Sick and Almost half-way

So I got sick this last week, nothing major, just a cold. I'm doing better now. I didn't go to school on Friday or Saturday and I didn't go to church on Sunday. Like I said, I wasn't that sick, but they take even light sickness here very seriously. You know, it's nice to be able to stay home from school for two days and not have it matter. I was also given permission to show up late/go home early the next couple of days if I want. i'm thinking about taking advantage of that too. especially since I didn't sleep real well last night.

Anyway, in other news. Just general information but for those of you who contact me through facebook, sorry but I won't be able to get on there until furthur notice as the school computers have decided to block the site.

Okay and now on to the real stuff. For those of you who don't know I completed my fifth month here on february first. February 10th is my official halfway point. i.e. Half-way through my exchange. wow. back in september I never thought I would make it and here I am already.

Since my fifth month is here, I decided to set some goals for myself while starting this sixth(!) month. Goals for the rest of my exchange. 10 goals and they are as follows:

1. Read More in Russian

2. Speak More (To random people)

3. Be More Outgoing

4. Not Care What People Think of Me

5. Visit/Explore More Places in the City

6. Not Think About Home So Much

7. Enjoy the Freedom I Have Here.

8. Not Worry About the Future

9. Write More in Russian

10. Work Harder on Better Grammar

I'm becoming Russian. Okay so I'm like not a citizen of Russia or anything, but you spend so much time around a group of people and their attitudes, the way the talk and act start to rub off on you. This is most evident in the conversations I have with myself.

Yes. I talk to myself and I'm not bothered to admit it. It's just what I do. The other day I went to the store to pick up some things because I knew that Elena Ivanovna wouldn't be letting me out of the house for three days. In Russia, when you go to the grocery store, they don't automatically bag your stuff for you. You either bring your own bag or you ask for one, and pay for it. After I came back from the store I was having a glass of juice and thinking about the fact that here you have to buy the bags and wondering if it was going to freak me out when I got back to America that they automatically bag your stuff and then the two sides of my brain had the following conversation;

Side 1: Why do the bag our stuff for us in America anyway?
Side 2: So we can carry it home. Duh!
Side 1: Why don't we just use our own bag?
Side 2: ...

Later, I was thinking about this conversation and all of a sudden it hit me. The attitude I have about the shopping bags is Russian. And it just makes more sense to me to use my own bag in a store. Just like it makes perfect sense to have a Garderob where you hang your coat in a lot of places you go and just like the little cubbies you put your stuff in while you shop make perfect sense. Why don't we have this stuff in America?