I guess I should post, it's been a few days. Honestly though the past few days have just felt like more of the same. Except for that I know all my teachers now and have met my peer tutor. Her name is Nastya. I like having the videos explains things for me. It just gets tiring trying to convey all these details with actual words. I will have a new video up probably tomorrow. Again nothing very interesting but you will get to see more people (proving I have more than one friend here), some scenery, my tutor, my dorm room and various other things. In the meantime I can say that I love all my teachers. Big surprise. When do I not love all my Russian teachers? My classes are speech practice, grammar, phonetics, politics/modern Russia and an elective. I chose a syntax class, as it came highly recommended by my friend Bridgett who studied here last semester.

I don't know why it seems as though I understand Russian speech significantly better than when I was here in the spring. I think it can simply be attributed to an increased level of confidence. I don't freeze up every time I hear a single word I don't know. Everything is just smoother. I do feel that classes are in actuality easier than in the spring but I have been enjoying them so far. The university building is much nicer than the one in Vladimir. The teachers are very nice and very good here but the teachers in Vladimir really were a lot more maternal and familiar with us. So I miss them of course.

Tonight I am going to a jazz club and tomorrow probably Peterhof so we can see it before the fountains are turned off. There's so much to do here. And it really doesn't feel like school, more like a really long vacation. I mean, studying Russian is fun, so really where's the work?

St. Petersburg does not feel like Russia. Or at least the Russia I came to know earlier this year. I am enjoying myself and have ample opportunity to practice my Russian, but I am feeling a lack of Russian cultural education. No offense to Peter, I love the culture of this city, but it is so western. Occasionally I feel something lacking in Peter that I expected to find upon my return to Russia, but I can't really explain what. Again, I resented it when politicians used the term "real America" during last year's election and I don't want to say that Peter is anything other than "real Russia". But it is different. I now know why all my friends in Vladimir chose to stay in that city after their initial stays in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Being in Peter, even more than Moscow, makes me realize how rich my experience was in Vladimir. The next time I am in Russia, under whatever circumstances and for whatever reason, I think I should aim to live in a smaller town again. (Though if I were to choose a city in which to live, based purely on personal preference, St. Petersburg is an easy winner.)

I'm far from an expert, but at this point, having now been to all 3 locations of ACTR study, I am in a much better position to recommend where a student should study their first semester. St. Petersburg would make a much easier transition from one culture to another, but you won't fully know Russia until you've been elsewhere as well, so I wouldn't really recommend it to those seriously interested in Russian culture (by culture I mean behavior and norms, not the arts. Peter might actually be a better place for artistic culture). Vladimir might be the most immersive and authentic experience, but if you're like me and get bored in small towns, you'll have to be willing to make that sacrifice. I've never actually lived in Moscow but based on what I know so far, I think it's a good compromise between St. Petersburg and Vladimir, if it's your first time in Russia. If it's not your first time in Russia, go to Vladimir. Period.

Oh also I should mention that on Wednesday I ate dumplings filled with chopped up cow hearts. Really good.