On arriving at Moscow airport yesterday, we were told by a
RLUS representative to wait for another member of staff to collect us and take
us on the final four-hour leg of the journey to Yaroslavl. At that stage it had
been a comfort to find out that we were a big group of British students all
heading for the same course – and that I even knew some of them from Exeter
already. The wait for our rep was long but at least we were all in it together
now, and we had at least found a RLUS representative who vaguely knew what was
going on. An hour later we were directed to a coach, where we spent a very
long, cold few hours, filled with apprehension about what to expect at the
other end. Finally we reached Yaroslavl, where the drop-offs began. I was one
of the last to go.
My host for the next four months was waiting, smiling,
outside the university. We introduced ourselves and I breathed a sigh of relief
that she seemed friendly and not at all like the distant, strict Russian
stereotype I had begun to expect. She took one of my cases and walked with me
to her flat, which she already referred to as ‘ours’, pointing out the Volga
and the train station on the way and attempting conversation despite my broken
Russian. My nerves made me forget my grammar and even my words but I tried to
seem friendly and keep talking despite my exhaustion. First impressions are
always important, but especially so when you’re going to be living in close
proximity with someone for the next four months of your life.
The surroundings were green and pleasant, not at all what
I’d expected after seeing the streets where others had been dropped off, which
had been exactly how you’d imagine Russian suburban areas to be – drab, expansive
and impersonal. When we reached the apartment block, we climbed the handful of
tiled steps to the second apartment, which was fronted by an old metal door.
The entire building was distinctly Soviet and I prepared myself for what was
inside. Whilst she bolted the two front doors, Lyudmila directed me to my
bedroom, which contained a wooden-framed sofa converted into a bed, a dining
table, a wardrobe, cupboards and a shelving unit containing an old JVC TV. A
short explanation of my bedroom facilities and it was time to see the rest of
the flat, which consisted of another room like mine, a tiny kitchen, a toilet
and a bathroom with only a bath and no sink – presumably, you were supposed to
wash and brush your teeth using the tap raised over the faded green bath.
Lyudmila seemed lovely, the flat clean and comfortable – but I have never felt
so far from home.
After eating the blini (Russian pancakes) and homemade apple
jam, and drinking the warming tea that had been laid out for me, we chatted a
while before going to bed. The night was long and cold, despite my many layers
and blankets. The next day my alarm woke me from a disturbed sleep at 10am.
Struggling to adjust the shower to the right temperature, I washed my hair and
worried about the cost of water consumption for my host, whose life seemed,
from the short conversation I had had with her, to be governed not only by
bleak poverty but also loneliness, as she lived completely alone, having no family of her own – only
a sister and her children.
There must have been a communication problem somewhere as I
was suddenly under the impression that Lyudmila wanted to leave for the university within ten
minutes of me getting out the shower – a disaster since I had planned to take
time over choosing what to wear, doing my hair and make-up and having a relaxed
breakfast. So I rushed to be ready for 10.45 despite the fact that we were not
expected at the uni until 11.30, but when the time came to leave she suddenly
became very relaxed. Eventually we set off. She gave me my keys and showed me
how to double-lock and unlock the many doors, and showed me the various
entrances to the apartment courtyard. By the time we got to the uni my brain
was exploding with the effort of remembering so many details – and in Russian
too. I knew only too well the dangers of getting lost in a place like this.
Lyudmila said goodbye to me at the entrance and I was left
to fend for myself in the huge old building. Thankfully I met Lily and her host
on the stairs and followed them to the correct room, where we were given a
short induction and told we were going to sit a test – right then. Having not
spoken Russian for four months, I was completely unprepared, and could only
hope that everyone else was in a similar situation.
The afternoon was spent eating lunch, buying Russian mobile
phones and getting new passport photos taken for the student ID. At 6pm I made
my way home, stopping off to buy water and take photos of my immediate
surroundings. After more attempts at polite conversation with Lyudmila, I
launched into my suggestion that I buy myself some cereal as a bit of a home comfort, which
led to much confusion. It was finally decided that I could try to find these
‘Confleks’ at the supermarket (which is a 20-minute bus ride away) but that
they probably didn’t exist. I then broached the question of whether I could buy
my lunch and bring it to the flat rather than eating at a restaurant every day, which
she didn’t seem very pleased about at all. She started to ask about money and I
told her the cost of the rent, having assumed she knew this already. I hope she
doesn’t try to ask for more – this is expensive enough as it is!
And so to the end of my first day. It’s 22:09 but I’m wide
awake and my room is still cold. I can only hope that I’ll find out more
tomorrow – about food, gyms, activities, how to go out at night – so I can
start adjusting and create a new kind of normality.
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