One month...

It has been about a month since moving to russia.  So many things have happened in this short time.  Here are just some of the experiences and things I have learned.

-Do Not drink the water straight from the tap.  Brita filters are awesome.
-I have been stared at, laughed at, and yelled at (yelled at by an old lady to the collective group of use in the park)
-There is no such thing as "one stop shopping".  You must go to multiple stores to find things.  Grocery shopping also requires a few trips to different stores to find things.  Not all stores have everything and they all carry different things.
-Discovered the various bus/tram/ trolley routes and the amount of time it takes
-Seen way to many pigeons
-I have seen one to many dogs in outfits.
-You can not flush toilet paper down public toilets.  That is if you can find a public toilet and they have toilet paper.
-Don't be surprise if you have to pay to use the bathroom.
-Successfully traveled to another city by bus.
-Clothing is really expensive here and that it is acceptable to re-wear the same outfit two days in a row or multiple times a week.
-Many women walk all over the city in 4-5 inch heels.
-Figured out how to successfully and safely navigate crossing the roads when there is no pedestrian crossing signal.  Basically if the old lady starts to cross then it is safe to cross.
-Seen just a glimpse of the affects of alcoholism and people passed out drunk on the side of the road. Yes it is a true stereotype that people in Russia drink a lot, but the reality of it is that it is destroying families.  Young children should not have to deal with getting the falling over drunk father off the streets in the early afternoon.
-Learned that some people drink all the time here and that the time of day does not matter.
-Beer can be bought in many varieties and on just about every street corner and at multiple little kiosks along the streets as well as all stores.
-Mothers take their babies out for long walks once or twice a day, no matter what the weather (just bundle your child up). Fresh air is good for them.
-Drafts are bad.  Don't open the window when it is cold outside.
-The collective is more important then the individual.
-Not all believe that communism existed, but instead it was just socialism.
-Learning just how much history books leave Russia out and how little I learned of this country in school. So much history about this country that I had no idea about.  People are happy to share about the history.

and much more.  Things continue to go well and language learning is slowly coming along but progress is being made.  Thanks for the continued prayers.

· 

·      

·