History is actually alive in Saint Petersburg. I know that sounds crazy, but the Tsarist empire and Soviet regime seem still tangible today. Take one walk down Невский Проспект (Nevski Prospekt), the main street in the city, and you’ll see ornate palaces that overlook the beautiful Река Нева Neva River and statues of the Медный всадник Bronze Horseman and Николай Первый Nicholas I. [I should not fail to mention that one of these former palaces is where I will be studying this semester… the staircase alone is to die for.] Amid this grandiosity is the austerity of the Soviet era- grey cookie-cutter buildings arranged in a nauseating grid-like format. I swear the elevator in our apartment will actually kill me- but since my friend lives on the 15th floor (and I on the 1st) it’s a risk I’m willing to take. In fact, the buildings are so similar that I accidentally went to the wrong apartment building today, and only later figured out why my key wouldn’t work. Despite the remnants of these two failed regimes, you can tell that there’s a lingering pride. We arrived on Janurary 27th, the 67th anniversary of the 900-day Seige of Leningrad during WWII. All around the city there are flags celebrating their successful resistance to fascism despite food shortages, incessant bombing, and a skyrocketing death toll. To see how quickly and profoundly Saint Petersburg has risen is absolutely inspiring.
The people here aren’t as unfriendly as I remember. Coming from a smaller town, I initially misattributed the overall Saint Petersburgian demeanor to Russia, when it really has more to do with the urban environment. Having lived in Georgetown for a few years and adjusting to the new social milieu, I now understand that Saint Petersburg isn’t really unfriendly at all. Individuals don’t smile to one another as frequently, but engage in conversation in some locals and you’ll find they’re surprisingly patient with foreigners. The boy who sold me Internet today didn’t even scowl at me when I had forgotten my own address! He just asked if I was studying here, a response that demonstrates not only politeness but also genuine curiosity.
Not all Russians like mayonnaise! I was truly blessed with a mayonnaise-free host family. If you know anything about Russian foods, it’s that the word салат salad is viciously deceptive. It’s more like mayonnaise-laden coleslaw… but I’ve incredibly avoided the beast! As a thanks to the fates for sending me the greatest gift of all, I’ve made a promise to myself to try whatever other food my family provides. If I can’t identify it, I’ll eat it first and then ask what it is. That way, I can’t chicken out. So far I’ve had a lot of delicious чай chai, блины flat Russian pancakes and макарон с сыром macaroni & cheese, so things are looking promising.
Above all things, I fear icicle death. I’m not worried about my wallet being stolen on the metro, since I have a handy cross-body purse that zips and folds. I’m not worried about looking like an American, because it’s a fact and it’s inevitable, so I’ve simply come to terms with it. I am, however, afraid of the icicles that plummet from the roofs of buildings and crush 20-30 Saint Petersburgians every year. Though the statistics do not favor such an outcome, it is theoretically possible that everyone in our program (n=29) could constitute this year’s сосульки death toll. We joked about this possibility, and immediately after proceeded to enter our hotel, whose roof was being cleaned. The lady directing us into the building had blown the whistle so that the worker would stop shoveling snow off the roof, but evidently he proceeded to shovel before our whole group had passed through! In just 10 minutes, our ridiculous notion came a bit too close to reality.
I didn’t think Russian children could get any more adorable, until I saw their primary method of transport: sleigh. Rather than push a stroller through the poorly shoveled sidewalk, most parents just drag their kids on a miniature sleigh through the city. I just want to steal them, but so far I’ve shown impressive restraint. I just can’t wait until classes start and I can begin volunteering at an orphanage. Of all the goals on my PBL (Petersburg Bucket List) being a детский дом volunteer ranks at #1. I’d list them all, but that’s for another day.
I’m almost surprised how little culture shock I’ve experienced thus far, but perhaps it’s because I’m modifying my old experiences rather than developing new ones from scratch. Or maybe the honeymoon period hasn’t ended yet. Either way, this semester is beginning so perfectly, that I just count my blessings and hope that it continues for as long as possible.
