En Route to Russia

 Sorry... this is a little late... full internet access to come soon! 

Privyet everyone! I am sitting in the swanky lobby of the nicest Holiday Inn I’ve ever seen in London town! I had to take a taxi from the airport to the hotel, which really set me back… almost fifty pounds. At least the pound isn’t worth what it was a few months ago. Love all the different accents I hear in London. I swear I’ve already come across several Russians, even though we’re not quite there yet.

My group (AIFS) and I will be here in London for one more day, and then we will be moving to St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University. Tomorrow, on the to-do list is…. Sightseeing! We have a guided tour for the first three hours, and then we are on our own to explore the city. I’ve been here once before, but I suspect it will be quite a different experience sans la famille. I’m “on my own,” so to speak, and it’s definitely new.

Everyone in the group arrived today in London, including the AIFS students going to study in Cannes. I met everyone today, and it has been interesting! There are so many different characters, and I’m sure I’ll get along with some better than others. Not many of the other students have even taken a Russian class at all, which is amazing. I would be scared to have come here without taking any Russian beforehand, but maybe that’s just me!

Hopefully, I will focus more on the monuments and museums in London tomorrow than all of the shops, although it is easier said than done! I’m hoping to see the Rosetta Stone, Buckingham Palace, and Trafalgar square, among other things.

So, after a couple of short days in Western Europe, it will be off to Eastern Europe for four months! I am extremely anxious to see what St. Petersburg and the rest of Russia is really like. It will be my first time there, and I really have no idea what to expect, except for freezing weather. Which, I am prepared for with a heavy duty parka and some snow boots to match.

I can’t wait for my Russian classes to start, and to get immersed in the Russian language and culture. I am also taking a Russian business terms class, which is perfect with my finance major back in Texas. I have promised myself to make my best effort to make friends with the Russian students as opposed to always hanging out with the international students. It will be hard to stray away from the comfort of speaking English, but, speaking Russian is what I was going to study abroad in Russia for, after all!

Russia, here I come!

I’ll keep you all posted! Spasibo!