Super-Duper Wacky n' Tacky Euro Adventure

I am currently writing this entry from my new quarters at 12-56 Malaya Kalzhskaya. The clock in the lower right hand now says 12:15pm, meaning that’s what time my body thinks it is. However, the clock next to my laptop kindly informs me that it is in fact 9:15pm. I just fell asleep in the middle of a big World Cup qualifier between Russia and Portugal. I think Victor Gregoriovich, the father-in-law was a little offended, but he can’t really communicate that to me anyway. Victor is the oldest in the apartment. My official host family is Iosef and Mariana(?) Volfson who are 50 and 47. We inhabit a smallish apartment that is cozy and has just enough room for everyone. My room is tiny but I can’t help but think that Stanford would put me in even tighter quarters and charge me three times as much. Two canine companions provide constant entertainment and noise here (every time someone stops on the elevator outside our floor, I want to kill the stupid things). But they are nice pets. Weird, but nice. One is a mut named Roni of I think a setter background that is very lazy and does not like its leash very much. The other is a crazy mut mix named Humberto that doesn’t have a single hair on his body except for a little-too-convenient mohawk on the top of his head. I’m keeping my eye out for sheers. Iosef calls him his “ugly Mexican dog” because it slightly resembles a Chihuahua, but that’s giving it way too much credit.

My flight over was interesting. Midway through the transatlantic (2nd of 3 flights that day) flight my extreme anxiety turned to the excited anticipation I should have felt the entire time. The meals on Lufthansa are great for airline food. They are even stern believers that a drink helps digestion after a meal. So I had a post-meal cognac after a couple of beers and fell right to sleep. That only lasted about an hour. It really sucks to fly against the sun because nighttime does not last very long. As usual the sun forced me awake and I wasn’t the happiest of campers. The Frankfurt airport where my layover was is absolutely beautiful. American airports could learn a thing or two from them. I walked around a bit, woke up the parents at two in the morning, and took advantage of a nice duty-free shop to pick up one more gift for my host family. If you asked how my flight to Moscow was, I wouldn’t be able to tell you because I was in a trance the entire time; trying to go to sleep, but waking up every time I got close. I finally arrived late to Sheremtyevo and made my way through customs. After having a non-understood fight with the passport agent, I made my way through and finally met up with Micha and a driver from the academy. They had been waiting a long time, and I felt kinda bad, but that’s the stupid Russian custom’s fault. Micha is a recent Stanford Grad (’05) who has taken to Moscow like a fish into water. After doing the overseas program here a couple of years ago, she has moved out here for a year doing various odd jobs like translation and helping out at the academy. She is good people, I look forward to getting to know her better. Anyway, after a fun rush-hour ride through central Moscow (in really hot weather by the way) we arrive at the building where I’m living. Or so we thought. Took us a couple of tries, but the third time was the charm as we ascended a 4X3 elevator (and I’m not exaggerating) covered in cardboard to my new home for three months. Iosef immediately offered to take me for a stroll in the near by park under gorgeous weather. The name of the park escapes me right now, but I think it’s a kinda famous one. Iosef explains to me that he is the only person in the house-hold who speaks English. His wife works ridiculously long hours as a banker (she still hasn’t gotten home!) and he works as a researcher using his expertise in geological therapy. Both he and his wife have a PhD, but they don’t really work doing exactly what they studied. His wife even had to quit her job as a biochemist to support the family. As we’re walking along I can’t help but think how much this city reminds me of Guadalajara. For now, the weather is similar. We take walks in the park and talk with neighbors and meet new people. There are no true skyscrapers in the city (except for the scary seven sisters, but we won’t count those) and ridiculous eye-catching advertisements are everywhere. It’s kinda weird to say this already, but I almost feel at home in a certain way. Iosef says that we will have to attend some football and hockey games. I am in complete agreement.
Tomorrow Iosef will accompany me to the academy via the famous metro systemwhere I will get my late start with the other intensive language learners. Turns out we have five hours of Russian a day for two and a half more weeks. That is intensive. Tomorrow, however, I learned that we will be on a field trip to a local chocolate factory. Don’t ask me what this has to do with Russian language, but I’m not complaining. I expect to see the Russian Johnny Depp bright and early tomorrow morning. Till next time