In Which the Classes have Ended...? Kind of..?

11.12.2008

All I could think on the way home, on the bus, was, "I am wearing two pairs of socks and fur lined shoes. Why the hell are my feet FREEZING?"

My last RSL classes were today, but it feels like I still have so much to do, and so much longer until I return home. Really, though, all I have left to do is:

-Coursework for Human Rights
-Human Rights Final
-International Relations Final

... and, that's it. Well, I have finals for RSL next week, but those shouldn't be too terribly difficult. The main thing I'm mourning is that I won't be forced to speak Russian every day, now. Except to Tatyana, but we basically just say the same damned things all the time.

I successfully picked up my package, today. It wasn't as painful as I thought it would be. Well, it kind of was. I got in line, and there weren't that many people there. Apparently, the post office has its own pet cat, which was playing with the woman in front of me. So the cat and this woman were laughing and playing and having a great time. I have realised that the only time you're allowed to be happy in public is if you're insane, or with an animal.

So, as soon as they get to me in line they decide to have a break, and say that they'll start again in 15 minutes. Of course, "fifteen minutes" turned out to be "half an hour." In the meantime, the line grew exponentially behind me, as did my terror. I just knew this woman was going to yell at me about someething, and I wouldn't know what to do about it. Well, she comes back, says "Подходите" (which means APPROACH!, and I found to be amusing about ten minutes later). I hand her my package slip, she hands me my package, and done. Simple.

You know, I always have a bunch of fantastic observations throughout the day, and every time I think to myself "Oh! That would make a great journal entry! I should write that down ... nah, I'll remember it." And then, I don't remember it. Every time. Damn it.

One thing I DO remember, however, is that, since coming here, I have realised how much of a slob I am. By "slob," I mean I don't take care of my things. Well, didn't. And that's really only in comparison to Russians. Before I came here, I thought I took fantastic care of my things. But I didn't. This doesn't make much of any sense, does it? Well, for example, how many Americans take care of their shoes? None that I know of, outside my parents, in any case. Russians take a shoe brush to their shoes/boots immediately after stepping in the door, and then apply polish if necessary. I've actually started to get into the habit of this. Usually, I'll just give all my (leather) shoes a good cleaning about twice a year, when I'm home. NO LONGER.

Of course, this extends past shoes. Far past shoes. There was this woman on the metro not long ago who spent FIVE. MINUTES. Folding a plastic shopping bag. FIVE. MINUTES. Smoothing it, making sure it was folded evenly... Jesus effing christ. It drove me INSANE. Then, of course, she spent another minute or two carefully placing it in her purse. Actually, I would have died if she just stuffed it away, but she didn't, unfortunately.

I am mildly terrified of my Russia/USA final. The mid-term was pretty horrifying -- one week to write a full seven page paper. I spent two days researching, four days analyzing said research and coming up with an outline, and one page writing. By the end of the 'writing' part I was DYING. But the FINAL? Same time frame -- one week. For a TEN page paper, on a much broader topic. I suppose that the topic is broader is good, but not necessarily ... research is going to be even more of a pain, and coming up with a decent response just as much. The good thing is is that I don't have to worry about ANYTHING else during that time frame, so I don''t need to worry about getting anything else done. But still... ten pages in ONE week, research and all? Seems a tad maniacal to me.

Well, amusingly enough, I had planned on studying for exams tonight... since, you know, no classes tomorrow, and I'm finished early enough on Thursdays... It's already 9 and all I've done since I've returned home is watch a movie, take a nap and eat dinner.

Speaking of the movie -- I started watching it last night. Soviet film from the early 80's -- "Будьте Моем Мужем" (Be my husband). I actually have very little to say about it... Just a romantic comedy. It was fairly good -- What I found amusing is that it was set during the summer at a beach setting, and I didn't notice until a later scene when NO ONE was on the beach that the beach was just ROCKS. No sand. ROCKS. Not like, small bits of gravel, but big ROCKS. I can't imagine enjoying a beach like that. Not that I enjoy beaches at all, but still.