Hello, hello, hello!

To all my dear friends and family - my biggest hugs from Russia!

Now that my fourth day here is drawing to a close, I feel almost settled in enough to update you all on what's going on over here in beautiful Cheboksary.

For starters - it's cold here. Now I know that won't come as a shock to most of you, but last fall when I was here, it stayed fairly warm, all the way up to October. This is called a «бабье лето» or what we would call an "Indian summer". There is still hope for an autumnal heat wave, but instead the shocking reality of Russia's six-month winters are hitting us pretty strong. :)

I flew over on the 31st and 1st of September. The Scientist (as he prefers to be called on this blog!) came with me to New York where we stayed at the fabulous New Yorker hotel! The view (from the 22nd floor!) was gorgeous, and the bed was so, so soft. We met up with our really good friend Natasha who just started med school at Columbia (!!!) and then, after missing my first flight to Moscow due to a broken train, a slow taxi and a lot of traffic, Andrey put me on the next flight leaving that evening :)

The flight over was peaceful and felt very short. I had a row to myself, and was able to write letters, read, and doze off whenever I felt like. We landed in Moscow at noon, I waited for my bag, and when it didn't come, I chatted with the Aeroflot baggage office until 2, took a train, and two metro lines to get to the train station, then waited five hours for my train to Cheboksary. The train station was very interesting - a crowded place with hundreds of people just waiting for trains. Some grew so bored, that one came to me asking if he could come with me to Cheboksary, and two guys got into an outrageous fight that knocked over nearly all the chairs around me - it was quite scary. Strangely, they had internet there and I was able to Skype with the Scientist and my mom :)

At 8, I boarded the train to Cheboksary, and we arrived at 9 the following morning. I was on a top bunk, so I slept/lay in my bunk the entire time which was very uncomfortable, but at least I arrived well rested. Tania met me at the train station where she put me in a taxi, which sped me to my new home, where Mama was waiting with brand new slippers and a warm bed. 

Over the past few days, I've been to ChGU, my new university. I met with the director and we're working on getting my Russian classes and my research started. She's introducing me to lots of important people who may be able to help me with my research; I'm very grateful. She's even working on getting me a diploma for the classes that I will be taking. I'm still working on getting connected with the National Library as well as a different university where I hope to take Chuvash lessons. 

Things at home are going really well. I'm planning on taking Mama on a trip up to Saint Petersburg during her 4-week vacation in October. She hasn't been since she was 21 years old in 1972, and I hope to take her back, see the ballet and the hermitage, enjoy the city. We spent the whole evening looking at pictures of her and the kids when she was younger. Their whole family is so beautiful! I love looking at old pictures - so I'm glad we have this in common. I really feel like everyone is opening up to me more, and it makes me feel good about being a part of the family :)

Besides all of this, I am looking forward to hopefully getting my suitcase with all my clothing tomorrow or the next day - no one really knows. I got an email today saying they sent it from one airport to a different airport in Moscow. Hopefully they send it Cheboksary soon!

Anyway, all is well here, and I'm happy. The Scientist just let me know that he has found a job after graduation!!!! Something that we have been worrying about in the back of our minds all year! I'm so proud of him, and so happy for what he's doing for himself. It's so inspiring to see someone work so hard and then reap the rewards of all that hard work. We are all drinking tea and eating chocolate in his honor :) 

Much love, 
Kate