For whatever reason I took a long vacation from my blog.  I’m back for now, writing an update for America friends and family who probably think I’ve died, and for the Russian friends and students, who have asked me why I haven’t updated my blog in such a long time.

I went to Antalya, Turkey in May.  It was amazing.  Turkey is such a beautiful ( Read more... )

A few weeks ago at the discussion club I’d been running we talked about honesty.  By choosing this topic I really was asking for it, but in my naïve American way, I figured educated Russian students would prove the “general Russian opinion” wrong.  There were 10 females present, ages 19-25 and there were no males at the club that day.  We discussed ( Read more... )

I don’t think I’ll ever get on a regular blogging schedule, so I’m done making empty promises!

I’ve had a few of my readers ask me who I am, what I’m doing in Russia, etc., so I’ll do a one sentence summary: I’m an American living in St. Petersburg, Russia, teaching English at a private company, doing my best to teach myself Russian, and trying ( Read more... )

Not wanting to bear the cold outside, I’ve decided to stay in and make this a lazy Saturday afternoon.

First, about my adventures back in America… I spent about a week traveling through Indiana, Illinois and Iowa and was fortunate enough to see almost all of my relatives, so that was a definite plus.  I went over to uni for one day to see ( Read more... )

December 29, 2009

I’ve finally decided to begin writing in my blog again.  I was going to start after my return to Petersburg, but I didn’t want it to look like a New Year’s resolution, so here I am, 3 days before the new year!

A short recap of the past few months... I returned to America from my study program in Petersburg in mid-May; spent 5 ( Read more... )

Sunday, March 29, 2009

In less than 7 weeks I will be back in America.  I can’t believe the first quarter of the year is almost over.  I can’t believe my formal studies in Russia are almost over.  The past month has gone by faster than the rest, as I have been traveling for the past 2.5 weeks.  I’ll do my best to recap…

A few weeks ago all the ( Read more... )

Saturday, February 21, 2009

I guess it’s been awhile since I’ve last written.  I have been incredibly busy, which has made the time fly.  In less than 4 weeks I will be in ISTANBUL.  I, unfortunately, have not had a lot of time to get excited about the trip, and the lack of internet at home has made it difficult to communicate with Christie ( Read more... )

Saturday, January 31, 2009

I just finished my first week of classes.  I’m taking grammar, conversation, translation and literature.  I have 2 new teachers and 2 of the same teachers from last semester.  I don’t have class Tuesdays, which will give me an opportunity to volunteer or intern on that day.  I met two or three new kids, and they seem ( Read more... )

Sunday, January 18, 2009

After suffering from about two weeks of insomnia, I finally found the cure: earplugs. My host mother and brother are night owls. They are up and about until 4am or so, and since I am a light sleeper, that means I am awake until 4am or so every morning. Last night was my first full of night sleep in awhile, and it was ( Read more... )

January 7, 2009

I bought too many clothes, I ate too much greasy food, but I was able to spend some quality time with my real family.  And now I am back in Piter!

After my American Airlines Chicago-Moscow flight was delayed three hours, and after sitting in Domodedovo for four hours (where I met a very nice man from Tajikistan, who thought I was ( Read more... )