Day 6 ~ Wednesday

08. July ~ Day 6 ~ Wednesday

Today was tiring. Just now sitting down at 9 after dinner. I made it to school all on my own, bus number 20, 9 stops, a walk through the park and down the street.
School today wasn’t that fun, or shall I say language class wasn’t fun. We’re learning two new cases, instrumental and dative case. Well, we learned it today and yesterday. The grammar and cases were always the hardest thing for me to understand at Brockport, and here is no exception. It’s a condensed course so I guess this much work is to be expected, but usually we have much more time!

Our teacher had a teacher conference somewhere else, so she only stayed for an hour, and left us with 10 exercises with about 8-15 questions in each to hand in at the end of the day.. let’s just say, I don’t understand half of what I am doing, and it’s just really frustrating. There’s a lot to know and apply, and it’s just hard to understand in general. I guess I always feel this way studying any of the cases in the Russian language. There are about six cases. For each you have to learn endings for nouns, and adjectives for both male, female, neuter and plural. Of course they’re all different for each case, as are the personal pronouns and possessive pronouns. Ugh, it’s awful! I never liked grammar.

So, language class was not pleasant at all today. I hope that somehow I will understand better. Oh well, tomorrow we have a test on the two cases so I need to memorize the endings. Ahh! I worry about having such a hard time. Being in the country that speaks the language that you’re learning doesn’t always make it easier to learn.. Yes, I hear it being spoken but that doesn’t help in understanding why things are where and for what reasons.

Painting class is always soo much fun, and a great relief after language. We’re working on painting on our plates, the final project. Our teacher also was selling some of her art work for half price and I bought a small plaque of a Russian scene. Only 300 rubles, 10 dollars, I was excited!

Oh well, after school and the internship I went to the university to upload pictures and such! Thanks for all of the responses. On the weekend, or some day when I have a few hours, I will respond back!

The orphanage today was fun! I brought the children a pack of 50 pack markers and a few coloring books. Most of my time there was spent coloring although I went on the jungle gym and swings with one of the girls. Additionally Alla, Francesca, myself and a couple other people tossed a ball around in a circle, like we did the day before.

Alla wanted to go over the alphabets that we gave her, and I can tell she wants to ask us a whole lot more, but we don’t understand and so it’s difficult. I wish we could ask her more things, however, she’s the one that gets everyone talking. She talks to us right away, however the other children are more shy.

I really enjoy just sitting and watching the children interact. It was warm sunny day today, probably in the 70s, good for playing and being outside.

I made it home safely as well, same bus as last night, so for the most part I have the route to and from school all set. For the amount of buses and cars the air quality in the city is pretty nice. I was surprised, although, as a whole the country doesn’t have as many cars per person.

At the bus stations you’ll usually find someone with a cigarette, a beer, or both. So many people smoke, it must be a European thing, I don’t know. I just find it rather annoying because I hate the smoke!

I’ve almost been here a week. I was thinking the other day that my sense of time is changed. Let me explain. I’ve been here only six days now, although I lost a day on the plane. Anyways, I feel like I’ve been here longer, but the days are longer I guess. Also, the country as a whole is so different from home that I feel like America really is as far as it is, and consequently, it’s hard for me to relate the passing of time between here and there. That might be confusing I don’t know, but when I think of time passing here, and time passing at home, I feel like I can’t because it’s just two separate worlds, literally. Here seems so slow and at home I feel like no time is passing at all. Sorry if that doesn’t make sense.

Dinner again was something new and interesting, looked like dumplings, but it was more of a perigee with what seemed like spicy hamburger in the middle. It was in a chicken type broth and you put sour crème on top. It was very good! Since last night I haven’t f felt as hungry.

Tomorrow and Friday as well, after class we have activities so I won’t be going to the orphanage! Hope you enjoy my pictures and all! I have to go and study now, then it’s off to bed again!

Love,
Sasha

PS - Picture link..

Day 6 ~

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2033010&id=208300966&l=92614ff307