numbers

Half an hour in transit to my university. Three hours of Russian class. One chocolate bar consumed. One hour of walking and praying through the city. Two hours of business meeting. 2 pieces of pizza enjoyed – complete with red pepper, pepperoni, mystery green sauce, and eggs as toppings. One hour editing English grammar for a friend. One letter written to the dean of my university, entirely in Russian. Night sky already out by 4:50pm. Another half hour in transit back to my apartment. 37,210 roubles spent at the grocery store. 40 minutes chopping cabbage, pepper, onion for a new salad recipe. One sinkful of dishes washed. One massive spider squashed. One wet bathroom floor mopped. A third of a bag of pelmini consumed (a yummy Belarussian food). One cup of vanilla green chai being drunk slowly. An hour navigating through my Russian homework – I’ve taken 37 pages of notes since January 3rd. Four SMS messages received, three SMS messages written. One great smell permeating my apartment: white chocolate mint (yankee candle). Listening to the Dixie Chicks, Dar Williams, and the Cure. At least 30 minutes on the internet, and a guaranteed two or three more hours until my head hits the pillow. All in a good day’s work. And now only 3 days until I drive to Lithuania for 10 days.

For one of the first times I can remember, I encountered a friendly grocery store worker.

I miss being able to buy a head of lettuce. I’m having to learn to like cabbage. Sigh.

I miss wi-fi. Dial-up is not my cup of tea.

I say “oy!” a lot, and can’t for the life of me think of what I used to say instead of “oy!” Oops? Shoot? Dang? Whoops? UGH? But I like the “oy.”