Dobre Diem

Prevyet kak de la?
Yes I just said Hi how aer you in russian. Cool huh... Not really Rachel taught me that when I was in sixth grade. But how's this for ya. yoxie moxie! ha ha! i know cool right. don't you wish you knew. Ha ha ok I'll tell you. It means WOW! haha Well I am sure you are all wondering how my first few days in St. petersburg were. So here it goes. IMAGINE THIS! Over 24 hours in airports airplanes and what not. Gross ravioli that was somewhat deceant the first two bites but it was all you could do to keep the third one down. So tired and confused with gates and such and its all you can do to keep your eyes open on the airplane and when you finally fall asleep everything around you is to loud. But wait whats this! I hear over the plane intercom! NOW LANDING ST. PETERSBURG RUSSIA!WE'VE MADE IT!! WE ACTUALLY MADE IT! We get out of the plan and the first thing I think is oh my its going to be cold. But no We were all actually shocked and immediatly starting singing what we planned on for months... "st. petersburg is gloomy, st. petersburg is bleak, my underwear got frozen standing here all week." Then we stopped and heading to passport control. I received my cool stamp, got my luggage thankful it was all there, and proceeded to the most scary nerve racking thing of my life...THE FAMILY (said in a really creepy evil voice thats meant to scare one and all who read) So I proceed through the doors and find a guy with both miki's and my name on a piece of paper... Couldn't believe it we were actually staying together! Minutes later after a careful strategic way of fitting 6 pieces of luggage into a dodge we drive and hear. VELCOME TO ROSHIA! (said of course in the exact voice you'd expect any russian to have) But soon we realize I am staying with another family... "OH NO I HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THAT WORRY AGAIN" I finally reach my "flat" (aka apartment thats waht everyone here calls them so I gotta act as russian as much as possible). I soon realize that I have a baby sister named evelien who is 4.5 and I also have to wait till 8 o clock to meet the PARENTS DUN DUN DUN. ok fast forward to 8 o clock wedneday night... MY FAMILY SPEAKS ENGLISH! I GOT SO LUCKY! YAY! They are super nice their names Sonya and Alec. Couldn't have asked for better substitute parents. Ok so now fast forward to thursday. Today is going to be a long day. we go exchange our money to rubels. But hey guess what Maggie forgets her pin number to her debit card. So I have to get a loan from my head teacher. We walk hours on end get to the metro (by the way the longs escalador i have ever seen, i have pictures don't worry) Anyways and I fumble with my stupid coins. Gah what a frustrating day. We finally get back to the head teachers apartment and decide we need to get home before it gets to dark (yes russia is dark till 10 am and gets dark around 4pm) So we start walking home and I realize I don't recognize the street we're walking on..."I'm lost oh crap" Amaryah dani and I head to there apartment to call my mom. She comes and gets me being the sweet lady she is and just smiles at me. By this time I just want to cry. But I don't. Friday. Was a most excellent day. Making me love st. petersburg. My debit card worked! YAY FOR HAVING MONEY! and we just sat around the head teacher's apartment and starting our teaching plans. I found my way home. And that night I get two beloved phone calls. One from Rachel and on from my mommy. It was so nice to hear from them. I then party it up with my host parents and there friend at the kitchen table eating talking and laughing. They were drinking some wine and toasting to absolutely everything haha I clinked my cookie with there wine glasses. Today yes saturday I get up and get ready for a day out into the city. The city is beautiful, but only two words can describe it in the middle of january... Grey and dirty... There is dirt slush every where from the snow. The sun never shines and the buildings are just old.But yet is still absolutely beautiful! we went to the peter paul fortress and saw this beautiful cathedral there. By then we were very far away from home, the wind was blowing and it was snowing. Our faces were numb, and we were ready to call it a day. While getting onto the metro I step on and it closes on me. So here I am pulling the metro doors open so I don't get squished. I get my body in but no of course my arm and purse get stuck and are dangling out the window. (I SEEM TO BE THE ONlY ONE WHO GETS UNLUCKY, APART FROM MY FAMILY THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES OUT of all the teachers families taht speak english) anyways a nice russian man opened the doors for me. I love my russian man hero. Goodness so now we get back home to the teachers apartment and here I type. That is my first week here in russia. Other things you might like to know about it.
-THE YOGURT HERE IS INCREDIBLE, I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER EAT U.S. YOGURT AGAIN!
-russians get annoyed when we tell them english only
- I saw my first real rat outside my apartment building
-jet lag is horrid. waking up at 4 am sucks!
-I can't read or understand anyone and its kinda annoying!
-st. petersburg is absolutely beautiful and I love living here!

Well there you have it folks my first st. petersburg entry... Dang its long and you better be greatful cause I'm missing an american movie and I want to watch it! Hope you guys enjoyed my first week of russia cause I know I well sorta did. Get back to you soon!