Riding Horses

Just kidding! I didn't ride any horses, but my friends did. We planned on going to this park in the south of Moscow. One of my friends said we should get off early and take a bus, but I wanted to take the metro all the way and then walk. We ended up taking a bus, and we didn't see the park when we passed it. After going 30 minutes south of Moscow, the driver said we were nowhere near the park. When we asked where the metro was, he laughed and said "There's no metro out here!" We were in the boonies. We found another bus to take us back to a metro station, and had lunch. After that I had to leave to go to work at the American Center, so I didn't go to the park with the others or ride horses. I didn't really want to ride horses anyway. A new student from Stanford went with us. She probably thinks we don't know our way around Moscow! The other Stanford students (about 16-17 in total) will be arriving on Monday. I am kind of thinking of not volunteering at the American Center anymore, as speaking English doesn't really help me, and it is long hours and sometimes people show up late and then don't show up at all (had 2 no shows today). I still have to do a formal presentation on Atlanta and Georgia for the Center, but I think I will be too busy to continue doing the 1 on 1 conversations.

I finally found places where you can order Mexican Food in Moscow! However, it is usually very expensive (like in a fancy restaurant) or not that great. We found a place called Starlite diner that is almost exactly like a Steak n Shake (they even give all their employees American names: our waiter was Denis, which I don't think is a common Russian name), except for the prices. Shakes were about $10 each, as were sandwiches. I ordered Nachos (as seen in the picture), and they were not cheap (I guess they have to import the tortilla chips). After that we went to the mall. It was overall a good day. I still don't know what or when my classes are, and we start next week!

Today we ate a place named chokolodnitsa (шоколодница). It was good, but very expensive. My meal was small, and cost around 300 rubles ($10). Many people, my Russian professor included, said they did not like шоколодница, and for good reason; however, many Russians I talked to said they liked it. I should have listened to the other people. The dessert was good, though.
Myself and the other American student from Tech, Eric, were thinking about going to see DJ Testio in concert, but the tickets cost 1400 rubles each (about $45). Testio is also playing in
Atlanta, and tickets cost $40 there, so the price is not outrageous, but I still do not want to pay it. The Norwegian band Nightwish is also coming to Moscow, but the tickets I found for them were $4000 rubles each (about $125)! I know they are more popular here in Europe than in the US, but maybe music events in general are expensive in Russia. During the Summer program, one girl wanted to see Britany Spears, but the cheapest tickets for that concert were 2000 rubles each. The circus we saw was only 700 rubles ($22.50), though.
That's one thing I've noticed, things in Russia are usually fairly cheap (groceries, Sabbaros) or fairly expensive ( шоколодница, concerts). There is no middle ground (except maybe the circus)!

Weather changes

It's starting to get colder here, and it already feels like Fall. It's in the low 50's, high 40's here now (Fahrenheit) and raining. Evidently August is usually a wet month in Moscow. Everyone stared at me because I was just wearing a T-shirt, but I wasn't cold (not like Washington State was). I will have to buy a light jacket or hoodie, because I forgot to bring one (I remembered heavy coats, though). Today was my last day with tutoring, and soon fall classes will start. I do not know what I will do until classes start a week from now, maybe just hang out.

Meeting new friends

I met some new people at the American Center yesterday, and we went out for tea and coffee afterwords. It was good because I could practice my Russian, and they could also practice their English. I have actually found a lot of people who would be willing to help me practice my Russian. Tomorrow is my last tutoring session, and I am sort of glad. This past week and last week (until today) I had a substitute because my original tutor was sick. I liked the substitute so much more than my actual tutor! With the substitute, two hours felt like only 2 minutes, and I didn't want class to end each day; with my original tutor, 2 minutes felt like 2 hours and I kept looking at my watch waiting for class to end. I think the other tutor had more patience with me. Sometimes we would just have conversations about life in Moscow and such, and I could practice my conversation skills; with my main tutor, we just do grammar exercises the whole time. One of the few American students left here leaves on Saturday, so there will be one less person to hang out with; however, the Stanford kids should be arriving soon, I think.

Shopping malls

The other day we went to the Mall at the Universitet Metro stop. I was looking to find a light jacket, because I forgot to bring one to Russia (but I remembered all the heavy stuff such as coats and boots). The prices were ridiculous. A t-shirt was ON SALE for $30 (originally $60). This wasn't even designer clothing, just stuff you would find at a Kohls or Ross in the US. Jackets at a sports store (Nike, Adidas, etc.) cost as much as $150-$200! I will probably just buy something from a local market or something like that.
We saw District 9 today. I was not impressed. We had read online that this particular movie theater (Kinocenter) showed movies in their original language with Russian subtitles, and that movies only cost 150 rubles during the day ($5). It turns out that the movie cost 200 rubles ($6.50 or so) and was only shown in Russian. I probably should have asked, but the last time I called and asked if any movies were in English at this other movie theater (35mm) the person on the other end became angry and hung up on me. I have noticed that customer service is not familiar to Russians. For example, when we ate lunch today, our drinks didn't come until we already had the check, and my meal came 20 minutes after everyone elses. The waitress didn't even apologize for it. It's not a huge deal, but still annoying. Maybe because no one tips around here, there is no incentive to give good service.

Updates

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't written anything in a while. I completed my first day at the American Center yesterday. I only had 3 appointments for 30 minutes each, but people kept coming in. Everyone's English ranged from being as good as my Russian (which is not very good) to being perfect; one women was an English teacher. One strange guy only wanted to talk about American Wrestling (of which I knew nothing about); however, I had a really in depth conversation with a girl about my age, who had lived in Chicago for a year, about issues such as affirmative action in the US versus Russia. We also talked about immigration to and within Russia, and also the US. One other guy had lived in Virginia and went to Jamestown High School near Williamsburg and Newport News, VA. He was a little disappointed in the movies being shown at the American Center, and I sympathized with him (they like to show old Aubrey Hepburn movies, which even I would not go out of my way to see).
Today we are once again going to try to watch a movie in English (District 9) if we can find a theater that plays movies in their original language with Russian subtitles.

American Center

Yesterday we went to the American Center to check it out, and I think I will be volunteering there a little bit this month. What I will be doing is helping out with projects, such as helping Russians find books in the English library at the center on different topics (like on the 40th anniversary of the moon landing they made a presentation and found books on the subject), and helping out with lectures when people from the US embassy come. They give lectures on all kinds of topics, such as preparing for college in the US (can definitely help with that), and on American culture (cooking, etc.). I will also have 1 on 1 conversations with Russians who want to practice their English. If they have trouble, I get to practice my Russian with them, which is good because they usually have trouble with big, complex, abstract words and sentences, and I get to learn how to use them in Russian while they learn them in English.

River cruise

Today we went to a park (воробы горы) on the river and went on a river cruise on the Moscow river. It passed by several famous Moscow landmarks, such as St. Basil's, the Kremlin, and the Church of Christ the Savior. It was fun, but we didn't know that the tickets we bought were only one way; thankfully, it stopped near my host family's apartment! Sorry no pictures, I keep forgetting my camera! A lot of the guys here carry around small purses that they keep their stuff like cameras in(man purses as we call them), but I don't want to do that. Most everyone is leaving tomorrow, but there will still be a few of us left. Some of the guys are going to a soccer game tonight. Tickets for sporting events are cheaper here than in the states (400 rubles for a good seat, about $13-$14)(cheap seats are only 200 rubles), and it is a professional event between the best 2 teams in Russia. A similar NFL game in the US would cost a lot more than that for good seats! I hope to be able to volunteer at the American Center, which is only a block from where I live. I would be helping Russians practice their English.

Georgian food

Today we went to a Georgian restaurant for dinner. It took us a while to find it, but it was well worth the search. The food was amazing! They had this cheese bread that was probably without a doubt the best bread I have ever had in my life! We also had other things, such as Georgian soup, stuffed mushrooms, and this very good chicken dish. Sorry I forgot all the names, but if I see them again, I will probably recognize them. I think I want to visit Georgia now! It was expensive (500 rubles, about $17) but worth the price, as I think this is the first time I have eaten out in Russia and left full (not counting places like subway, sabarros, etc.)! Tomorrow we plan on going to see one of the parks and taking a boat cruise on the Moscow river. Also, when I talk about Georgia, I am talking about the country near Turkey, not the state of Georgia in the US!

New Trekyakov gallery

Today we decided to check out the modern art at the new State Trekyakov Gallery. First we had lunch at Pizza Hut (they were advertising a "business lunch special"). That was a mistake. It was 210 rubles, and you got a personal pizza w/2 toppings, a salad bar visit, and a drink. What I didn't realize is that menus in Russia advertise anything possible, not what they have on stock. I ordered a cheese and mushroom pizza that was ok, but small. The salad bar was one trip only, and was a Russian salad (whole vegtables and fruit, not like american salads). They only gave me the equivelant of a shot glass of Pepsi (it was a normal glass that was only 1/3 of the way full). This was about $7 total. Not going to Pizza hut in Russia again! Sorry so many of my posts have been about food, I just love food!
After lunch we went to what we thought was the gallery (we got lost), but ended up being a "house of art"(we wondered why all the art was on sale!). We eventually found the gallery, and I was pleased with it. I think I like modern art the most. The tickets to both places were cheap (50- 150 rubles ($1.50-$5.00) ). I think art museums are an elitist thing in the US, and that's why they cost more (the High in ATL is $20 per person!). Also, it is a government gallery, which may be why the cost was so cheap.

Going to the library

Today we went to библиотека имени ленина, the Russian version of the Library of Congress in the US. I guess it will be my primary library from now on, because all of us who are staying in the Fall picked up library cards there. I don't know how often I will use it though, as it is an EXTREMELY complicated system. You cannot take any bags, paper, or other books into the Library, and you have a pass you carry around everywhere you go, that you get stamped when you use the internet (which you have to pay for), check out a book, etc. You can have the books for 3 days, but can only read them in the Library (you turn them in at the end of the day if you are not finished). Also, mostly everything is STILL done by card catalog!!! I don't think I've ever used a card catalog! I've grown up using computers and electronic catalogs! In addition, you write done what you want (more paperwork) and assistants go get it for you, you do not go get it yourself. The picture is outside the library, where there is a big statue of Dostoevsky.

Tsaritsino Park

Today we went to Tsaritsino park, which was once owned by Catherine the Great as one of her summer homes from what I understand. We walked around the grounds, which were very large (it's a big public park), and then went inside the palace. It was nice inside, but nothing was original because it was not kept up after the 1917 revolution; however, 2 years ago it was rebuilt as it originally was. After that we ate lunch near red square, and then went home because we all have to work on our papers. I will be working almost nonstop on the paper, on top of the normal homework I have plus the work I have from my tutoring sessions. It's jeans week this week, so I have started a load (I am only allowed one laundry load per week, which is even less than you think since European washers are about 1/4 the size of US ones). I will be up for a while typing and doing laundry.