"Petrified"

      Petrified. That is how I explain my feeling when I had to go to the doctor yesterday for exams.  All teachers who work with children in Russia get these same exams.  I don't even know where to start.

   None of the doctors/nurses at the office I went to spoke English. I went there with the other English teachers from my school. We were all pushed and pulled throughout the building to get the different exams.  The first place I was whisked away to went like this: A doctor came into the waiting room, and motioned for me to follow him. I went, utterly confused because I had no idea where we were going or what we were doing (and he continuously babbled loudly in Russian).  I followed this doctor down the stairs, out the door of the office, and into a TRUCK. I thought "This is it. This is my end! Never thought I'd be kidnapped by a doctor." Turns out, I only got an x-ray in that truck.  Actually, it turned out pretty cool. My ribs looked neat.  

    Next horrifying event at the doctors: Those of you who really know me, know my anxieties with giving blood.  I hate needles, and I hate blood. The nurses decided it would be best if they took blood from my WRIST! AH! Of course, I couldn't understand their conversation. I could only see what was happening. I will be honest with all of you, when I saw that needle near my wrist, I began to tear. My roommate who knows Russian came into the room, and when the nurses were done, I told her to ask them if I get a lollipop now.  One of the nurses did in fact give me a piece of candy.  I am going to act scared all the time now.

   They made me pee in a cup. The cup was smaller than a standard American sized shot glass. I'll leave that at that.

    So there were many other tests, one more of which they shoved a super long q-tip up both of my nostrils. My brain still hurts.

    Keep in mind...that at every given moment, I had no idea what was going on.  Weird things were just happening with zero explanation.

ANYWAY

    Today was the first day of school.  The students and parents were there for only half a day, and it was like a celebration.  There was an assembly of sorts in front of the school to start. Students sang, and all set free a ton of balloons into the sky.  Students bring flowers on the first day of school for their teachers here.  From the moment I stepped outside of my apartment this morning, you could tell that something was going on.  There were children everywhere all dressed up with flowers on their way to school.  As I was continuously given flowers, I kept thinking "WHAT am I gong to do with all of these...how will I get them all home!?" I managed, though I felt buried in flowers on the bus, with only my head visible.  Since my two roommates are also teachers, everywhere you turn in our apartment, you will see flowers (especially because of all the mirrors.)

  This evening after school, I went with the other teachers to explore the city a bit.  We went to Arbat street, saw some street performers, and had dinner.  I had borsch (beet soup) for the first time, and some other kind of meats.  Sometimes I never really know exactly what I am eating.  I'm not a food connoisseur. I just go with whatever looks like it might be good, and hope for the best! 

Some pictures of the Arbat area: (sorry, I don't have the top notch photo taking device)

ALSO, I wanted to post a couple photos from that huge mall that is near my apartment. It is called "Afi Mall"

   

-Gina