Skating

I went skating with my tutor on Sunday. It was really cold. I mean really like about -19 C or something around there. The really weird thing was that skating while it was that cold felt different then when it is still above freezing. I don't mean that it felt colder, I mean the actual feeling of skating was different. The ice was, I don't know, more frozen (if that's possibly). Still it was fun, skating is fun. Well, ok that ice rink had some problems. I don't really know how the ice got so many deep holes in it but they were a little dangerous, especailly when you are skating backwards (no I did not fall).

Snow

I think I should point out the large amount of snow here in Vladimir. I mean I know it's Russia and you might say to me, "Joey of course there's a lot of snow in Russia!" Well, you didn't and now you've lost your chance. There is a lot of snow in Russia. Every sidewalk and street in this entire town is bordered by at least 3 feet of piled snow. I think back to my winters in Maryland where we might get a big snow here or there but after 2 weeks you forget all about it. The thing with snow is that if it stays below zero, it's not going away. So do a little math, it's been snowing here almost everyday since mid December. All that snow is still here, buried as it may be. Good for skiing, not for snowballs (too cold for snowballs). Anyways, this is something I've never really experienced before, constant snow and a lot of it). It's interesting to say the least.

All things considered

Hey Everyone,

So yeah, I made it back to Vladimir and so far things are going pretty good. My flight into Russia was fine, no problems. Getting through the Moscow airport was actually easy, which was not expected. I ended up taking a taxi home to Vladimir, that is a taxi from Moscow to Vladimir (3 hours). Clearly not the cheapest solution, but definitely the quickest and easiest. Still it was expensive. I got into Vladimir around 2pm Russia time and almost instantly fell asleep. My host mother wasn't home so it was a bit of a shock to her to find me there when she got back. Apparently, despite me telling her when I would get back several times, she thought I wasn't going to be home until Friday, not Thursday. No harm done, just kinda funny now.

I spent the next few days getting resettled and unpacking. Basically everything came nicely together, I kinda feel like I never left, which is weird, good but, weird. Of course my new computer is performing admirably and it is nice to have a little library of American movies to enjoy on those long winter nights.

Which brings me to the subject of winter. I do recall complaining last semester about the Russian winter's lack-luster performance. Well I guess I was wrong. Apparently this thing doesn't get going until January, but when it does, oh man. The day I got in it was about -30 C currently it is hovering around -20 C, this is very cold. I mean I really never imagined how cold this actually is. Basically my legs start to freeze if I am outside for more than 5 minutes, hello long johns. I must say that my winter wear is well prepared. My big coat, hats, gloves, scraffs, and boots, all very good and all very warm. So in other words I love this, it's sooo! cold it's great. I've never been this cold before and it's kinda fun to experience (of course I say this with the knowledge that when I do get cold I have a nice warm apartment to retreat to).

Well, classes have begun again and I'm doing my best to start out on the right foot (you know paying attention even when it's really really really boring) and it's seems to be working. 2 days into classes and I'm doing good, no problems, I really like my new group too. The classes were switched around a bit and I think the one I am now in will be fun. Of courses 2 days doesn't give me a huge perspective, but I've got good feelings about this.

So everything is back to the same old same old. I'm only 2 days out of vacation and I already want it to be summer. But in two weeks we'll be heading to Moscow for 3 days, which will be much fun. I've got a real good travel schedule lined up this semester. Moscow, Yaraslavl, Suzdal (yeah!), Petersburg, and Sochi (which is on the black sea and supposedly has palm trees!). Sochi is our big 10 day trip (although that's 35 hours on a train) and it's in May (nice and warm), something to look forward to.

Well that's it for now, I'm back to blogging so stay tuned.

Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.

I couldn't resist posting this, The Chuck Norris Random Fact Generator. I found it hilarious.

Beards

So I've decided to make an attempt at a "chin strap" beard. This is basically just a line a hair following your chin. So far I have discovered two things. One, growing a beard with blond hair takes a long long long time. Two, apparently different sections of my face grow hair at different speeds (and I don't mean like 1 or 2, I mean like 3 or 4, it's annoying!) I don't plan to give up, but this may be the only time I've actually regreted having blond hair (well maybe for a second).

Back to Russia

Hmm, well yes so I didn't post much over the break. Sorry. I'd like to say there were many factors in this lack of posting, but to be honest I was just lazy. Well okay technically I had a week of holidays and being back in the States days, then about 2 weeks of some very annoying computer problems, including one with my new computer. But even with that there is still a week unaccounted for, so oh well, no posting.

Well that really is about to change. Tomorrow I head back to Russia to finish up this year abroad. That means I will be looking forward to many things (but not everything, it wasn't all smiles ). It does mean that I'll be posting regularly again. So if you have stuck with me over these past few weeks, then congrates I reward you with new posts! If you haven't, well you wouldn't be reading this so who cares about you!

A whole new semester of stories and pictures and who knows what, stick with me people!

Why I've been silent for weeks

Right now I am typing up my first post on my new computer. It's a nice computer, good deal too, but that's not important. The important thing is that I now have a computer again. You see a few weeks ago my old computer decided that it just wasn't fun to work anymore and it died. I should mention that I was able to get all my pictures and various other things off before it finally stoped working for good. Anyways everything is better now, this new computer is very nice and I finally seem to have some time on my hands, which means I can post. Hurray!