on Russia

Living in Russia is always an experience. For the last few days I have been capitalizing on this experience by developing my observational skills.

One thing Megan and I were noticing is the different styles of clothing among Russians. This is particularly interesting when considering how ethinically/religiously/whateverly homogeneous the population in St Petersburg is. Everyone looks basically the same. But I have observed the Russian Goth. The Russian HipHop. The Russian Hippie, the Russian Emo (a lot of this one). The Russian prep, alternative, punk...they have it all. It's infinitely amusing.

The Russian language has a certain way of being spoken. Young guys often draw out their words in a Russian version of a drawl. Young and middle-aged women often speak incredibly quickly. Old men mumble. Middle aged men often sound drunk or angry. And then there are the old women. Old women have several varieties. There are the angry ones. You are in the wrong place, you are wearing the wrong thing, you are walking the wrong way, you are too slow, you are too fast, you are too rude, you are too loud. They will pick on anything, and call you out on it unashamedly. The old Russian woman is very into scolding. Usually high-pitched, slightly whiny but also very forceful. There are also the bent-over, silent old women who have probably endured who knows what. These women were born in the height of the Soviet era, and lived through its collapse and their resulting "freedom." Their husbands are probably dead of alcohol abuse or heart disease or divorced them long ago.

There are also the friendly old women. They might also have the high-pitched whiny voice, or they could have the classic Russian singsongy voice. This one lends itself well to lecturing, telling stories, reciting poetry, singing (folk music, Orthodox church music). The Russian language has a beautiful cadence and rhythm to it that is impossible for foreigners to acquire. This is what makes Russian poetry great.

Anyways, I think I'm done. I wasn't planning on writing about that.

Since the last textual update I have been spending a lot more time talking with my host family. I am not as antisocial as I first portrayed myself to be.

On Sunday I tried out two churches. I will probably visit two or so more. Yesterday I had no classes so I went to the Hermitage art museum for several hours. It was great. Pictures to follow.
I am starting to get into a routine that involves little class time, little homework, lots of reading, and a fair bit of sleeping. In the last three months I have been reading a lot and reading good stuff. I have rediscovered my love for reading and the thrill of being taken out of this world and into a different one. Of following a story and characters, of laughing and crying over people who don't exist. Of building this story and these characters in my mind, drawing them in my imagination, and hearing them in my head as I read. It is so good.

I have a few more pictures that I can access without my laptop. It looks like they are coming out really small. Click to enlarge, I guess. I will probably always be behind on posting pictures, but here is a random assortment:
Some cathedrals. Church on Spilled Blood:

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uh...St. Andrew's Cathedral, I think (Andreevsky Sobor):

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Prince Vladimir's ?? (Knyaz-Vladimirovsky):

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Isakievsky (St. Isaac's):

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Forbidden picture inside a church. I got caught:

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The building I live in. Notice the graffiti. Rather ironic:

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cobblestone:

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The Bronze Horseman, Peter the Great, looking out over the Neva. A tribute from Catherine the Great:

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Typical Russia. So typical. In the background are the Neva River and the Hermitage:

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