Quickie post - Russia in 2011!!!
I'm long overdue to journal about my trip to China, I promise I will get caught up. I still haven't uploaded all of my photos to facebook yet, but if anyone is interested in seeing them I'll put these comments on moderated so you can leave me your real name and I'll go ahead and friend you. I can't seem to figure that out, so send me a PM through LJ's messaging system. Or feel free to leave me a message and tell me to get off my butt and dump them somewhere besides Facebook, I can't guarantee how quickly that will happen though. :)
On another note: I'm going to Russia next year!!!
Sorry if I just shouted, if you thought I was excited for China that's nothing, I'm absolutely doing flips over going to Russia! Of all the countries in the world I never expected to go there, partly because of the era when I grew up absolutely fearing Russia, and partly because I'm not made of money. So when I found out that the college is touring Russia next year and it was affordable I jumped on the chance. In fact a coworker of mine has also signed up to go.
Moscow, St. Petersburg, then we zip over to Estonia and finish in Finland.
My friend laughingly pointed out that all I need now is North Korea in 2012 and I should firmly place myself on TSA's "watched" list. lol
So, malwae and vedma if you're out there I need your advice. My only regret from China is not taking the time to learn at least some casual phrases beyond "hello" and "thank you" and "I don't want to buy your shit stuff." I have heard from a few people who have toured Russia and they say that old people will most likely ignore you and any effort you make to communicate, but young people respond really well to *any* attempt at speaking their language and will be more likely to practice their own language skills with you as a result. I'm considering getting the Rosetta Stone module for Russian since I had pretty good results with Italian. Do you think I should do this? Or is there another way you would recommend?
On another note: I'm going to Russia next year!!!
Sorry if I just shouted, if you thought I was excited for China that's nothing, I'm absolutely doing flips over going to Russia! Of all the countries in the world I never expected to go there, partly because of the era when I grew up absolutely fearing Russia, and partly because I'm not made of money. So when I found out that the college is touring Russia next year and it was affordable I jumped on the chance. In fact a coworker of mine has also signed up to go.
Moscow, St. Petersburg, then we zip over to Estonia and finish in Finland.
My friend laughingly pointed out that all I need now is North Korea in 2012 and I should firmly place myself on TSA's "watched" list. lol
So, malwae and vedma if you're out there I need your advice. My only regret from China is not taking the time to learn at least some casual phrases beyond "hello" and "thank you" and "I don't want to buy your shit stuff." I have heard from a few people who have toured Russia and they say that old people will most likely ignore you and any effort you make to communicate, but young people respond really well to *any* attempt at speaking their language and will be more likely to practice their own language skills with you as a result. I'm considering getting the Rosetta Stone module for Russian since I had pretty good results with Italian. Do you think I should do this? Or is there another way you would recommend?