Exactly four weeks ago today, I got on a plane in London which four hours later would deliver me, absolutely terrified and with tear tracks all down my face, to a Moscow airport. Yes, for a considerable portion of the flight, I cried so hard that the man two seats over became very alarmed and tried to call the stewardess. It wasn't my finest moment. Nor, if I'm honest, was my first week here, during which I cried at least once every day, sometimes more often. But now, I'm happy and rather proud to say, I don't cry that often. I spend the majority of my time feeling happy, normal and settled. Of course, I still have wobbles, which are more often than not (OK, always) the result of bewildering Russian bureaucratic demands and processes. Unlike earlier wobbles, however, I know that I will get through these, and it will all be fine, because at a base level, I am very happy here, having made some wonderful friends and found a Church full of warm, welcoming people. On my first evening here, I cried my eyes out in the shower, screaming and begging God to let me go home. Exactly four weeks later, I am ever so glad that He didn't. Living here has already taught me so much, not least about myself, and I am very excited to see what the next five months of my time in Moscow will bring. So, on a somewhat more lighthearted note, let's take a look at some of the things I have learned so far...
1) This one is actually useful and important, so I'm going to let loose on the caps lock button: BOOK A TAXI IN ADVANCE. DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT DO WHAT I DID AND PUT YOURSELF AT THE MERCY OF THE MEN WHO HANG AROUND OUTSIDE ARRIVALS, PREYING ON ANYONE WHO LOOKS IN DESPERATE NEED OF A TAXI. They charge extortionate sums and make you pay in advance, so that if the going gets rough and the taxi driver can't figure out how to get you exactly where you want to go, he can dump you and your two heavy suitcases on a random street and tell you 'Your hotel is through there.' This is not a good start to any trip.
2) If you, like me, are lucky enough to have a handsome young English-speaking Russian man appear at precisely the right moment in order to help you find your hotel, smile lots and keep repeating 'Spasibo, spasibo, spasibo'.
3) !Self-reflection! The thought of being without internet for even a few hours is enough to make me cry, and has done on numerous occasions.
4) Italians are fabulous. We already knew that they have the best food and the best fashion, but it turns out they're also some of the best friends you can find, particularly as a foreign student in Russia. There are (approximately) a million Italian students studying with me, and I love them all to bits (HI GUYS. YOU'RE ALL FAB).
5) Bridget Jones is every bit as funny in Russian, and Russian-dubbed Colin Firth is just as irresistibly handsome.
6) I am not half thankful enough that lectures and classes in the UK are only an hour long. That's right, only an hour, Here they are 1.5 hours. I have not yet come to terms with this.
7) English speakers are privileged. After Russian, English is the default second language among international students, because it's the one language which, it can be guaranteed, everyone will know.
8) There is no shame like the shame of being in a class full of international students from other countries and having to discuss the topic 'The importance of language learning.' Particularly when the question 'Is it possible to live without learning a foreign language?' is posed. Everyone else in the room answered no, because in their countries, you need to learn a foreign language in order to get a job. Then it was my go.
Me: 'Well, obviously I think that everyone should learn a language, but I know plenty of people who get along perfectly fine without knowing a foreign language.'
Teacher: 'All of them English, yes?'
Shame! Shame! Shame!
Many more observations to follow! Thanks for reading xxx
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