Tales from the Icebox

I really adore Moscow so far. My only real complaints are a. Class on Saturday? Que? and b. inside is SO hot, outside is SO cold. But I am managing.

Still not luck on charging or uploading pictures. Deal with it.

Us American students met up at around 10am to walk to out test at 11am. Well, all of us except Chris who, as always forgot the memo. I've decided he is this trip's whipping boy. Are we late for something? Chris' fault. Heat goes out? Chris' fault. Chechen terrorists? Chris' fault.

We waited at the bus stop to take us to our facultet, but, sadly, every single bus that passed was packed. I mean PACKED. Per the Russian expression, so tight an apple can't fall. Which wouldn't have bothered us... we are from hearty stock, it would seem. But the bus drivers seemed hesitant to let anyone else on. One passenger managed to hop in, and the bus took off before he was even fully in the bus...

After waling the 20 minutes to our building, we waited several hours to take our 2 minute test. I am totally getting used to that. In the meantime, I met a Swede and Irish boy (who made fun of my use of y'all.) After learning that I placed 2nd year (big surprise), I received my class schedule. I was mildly horrified to learn I have class on Saturday, but it is apparently unavoidable.

Perhaps most importantly, the internet in my room magically started working today. I guess all it took was patience.

At about 5:30, about 5 of us set off on our first "real" adventure in Moscow. We walked to the metro station, and planned on taking the metro downtown. I was a mite spooked when the first thing we see is a young man with his armed pinned behind his head by another man, who called his friend over to help. The two men then pulled the third man out of eyesight. Nobody said anything... I assumed it was either some sort of gang kidnapping, or they were palinclothes police officers taking him away. Still, a little disconcerting...

We ended up missing our stop, and more or less wandered around some random (if very, very nice-looking) area of Moscow for awhile. I love how so many shops have icicle lights in the windows... it looks beautiful with the snow. We finally stopped for tea. I meant to order hot chocolate, but ended up ordering... well, I think it was a melted Hershey's bar. Quite delicious, but a little on the rich side. Note to self: order cocoa in the future.

Had another defrosted blini for supper (had 19p hummus and bread for lunch). The only other thing to note is that my roommate, who I have yet to meet, is totally AWOL. Her light was on the night I moved in, but the only thing to suggest she exists is her things in the bathroom. She hasn't been here in 2 days, at least. I'm beginning to think she is a ghost.

Also, when I ran upstairs to grab my jacket before going out, an old бабушка came over from one door down, with 2 desk lights in her hands. She kept talking to me, but I had no idea what she was saying, so I more or less said goodnight and walked away. So, very possibly under a witch/gypsy curse. I suppose we'll find out sooner or later...