29 April 2009

Well, I’m in my new apartment (tapping into a wireless signal I found. Olga’s son brought over a modem, but I have to go buy an internet calling card in order to use it, and even then it’s through the phone and restricted). The trip getting here was a long one. After about an hour of filling out paperwork and walking around handing in forms from my arrival and getting deposits back, we finally headed out. An and Valentin offered to help me with the move, which was great because I couldn’t have done it in one trip alone. It wasn’t that I had a lot of stuff, but I was really lazy with the packing and ended up with my big duffle bag, my backpack, my little duffle bag, and a shopping bag full of books. In all honesty I could have gone without the little duffle bag…but it was just easier to have a bunch of light things. Because of how long it the exit process took, we left in the middle of rush hour, and it took us over an hour to get door to door by bus. It turns out that the army doctor left (it was very confusing how she explained it…it seems like she herself isn’t exactly sure what happened, but he left a lot of things behind) and his room is now available…which I took. It’s a little smaller than the room I was originally going to take, but this room is my room, instead of my room shared with the living room. The bedroom is about the same size as the dorm room that An, Valentin and I were sharing…except its mine. I have a full-sized bed (which I’ve never had before), a large wardrobe, a large bookshelf (she has more books than I could ever thing a person living alone could have), a table to work at, and a huge window. I can’t even compare this to the dorm.
It was a little depressing leaving. I only lived there for three months, but it was the first time I ever shared a room with anyone, so it felt like I was with An and Valentin a lot longer. On the way out we were talking about when I first showed up. An and I talked about how it took me three days to learn his name, and Valentin brought up how when I told him that I was colorblind, he put his arm in the air and asked if I could tell how many fingers he was holding up. They both agreed that they don’t want a new roommate. Of course, they also said they didn’t want me, and Valentin didn’t want An. An doesn’t think they will get anyone else before they leave because the semester is ending soon…but I disagree.
When we got here, Olga was more than hospitable. We put my things down in my room, and she invited us into the kitchen where she put had already set a table, and served us a salad from fish and beets, kasha with mushrooms, tea and bread with homemade preserves from a berry I forgot the name of, but one that we don’t have in the United States. She told us she doesn’t have guests often, and was very excited to have all of us. It was a very nice time. She told us stories and asked us about ourselves, and in the end even sent a jar of preserves home with Valentin and An. I called Vera earlier, and she told me to come over around 8:30 tomorrow. I agreed, and later realized that I am going to English Club tomorrow, so I will have to call her tomorrow afternoon and tell her I can’t make it. Olga has been great. She keeps telling me over and over that I need to start feeling at home.