The Past

The past is a fiction designed to account for the discrepancy between my immediate physical sensations and my state of mind.

Home in NJ

Home in NJ
That's good tea ...

Guitar

Guitar

Hair

Hair
My hair before I cut it all off

Sunday, January 31, 2010

After  ten-hour plane ride I arrived in the Moscow airport to be solicited some fifteen times by various "taxi" drivers in a mixture of russian and english.  I eventually was picked up by an AFS Russia representative. She was nice and very helpful. I forget her name.  Guided by the AFS Russia representative I set off with the two other students for the train station. Two hour train ride from the Mocsow Airport to central Moscow----five hours of subway-----thirteen hour train ride from Moscow to Cheboksary where I was welcomed by my host family and two AFS Russia representatives.  Valentina Yurpalova and Dimitry (Dimya) Yurpalov are extremely kind. Mrs. Yurpalova hasn't spoken a word of English, which is good because it encourages me to learn Russian. 

After arriving at the Yurpalov flat I was treated to an excellent meal cooked by Dimitry.  Cooking, and Hockey are some of his hobbies.  Later on I met a lot of Dimitry's friends; they were all very jolly and interested in the very few things I could say.

Kvass---good

Russian fruit Juices (sok) -----very good

Russian Tea-----very good

Russian food-----pretty good most of the time

 There is a cinema and a variety of shops within walking distance of my residence. 

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

I have just received the first part of my orientation. It was long but the food was good. My roomate is hoss. There are two others students going to Russia and about ten going to Egypt.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

I just had a great going away party at Camp Ockanickon. Thanks for coming, everybody!
I leave my house on Wednesday morning for Dulles Airport in D.C. where I will be given a day-long orientation. I get on a plane headed for Moscow on Thursday at noon.