Hot water update

Hi again, everyone!

The hot water has been turned back on, and life is so much better. We had our first day of classes today, and it's so nice to be in a classroom and practice speaking Russian. I know I'm going to learn a lot, not only for myself, but for the next time I teach. We have class four days a week, from 9 to 3, so it's pretty busy. Tonight there's no homework, but that will probably never happen again.

Our weekends are pretty free, but there are excursions scheduled. This weekend we're going to see the main state library (named after V.I. Lenin, of course), and then to a cemetery where some very famous Russians are buried (Gorbachev's wife, for instance). We're also going on a walking tour around one of the five ring-roads around Moscow.

Over this past weekend we got acquainted with the city a good deal, riding the metro to important places to know (the US embassy, the clinic), and seeing the major sites on a bus tour (the Kremlin, St. Basil's cathedral, my favorite controversial statue in the world (of Peter the Great), and so on).

I have also been getting my fill of Russian food. Aside from the cafeteria and cafe in the university building, there are some nice traditional chain restaurants. Traditional food, not chains like McDonalds, although that's here, along with Subway and KFC. One is called Elki-Palki (Yolki-Palki, which means 'fiddlesticks' in the sense that you say it instead of a naughtier word), and it has a buffet of salads (like beet salad) or a hot buffet. I just had some herring and cutlets. :) Then there's a cafeteria-style chain called Mu-mu (as in the cow says...), as there is a big plastic cow outside the flagship store. Anyhow, delicious again, but I do like the local cuisine.

I also found not one but TWO Starbucks cafes in the same area of Moscow. I couldn't help myself...a tall coffee with skim milk I pour in myself. So foreign here, and so a welcome change. At $3 for just 12 oz of coffee, not even a latte, I think that may be my last trip to Starbucks in Russia.

I'm trying to make plans to take in some theater while here. First on the agenda is the Cat Theater but I'm also hoping to take in a ballet or opera. Oh, and Britney Spears is coming in July. I can't tell if everyone is ironic about going, or if we're all actually going to get tickets. If they're really only 1000 roubles (that's $35), it's truly a steal.

Off to bed, hoping I can get a better night's sleep on my tiny mattress. At least there's a hot shower waiting for me in the morning!!