Russian Friends

It's about time I start meeting people, so tonight I ventured out of the safety of my host home, and walked 40 minutes to a pub. There, I met with couch surfers from around the city! I was fortunate enough to speak with Anna, who will meet with me next week for language exchange and to help me buy a mobile phone. I guess it is bad to travel this country without one! I met two Sergei's as well! Typical Russian name. It was wonderful to speak english and share stories about Canada. Sergei #1 had so many questions, I felt like an ambassador! Let's hope I do our country proud. I even took the Metro home! What a maze, and the escalator to get down to the station was so long. My pupil tells me these are the deepest metro stations in all of Russia. Even in the cover of darkness, i found my way home - which happens to be in the same yard as a local police outlet. So you can be assured I am safe ;)

Now, to tell you about where I am staying. First of all, I am living in the living room. Thankfully open-concept living hasn't hit Russia yet, so I have a door. However, the door only does so much good because it has frosted glass. Even the BATHROOM door has frosted glass...so imagine seeing a shadow figure in the bathroom...naked, on the toilet, not exactly private! 

Another surprise in the bathroom is a toilet seat slip-cover. I have never experienced anything like it in all the bathrooms I have ever visited! The two-year old daughter is cute, but extremely annoying. I can't teach the mother until after she goes to bed - so there goes any chance of nightlife in Saint Petersburg! I wanted to stay longer with my fellow couch surfers, but alas, I have responsibilities here.

Warm touchie ;)

I am trying to plan the rest of my time here in Russia most effectively. Today, I booked a weekend in Moscow. I mean, who goes to Russia and doesn't see the Red Square??? I have put out a few couch surfing requests, with hopes that someone will adopt me for the weekend and perhaps give me a few russian lessons. Another destination which is calling my name is Rostov. My tutor of three months lives there...but it is a 300$ flight to and from, for only a weekend :( add the taxi fare and food, and the costs just keep on growing. Anyone who knows me well, knows I was secretly in love with Vova. I would count down the minutes to when I would hear his voice again. We would spend hours speaking via skype (only audio chat) and I would fall ever more in love with him with each passing word. We both do Yoga, and we both like the same movies, and his kindness was the most attractive quality of all....did I forget to mention he is EIGHTEEN YEARS OLDER THAN ME!??? When he was 18 in the Russian Military, I was a mere 1-year-old baby in Germany. My 23 year-old dad was on the other side of the iron curtain trying to protect the world from my Vova's army (which he was forced to do.) I have been so torn about visiting him, not with some unrealistic love fantasy in mind, but just to meet a dear friend whom I've spent countless hours speaking with. Alas, the weekend before my epic journey began, I got two traffic tickets worth 477$. This came to me as a sign from above that I can't afford the journey so far south to my Vova. I spoke with him last night on the internet, and the smile on my face was beaming. Maybe if I leave him a mystery for my next visit, it will give me more reason to return to my fatherland? As of right now, I am wondering why the hell I came to Russia in February, or at all! No one smiles, not a soul. I am so terrified of getting my camea stolen that I have yet to take it out of the house! Time to change my mindset and start enjoying this adventure, or I will only have a chubby butt to show for sitting around all day!