Safe and Sound

Well it wouldn't be a trip to Russia if it wasn't an adventure getting here, so I'll start at the beginning.

I managed enough sleep the night before I left to be fully functional and coherent, ran my last minute errands, including turning in my plates at the DMV just fine. Laura and I were a little concerned when Heather was running somewhat late to pick us up, but she made it fine, and wow, all of our stuff barely fit in her car. 2 people going overseas for extended periods of time makes for a lot of luggage. Especially considering that I packed an extra bag for which I had to pay and my carry on was WAY larger than regulation, but they didn't say anything.

Got to Dulles just fine, checked in and all that, and got on the plane to Frankfurt, which left about a half hour late. (This is an important detail, read on). Instead of getting seated next to a large snoring man, I was sitting next to this girl named Katie, who was on her way to Nice, France for the year for her college study abroad at U Maryland. She was really sweet and down to earth (unlike many 20 year-old girls these days) and we had very pleasant conversation, and she reminded me of myself, 7 years ago, leaving for Russia for the first time. The flight was nice, except for my swollen feet - I hate getting older, if only for that one thing.

But since we departed late, we arrived in Frankfurt at 7am, local time. My flight for Moscow was set to leave at 7:15 local time, from a DIFFERENT terminal. Grr. Now I didn't make this reservation, had I, I would have allowed more time, because Frankfurt is huge. So I get off the plane, and hoping that maybe the other flight is delayed, I take off running for the gate with my 40lb carryon backpack. I was relieved, later, to discover that my laptop survived that sprint. No such luck, flight to Moscow gone. Ride from airport and meeting time with landlord must be rescheduled once I have new flight. While I am standing in line waiting to get a new flight I hear another Lufthansa flight for Moscow being announced, which had I simply been on that one in the first place, everything would have been fine. Even though there were about 5 tiems to choose from, I get the 1:05 out of Frankfurt, which means a really really really long layover, and much later arrival in Moscow. I am tired.

I called the IREX office (my fellowship, for those who didn't know) and re-coordinate my pick up. I also made a fool out of myself trying to say the number 3186 in Russian, which is still coming back to me. THen I realize that I DON'T HAVE MY LANDLORDS PHONE NUMBER ON ME. Dumbass. So I call Shawn, my roommate to be. No answer, leave panicked message. Number is on email, call parents at 1am to wake them up and have them log on. They don't answer. Call Laura in Virginia to do same. She is miraculously still awake and gets the number for me. Call Sergei, arrange new time later in evening. Later when my mom is awake, I call her to let her know the early morning messages are now taken care of and no need to worry. This has all cost me some 20 Euros in credit card charges on the German pay phone. With the exchange rate as it is, that just sucked. Also lost money getting Euros out of ATM to buy sandwich, since I was in the airport for 6 hours, and a person cannot live on granola bars alone. I've since lost a 10 Euro note and I'm pissed. Sigh.

I eventually get on the plane, and sit next to a RUssian couple. We have some conversation and I eat a hot meal, but I am largely comotose. I have the misfortune when I get off the plane at Sheremetevo to stand in the SLOWEST PASSPORT LINE EVER. By the time I get my bags and find my ride its after 7, I don't get to the apartment until after 8 and Sergei, my landlord has almost given up on me.

The apartment is nice. I"ll take pictures of it sometime soon and post them. Its Russian style decor, except the bathroom, which has been remodeled. The tub is slippery. I almost bit it my first night there taking a shower. That would have been a way to go! Sergei went with me to a little food mart, which is a good thing because I couldn't have told you my own name in Russian last night, I was so tired. So he made sure I ordered bread, cheese, Russian processed meat, yogurt, milk and juice. It was enough to eat on last night and breakfast this morning. (Note for anyone who cares, Russian "Cream of Wheat" takes longer to prepare than our own - Mine was sort of raw).

Then my american phone card didn't work, so I had to run out late at night and buy a Russian one, which took me 10 minutes to figure out and THEN I finally got to talk to my parents, which was just something I needed right then. THis is the first trip to RUssia where there has not been a really nice Russian lady taking me into her home, making me tea and prodding me off to bed. It was kind of quiet and lonely in the apt. last night. My roomate doesn't arrive for another 2 weeks.

Then I slept the sleep of the dead. I"m still kind of groggy today, but things look much better. TOday is an errand running day. I need more food, and I need to register my visa with Sergei, and then I'll go strolling and actually realize that I'm here.

And I should realize because its pretty dang cold for early september. Its barely 50 degrees. Brr.

Well, that's my arrival report. Thanks for reading and thanks for the comments. This is fun! More later.