It's easy to forget

It's very easy to forget where I am. I've had a few days off and haven't been out much lately. I went for a massage on Sunday which, apart from the odd few words of Russian spoken, and the fact that the masseuse didn't discreetly leave the room when I undressed, could easily have been at home. I've been watching English language DVDs, been skyping with family, listening to podcasts, audio books and music, and reading English language books. I've been warm, I've been eating food I enjoy, that I've cooked myself, and to be honest, I could have been anywhere, even at home.

On Monday, though, I slipped on some ice. I didn't hurt myself badly, just jarred my arm, and fortunately my laptop (which was in my backpack) and my iPod (in my pocket) were unharmed. That was all I was worried about! It reminded me though that this isn't home. That this is a harsh and very different environment. I had an evening out tonight and walked home in a temperature of -10 degrees C. That is actually very mild for a Siberian winter and to be honest it didn't feel too cold (despite the fact I wasn't really dressed for it), but I could feel the difference. I felt the pain in my head, and I felt my nostrils starting to freeze. I had to keep moving my scarf round because it got wet from my breath - and it froze each time. I know it will get much colder than this (although the weekend is forecast to be mild) and I am actually looking forward to the experience, even though it will be difficult.

Not all the experiences here are hard though. I had my first 'cultural' excursion today - to a ballet in the Palace of Arts. It was The Nutcracker Suite. It wasn't live music but the show was great to watch, and I loved the way the audience clapped along to the music. To our Western minds, this seemed a little incongruous but was natural to them, as were the small children running onto the stage with flowers for the dancers. One poor little girl was a bit too late and started crying though, poor thing. The curtain call was after the house lights came on, which was another thing I found a little odd. I was definitely an enjoyable experience though.

So with the ballet and the cold, it is welcome to Russia!!