Okay. Everything is INSANE.

So we arrived in St. Petersburg and everything was great. A lot of the people in this hostel are insane and it's sort of hard to explain. The Australians are fun but sometimes crazy. Okay first of all there is ALWAYS SOMEONE SLEEPING. At all times of the day. Especially the guy from Brazil, who actually sleeps all the time. And when is not sleeping, is playing with his cell phone in bed. Seriously, on New Year's Day he got up at 11 PM. Like, I thought I had slept late (1:30, even though almost everyone else was still sleeping), but WHAT?! 11 PM?! Who does that? And it's not like he went to bed THAT late. I went to bed at like, 4, and he went to bed not long after me. And there's this guy from Finland who violently snores. Like, it is AWFUL. I can't just not sleep, he actually wakes me up at night. And it's not rhythmic, either, it's...just...loud, and irregular, and ridiculous. I wanted to take a video but he came back from clubbing or something after I had already woken up, and then left today. And then there are just random people sleeping all the time. It's completely bizarre. And means our stuff is in totally disorganized piles because whenever we go into our room its dark and we can't see anything. Oh well. We think this is hilarious, but also recognize how no one could find this funny at all.

So the next day I decided that my clothes were too dirty to even wear anywhere. So I washed them, which took 3 hours. Which also meant that I couldn't go anywhere that required me to take off my coat, because I was wearing capri length yoga pants, nylons, and a t-shirt. So I wandered around for awhile, went to the supermarket to get some food for the week, etc. Called Deda's friends and walked around St. Petersburg for, like, 3 hours. Then I came back and the Australians wanted me to come with them to some sketchy restaurant with them, which we thankfully couldn't find. We ended up eating at this little place on the square next to the metro which actually had okay pizza. I would have liked it very much if it had toppings that I liked. In fact, I might return. Anyway it was fun.

Then the next day I wanted to go somewhere but was still washing clothes and needed to find a gift to bring to New Year's dinner with Deda's friends, and I was supposed to meet them at 3. So I ended up doing nothing that day. But then went to New Year's dinner which was SO NICE. There were Deda's 2 friends, another woman from the same city where Baba was born (and her daughter), their daughter and son in law, and 2 grandchildren. THEY WERE SO NICE. So we had dinner and talked and went around telling happy memories and then they sang this new years song in a circle (I have a video) and gave presents. And they gave me a present! It was so cute and so nice and I was feeling all warm and fuzzy inside when I left.

Then I came back and general chaos had already ensued. The Australians were already trashed at like 9:30 and had drawn "Happy New Year!" all over their friends naked butt. And then took pictures. So there was general international interaction going on, and was all nice and fun (us, the Ukrainians (who are SO nice btw...but sort of strange...more on this later), the Australians, 2 Russian girls, and the Brazilians, who were not asleep). Then at like 11:30 we left for Nevsky Prospect. This was ridiculous. There was just general fun and whatnot going on on the metro, everyone was laughing, wishing everyone else happy new year, screaming, cheering, etc. Both on the metro and on the escalator on the way up. So then we got to Nevsky Prospect, where it was PACKED, watched Putin's say something on this big screen television, and at midnight all these bells rang, everyone cheered and drank champagne and hugged and wished each other happy new year and there was a concert and a parade and etc etc etc. COMPLETELY AMAZING. WORDS CANNOT EXPLAIN THIS. We hopped on a float for like two seconds (this was the Ukrainians' idea). I ended up losing Sonya and Alya somehow, so I wandered around for awhile, found the Australians, and ran away after like 5 mins. Couldn't find Sonya and Alya, but found the Ukrainians. We walked to Palace Square, and then back to the hostel. The general craziness and loving of everyone going on in the streets of St. Petersburg cannot be explained.

So this is where the night gets ridiculous (actually, this is the part where I get ridiculous). So I came back and went to put something on my bed and grabbed my camera case. Except it was without a camera. So I was sort of worried and looked EVERYWHERE but couldn't find it. And I knew I had taken some pictures in the kitchen, so I looked there, and it was nowhere to be found. I KNEW that I hadn't taken it with me to Nevsky Prospect because I didn't want it to be stolen. I asked the two girls working here if they had seen anything, they said no, and that they had been the only people in the hostel (aside from the people actually living in the hostel). Also a side note and completely unrelated, the brazilian had at this point gotten up from his bed to go to the bathroom. Actually before that I think he might have been on Nevsky Prospect with us, but the speed with which he returned to the bed was amazing. So then I thought maybe someone inside of the hostel stole it (not exactly impossible). So I sit down in the middle of the room and don't know what to do and start crying. This is unusual because I DON'T EVER CRY. ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF OTHER PEOPLE. ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF PEOPLE I DON'T KNOW. So (as they told me) I guess I was just wandering around the hostel weeping. Then Sonya and Alya came back and gave me M&Ms and a Chupa Chup. Then the Australians came back. Turns out one of them thought it was their friend's camera, so they grabbed it and put it in their room. Where I didn't look (obviously, I'm not going to go looking through someone else's stuff). Crisis over. Natalie is ridiculous. Then I went to bed. The Finns returned at 8 AM. Violent snoring commenced at 8:03.

The next day everything was closed, so it was sort of hard to do anything. But we walked around Nevsky Prospect and whatnot, Palace Square, etc. I think we went to the restaurant Chainaya Loshka (Teaspoon) which has the best blini ever known to man. Oh man they were so good. So we returned and....I don't really remember what we did after that. I don't think we did anything important.

Next day went to the Hermitage. Was INCREDIBLE. I can't even tell you. Like, it was hard to bring myself to look at the actual art because the rooms themselves were so cool. I also got lost a lot. I wandered around the 2nd floor for about 2 hours before I decided I needed a break and went down to the cafe and looked around the museum shop for awhile. Here is my question: are there people that actually exist, who would pay $1000 for a lacquered box? I mean, COME ON. I'm hesitant to pay $5. $1000? Seriously. Anyway moral of the story is the Hermitage is an amazing place.

Then we had blini again. And these three sketchy Russians from Kalingrad arrived at the hostel. When someone asked them what they were going to do that night, one of them answered "booze and girls". Oh, good. That's nice. At one point they convinced us to sit at the kitchen table with them, which we planned on being only 5 mins, but then we couldn't escape for a very long time. Tried to watch the dubbed version of Love Actually, but couldn't hear anything.

And this is where things get ridiculous (again). So I go to grab something and what do I find? This green, cardboard/construction paper cut out heart with pen scrawled hearts, stars, and number signs (why the number signs?) on it. And a note in Ukrainian. WHAT?! WE'RE IN COLLEGE! THIS IS SO 1st GRADE! But hilarious. So it was OBVIOUS that it was from Sasha. There were only three Ukrainians, and it probably wasn't from Olga. Or her boyfriend. So then we were like...this is completely insane and went through a lot of effort to call Michael. Well, I signed online, and had Greg call him, and then he got online, and I took a picture and sent it to him, and he decoded it for me. It said something like "happiness/success in the new year and always" and then some sort of diminutive nickname...which might be diminutive for rat. Not really sure. So then I was trying to leave it where I found it so he would think I hadn't found it yet, but at some point I left it on Sonya's bed so she put it in her purse, but then he suddenly stopped being all fun and talking to us and was just like hiding in a corner. So then I realized that he noticed I had taken it and hadn't responded. So then Alya and I went to the grocery store and bought the most ridiculous mix of things (also I forgot to mention this earlier-I found a chupa chup the size of, like, a softball and a half, and bought it and now everyone makes fun of me and says I'm not going to finish it). Anyway. We bought scissors (to cut Abby's hair), an avocado, a pomegranate, starburst, and four chupa chups. So then I wrote a note that says "thanks for the card, here's my email address" etc etc etc. And left him a chupa chup. So evidently this went over really well because then he was all friendly again and tried to set up ICQ on my computer. Then disappeared for like 45 minutes and I wanted to go to bed. So I did when he came back. Also then Oleg started asking me when I was going to come to Kiev.

Then they were gathering things like ALL NIGHT LONG. Also I didn't hear much, but Alya said it was "a symphony of packetii" which is hilarious and made me laugh a lot. They also don't know how to whisper, so when it's really late (or REALLY early) they just talk to each other normally and sort of wake everyone up. Not sweet. So Sasha got up at 8 AM...because they were leaving at 9 AM...but he already had everything ready, so he just sort of sat in the windowsill (his favorite place). This was weird. I went back to sleep. Then at like 9 AM they got ready to leave, but didn't know where they were going. I would make fun of them for this, but this may have happened to me like twice. Except I sort of knew where I was going, just not the final final destination. Anyway. Eventually they left.

Went to the Peter and Paul Cathedral, Church on Spilled Blood, and Church of Our Lady of Kazan. I really liked them all. The Kazansky Church smelled very strongly of Orthodox Church, which made me incredibly happy. They were singing too, which was great as well. Went back and said bye to Alya and Sonya, since they left for Helsinki. Gathered some stuff. Etc.

Then I wanted to go to the Russian Museum, as I had a few hours left. But when I got there there was this GINORMOUS line. So I thought I'd be really smart and find another entrance. So I walked around the building, through the Mikhailovsky gardens (which right now is more like Mikhailovsky frozen dirt) and found another entrance. The sign said "State Russian Museum". I was SO EXCITED. I thought I had totally beat the system (the "system" being really long lines). Went to buy a ticket. The woman yelled at me for trying to pay only the cost of a Russian student instead of an international student, but gave me the Russian student ticket anyway (which, btw, they're supposed to do. If it's a state museum. Since I'm a student at a Russian University, I don't have to pay the foreigner cost, just the Russian student cost. I was actually ready to explain this but she didn't even take a breather in between yelling at me for only giving enough money for the Russian student ticket and then actually giving me the ticket).
So I see a bunch of costumes. Okay, interesting, I want to see Russian art. Wander for awhile. After about 10 minutes I realize that I bought a ticket to the State Russian Museum of ethnic peoples, or something. Some huge exhibition about all the people living in Russia and slavic countries. Which was interesting, just not what I was looking for. So then I was sad, because I only had an hour and a half until the Russian museum closed, which wasn't enough time to leave, stand in line, buy a ticket, and see things. So I wandered around and saw different tools and costumes of slavic peoples. Left and had blini. Came back, took a shower. Left for the airport. Arrived 2 hours before my plane was going to take off. It was even 40 mins before I was allowed through the checkpoint. I had to just sort of wander in search of cafes that didn't exist (but there were signs for them!).

So later I'm sitting and we have about 40 mins till boarding. Okay. 9:40 comes and goes. Then 10:10 (when our plane is supposed to take off) comes and goes. No ones telling us anything. Three other planes board and leave. No one knows whats going on and no one will tell us anything. I call my taxi company to tell them I'm going to be late. 11:30 comes and goes (when we were supposed to have landed in Moscow). My taxi company calls me back asking me to call them when I get on the plane, since the airport won't tell them anything (seriously?). Oh, also, I forgot to mention, they collected the most unpleasant girls in the Russian Federation, and employed them at the St. Petersburg airport. Seriously. UGH. Anyway, then they completely abandoned seat assignments because they overbooked or something (do they really print more than one boarding pass with a particular seat assignment? Isn't it just sort of like, you checked in too late, all the places are taken now? Anyway). FINALLY got on the plane. Had a dry chicken/tasteless cheese croissant sandwich, which for SOME reason, was totally fabulous. Slept. Arrived in Moscow at 1:45. Waited forever for baggage claim. Saw my taxi man. He took me to the Comrade Hostel.

And here I sit, in the stairwell of the Comrade Hostel, because it is locked, and the doorbell doesn't seem to be waking anyone up. I'm going to try again soon, but I figured that since I can access the free wifi, I might as well do that before completely giving up. Oh, yea, I'm also using that to get the phone number to the hostel as another way to wake up Denis (I feel SO bad. We woke him up the last time too. And I couldn't call him because I didn't write down the hostel number and the wifi at the airport required a card, which I couldn't buy, since we were stuck in this one room for three hours. I wanted to die). So it's 4:30 AM now, I got here at 3. My train leaves at 9:30. Which means I'll sleep for like.....3 hours. And leave some stuff here. I can sleep on the train though, and a lot tomorrow night. I think it's all going to be okay.

There is so much more I need to say. I feel like last week was way more peculiar than this entry expressed.