Conflicted

I keep flip-flopping between being totally ready to go home and wanting to stay for just a little longer. I don’t know. The biggest problem is just that we’ve been around the same 23 people for the past four months and it’s becoming highly stressful. I’ve moved rooms so now the roommate issue isn’t so much a problem, but it’s a little awkward living with other people for just a week. Although two of my new suitemates are friends of mine, reality is we’re hardly “friends” in my opinion. I can get along with most people and whatnot, but there is so very little we share in common. I’m really ready to go home on that front – to be around the friends that I made voluntarily, not that I was stuck with for 4 months and had to get along with to function.

            Monday we went to Peterhoff and although it was raining, I had a great time. I hung oout mostly with Jane, Ellie, Charlie, and Hilary. Jane wanted to feed the squirrels. Russian squirrels are way different from our squirrels. Just check out a picture. Go figure. It was gorgeous. That evening I met Dr. Kubyshkin and his colleague (former grad student) Dr. Igor Kirlov (?) from Volgograd. We had coffee and then walked the length of Nevsky while he told me about some of the different areas, fun facts, etc. It was awesome! Afterwards I had one of those I-don’t-want-to-leave moments. I don’t know; Russia, quite frankly, has just been exhausting. It probably knocked a few years off my life span. Anyway, Tuesday we had our Russian oral final which I got a 5 on! Woot woot! Today in about an hour I have my Contemporary Life final and then Kievan Rus on Thursday and the end! I can hardly believe I am a little over 4 days from landing in the States and only a little over 3 days from leaving St. Petersburg. It makes me a little sad to be honest. It’s such a weird mixture of feelings. Sigh. Anyway, today I’m going down to Ploschad Vostannya to buy yet more stuff (oy). Then coming home to study for Kievan Rus. Tomorrow I might be going to a banya then it’s off to the boat trip and going away dinner! Friday is our certificate ceremony, the Summer Gardens, and Smolny Institute. Wow, and then we leave. This is insane. Anyway, off to take that exam, wish me luck!

Jane wanted to feed the squirrels. Russian squirrels are way different from our squirrels. Just check out a picture.