What I Do

I had a dream last night that I had just gotten home, and I mean just. That was so real. It was like the changes that had happened at home, that people've been telling me about happened, but deep down everything was still the same. Unfortunately real life doesn't work that way. hee hee. Or does it? I suppose I'll find out when I get home.

Anyway, the most common question I get, now that I'm done with school is what do I do? I mean I thought I had free time before but now it's gotta be really bad right? Actually to tell you the truth, I'm enjoying myself more now, than ever before. I'm also actually less bored because I don't have to sit through school.

I usually get up about 9:30 or 10. I do my morning routine and then I usually study, check my e-mail or practice my Russian typing for a while. What do I study? Grammar of course! Sometimes I'll chat with my parents and friends online. Anytime from 12-2 I get ready and leave the house (It depends on how long I'm on the computer or studying or how fast I get antsy) After leaving the house I usually just stroll up and down Prospekt Lenin for a couple of hours. I kill time in bookstores (standing there reading entire books in English. I'm bad, I know) I often will grab myself something to eat and sit on the Square. I like Ploshad Lenina because there's a fountain there that's open now and so it's always interesting to watch the people there.

I feel like I have new adventures of some sort everyday. Whether it's going to a movie by myself for the first time in Russia, talking to a scary Tadjik guy who tried to get my cell phone number, or trying to open a jar of fruit. Life here is always interesting. I've not only had these experiences the past few days, but I've also been to another Yakutian dance performance, met Raisa's downstairs neighbor, (I didn't know I'd be meeting him until I got there. Gotta love Raisa trying to hook me up with the little Yakutian boys) seen a mammoth head and made plans with my friend Jen who's also an inbound and is coming to see me in June. Oh, and I found a Foreigner in the Polar Star Hotel. So life is actually moving along quite nicely. In fact, in some ways it's going really fast.

I'm really happy though even though I'm having mixed feelings about the end of the exchange. I have friends here. I have a life here. I love the fact that my Russian is good enough to interact with people. The past few weeks, I've come to realize just how much better my russian has become. I can follow and have conversations. I can ask for help, I can buy things at kiosks and stores, I can chat with random people, and sit and listen to what their cpnversations are about. I can read. I can write. I can understand songs. Yeah, life is pretty awesome!