Russian Faced and Snow Graced

Yesterday was the warmest day  in St. Petersburg so far. 

It was 7 below when I woke up and it snowed.

But it's been fine; you learn how to really wrap up and keep every speck of cold out.

Two days ago we went to one of the kindergartens to get our blood tested.

Afterwords they fed us Pizza and Tea. 

Tea is actually a huge thing here and I'm pretty sure I'm in love with it. The first day we went to a restaurant, our food came with big kettles of tea. My host mom makes me a cup of herbal tea every morning. 

I'm going to end up addicted a lot more than I currently am.

It did not taste like Strawberry Cake.

The view from my head teacher's apartment. 

The first day I traveled to the HT's apartment, it took me and hour and a half by metro and walking. Luckily, I've gotten a lot better at it recently and can get it done in about 40 minutes. I feel like I'm pretty successful at figuring out how the metro works now. Memorizing the Russian stop names is a must, as is "The Russian Face". 

"The Russian Face" is what happens when you detach you face of all emotion so as to blend in with the fellow Russians more effectively. If you don't, you're almost immediately pegged as an American, and therefore a pickpocket target on the metro. That, along with a few other things, you have to master to not look like an American. 

Don't stare at the metro signs; know your path before hand. 

Take your backpack off and carry it in front of you.

Don't talk. (Obviously.)

I was told that when I get back to America everyone is going to think I'm rude because I'll be so used to the Russian Face. In advance: I'm not rude. A lot.

I think that the simple fact that I don't wear heels everywhere I go is probably a big clue, though. EVERY Russian women wears heels. It doesn't matter what the weather is. Heels. 

I asked Tanya, my host mom about that and she laughed. She told me that she used to be just like that until she went to study in America and everyone told her that she should choose comfortable shoes over fashionable  ones.

"I've taken that to heart ever since."

Svieta is the woman who makes our stay here fun. On the weekends she's in charge of taking us out to explore the city. At least, when it get's warmer. Right now we're doing cooking classes. Yesterday, we learned how to make Blene. 

It's awfully similar to a crepe. 

The next few pictures are examples of what happens when you've been stuck in an apartment all day training.

Break time.

You can thank Miranda for that one.

This is what happens when you are told you have three schools, when in reality there are five, and there are actually six. And you don't have enough time to prepare.

We may or may not be exhausted.

I came home and my host family was watching Sherlock in Russian. 

That was fun.

Dinner I had last night. Something my family really likes is meat and rice rolled into a ball, "Hedgehogs" in English. 

I'm pretty sure that dessert was Flan. 

The food here is so good.

After dinner the kids taught me to play a board game called Dixit. 

I thought I had the rules down, but halfway through the game I realized I was playing it with the wrong objective.

I lost.

Arsini, Danil, and Sasha. 

They're all fantastic. 

Arsini is the youngest, so his English isn't the best, but he's really adorable. 

Danel LOVES reading and has a big Lord of the Rings poster in his room. When I was telling them about my home, I mentioned I lived in the basement once and he threw up his hands, groaned and left the room.

His mom told me he's really jealous of basements. Danil's plan is to one day live in America, Ohio specifically, (Not even his mom know's why Ohio) and own a house with a field and a basement.

Whatever floats your boat, I guess.

Sasha goes to Operas for fun. She's ten.

A little tidbit of them rocking out to American music.

Until next time.