Dear Readers,
Hello from Kazan! After so much anticipation, \I am excited to finally be here. The flight on Friday went very smoothly, although I think I may have scared a very nice Russian man when I fell asleep/drooled on him. I suppose there is always the chance that he didn't notice the drool... My first experiences in Russia have been a whirlwind! My host family is very welcoming and very understanding of the fact that I have no previous Russian langauge experience! Already my language skills are improving, and I anticipate that they will do so more rapidly when classes start. Kazan is a beautiful city, but it is taking a while to get used to the jungle of apartment buildings. They all look quite similar and it is really difficult to tell them apart. I have gotten a chance to visit the Kazan Kremlin which includes a new mosque, built in 2005, and an old Russian Orthodox church. The center of the city is also very beautiful. The architechture is more stereotypically European, unlike the blocks of apartment buildings. Even though I have only been in Russia for a few days, it has become apparent that it's an "anything goes" kind of place. Everyone dresses like they are Hollywood stars, even if they are only going to the grocery, and women wear sky-high heels all the time. Even after walking a couple of miles today in boots my feet were aching. I don't know how they do it! I eat meals with my host family. The food is very good, but it is quite bland and very rich and I have a hard time finishing all of it. We drink "chai" (black tea) all the time which is wonderful, but the other day when I requested a glass of water it was given to me warm. So far, my experience has taught me that Russians have a deadly fear of the cold. I am constantly being told to bring a jacket with me and wear warm socks even though temperatures have been in the high 70's lately. I am learning so much here and I can't wait for my classes to start! Lots of love to my friends and family at home!
~abby~
