News and Views From my kids accomplishments, to my heretical perspective of the world

This weekend is pretty boring. It’s our only Saturday that doesn’t have like an excursion planned.

I played soccer with some Russians for like 45 minutes on a tiny field like fenced in with fake grass. It was weird but kind of fun. I’m kind of bored though, but at least it’s nice to have this time to myself, and not worry about having to be ready at a certain time for something.

A group of people from our program went to see Indiana Jones and asked whoever wants to come can, but I didn’t want to. First of all it’s like 300 rubles, and also it’s dubbed in Russian. So I don’t feel like spending that much just to listen to stuff I don’t understand.

Tomorrow is Sunday, and another day with nothing planned, so I’ll see if anyone else wants to take a walk or anything. I brought two books (one mine, and “The Audacity of Hope”) and I thought that would be fine but I finished my first one on Thursday so I’m kind of bored, but I might go read Obama’s on the beach.

My hotel is about 100 meters from the beach, but it’s not as good as it sounds. It’s disgusting. Like there is trash ALL over the beach. Like people don’t care too much about littering. And there is stuff from when they were demolishing buildings they just put the rubble on the beach because I guess it was cheaper than taking care of it. So there are like big pieces of concrete there. And tires and pieces of cars and stuff. But it’s still kind of pretty if you just don’t look down, because the sun is all pretty when it “sets” even though it doesn’t get dark, the sun goes below the horizon though. And we’re here on the Gulf so it’s nice.

Otherwise things are going well. Good to hear updates from you guys! Hope you’re having a nice, uneventful time.

I got an email from Derek. He wasn’t able to post to his blog yet, but I’ll put some excerpts here, edited to fit your screen and for grammar. (He was in a hurry with limited internet access.)

Hi Dad! Hi Mom!

I arrived here fine, my plane was a little late but it was okay.

On the first plane ride to Chicago, I overheard the people in the row in front of me asking the stewardess about how to get to the international terminal in Chicago because they had to go to St. Petersburg. So I mentioned I was going to Petersburg too, and we could go looking for it together. So her, her daughter and I went looking for it and found our gate etc. And I started talking to her daughter and it turned out she goes to Marcos. I thought wow what are the chances! And so when we were getting on the next flight to Warsaw, we looked at our seats and we were sitting next to each other. and was even more surprised when on the next plane from Warsaw to St. Pete, it turned out the three of us were together again. It was very eerie and weird, but nice to have someone that spoke English that was around my age to talk to.

Things definitely are different here. If it wasn’t for the nice people in my program, I would be very very homesick. The living conditions are awful by comparison to home, but not that bad for living. The shower is dirty and old, but there is hot water, and good pressure, so that is all I need. My roommate is from Philadelphia, and goes to a private college in Virginia. He was home-schooled. He is very nice, and I am lucky to have someone like him. He has made these past 24 hours much better. He hasn’t taken any Russian though, so I have to be our translator, as horrible as I am. People talk much much faster than I can mentally translate, so I have to always take a moment and figure out what they said, and then figure out how to say what I want to say, or just hope I get the general idea of what they say and nod my head.

When I got here, my roommate had not arrived yet, so I spent some time and got some food with someone that had taken the same van from the hotel to the airport as me (there were only us 2, since others weren’t getting in until later). I was depressed at first, because it is much worse than I had imagined, and I had romanticized it a lot. But after getting over the shock of how third world and dirty everything is (don’t drink the water!) I have started to enjoy things, and it is an adventure, from everything to ordering food, to not realizing I had gotten sparkling water until hours later when I opened it to brush my teeth.

Also, the driving is crazy here. As bad as China or worse. Pedestrians are an annoyance for drivers, and apparently no one has heard of a jaywalking law (there might not be any) so it’s just fend for yourself, unless you’re lucky enough to be near a crosswalk with a light.

We are on our own since yesterday (Saturday) since the time I got the hotel (about 16:45) until Monday at 16:15. So me and my roommate have just been going to the supermarket, and enjoying Russia.

I miss you guys, but I’m enjoying myself here. It is a wonderful experience. Please keep an eye on my bank account, because I have no clue how much money I’m withdrawing, since I withdraw in rubles, and don’t know the exchange rates or charges.

Sorry this is so unorganized. I have had so many thoughts and things to write about, that I’m just typing them as they come up.

I’m running out of time here (2 minutes left) so I should close this letter. I love you both very much! I am thankful that you let me take this trip, it is very un so far and quite an experience. Keep in touch through your blog, until I get a longer chance to get on the internet. I hope things at home are fine without me. How is apollo doing? I love you guys! Thank you!

We put Derek on a plane to Russia this morning, for his 5-week Study Abroad. He has a 2-1/2 hour layover in Chicago, then takes Polish Air (LOT) to Warsaw and then on to St. Petersburg. He arrives around 2:00 pm their time, around 3:00 am our time. I hope he waits a few hours before he calls to tell us he has arrived. But I hope he doesn’t wait too long!

I also hope he has a chance to keep his blog updated so we can all share vicariously in his adventure.

It already seems quiet around here, even though he would normally still be sleeping. We are going to miss him.