Я не чувстовать запах/I don't smell anything.

\/from the balcony\/



When it rains it stinks, literally.

Ah, smell that? The smell of my first Russian Rain. I don’t exactly know why, but when it rains it smells like sewage. After class I was walking around Улица Кирова/Ulitsa St. (The main commercial and shopping area) trying to find something cheap and SAFE to eat. I decided on Kafe Bosfor/ Кафе Босфор, a small restaruant where mom cooks and her son waits tables. I ate some Borsh (couldn't hold a candle to Irina's incase you were curious), with black bead and some cucumbers. After I finished I walked out on to the street and was immediately met with the wonderful smells of…. feces.(Sorry, I didn't sugar coat it. There was no mistaking the smell)

Apparently, in the short time I was in Kafe Bosfor it had rained a pretty fair amount, because when I came out the city was a swamp. Those of you who live in Bloomington are aware of the drainage issues our beloved city has. Yaroslavl after a short down pour makes Bloomington after spring storm feel like the Gobi in August. I guess it is easy to understand why a city nearing it's 1000th birthday would have drainage issues. Oh what's that? Yes, really 1000th years old in June. Oh, you didn't know? I guess you didn't see the 17 fliers on every street and the advertisements on every bus. They're excited. (Wouldn't you be? 1,000 years is a 1,000 years)

I now know why everyone I spoke to who has spent time in Russia told me not to take any article of clothing I would regret losing and to not take anything white. That layer of dirt on EVERYTHING caused by the infamous spring thaws. What do you think happens to that, I've never seen anything like it. You simply could not walk the streets and stay dry.

\/ The view from the balcony\/

Meanwhile, At ЯГУ:

I had poetry again today, and I'm already regretting not distaining Pushkin. You give an inch, they open your throat open and fill it with Pushkin, then some Pushkin and more Pushkin. I also had conversation and phonetics today. Conversation was a humbling experience. I found out that most people just don't call me out on my mistakes. Natalia Anatovna will have none of that, none.

Инциденты/Incidents:

~While in line attempting to buy bananas at the kiosk a man tried to sell me a woman's watch. I pretended to not understand, he just kept saying Часы! Женский! Часы! Женский! Watch! Womens! Watch! Womens! I declined, sorry ladies.

~The other night Ear took me to one of the only self service stores in town. Along the way we encountered several Милиция/Police gathered around a bus. We saw a girl, one girl being interviewed by the police and two bikes, one mangled. I hope all is well, it didn't look good.

-The Ovcharov's Living Room