People

So since I've mentioned the people I see everyday several times, I've decided rather than do another post about how I'm going through my "I don't like it here" phase, I thought I would give you some more in depth information about the people here. What I've observed and stuff. I know you'd much rather read that than more of my craziness.

There are two kinds of people in Yakutsk. Russians, and Everyone else who is Yakutian. Most of the population is Yakutian. This means that they look Asian. I While some people look more Asian than others, they don't really look Chinese or japanese. It's more of a Monglian look. I think. I'm not really sure.

At first I really noticed that everyone had that Asian look. Honestly, Now I barely notice it. My mom asked me if there were any predjudices or anything since I look Russian. The answer is no. There are enough ethnic Russians in the city that they aren't an oddity.

There are several types of people under the category "Yakuts"

You have the people who's first language is Yakutian. These people grew up speaking Yakutian and speak it more comfortably than Russian. Though they can and do speak Russian when necesity calls for it. (Like interacting with Shopkeepers and officials) but among friends and family it's Yakutian.

Then you have the people who Know Yakutian and can speak it, but their main language is Russian. My friend Vika is like this, I found out at her birthday party. She and some of the people there spoke some Yakutian but mainly they speak Russian.

Next are the people who don't speak Yakutian but understand it. These people use Russian as their main form of communication but their family might speak Yakutian. When addressed, in Yakutian they answer back in Russian.

Finally, There's everyone else who doesn't speak Yakutian. This is basically the entire population of Ethnic Russians and myself.

Want to know something funny that's starting to happen to me here? I've learned the sound of Russian. What I mean is this: When I hear English on a TV program here, it's like my ears automatically perk up and I recognize the words, and the sounds. I've started doing that with Russian too. Occasionally there will be a program on TV in Yakutian and I'll be sitting there listening to it and not understand a word of it then they'll say something in Russian and I automatically recognize the sound and my ears perk up. It's the oddest sensation. But it's cool.

I'm trying to work on speaking more as I feel that I'm not doing enough of that. I've just been trying to take it day by day here. IT's hard sometimes, but there are cool things about life here.