First Days in Russia

On Wednesday, 1 February, I arrived in Saint Petersburg, Russia.  I want to start out by saying that it is very cold here.  Some of you will probably think: "It is Russia, of course it is cold" or conjure in your mind scenes of the frozen lands in the film "Doctor Zhivago".  However, I must say, that currently, Russia and Eastern Europe are experiencing some of the coldest temperatures on record.  Today, it is not supposed to climb out of subzero temperatures.  Despite the fact that it is cold, Russians tend to keep buildings warm, or at least the government does, Russians cannot control the thermostat.  

I have not experienced much jet lag, but I am still getting used to the time difference! Ten hours ahead of Chicago and eleven hours ahead of Missoula, Montana. I am awake when the average American is asleep.  It was interesting to talk with a friend who had not yet gone to sleep on Friday night, as I had just gotten up Saturday morning. Anyway, that is what I am getting used to, but I have been sleeping just fine.

It has been very hectic the first few days, naturally, I would suppose.  On Thursday, I took a bus tour of the city, which I found to be very exciting. I must also note that after years of studying Saint Petersburg, learning about the city, and viewing countless photographs, being here in person is very surreal. Saint Petersburg is a beautiful city: old, imperial, colorful. There are palaces everywhere, although most of them are now museums or government buildings. Today, I visited perhaps one of the most famous palaces in all of Russia: the Winter Palace, Peter the Great's winter residence in the 18^th Century along the banks of the Neva River. It is now a museum, the Hermitage, where not only the museum is massive, but the art collection there is, as well. It has one of the largest art collections in the world, thanks to Catherine the Great who started collecting artwork from around the world in the mid-18th Century, competing only with the Louvre in Paris, France. Being in the Hermitage is almost an overwhelming experience not only because of all the fantastic art, but also because of the architecture. It is beautiful, opulent, grandiose. I would also like to add that being here holds a special significance because of the film “Russian Ark” which was filmed in the museum. It was interesting to actually be in the museum and be in the actual locations that I saw in the movie. What is even more interesting is that “Russian Ark” was filmed in a single, long take with four live orchestras and hundreds of extras. It is an absolutely wonderful film, and I recommend it to everyone.

There is another cultural note that I would like to mention, because I find it very important.  Nevsky Prospect is one of the main thoroughfares in Saint Petersburg, the central shopping district, the place where things happen, where people go to see and be seen.  Nevsky Prospect has been an integral part of Saint Petersburg for much of its history and that makes it all the more interesting and exciting to stroll down.  That being said, as I passed by the stores, the canals, and of course Gostinyy Dvor (a bazaar dating back to the early days of the city), all of which were bustling with activity, I could not help but think of the Nevsky Prospect about which that Nikolai Gogol wrote.  I know this trip to Russia will, hopefully on many occasions, connect me with the literature I have read in school and that I have grown to love.

Last night, I moved in with my host family, a mother, and a daughter who is around my age. They both seem very nice, helpful, and patient. The apartment is very nice. I am told that it is around 100 years old, which, judging from the interior, does not surprise me. Right now, my nerves are getting the best of me because I have become a little bit rusty with my Russian following a six week break from school. However, I am finding, slowly, that the more I speak Russian with them and interact with them, the more comfortable I feel. So, knowing this, I am excited to see what will happen in the coming days, weeks, and months.