First Impressions

As I write I am watching the Russian version of “The Voice”, which I am justifying as there is some Russian spoken now and again and my Russian flatmate was watching it yesterday.  It’s only been 3 days (or more like 2.5 days), but I wanted to get down my first impressions as quickly as possible.

Moscow, as I thought it would be, is HUGE. Everything is on a scale that I have never experienced. It’s generally far easier and safer to use the underground passes rather than risk crossing any roads. There are so many large, impressive buildings around the place, particular near the centre of Moscow. But where I live is also rather impressive-looking. I will be studying here at the Moscow State University for the next 3 months, getting Russian classes and attempting to understand some lectures about the history of politics in Russia. The metro system is similar to the underground, except they are far more ornately designed, something that dates back to the Soviet era, as does my university’s campus.

The Bolshoi Theatre

The main building of Lomonosov Moscow State University at night (LOOK, there's snow)

I arrived at around 3pm on Saturday at the airport, after which my amazing friend/saviour Zhenia took me the whole way to the front of the university. She couldn’t come inside with me, as they are very strict on security. The need to show ID when entering any university building and then again for my accommodation will take getting used to. It doesn’t help that I only have my visa as a means of proof, as I am yet to receive any sort of student card. I try to alternate my facial expression between panic-stricken and self-assured. The latter is admittedly harder for me at this stage, but I shall keep trying. :P Yesterday I managed to get myself to the metro station and meet Zhenia in town, where we wandered around enjoying the “shrovetide celebrations”- like pancake day, except lasting a week and involving people dressed like they’re from the middle ages. We also made it to Red Square, despite seeing police blockades near there earlier in the day.

Me next to St Basil's cathedral

View of Red Square with St. Basil's Cathedral in the distance

Today was a day of queuing really. I won’t bore you with all the details but it did involve seeing some more of the university. It is made up of lots of different maHUssive buildings. I live in the central building and the history department is about 7 minutes walk away. The picture below is of the main site, with the statue of Mr Lomonosov. That is, Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov, a Russian “polymath” according to Wikipedia and in honour to whom the University changed its official title to include his name in 1940. 

The main building of MSU, with Mr Lomonosov

I managed to find my way to the various offices around the site and at the right times, which I am rather proud of. This was made somewhat tricky in the main site, where only certain lifts could go to certain floors. Yet the numbers on the lifts seemed to bear no relation to this. In any case, it has been a day full of bureaucracy, but not without its amusing moments. I entered one office, where a woman behind the desk was hidden somewhat by the smoke coming from her cigarette, and who told me to wait outside for a minute. Seeing people smoke so publicly indoors is very alien to me, as the smoking ban has been in place in the UK for a while now. Another bizarre moment was paying for my rent. The juxtaposition of pictures of kittens, puppies and horses covering the walls with the rather stern accountant taking my money was oddly reminiscent of Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter- remember her? That being said, generally the stern demeanour I encounter does not mean people are unhelpful, just not as smiley as I am used to!

Anyway, one very important goal for tomorrow is to get myself a kettle, without which I am struggling somewhat haha. Another challenge is the lack of fridge, even in the kitchen. Its currently cold enough on the window sill that I think my yoghurts will survive the next few days, but what about milk?! Will I have to succumb to using long-life milk? Jokes aside, food and drink has been one of the biggest culture shocks thus far. Drinking anything but tap water is a no-no here in Moscow, which will mean constant trips to get water from the kiosk downstairs or the supermarket 15 mins walk away. Also, my Russian food vocabulary is laughable limited. This evening there was this really tasty looking meat and rice dish. Knowing only the word for rice, I tried to get by. But instead of the dish I wanted, which turned out to be called “plov”, I just got rice and veggies. That being said, my disappointment at communication failure means I now know the name of a new dish, hurrah. Yesterday I went for the tactic of choosing anything I knew the name of.

Right, I shall stop here. Well done for slogging through a surprising long post for only 3 days…

xxx