Alright, more exciting topics than Russian grocery stores, for sure! It's been 4 days and I feel like I've been here 4 weeks already! Going to bed before 3 AM has not really happened, and that's unfortunate because I'm not lying when I tell you that it is only dark enough for sleeping from about 12-4 AM. No joke. Today was supposedly our day off, but it was still pretty frantic! We got a pretty awesome bus tour from 2-5:30, and then had to be down at the theatre by 6:30 (dinner plus that 40 minute walk was stressful to say the least) to see the MXAT's production of "Cherry Orchard". Worst part about the bus tour? Oh, my camera decided that the batteries were dead right at the very beginning - before the first picture. No batteries to be found so a friend took a few extras for me. So far, I've been to Red Square (with St. Basil's) - twice! By the way, "Red" is synonymus with "beautiful". Also, got a great panaramic shot of 1/3 of the city from this big beautiful high lookout point on the southwest side of the city where the University of Moscow is. We passed Novodevichy Convent where women like "Peter the Great"'s sister was forced to live in solitude until her death (ask me about that story later!) and it's cemetary where many many famous people are buried, including Stanislavski and Chekhov. We will be visiting the cemetary again at the end of the trip to say goodbye and thanks. Oh gosh, there were so many other spots, and I will try to make it back to them on my own with friends. I've seen 3 shows now; "The Seagull" and "The Cherry Orchard" at the MXAT, and a play called "The Blue Monster" at the Satiricon theatre that is adapted from a children's show. I'm not gonna lie, at least for me, Chekhov, in Russian, when you're jet-lagged, can get a little rough. But I'm proud to say I am one of the few and proud that hasn't fallen asleep yet in a show! They have all been great in very different ways, and I'm still adapting gladly. School is crazy, and the Russian instructors are incredible! They are all so full of joy and love and passion but don't let you get away with slacking. The ballet teacher used me as an example more than once in class (and here's where I toot my own horn - I can't help it!), and he said I was doing so well in Russian Folk Dance deportment that I must have Russian blood in me!!!:) As far as personal life goes, I thought I had successfully avoided living in dorms, but here, at age 25, I am living in a dorm. I have made some new friends, and it's no secret that the 18 and 19 year-old Canadian students that are with us on the trip aren't quite fitting in with us... let's just say that they stayed up until 4 AM, drinking too much vodka, inviting Russian MXAT student boys into their rooms, and giving us a bad name all while "testing their boundaries", ha ha! From what I hear, this isn't anything new, and some of us on the "American side" of the hallway are being more forgiving than others. We walk about 1 and 1/2 miles to school/the theatre each day, and of course- stairs everywhere! I accidently ate some hidden chicken the other day - for the first time in almost 4 years - so that was a sad moment, but I'm starting to figure out what I can eat besides granola bars and plain kasha! The latest frustration is in that the outlets sort of work, kind of, sometimes,... and I'm pretty sure my computer charger is dead so I am either on the communal computer or borrowing a charger from a Canadian friend down the hall, depending on the schedules. I'll spare you more for now (plus, this stupid lack of personal laptop means other people want to use the computer!), but I hope this finds everyone well, and I'll get back to you in a few days! Do Svidanyo!
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