Blogs from Russia, Europe - page 308

The official first day of winter, and the last day in Yaroslavl for the 13 week students. Fittingly we woke up to an inch of snow, which always makes the town even more attractive. Today's temperature game was a tie. I guessed minus 3 and Chiara minus 1. It was a bit of a mumbled conversation on the way to the language school, we had only slept for four hours each! Today's topic in Viktor's class was feminism. He didn't seem to understand what he was teaching and just spoke about Russian families. And he didn't appreciate the ideas we had because of the differences in gender roles between Britain and Russia; women don't pay for things for example, men don't cook. Viktor is a good teacher but, with hindsight, the material he has been given ... read more

Chiara squared the series this morning by guessing closest to plus 6 degrees. It seems that the real Russian winter won't come until after Christmas, which is a shame because I would rather walk through snow on the main streets than slippery mud. Viktor's class was 'only ok'. I read three texts last night preparing for a discussion on one of them (well, it is a conversation class) but for two hours all we did was grammar. That is what Lena's course is for and I learn most by talking. His classes should be helping me to get rid of the paranoia about my accent, which in fairness I think is good. In Olga's lessons we translated sentences using the passive voice. It is her birthday so her celebration with the other teachers in the staff ... read more

Ich will euch also mal wieder auf dem laufenden halten. Die Woche ist vorueber und ich kann wieder neues berichten. Fangen wir mal mit dem Freitag an. Wie ihr sicherlich noch wisst, ich wollte nach Omsk. Liegt in Sibirien. Die Zugstrecke geht durch Kasachstan und 13 Stunden. Die Alternative geht 20 Stunden. Ich habe mich dann letztenendes dagegen entschieden, denn es ist nicht sehr hilfreich wenn ich an einem Wochenende 40 Stunden im Zug sitze und dazu noch allein. Aber ich hatte den Freitag frei bekommen. Nun, den habe ich aber dennoch dann genommen und dachte mir, da fahr ich halt nocheinmal nach Ekaterinburg. Ist ebenfalls nichts geworden. Lag aber nicht an mir. Somit war ich schon ein wenig stinkig, Freitag frei und so viele Plaene und am Ende wieder zuhaus sitzen? Mhm, klingt schon komisch ... read more

When the nightwatchman at Yartek told us we had to leave we went to Joy Party. I can remember every song that was played but not much else! It was snowing as I walked home at 5 in the morning. Marina Ivanovna woke me up for breakfast at 10 as usual but she let me go back to bed afterwards. I awoke from my lie-in at 5 in the evening. I went out with Katya at 8.30. There were no good films at the cinema so we went to the Dublin Pub underneath the hotel instead. I think she was impressed at her first taste of British culture, especially because of the live band. There was a violinist and an acoustic guitarist who played Irish folk songs, and a singer. She had a beautiful voice and ... read more

My overnight train to St. Petersburg was quite pleasant. Minus the old creepy woman wearing a wig who insisted on sitting in the chair across from my bed the entire first half of the journey staring at me. I've been getting used to all the walking involved in travel. My pack seems to be getting heavier and heavier and the hikes between the stations to the hostels longer and longer. St. Petersburg was no exception. By the time I found the building the hostel was in and walked up 4 flights of stairs I was sweaty and exhausted. Once again, the situation repeated itself...not another traveler in sight. I spent the first 3 days with a large, warm room all to myself. And I think I spent more time walking to and from places than I ... read more