Blogs from Russia, Europe - page 322

Back in Moscow ! I was met at the station by Andre, the driver that the ambassador was indeed kind enough to send. Yet again, another trip down nostalgia avenue. I am not going to bore you with stories of what has changed and what has not, suffice it to say that all has changed yet nothing has. My parents came to meet me here for the week-end and it was a most wonderful pleasure to see them again. We had a most wonderful 4 days: we did a monastery tour of Moscow until I reached an overdose point, went back to the red Square, the Arbat and all that I hold dear in Moscow. The city has improved for the best, the buildings have been nicely restored, the new ones could be worse, and there ... read more

Man, am I good at titles or what? Hehe just kidding... I just can't be that inventive with them on a regular basis. So, the long promised account of the Museum of Government History (I think that's the name). This museum is in the Petrogradsky Region, which is the larger island 'cradling' the island of Petropavlovskaya Krepost (Peter and Paul Fortress). Originally, it was the mansion home of a ballerina, built for her by her lover. In revolutionary times, it was the Bolshevik Headquarters (I think they significantly expanded it). It has great displays on Soviet government and leaders. The way you move about the museum is rather reminiscent of Soviet bureaucracy as I understand it. :) You walk to a grand staircase, buy your ticket to the right of it, go downstairs to drop off ... read more

that is, Menshikov Palace. Also, thanks to all who commented- I am grateful for them. I just didnt know I had to accept them for them to show up, so they should appear pretty soon. :) I loved seeing them. And I've decided to add a new little thing at the bottom of journal entries: Learn a Russian phrase, with a pronunciation key for Katien, lol. Also, I just realised that some of my spellings are off for the Russian names because some Latin letters are common in form with Kirillic letters. A lot of times I use a b for a v because that's what it looks like in Russian! I will try to do better, especially on words like samovar-- in russian, it looks exactly like CAMOBAP, but thats not how it's pronounced, lol! ... read more

in the form of rain, to be exact. Hi all! a few interesting developments :). I'm looking into volunteering to teach English at an orphanage in St. Petersburg. Need to find out where it is (so I can know how to get there) but it'd be nice since one of my sisters was adopted from an Russian orphanage (though not in St. Petersburg). It'd be nice to be able to help; I just wonder how much Russian knowledge is required, lol. :) Also, if the kids are young, the way they speak Russian is a bit different from adults, and adults always diminutise words when speaking to kids (and I remember my sis using odd alternate forms for words- sobaka = dog. in Russian baby talk, it's sabashka. Kot or Koshka is cat; she went chasing ... read more

Hi again, I write today from Saint Petersburg, Russia! Looks like uploading photos in an internet cafe isn't going to happen, atleast not here, but I'll try to add them when I get home. I got in last night and was met at the airport by my housemother. She is very warm and nice. I think she likes me- I hope so anyway. Her daughter showed me the ropes of the metro today. It was packed and I am a bit wary-- dont hold onto your stuff and it'll not be yours anymore. But I think I can handle it. N and J and I got all registered at the institute. We are all studying Russian together; N and I are taking Russian history as well, and J is taking Farsi (would've been cool, but can't ... read more