Russian Culture

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Everything is going much better with my host family. I seem to have the whole closing the door thing down by now. My family, besides being somewhat picky about how things should be done, is working out pretty well. When I first moved in I asked what time I should be home for dinner. My host mom told me just to come home whenever I want and that she'll make dinner for me then. They have no specific time for dinner. So sometimes I eat at 5 and sometimes I eat at 9. Which works out really well because then I can stay out with friends for as long as I want. My host mother is a very good cook. Last night she made the best soup ever. It consisted of peppers that had been hallowed out and stuffed with meat and seasoning. The soup base was chicken and pepper broth.
My host family seems to do only four things when they have free time-sleep, have friends over for dinner, chores around the house, and watch tv (for hours at a time). I don't want to walk alone late at night so most nights I am back home by 8 or 9pm. Which leaves me several hours with not much to do. I've been trying to watch Russian tv trying to understand whats said. Russian TV programs and movies are much different than American movies. One episode was about a 5 year old boy who loves a five year old girl. He leaves flowers in her mailbox, door, windowsill, and hides so that he can watch her face when she sees the flowers. The girl is very happy whenever she finds a flower. Then the boy stands below her balcony with a huge boquet of flowers and calls for the girl to come out. She comes out onto the balcony and the boy throws the flowers into the air for her to catch. The girl catches the flowers and then looks down at the boy. Finally realizing who sent her all the flowers her face becomes a scowl. She throws the flowers back at the boy and yells at him to leave. The boy cries and that is the end of the film. So far all the Russian movies I've watched end sad. Just the opposite of American movies.
Tomorrow we're taking a late night train to St.Petersburg. Everyone is already planning a party for the train ride. There are supposed to be sleeping cabins too if people want to sleep and the ride is eight hours.
I won't be writing again until Monday at the earliest because we're coming back Monday morning. Also a note about comments-they don't appear until I review them. And also Ricky, if you read this, I sent you an email a week ago. Write back.

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