A for Effort

It looks as though the last time I wrote I was under an extraordinary amount of stress. Things are better now. The exam is just two weeks away and to be honest, it only matters if I decide it matters. It’s just the TORFL, not for a grade. In fact I should receive and A for effort in the classes themselves, but I suppose I feel that passing a difficult exam is one way to show an individual’s knowledge and improvement. But I know that this experience for me is much more than the results of one exam. I have wanted to travel to Russia for 4 years. My prepadavatelnitsa said today in my individual that she’s not sure how I will do on the exam, most my problems being psychological, but she says she is happy with how much I have improved, that I know a lot and can speak well. That is an accomplishment, end of story. I am not adept at languages, so none of this was ever going to come easily as other things, but I have learned more than I had expected and that’s something worth relaxing about!

On another note, if I’m not studying and doing a great deal of homework I have been visiting more museums and monasteries. Like last weekend! We visited Novodevichy located not to far from Sportivnaya metro station on the red line. In the main building there is a small collection of art/icons all done by the monks at the monastery. It also had very nice, shall we say, aroma??? First noticed by a friend of mine and I have to agree. For those interested in Moscow, Novodevichy is worth the visit, if not just for the scents. I believe at this point in time is maybe 70 rubles for a ticket, although I am a student.

Better news I forgot to mention! I have finally moved into a home stay which is one of the reasons why I have not updated in so long. I got sick of dorm life and felt the need to get out into Russia. So, I have been living with a babushka, dedushka and doystchik ( not sure about my Russian to English phonetics). So a grandmother, grandfather and granddaughter who is 15. I am grateful for this, mostly because they are very kind to me, but also because I talk to them everyday in Russian and it is excellent practice. Much better than speaking English all the time. Now I only speak English some of the time! Every morning my babushka makes me breakfast and we watch the morning news and talk a bit about whatever. Then I have a nice 15min walk to class. This is also awesome because back in Lexington I always walk from my apartment to class and back or from my apartment to work. So walking in the morning feels like home to me. Enjoy the pics. Two more weeks…

Novodevichy Monastery

Novodevichy Monastery

Novodevichy Monastery

The campus after snowfall.

Study session in black and white.

To celebrate ragu, piroshki, bread, cheese and tea.

My new komnata in my new kvartera. Anya helped me move slava Bogu!

 

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