So, I took the past week off of school and spent it touring with my family. It was really nice not to have to go to school, but it felt very strange to be in the mass of tourists that have suddenly appeared in Petersburg. The main streets are twice as crowded as normal, because not only is the weather nicer (so more Russians go outside), it's the beginning of tourist season. I can definitely tell why, though. Right now, I sun sets at about 11 pm...which is the craziest feeling. Your day lasts much longer than it normally would, because you don't realize it's getting late. I went to an evening ballet performance with my family (a modern dance-ish version of Cinderella -- I actually really liked it!), but when we exited the theater, it felt as if we saw a matinee. It's really an interesting experience to have elongated days.
Other than that, I don't have much to note from the past week. I saw a lot of things I had already seen, saw some new things (a battleship, Mendeleev's apartment/office, the geological museum), and ate much better food then normal. Thursday was May Day, and we actually witnessed a demonstration. First, the angry labor unions walked by, with signs demanding better wages and pensions. Next, came Putin's party, complete with his youth league marching with flags with his face on them. That was a little creepy. Then, came the socialists, the communists, and then some angry people yelling about death wearing black. Not quite sure who they were.
The thing that really struck me in the past week was how much I've adjusted to life here. Until my parents commented on how dirty the city was, I had forgotten. I think the demonstration only struck me as being out of the ordinary and a little scary because my family was there and looking at everything from a different perspective. I'm not sure if it's good or bad that I've become numb to some of the more depressing/disturbing signs of life in Russia.
In other news, the Pussycat Dolls were staying in my parents hotel in St. Petersburg. They saw them celebrating post-concert in the lobby.
To all those at Oberlin, enjoy your last week of school!
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3 comments:
Hannah, I hope all is well in Russia. I'm visiting Russia this week, so you probably did see me playing b-ball! In all seriousness, I'll be back for camp though, so we'll miss you dearly there. See ya
The family had a great time also. You should also mention that the blini were a big hit with your brother, your mother enjoyed the vegetarian food that you found and your dad got his herring and kreplach fix!!!
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