In Which Boredom is Held

30.10.2008

So, this is my last entry before I go to Moscow -- Next time I'll update is ... Wednesday or Thursday. Not sure. Which is ... exactly a week. Hm..

Sadly, this may be a scant entry. SO YOU'LL ALL HAVE TO SAVOUR EVERY LAST WORD OF THIS ONE BEFORE I DISAPPEAR FOR A WEEK.

I didn't bother updating yesterday because there really wasn't much to say. I've stayed in most all week, reading, watching TV, and studying. Recuperating from dealing with people. Nice and relaxed, really -- I don't regret not doing anything all week. It's what I needed.

Last night I was watching a Russian historical document on the leaders of the Cheka/KGB/etc throughout the Russian history, and it had a lot of video clips, which was neat. At one point they were showing Finnish soldiers during World War I skiing in formation! It was fantastic. I had read about the skiing Finnish soldiers in my contemporary Russian history class a year ago, and couldn't believe it. BUT NOW I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT.

Also, from this video, I have discerned that the Russian military has not changed its uniform for about sixty or seventy years. Since I've been here I've been trying to distinguish the different military and paramilitary divisions, but it's difficult, and now I'm all confused because they've changed into their winter uniforms. Which is to say, they've traded in their saucer caps for USHANKI! So now I see columns of Russian military men (by "men" I mean "16 year old boys"...) marching down the street in long double-breasted black coats and fur hats.

I had planned on going shopping today but I forgot my debit card and didn't have much money, so I'm going to go, tomorrow... If I can't find a suitable jacket and hat for Moscow I guess I'm going to wear my heavy fur coat and my new ushanka. If I do that I'm going to get a lot of photos of me being a stereotypical Russian on Red Square, or something. I don't know.

I'm fairly excited for Moscow. Well, except the weather is supposed to be absolutely miserable, and we're taking a WALKING TOUR OF THE CITY. Which will probably be HELL. I couldn't load the itinerary, so, I'm not entirely sure what'll be going on. We're staying in a HOSTEL, which will be weird... Hmm.. Tatyana's birthday is on Tuesday, I think, and I'll be gone, so I'm going to buy her a gift in Moscow, and I think I'm going to buy her chocolates or something before I leave. II'm also going to try and shop for gifts for other people while in Moscow. And so on.

I've started trying to sort out my schedule for Goucher, next semester, and it's already hell. I left my entire written out plan on what I was going to do to fulfill the rest of my Gen Eds, so I'm kind of lost. I already know that my usual practise of cramming up on classes on MWF and leaving TuTh open and free is ... not going to happen -- All the Russian classes are MW and MWF, and all the Poli. Sci. courses are TuTh. Which I guess is good from the perspective that basically nothing I want to take conflicts, but not good from the fact that everything is SPREAD OUT AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY so my productivity may be at an all-time low.

What I am most terrified about going back to Goucher is the living situation, though, which is apparently more hellish than it's ever been. If I don't get a single I'm going to be mad as hell. I know that sounds terribly bratty, but for God's sakes I've already had to deal with two years of awkward and obnoxious living situations, and on top of that I'm a Junior, so I should have SOME seniority. I'm sure there are a massive amount of UNDESERVING FRESHMEN who have singles in some of the best halls. I've already told Brendan that I'm going to go live in his room if they try to put me in a double. He thought it was a joke. LITTLE DOES HE KNOW. So basically my living situation depends on how many people DROP OUT this semester and how many go abroad next semester. We'll see what happens. I need to shoot an e-mail over to Community Living to make sure everything is at least in order, document-wise...

I really should get to bed, since I'm waking up earlier than I need to in order to receive vocabulary tutoring, tomorrow morning. I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping, lately, though, and I'm not sure why that is. maybe all the TEA I'm drinking. the MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF TEA. Despite this, I'm in a good mood. Good mood, indeed. My shopping trip tomorrow might elevate or depress that. We shall see.