home alone

Quick post because I have a bunch of work to do. It's 1am and fairly dark out. I've been watching the White Nights fade, but in the last couple of days it has been particularly noticeable.

I'm home alone again, a relatively frequent occurrence. My host mom Наталья Natalia is at the дача dacha, or summer house, and Наташа Natasha is either working late or with Саша Sasha, I'm never sure which.

My situation seems to be fairly unique. Most people in the program are doing their best to accommodate host moms who need to always know when they will be home, what they are doing, and etc. Наталья Natalia is also this way, but she's just not there a good chunk of the time. So I come and go as I please.

We watched the bridges go up again this weekend. At around 1:30am, all of the bridges over Река Нева the Neva River go up to let ships through. The bridges and buildings along the shore are illuminated against the fading natural light, creating a surreal and unforgettable effect. On a Saturday night, the streets are packed with people watching the bridges and street performers, moving between clubs, and soaking in the fleeting warmth of summer.