Culture Questions

Well,

After I got my 3G card up and running, (having already used nearly 30mb of my 150), It was time to go on to campus for my history of Siberia Class. On the Marshrutka I get a phone call, it is Iraida, asking me where I am. After a very confused conversation I learn that she wants me to go to room 303 when I get to the school.

3G Fun Time

Well,

I did my homework, but the next day they only asked me is I did, and did not check. I find that I am understanding more, but I still have a warm up time in each class for me to begin mostly understanding what is being said. I am getting a little better at communicating, with the help of my Chinese friends. They keep wanting to talk to me, and I keep trying to talk back. I told them about my luggage problem, and where, and what I eat for dinner. Just after explaining my dinner, I realized that they asked about lunch, so, they might have been asking me to go to lunch with them, but I guess I will never know.

Power of Attorney

Well,

I am here in this frozen wasteland for 109 more days.

Actual First Day of Classes

Well,

As you may already know, depending on if you are reading these in chronological order or not, on Friday January 29^th I went to my first classes.

Internet Hunt

Well,

I told Amanda the other day that I would try my best to get onto the internet today, but I will tell you upfront that my quest was a bust.

что на телевизор?

Well,

This one is for Justin, he wanted me to watch Russian television on tell him what was on the TV. So, I don’t know if he ever reads this blog, so one of my loyal readers will have to post the link on his FB wall.

Tour of Irkutsk

Well,

As I had said in my previous post we went on a tour of Irkutsk today, provided for by SRAS I believe. Kaitlin and Alison had decided to go try to use the internet before we met with our tour guide at the pillars outside our university.

First Day of Classes

Well,

Today we were thrown into the fire. The day after we arrive from America we went into rooms full of other foreign students, almost 100% of Asian descent, and about 90% female, and had a Russian teacher teach to us in Russian. The first class was about translating. And though the lecture seemed scatter brained, in theory I understood most of it.

Shopping in Russia

Well,

After finding the place that takes our photos, we went back to the van-bus stop and got on a bus, we like the busses more because they are only 10 rubles, which is easier to pay for than the 12 ruble vans.

Registration and Orientation (of sorts)

Well,

I tried to sleep between getting into my dorm, but I was really compelled to get down most of the details of my flights for all of you to read. Hopefully no one saw the length of my last post and decided not to read it.