This is what I’ve been up to

Tags

Cinco de Mayo, classes, Finals, Graduation, Home, Life, postaday, Russia, school, Souvenirs, St. Petersburg, Study Abroad, Wedding

I know it’s been a while since my last post. I’ve just been distracted with life and school. Soon I’ll be home. Of course, I miss home but I try not to think about leaving St. Petersburg. Every time that I realize how many days are left, I quickly try to forget about it. I know that I am going to try when I leave because I don’t know when I will be able to come back here. Also I’m going to miss the friends that I’ve made here because they are just amazing. I hope that we stay in touch.

A couple days ago a wedding invitation arrived from my friend, Emily, who I met last semester here. She was in the same program as me and we had some classes together. I’m so excited for her and I really want to go to her wedding. However, I don’t know if I can afford to go because it is in Minnesota. We will see.

Yesterday, I was stressed because I was thinking about Fall quarter. I have to register for classes soon. Actually, my registration opens the day before I leave to go back home. I’ll have to register around 11PM because of the time difference. The reason I was stressed is because I didn’t know which classes I should take and what I still need in order to complete my major. I don’t know how my classes for this year will count so I really need to talk to my advisors. Since I’m double majoring, it makes things a little more complicated but I did email both my advisors yesterday. Hopefully, they get back to me soon because I just want to know. I really want to graduate on time which will be in Spring 2013. Scary. I don’t want to think about the real world now. I’m unsure about it and everyone seems to know what they want which makes me feel like I’m lagging behind.

I have a vague plan about what I want but I”m unsure of everything. Therefore, I want to go teach English in South Korea for a year and figure it out. I’ll be productive, gain experience, figure my life out, and travel. That sounds like an okay plan to me.

Then after thinking about graduation I started thinking about my love life. It’s going to be very odd going back home to my boyfriend. Things are just a little off between us and I’m also unsure about that. I seem to be unsure about a lot of things lately. It’s not a good feeling at all. However, I do know that I want to apply to be a UCEAP Student Ambassador.

The UCEAP Student Ambassador is meant to promote study abroad programs and to encourage other students to study abroad. It’s a scholarship and I think it would be good experience to add to my resume. I asked the Student Services Manager, Jarlath, if he could write me a letter of recommendation for this scholarship and he said yes. The application isn’t due until May 30 but I want to get it done as soon as possible.

Since the semester is going to be over soon, I have been shopping for souvenirs and realizing that I have a lot of things to buy for people. I have bought so many shot glasses for people and earrings. Then I start wondering how I will fit all my things in my luggage. I’m pretty sure I’m going to mail some things home like my books because it will be cheaper that way.

Finals are approaching and that’s not going to be fun. I am worried about my grammer class because I just do not do well in that class. The finals aren’t going to be too hard though and they are only on the newest material we have been learning. Everything will be fine. I’m not too worried.

After worrying about everything yesterday, I went out to a bar with some friends. I really wanted a margarita because it was Cinco de Mayo but the bar we went to didn’t have any. I was a bit upset because even though it is not really a holiday, it made me miss home a lot more. Instead, I got a tequila sunrise to celebrate but it still wasn’t the same because I wasn’t home.

I’m not so sure what the point of this post is exactly but I just wanted to catch you up with everything that is going on.

 

The Time I Studied Abroad

Tags

postaday, Russia, St. Petersburg, Study Abroad

I came across this and I feel that I can relate so..

http://thetimeistudiedabroad.tumblr.com/ .

Counting down?

Tags

countdown, Home, Russia, St. Petersburg, Study Abroad

There are only 2 more weeks of school left. Time is flying by and soon I will be home. This week is going to be a tough week because I have 3 tests. Tomorrow I have dance practice and then the ball is on Thursday. Soon it will be Friday and then I will go to Pskov on Saturday.

An Invitation

Tags

Dance, Invitation, postaday, Russia, Spring Ball, St. Petersburg

Tomorrow I have a dance lesson because we have to prepare for the Spring Ball on Thursday. These classes better not be boring but at least we will get pizza. Woohoo for free food! Who doesn’t like free food. I think we have a dance class on Saturday too.  If so, I hope that it isn’t too early because I don’t want to wake up early. I’m a night owl so if I have to wake up early then I will be really tired the rest of the day.

Yesterday, I got my ball invitation. Here is a pic…

One Month

Tags

Home, postaday, Russia, St. Petersburg

Just one more month and I’ll be home. I feel like this semester went by so fast. Of course, I’ll be sad when I leave but I”m happy to be going home

Literature: Mandelshtam

Tags

classes, essay, Leningrad, Literature, Mandelshtam, poetry, postaday, Russia, school, St. Petersburg

I have an essay due on Friday for my literature class. I am writing about Mandelshtam’s poem Leningrad. Below are an English and Russia version of the poem. Enjoy!

Я вернулся в мой город, знакомый до слез, До прожилок, до детских припухлых желез. Ты вернулся сюда, так глотай же скорей Рыбий жир ленинградских речных фонарей, Узнавай же скорее декабрьский денек, Где к зловещему дегтю подмешан желток. Петербург! я еще не хочу умирать! У тебя телефонов моих номера. Петербург! У меня еще есть адреса, По которым найду мертвецов голоса. Я на лестнице черной живу, и в висок Ударяет мне вырванный с мясом звонок, И всю ночь напролет жду гостей дорогих, Шевеля кандалами цепочек дверных. Декабрь 1930 I returned to my city that I know like my tears, Like my veins, like childhood's swollen glands You've come back here, so swallow at once The cod liver oil of Leningrad's river lamps, Recognize, right away, the brief December day, Egg yolk commingled with ominous tar. Petersburg! I'm not yet ready to die! You've still got my telephone numbers. Petersburg! I still have the addresses Where I can call on the speech of the dead. I live on a back staircase, and the clapper Yanked out with flesh hits me in the temple, And all night through I wait for precious guests, Rattling like shackles the chains on the doors. December 1930

Quotes make everything better

Tags

Change, Home, postaday, Quotes, Russia, St. Petersburg, Study Abroad

One of my friend posted a quote on Facebook today that hit really close to home for me.

"It's a funny thing about coming home. Nothing changes, everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realize what's changed is you." (F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby)

I know when I go home that most things will be the same but I know I’ll be different. I am different now and that’s why I am a bit afraid to go home. Things will be different and I’m not so sure if I’m ready for change.

I’ll just have to wait and see. Everything will be okay. If it isn’t well then I just tell myself this:

"I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy.I'll think about that tomorrow." (Gone with the Wind)

The Plan

Tags

Istanbul, Moscow, postaday, Russia, St. Petersburg, Study Abroad, Train, Travel

I don’t have much to say today. I’m just waiting until it is 11PM so I can go to the train station. Just waiting…

Since I will be traveling, I don’t know if I will be able to post every day but I will do my best. It really depends if I have access to the internet. I should have access to it though.

This is the plan…

March 29: Midnight train to Moscow

March 30: Arrive in Moscow

April 1: Midnight train back to St. Petersburg

April 2: Arrive in St. Petersburg. Then head over to the airport to catch my flight to Istanbul.

April 10: Return from Istanbul.

 

Re: Henry oh Henry

Tags

Henry, iPod, Paulina Rubio, pick pocket, postaday, Russia, St. Petersburg

Yesterday, I was pick pocketed. They took Henry. Henry is my iPod and he is very important to me. I wrote a post about him a while ago. Go read it. Let me tell you what happened.

It was morning and I was on the way to school. When I was on the metro, I had a feeling that someone guy behind me was going to pick pocket me. However, I did not pay attention to it because for some reason, I thought I was immune to being pick pocketed. Then I transfered to a different train and forgot about the men that I saw. When the train came to a stop, I quickly walked out and made my way to the escalators. I switched the songs a few times and then settled for “Baila Casanova” by Paulina Rubio. I love that song. Then as I was walking out of the metro station, I felt my iPod move so I decided to put my hand in my pocket and then the music stopped.

Of course, I stopped walking and I have no idea who it was that stole it. There were so many people so I decided to keep walking. I know that there was nothing I could do.

Now poor Henry is gone and the world is silent. I had had him for so many years that I had grown attached to him. When my parents would fight, I would turn up the volume. When I had a fight with my boyfriend, I would turn up the volume. Music is my escape. I would have much preferred for them to have taken the money, which was about $50, then Henry. Yes, Henry was worth very little now because he was old but he was priceless to me.

A Piece of Home

Tags

Dr. Pepper, Food, Nature Valley, postaday, Russia, St. Petersburg, Study Abroad

Yum yum

It’s nice to find things that I love from home here in Russia. It’s a litte piece of home and it makes me happy. I don’t often drink soda but when I do, I want Dr Pepper.