It's Thursday night and half of the class is socializing in our room. We spent the whole day walking around the city and had a great day! I actually played soccer for 3 hours on campus (slow speed and just for fun, passing, shooting, etc. nothing to worry about...) this afternoon after class.

I was very pleased to see that I am able to play an international standard of recreational football! I actually received an invitation to join a team on campus at the end of our kick around...too bad the season doesn't start until the fall, I had to graciously decline the invitation. It was funny to be the only english speaker on the field and still be able to communicate and be successful working with the others. I can imagine how hard it is to join a team in a country where you don't speak the language very well. It was a little intimidating at the start, but eventually the play speaks for itself. GREAT DAY!!

The city is really beautiful. Things are warming up. 25C. Very nice, jackets not required until around 9pm. The people are all bringing out their summer wardrobes. It's very interesting. Fashion is very important here in Moscow. It's pretty cool to see all of the white shoes and belts with jeans and t-shirts, dress shirts, or blouses. 4" Stillettos seem to be the shoes of choice for the ladies, the guys all like dress shoes.

It's a different vibe here. Everyone works during the day and hangs out in cafe's in the afternoon and evenings. Coffee and beer more than vodka shots. Tequila seems to be in fashion, which is pretty funny. We went out the other night and received an invitation to join another table during the evening. It's good to know we buried the Russians on tequila shots. It probably would have gone the other way if it was vodka. All has been good.

I really feel like I am starting to fit in here. Not so many stares in the Metro, and actually getting asked for directions in Russians by Russians. I can't always help, but if they think you won't know, they won't waste their time. It's nice to be asked.

It's funny, people will speak to you in English if they think you are an American, but I get asked questions in Spanish pretty regular too, maybe more than English. I guess this would be a good example of where Cuba benefits me. At least they know what we are and have seen us before! Makes for good conversations and intros to meeting new people.

Post more soon.

- NC.

1st week down and all is well! Sorry about the delay in posting, but posting on the internet on a consistent basis was a challenge. This has been surprising for me because there are about 10.5 million people in the city and another 10 million in the surrounding areas.

I was able to get internet in my room, but it was a little awkward. Trying to negotiate a service contract for technology when you have the communication skills of a 7 year old can be a challenge. Now that I finally have that piece squared away I should be posting on a more regular basis.

Photos...I have tons of photos so far and tons of time left, however they only do limited access internet here and I pay by the megabite so we will post the photo slide show or collage after I get home to my own connection with unlimited access.

What is it like?? Very interesting. The people here are simultaneously modern and extremely traditional. Men are men. Women wear skirts and heels for most everything...people are well traveled and often speak more than one language. They are also very pleased to make you aware of how limited your skills are at speaking their language. Thankfully, my skills are improving daily. (by necessity! if you can't say what you want here, you will go WITHOUT. including food.)

Moscow is considered to be the 2nd most expensive city in the world, behind Tokyo. Things are priced very differently than at home. For example, if you buy a 5 liter jug water to drink, it might only cost 40 rubles ($1.70), bread is 25 cents a loaf for expensive bread. The price you see is the price you pay, taxes are included and you are not asked for more money than is priced at the register. Then again, we went by the Levi's store at GYM (pronounced GOOM, it is opposite the Kremlin Wall in Red Square) and saw a sweatshirt we would buy for $40 at home offered here for $160 US DOLLARS!! Levi pants you buy at Sam's for $30 go for $200. This city is full of opposite extremes. I like it.

Crime is an interesting adventure. This is a large city and like all other cities you cannot let your guard down or you will have trouble or be injured. We seem to be living in a relatively safe area, although it is rumored that local skin heads hold anti foreigner rallies in our metro (subway) station. Fortunately we have not had to experience that yet.

Russians stare. People look at you and try to figure out where you are from. IT DOES MATTER and WILL EFFECT HOW YOU ARE TREATED. Muscovites are not particularly friendly and especially not to Americans. However, they seem to have a love affair with Spanish speakers. To my surprise, I get asked questions in spanish all the time from strangers and as soon as I answer they seem to warm right up, as if to say, "Oh, okay, you're alright then..." Staring is generally seen as aggressive at home, but is the norm here. Don't take it personal. On the other hand it gives you the same opportunity to know who's around you and appreciate your differences, or just people watch.

We ride the Metro (subway) everywhere. This is a ring and radius city with an excellent public transportation system. Riding the Metro is inexpensive and allows plenty of opportunities for excercise. Russian drivers are AGGRESSIVE. The pedestrian is a target, even in the cross walk, and people will gun the motor if you are in the street when the light turns...this is not a joke. I thought we were being sensitive at first, but locals even look worried before they cross the street, and that would be a tell tale sign that we are really seeing what we think we are seeing. I have seen old ladies have to break into a run to make it across.

People smoke. Everywhere. In the computer cafes, restaurants, grocery stores, you name it. People drink in public. You can buy an excellent beer at any local kiosk (stand on the side of the street) for about a dollar and take it with you where ever you go...including on the metro or walking down the street. One of the funniest things I have seen is businessmen and working stiffs buying a beer while they wait for the bus at 730am!

Police. They keep you safe and may ask for tips while doing their job...if you see the police here and you don't speak the language, shut your mouth. If you are obviously foreign or not from this city, they will ask for your papers (documents, visa, passport) to confirm your status and legitimacy and then allow you the opportunity to buy your own paperwork back from them for a fee after review. On the other hand if you shut up and mind your business they will generally look right over you and not give you any problems.

Pick pockets. If you like your stuff don't keep it where anyone can see it or in your back pocket. A fool and his belongings are soon parted in Moscow.

Anyway, I am having fun, making friends, and learning a ton. I believe that I am confirming what I have always known, that I can be dropped off anywhere on the planet and survive and thrive. I am glad to be here and wouldn't change it for anything.

Post more soon.

- NC

I've made it!!

Moscow has been amazing so far and I am missing everyone at home. The flight was 10 and 1/2 hours from Atlanta and I have serious jetlag, but I am making the adjustment. With the time zone change (9 hours from San Antonio) it is interesting to get acclimated but everything is going really well. I slept 8 hours last night after arrival, but woke up at 4am for sunrise...yes, sunrise is at 4am! It didn't get dark until almost 930pm last night. The nights are short, but I know that I will make the adjustment.

So far I have been to Red Square twice and seen St. Basils Cathedral, the Spasskaya Tower, the Kremlin, and Moscow State University. I have been taking tons of photos but will have to update the photos later since I am writing from an internet cafe.

The dorms we are living in are S.P.A.R.T.A.N....straight from Soviet times, but that was to be expected. I have 4 room mates and everyone is getting along well. I hope everyone reading this is doing well. Feel free to leave me a message if you get a chance. I am about out of time now, but will post again soon!

Language courses start tomorrow and I am very excited. Today we received our metro passes for the train system and took written and oral exams in Russian. It was interesting and I think I did well. I will let you know how that goes, I get my results tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed.

- NC.

Hello, Hello! It's getting close to the witching hour and all of the details are falling into place. As I am sure you know by now, it's the night before departure and for once I am almost ahead of the power curve.

Packing is finished and almost every minute detail my overactive mind could come up with has been satisfied. If I could only go to sleep....then again, it's a 13 hour flight from Atlanta to Moscow, maybe I should sleep then and arrive fresh.

I have included a picture of St. Basil's Cathedral and the Spasskaya tower of Moscow Kremlin at Red Square for your viewing pleasure, but it's not one that I have taken myself. I do look forward to getting those posted as soon as I can start taking them. Speaking of which, where did I put that cable for uploading photos from my camera??? I'll find it, but that figures....just when you think you have everything you realize there is one more thing that you need! Murphy's Law should be put right next to Newton's Laws. Always right, scientifically agreed upon, and eternally true. (Some scientist is going to read this and want to argure that statement, but you know what I mean.)

It's 8am in Moscow right now, and weather in Moscow is forcasted to hit a high of 62F, and a low of 39F. It's currently 51F and misting according to the weather underground website. Tomorrow is forcasted to be 57F/37F 20% chance of rain....Boy, am I glad packed a jacket and pants!! Apparently they are just getting to springtime, whereas here in sunny, humid, scorching San Antonio we have already been cruising in the 80's and 90's with high humidity.

Well, the urge to rest is finally coming to me and I have an enormous day tomorrow. I am going to quintuple check my list again, and try to get some shut eye. Cheers! Talk to you soon.

- NC.

It's mid morning on Friday May 12, and I am thinking that I can't wait for the trip to get underway. The suspense is killing me. I have pretty much completed all of my shopping and only need to stuff my belongings in the appropriate bag, grab my passport, and hit the road.
I am ready to get started.

In the meantime, I am just enjoying moments with family and friends. My son, Noel, is incredibly upbeat about my trip, and for that I am thankful. Right now he and I do everything together and I have been a little concerned about how my absence will effect him. I am sure he will miss me like I am going to miss him, but when I ask him how he feels about my trip he says "I think it's cool you are going to another country. When I get bigger will you take me to another country?" I thought that was the coolest answer he could have given me. I definitely have travel plans for he and I in the years to come, and once Evan is big enough all three of us can hit the road together. I am glad I started early. When my children hit their prime I am still going to be young enough to keep up and go along if they'll have me. I can't wait!

CJ has been really supportive about this trip. I think she knows that every now and again I have get out and shake things up or I start to go nuts. I am really grateful for all of her help with filling my packing list and getting prepped for the trip. She has been an invaluable resource to me. I hope I can find souvenirs for her worthy of her efforts on this trip.

Anyway, that's that, and that's how we're doing it these days. Time keeps on ticking...into the future...

Post more soon.

5 days to go! It's hard to believe that departure is screaming up on me. At first it seemed eons away, and now it's almost coming too fast.

Interesting things happen when you are prepping for a major trip. For example, yesterday I received an email from our beloved instructor informing me that some of my required paperwork had been misplaced by the office required to process it. After a few spicy email, and a trip to that particular office in person we are back on course. I am glad to have made it past that hurdle....time to start packing.

Thought you might get a laugh. Hope you enjoy! Fashionistas, they're everywhere....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcUce6Omoxw

The visa's are in!!

I was pleasantly surprised to receive my passport back this morning, new student visa included. Now all that's left to do is tie up the odds and ends and get on the plane. WHAT A RELIEF!!

The visa is a very cool looking scanable page. Oddly enough it came with a couple of printed "chits" that say they are for entry and exit of the country, but look like they may have been shaped by a paper cutter....and cut by hand in one giant stack by someone with limited depth perception....I am just happy to have received them! Post more soon.

Feeling great today! Only two weeks left to go until blast off. The only paperwork I have left to submit is to the Office of International Studies. I am looking forward to getting the last of the paperwork submitted. It's first to do on my list for tomorrow.

Additionally, we may have some word on the status of our visas by the end of the week. I don't think I explained the whole process, so I will take a second and try to keep it simple.

To study at Moscow State University we had to apply for/request invitations from the University. After receiving the invitations we submitted paperwork to the consulate in Houston including our passports requesting student visas. Once our visas arrive we will be free to travel to Russia. As a side note, Russia is not one of those countries you just drop in on unannounced. I was pretty surprised to read on our State Department website that uninvited/unsponsored travelers will be barred from entry at Customs and placed on the next available flight out at the travelers expense. Apparently there is no free pass for tourists to come and go for periods of less than a month like in some other countries.

Something interesting is trying to finish all of my last minute shopping. I don't have too much to finish buying, the trick will be to go and not advertise being a tourist/foreigner by apparel alone. As you know, I would prefer not to go and intentionally look like a dork if at all possible. It's probably not that big a deal. But I am trying to be conscientious.

Some things will just have to be bought when I get there. I will need buy a pan to cook on, also flatware, and glasses after arrival. Moscow has some great open air markets, and I am looking forward to checking them out. I will probably also get a "samovar" which is a really cool Russian tea kettle that looks comically similar to what we would use as an urn for our cremated loved ones. I included a picture at the top of this post for you to check out. Apparently this has been a point of cultural misunderstanding in years past with other visiting classes. ( "Can I get my tea, or "chai", without your dearly departed please!) It should be interesting. I am going to bring it home with me if at all possible!

So here's to Chai! (Loved ones NOT included! haha). I will post more soon.