a new home

I am in my room! I just met my host mother, or I suppose host grandmother, and I will meet her granddaughter tomorrow. I am feeling rather stuffed because of the блины blini (crepe-like pastries) with which she stuffed me. She is very friendly! We talked (in Russian) for a while about various things: family, school, what I packed, her granddaughter. Before anything else, she asked about and clarified my dietary restrictions. Not a great deal was said during the conversation because it takes me so long to formulate sentences. But in fact, this is ideal, because it will leave us with plenty to talk about for the next two months.

I don’t know what others’ living situations are, but I can’t imagine how I would ask for anything better than what I seem to have stumbled upon. My room is large, a little large than my room at home, and beautifully furnished. There are several large plants which actually take up a good percentage of the floorspace. Outside my fifth-floor window is a soccer field, some other apartment buildings, and a glimpse of the Bay of Finland a few blocks away. My insulin is safely in the fridge. There is a stand-up piano in my room! Artwork, the type that I actually like, is hanging on the wall. I will take pictures, but I definitely want to ask first if it's OK to do so.

My host grandmother, наталя Natalia, is, from what I gather, a retired teacher of small children. I would be very surprised if this is at all factual, for it is based on a conversation that I had with her in Russian. My strongest evidence to support this claim is her seemingly boundless cheer. As soon as I showed up at her door, she started chattering, showing me around, the light switches, toilet, toaster, my room. Perhaps most notable is her willingness to speak so slowly that I can almost assuredly understand what she is saying, provided that she happens to use words in my meager arsenal. And occasionally, she uses such a word!

The здание apartment building in which I now live possesses a charm of its own. It is large and cement and everything I expected from a Soviet-era construction. наталя Natalia gave me a long tour of the various locks that I need to be aware of when I am leaving and entering her квартира apartment. The surrounding buildings look very similar and I am a bit concerned about my ability to locate the correct building, the one containing an apartment that my keys will open. I had a similar problem during a visit to University of Pennsylvania, where three particular dorms are, to my eye, identical, and arranged in an equilateral triangle.

I think I might explore the Bay of Finland now. I am hoping to find a beach, or perhaps a pier. I will not be disappointed, though. This is not a very touristy neighborhood. According to Lonely Planet, there is no point in visiting this part of Vasilievsky Island. This is certainly not true in my case! But I see how perhaps it is less exciting than other parts of the city.

Lots of other SLI students are in this area, so perhaps some of them will like to come with me on an adventure. I don't intend to stay out late because I am feeling nervous about having to wake up regularly with a sleep deficit.