The Biscuit of Zazzamarandabo

Today's post is brought to you by the Veggie Tales song, "The Biscuit of Zazzamarandabo." Why? Because it reminds me of the past week.

This post is also brought to you by the word: "ура" (ooh-RAH), meaning "hooray!"

For all those not counting the days until my departure, today is my final 24 hours in North America. I am a bundle of excitement/nervousness as is to be expected. I wish I could say I was all packed and ready to go, but like the song so humorously portrayed, there have been dozens of little things preventing me from being totally prepared for my own biscuit adventure.

Last week was the week of discovering all the tiny but ever-so-vital accessories necessary for my trip. I needed a purse, a wallet, some euros, shampoo, copies of my passport/insurance/bank information, ironed clothes, a bottle of Febreeze, knick-knacks for my host family (more on this later), a flash drive for my once-infirmed computer (more on this, too), skype accounts for my family...the list goes on. Even after a solid week of shopping, I still forgot facial cleanser. So I need to buy it today. Ugh.

Aside from getting the lastest-last-minute items, I have a whole bunch of things to do today. Since my plane takes off at 6AM (!!) tomorrow morning, I need to check in for all three of my flights, pay for baggage, find more socks, and pack. Oh, and spend time with my family. Busy day!

Last week's excitement was not limited to the purchasing of items, unfortunately. My laptop decided to throw a tantrum and BLUE SCREEN because it did not have the latest updates for its graphics driver. As my computer is the only real link I will have with anyone stateside while I'm in Russia, this was a big deal. Fortunately, we were able to update the software and the tempestuous little thing has been running smoothly ever since. I even cleaned its screen and got the dust out of the keyboard and fan. It likes me, now. Perhaps I will name him Steve in thanks for the cooperation.

Going back to some of the things I've purchased (or, really, what the parental units have purchased for me), I am most proud of the gifts I got for my host family. In Russia, it's customary to bring people gifts when you enter their house, so all of us studying abroad were encouraged to buy presents representative of our region of the country. Living in Arizona, I thought it would be incomparably cool to bring a cactus to Russians, who probably have never seen a desert plant in their lives. Unfortunately, you aren't allowed to bring live plants into other countries, so I had to settle for something else. I ended up getting an authentic Arizona Indian sandpainting, a dreamcatcher, a candle with a kokopelli on it (Native American deity popular in art), a magnet, a sand globe (like a snow globe, only climate-specific) and a bunch of postcards that I put into a photo booklet. The photo booklet project was the bane of my existence because it ended up involving staples, tape and glue, but it's finally finished. Also, my friend Masha told me that she got Pop Rocks for her host family if they had kids and I thought that was a brilliant idea, so I copied her. (If my host fam doesn't have kids, though, I'm keeping the Pop Rocks.) I don't plan to give all of my knick-knacks to my family. I'm saving a couple of the smaller items in case I meet other Russians and want to give them a gift.

That's it for now. I'm off to check in with United and Lufthansa, iron my clothes and finish packing. Next time you hear from me, I'll be in the Motherland!

Katya

Who's that snazzy American walking down the Prospekt?

This week's blog post is brought to you by the phrase:

хорошая одежда (ha-ROH-shy-uh ah-DYEH-zhda), meaning "good clothes."

Time, she's a-flyin'. I have less than two weeks left on this continent and I'm still in a state of denial. I've never gone abroad before, so the concept of being in a country where most people don't speak my native tongue is still mysterious to me. Also, I've been wanting to study in Russia since I was a junior in high school...that was four years ago. I can't believe that my wait is about to be over.

On a slightly sentimental note, most of my friends are already talking about going back to Nashville and seeing each other. The BCM leadership team (my Christian organization) is about to have its summer retreat, where they will set goals and mission statements...without me. My sorority sisters are discussing fall rush and our new pledges. It's strange that I won't be going back with them and participating in their activities. Not that I'm complaining about going to Russia - because I most certainly will have many amazing experiences and I don't regret my going an iota - but I feel odd, as if the world is a bit topsy. This must be a little of what it's like to graduate from college and know that your friends in grades below you are going on with college life as if it's normal - without you. BUT! I get to go back in January and prove to everyone that I haven't become a Russian spy. It may take some convincing...you see, my family and the KGB, we go way back. *wink*

Anyway, like I said, I am still very excited to be heading off to the Motherland. There are still plenty of little things I need to take care of before I depart, but everything is coming along at a reasonable pace. This week has been dedicated to the scouting and purchasing of inexpensive, functional and desirable apparel suitable for the Russian climate and culture. I am now the proud owner of dressy black pumps, grey ankle boots, a skirt ensemble and a wintry dress, courtesy of the parental units. I was in the market for some dressier clothing because (and knowing the awful stereotypes of Soviet women...you know, the burly she-men named Olga...this may surprise some of you) Russians dress up much more than do Americans. Women are expected to look feminine and all dolled up, especially when they go to class. Wearing jeans and a hoodie to a lecture just doesn't happen, let alone sweats or pajamas as many American students do. (Why anyone goes to class in pajamas is beyond me. I mean, if you are awake enough to walk from your dorm to your classroom, then kindly put on some pants and a clean shirt. Have you no pride in your appearance, or respect for your prof/fellow students? But that's entirely off-topic.)

I, being a more casual dresser, found it necessary to obtain snazzier clothing so that when I arrive in Petersburg the locals won't stare at me and decry the slovenly nature of Americans. Thus, I have dug out every skirt, dress and snappy-cazh shirt I own (yes, folks, that's short for snappy-casual...spelling it "snappy-cas" looked stupid). Contrary to what many people think about me, I actually like dressing up and wearing skirts, so long as they aren't overly girly. Very little about me says girly-girl. I can handle sophisticated, though. The tomboy in me doesn't mind.

The one thing I have yet to embrace is the carrying of the purse device. Frankly, I hate purses. They're cumbersome, they're heavy and the more space they have, the more junk I want to dump inside of them. Also, they're so darn girly! Instead, I carry a Vera Bradley wrist wallet that holds everything important: my debit card, my cell phone, my contact solution and the occasional dollar bill. Even my Vera Bradley bothers me, sometimes. If I could get away with it, I wouldn't carry anything. Concerning Russia, my misfortune lies in that my passport is too big to put into my wallet, and I fear that a wallet hanging from my wrist just screams "TAKE ME, MR. PICKPOCKET!!" Therefore, I will likely need to suck it up and carry a purse when I am abroad, not only for the aforementioned reasons, but also for storing my camera and scarf/gloves when I go indoors. (Because, you know, it's cold there...as everyone likes to remind me.)

Purse woes aside, I am pretty stoked about my Russia wardrobe. I'm going to be one fashionable lady, if only for a semester. After that, bring on the flip-flops and sorority tees! Or, who knows, maybe four months living with high-maintenance Russians will inspire me to take more than ten minutes on my hair every morning.

Until next time,

Katya, the fashion guru.

P.s. In case y'all were wondering, "prospekt" is the Russian equivalent of "boulevard." One of the most famous prospekts is Nevsky, located in the center of St. Petersburg. Nevsky Prospekt was the location of Tsar Alexander II's assassination, as well as many activities of the 1917 October Revolution, making it incomparably cool.

Orange Luggage and the Geneva Conventions

This post is brought to you by the phrase:

я радa (yah rah-da), which means "I'm happy."

Well, comrades, in 21 days I will be on Russian soil! I've been in denial for the past few weeks about how soon my summer is coming to an end and I was actually beginning to feel very nervous about going abroad. However, CIEE (the organization in charge of the study abroad program) held an orientation chat this morning and alleviated many of my concerns. About 15 of us talked with the wonderful program director for over two and a half hours, asking questions about what to expect when we arrive, what the program is like, and what life is like in St. Petersburg. Did you know that Petersburg is actually an archipelago? I did not. There's the mainland that's connected to the rest of Russia, as well as two islands in the Gulf of Finland! (More than likely, I'll be living on one of those islands and will take the metro, bus or taxi to school on the mainland every day.)

A pleasant surprise, I found out that one of my Russian professors from Vandy is actually coming to Russia with us to be the program's academic coordinator! Irina Makoveeva and I have a very good relationship, so it will be nice to have someone I know and who is familiar with the Vanderbilt Russian program with me while I'm there.

I am getting very excited about all the things I'll be able to do, once I'm in the motherland. There is a university choir that I'm thinking of auditioning for, as well as some ESL volunteering opportunities and a couple internships with NGO's and the Hermitage museum! Also, there are apparently a lot of field trips included in the program, including some overnight stays in Novgorod, Moscow and Tallinn, Estonia! I plan to go out to as many ballets, operas and movies as humanly possible, as well. I'm even taking a class on "traditional Russian visual and performing arts."

I still have three weeks left before I'm there, though, and preparations for my egress are still in play. I recently ordered a new luggage set that should arrive a week before I leave. My only regret regarding the luggage is that it isn't lime green. It is, however, a wonderful shade of orange, which should be easy enough to distinguish from the typical blacks, blues and reds. I did get a little flack from the family about the color. My parents thought orange was too understated and soft, but I thought subtlety was the way to go...

There are still many little things to take care of before I go, such as buying shoes, clothes, AC/DC converter thingies (technical term) and so on, but I'm in the final stretch! I've got to get more serious about my Russian, however, because I'll be taking a language placement exam a week after I arrive. I've been meaning to dust off the ole "Голоса" (Russian textbook), but that felt an awful lot like work. As you know, Work (an alias of the equally nefarious "Study") during the summer is a violation of the Geneva Conventions, the Constitution, the fine print in your mortgage contract and every unwritten moral code in human history. Thus, I have avoided the textbook so as not to invite a volley of FBI, CIA, NSA, INTERPOL, neighborhood watch and UN Peacekeeping agents to my home to arrest me for crimes against humanity. However, if you promise to keep a secret, I will crack open the grammar guides and brush up on my conversational Russian.

Until next time, comrades! Watch out for the FSB infiltrators in your McDonald's...and embrace the future of neon luggage.

Katya