VDNX

Yesterday we went to a park called VDNX. It is near the space museum, and it is a very eclectic park. It had many different things to see, but a lot of it looked run down. It reminded me of the setting of a gothic novel or something.
It is starting to get much colder now. Fall came quickly, and then disappeared! It is now in the 30s everyday and raining. I hope it doesn't get much colder, or else that rain will turn to ice. It is only the beginning of October! I don't want winter to come already! Things are also better with my host family now.

Victory Park

Today I went with one of my Russian friends to Парк Победы (park pobedy), which translates into "Park of Victory". It celebrates the victory of the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany in WW2. The layout of the park kind of reminds me of Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, only this is bigger and cleaner. The metro was even sparkling clean! They had several fountains that were still on, but my friend told me they will be shut off next weekend (as it is starting to get much colder). Once we had walked around the park, we headed in to the WW2 museum. It was very interesting, to see part of the Rietshtag that had been taken from Berlin, and all the other old German and Soviet uniforms, weapons, and equipment. I also didn't know that the siege of Lennigrad was just as big as the seige of Stalingrad. They had a very large room with many, many of the names of those Soviet soldiers and officers who died in the war (not all of them, but it really reminded me of the Vietnam Memorial in DC). It was very humbling.
Sorry it has been awhile since I wrote. I have been busy with Kontrolnaya (tests) and homework. I'm pretty sure I failed my first test, but the professor said that she knew it was hard for me since I'm not a native Russian, and not to worry about it.
It is starting to get very cold, and my friend said it is not going to get any warmer, just colder. It is now usually in the 40s (F) each day, and it always rains.

Angry Babushkas!!!

So today was interesting...We ended up going to the wrong classroom for what we thought was Russia and the world in the 20th century (at least that's what it said online), but it was changed at the last minute (which we didn't know about) and ended up in a 4th year class in the business faculty instead of the 2nd year class we where looking for. Also, when the professor walked in, all the students stood up. We were sitting in the front and didn't notice it, but then we stood up. We were maybe half a second or a second slower than the Russian students, and the professor got mad. She gave us an evil stare, and then asked what we where doing there. We said that we were the non-Russian students and were their for the history course (it was actually a business etiquette course). She told us we were in the wrong place, and we left, all the while she was giving us the stink eye. I have never seen this before in any of my other Russian classes before. It was weird almost militaristic (the standing at attention upon professor's entrance). I've heard that that's customary in Russian high schools, but not in college. Maybe since she was older, that is what she is used too.

Which brings me to another point, why are all the older people (especially all the older babushkas) extremely rude? From old women stepping on my feet in the metro, pushing me out of the way to get on the train, why? The sketchiest looking young people I've met have been the nicest people ever, while almost every old lady has been very rude. Maybe they feel entitlement (aka like people from Palm Coast?) or it is left over from Soviet times, when everyone was treated like that.

The first Bear I've found in Russia

Lubyanka Square.

Bentley store! There was also a Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati store connected to it (along with a designer suit store. You could pick a suit and a car at the same place. I'll have to remember that next time I need a suit and a Ferrari)

Actual Free toilets! (normally it costs money to use them, wherever you are in Russia)

Police near red square (they were everywhere, as usual here)

Moscow's Birthday

Last weekend was Moscow's birthday (supposedly), and there was a big festival. Red Square was closed, but the festival was on Oxotny Ryad, right outside Red Square. I only went on Saturday (there were tons of people), and there were a couple of concerts and lots of stuff to do. Our host sister is in Hong Kong right now, so our host mom rented out the room to some Austrailian tourists. They don't speak any russian, so we have been helping them out.
Here's a list of what the pictures are (I will try to post other pictures from the day too!): 1).Flame that never goes out near the tomb of a WW2 Soldier
2). International house of music (near where I live!)
3).Moscow history museum
4). GUM department store
5). Entrance to Red Square

First day of class

I actually didn't have class today, just a convocation-like ceremony. It was very, very, very strange. It was like a convocation, only they had singing and dancing! It was crazy! Evidently Russians go crazy over the first of September. It is almost a holiday, the day all students (grade school up to university) go back for the Fall semester. The metro, along with all the restaurants at my University's metro stop, were extremely crowded.
I don't know if I will like my school very much. Everyone dresses up very nicely (like Harvard Business School or something), and it seems very elitist. My Russian professor told be that guys would wear sport coats, but most of the guys were wearing very nice suits. I think I might have felt more at home at a State school, like Moscow State University.
I still don't know what my classes are, and I don't have class until Thursday. Hopefully then I might know what classes I am taking!