowledge she has. God bless you and your travels as you collect the wonders of the world. You will have wonderful tales to tell, I know. As ever, Jennie Wms.