So the other day, I went back to the university and listened to some English classes who I spoke to before give presentations on their dream trips and on Yakutsk. It was mind numbingly interesting and boring at the same time. The one group, you could definitely tell that they had written their presentation in Russian and then just plugged it into an online translator. some of the grammar was absolutely hilarous!
I also spoke to a group of girls who seemed to actually understand what I was saying because they laughed at some of my jokes, so that made me feel good. All in all it was an entertaining time and I got to skip a bunch of school for it, though I was really tired when I got done.
In the meantime, it's still cold here. we're still doing html in computer class (where I am right now) this keyboard is horrible so please excuse my bad typing.
I've been speaking more, but am frustrated because i can't always express what i want to say clearly, if at all, and that irritates me to no end. But I'm working on it.
The good news is that i've been making more of an effort to pay attention and participate in school. The result is that the teachers have started calling on me and assigning me homework. I never thought i would say this, but i was pretty darn excited to have homework. It took me all of yesterday evening to do it, but doggone it, i got it done, and my brain felt better afterwards.
I'm slightly bummed out about missing thanksgiving. it's always my favorite holiday even more than christmas because the whole family is always together, and we hang out all day and play games and eat a whole ton. and from what i hear the whole family is home this year except me. oh well, thanksgiving comes around every year, and I don't always get to spend time in Yakutsk, Russia so it's an okay trade. Raisa told me that if I wanted to have some friends over, she would make chicken and mashed potatos and we could have a sort of thanksgiving celebration here. so that's cool. If i don't sit there and cry. ha.
I've been trying to keep busy. Raisa and i are going to some thing at the opera tonight so i'm leaving early from art class. I have no idea what we're going to see really. (as usual)
I've discovered something. When two people are conversing with each other a lot of times i can follow and understand what they're saying really well. But the minute someone starts talking to me my understanding goes down the drain. i have trouble with monologues to. i.e. one person speaking, the news, that kind of thing. hopefully though as time passes, i'll be able to get better on that.
I'm really not paying attention though I probably should be. it's just i've done html since i was in 7th grade. and i'd much rather update my blog.
next weekend i'm going with Irina, one of the english teachers I've met to a couple of schools outside the city. i'm going to speak about america and she's going to speak about the economics part of YAGU which is the university here. It's going to be a day trip and i'm looking forward to it because 1. it gets me out of saturday school and 2. it's going to be something different, and that's exciting. any variations in routine are a good thing!
So i guess that's really it for now. i'll let you guys know how those two events go. thanksgiving and the other. i'm hoping that once i get past thursday my homesickness will decrease exponentially. i'm not really worried about the whole missing christmas thing because they have winter holidays here too. i.e. new years. And once i get passed that there's not really any other major holidays to worry about. I think thanksgiving is the hardest.
okay, i've blabbed enough.
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