As promised, I am checking in to report on my Russian 21st birthday adventures. Since my bday fell on a Monday this year, I went to Dacha Sundays (where my tutor djs) so that I could spend my first moments as a 21 year old at a bar, as any true American should. I was unfortunately feeling a little sickly so I just stayed until 12 with a few of my friends and Sasha and then shivered my way home.
There was apparently another holiday besides my birthday in Russia this weekend, день России (Russia Day), so I didn't have class and slept in until around 11. When I brought myself to my breakfast spot, my host mom had already placed a pink flower gift bag next to my breakfast saying, "Jaime! Happy birthday! - Russian family." Inside was a beautiful silver ring with a pink stone, since I had been talking to my host mom about how I liked rings just the other day. Then when my host father came home, he brought me a huge bouquet of beautiful flowers to put in my room.
I had to go to a meeting at school, but before I left I had fried squash and it was one of the most delicious dishes I've had in Russia, and surprisingly simple to prepare! At the meeting, Nathan had everyone sing the Russian birthday song (which is NOT "Happy Birthday to You" fyi), which I took a video of and will try to load up here if I can.
After the meeting, a group of us decided to go get dinner at a place called Zoom Cafe, which is kind of literature themed - there are books and stuffed animals everywhere, and the food is always delicious. But before that we had to stop at the dorm so that some of the people in the group could go to Nathan and Marina's office hours. When we got over to Zoom, there was a half hour wait, so we went across the street to the German bar for a beer while we waited. We didn't end up leaving Zoom until about 10:15 or so and then headed to the American restaurant, The Other Side, where we had said that we would meet up with other students for a drink. It was fun except that when I was saying goodbye to one student I spilled half of my overpriced gin & tonic on the floor. But such is life. I probably shouldn't have been drinking much in any case since I was sick.
Today was our first day of classes, which was interesting since most of them are just going to be made up of Grace and I. All of my teachers today were great today though, two of which I had last semester and the third, I had heard about from other students (she's probably like 23 years old, but seems to have a good handle on what she's doing now). Then after class, I finally gave in and decided to go to the doctor. So he checked everything out and eventually gave me some medicine - but only for my bowels. He didn't seemed to think I needed anything for the sore throat or the temperature, which I thought were the more serious issues. So now I have to take about 4 pills with 2 of my meals every day and avoid dairy products, fats, and vegetables for the next week. Looks like I'll be having a lot of soup and каша for the next week! Oh and no alcohol either, so I'll have to save the major partying for next weekend, I suppose. But I have to go back on Monday after school, so if I don't come back healthier, he'll punish me with more pills and restrictions probably. Ah well, at least I'll have a clean system, I hope.
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