A quick post

What a boring title.

A couple of quick things because I should update but dont have much time.

Friday: Went to a concert and, afterwards saw the most beautiful thing I have seen here so far-fog on the river Volga. I was going to write a long entry just about this but unfortunately I am pressed for time and will just say now how wonderful it was. There was fog everywhere and me and some friends walked along the banks of the Volga and if you looked closely in clear areas you could see whisps of fog being pulled like cotton from off the surface of the water. And it took only a few steps for one to dissapear completely into the mist and only see a few feet ahead or behind you.

Saturday- Went into the woods with people from the Russian YMCA where we played games and celebrated Масленица with traditions that involved making a giant person sized doll, then tying to her a strand of fabric we recieved (into which we thought all of the bad things that happened in the previous year) and then burning her and then jumping over the fire. My friend took pictures so they will be forthcoming

Sunday: walked around the город. Actually, EVERYONE waled around the город. As this was the official day of Масленица everyone goes otu to гулать (walk around- but with a connotation of having no direction in mind, "stroll" is perhaps the more accurate definition)

Sunday: I also washed my clothes. By hand. A long entry is forthcoming about this b ecause I want to detail it properly.

On Monday I came down with something and have been sick but am feeling better. I didnt go to classes on Tuesday and thus was able to sample many various home remedies from my babooshka. These included:

-Garlic. Garlic all the time. Everywhere. With every meal she gave me two slices to put in my soup and two other slices to sniff.

Yes.

To sniff. Or rather, inhale as deeply as possible.

Apparently it helps stop infection and as I have no complaint against garlic I obliged. I think it works to some degree but I'm weary that some time in my future photos will show up somewhere of me with garlic up my nose and will cost me an important election.

-Honey. This is key. Honey with chai, on bread. And its quite good.

-Чай (tea): I thought Russians had a lot of chai to drink when they were healthy..but apparently the amount grows exponentially when one is болень (sick)

I'm not that sick anymore (and it was only a sore throat, a headache, and a nose which ran enough to rival Gogol's) so no one need worry. The only thing one has to be careful of here is the cold whether. Tomorrow it will likely be -30 degrees Celsius and in Arhangelsk it could be minus 40 or more.

We leave for Arhangelsk on Sunday and I am very excited.

Ok, I must go now, sorry for the staccatic rythym of this post I have about 1000 things to do today.

I think some new pictures should be uploaded soon.

До встреча,

-Гриша