So, my cash plans went out the window when we bought our trip home from Irkutsk (by plane-it’s faster that way). Unfortunately, the domestic flight computers cannot communicate with the credit card machines, so they only accept cash for those flights…yeah for old-school…But, we learned that if you wait a few days, the price really drops ( Read more... )

that's what my hostess treated me to today! yeah, home cooking (but no worries, Mom, I am daily gaining more and more respect for your food preparation methods and ideas ( Read more... )

So, what will it be today? Hmmm… well, in the words of the hottest film in town ( Read more... )

New stuff first: Everyone is going to learn Viennese Waltz and we are going to dance madly to the waltz theme from Harry Potter. That’s final. J I just saw it at a dance sport competition-world’s worst torture: make me watch three hours of dancing and not get to move a foot!!!!! Ugh! Well, now I’m motivated… and I can count a lot better ( Read more... )

Escalators in russia beat any in the states that I’ve seen-cuz they have to dig so deep underground to find secure soil in st.p with the Rivers… so, a trip into the metro can last minutes-really-and even running down the escalator can give one the sensation of never reaching the destination (at least not with the mind set of time and distance ( Read more... )

so, russians don't fall. or slip. (they do, but there's a machismo going on ( Read more... )

so, the 'net is right outside my window, so entries should be easy, but not frequent (if I'm a good student). good group dynamics outlook. nice host mom, no family--crazy cat! I'm gonna get so lazy--the metro is less than one block away! this computer has an icon for ICQ--is that like IM? or similar? is it easy to sign up for? maybe I should ( Read more... )

I had so much luck on flights and help on busses, that I feel I owe big time on karma now! so i made it safe. nice group--leading 'em ( Read more... )

wooo, have been kinda jittery about leaving, but I have packed and said my goodbyes, so I guess I'm set. Mom checked the weather: I'm looking at about 5 degrees Fahrenheit, minimal breezes and a fairly clear span of weather. so that's a relief. The sun rises about 10 am and sets about 4pm, but that will even out by mid-March and then get really ( Read more... )

I'm thinking about sweeping through Las Cruces once more--round about New Year's.... We'll see how transport works out--and if I manage to stay on my folks' good side. Hope everyone is having a lovely "kanikula" (Russian = vacation)! --I sure hope that once I get to Russia I'll actually have stuff to write. mOst now is just content emptiness :)