Done in Novgorod

Exams are finished! Our reward is 36 hours in Novgorod with no concern of completing the relentless barage of homework that has assaulted our group for the past month. Almost as exciting is that I purchased gifts for my mom and dad, but that still leaves my sister without a gift (keychain from the Petersburg airport?).

A few random things- When Russians make transactions in stores or markets, you never hand the cashier money directly, you place it on a tray in front of them, which is also where they place your change. In discussing the sounds various animals make, my Russian family thought it strange that we say that a rooster says "cock-a-doodle-doo." I found it strange that Russians say the sound a horse makes is "eee-go-go." I have had Borsch twice this week, and only once a week before that, which suggets sthat the American assumption that Russians eat borsch constantly is likely false. It also verifies one other student's claim that Borsch is the what-is-about-to-go-bad food that must necessarily be prepared at the end of every week.

Speaking of food, I have eaten incredibly well here, which is a credit to my host mother, as I never eat out. I have the benefit of having a house-wife as a host mother, which the rest of the group do not, and it is widely agreed that I have the best packed lunch each day. On this topic, I want to remark that there a few anytime foods in our house (meaning they have been included in breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, regardless of what else is being served). They are macaroni, hotdogs, and sour cream. Yesterday I had eggs for breakfast, with macaroni mixed in, and a hotdog on the side, with the sour cream available to be applied at my discretion (none is my typical choice).

Next for me is a few days in St. Petersburg, after which I will fly to Istanbul for six days, before returning home. I don't speak any Turkish, but I know enough people who have been there without speaking the language that I am not particularly concerned. I'd like to try to attend Mass in Turkey, as I haven't been able to in Russia (almost all of the churches are Russian Orthodox, and in the bigger cities we have been on tight schedules).

This evening I will give my family a gift, and they will be giving one to me. I bought them a picture book of Cincinnati, which I gave them four weeks ago, and a bottle of Kentucky bourbon, which I will give them tonight. Hopefully a story worth writing home about results.

I hope to find the internet again in Petersburg and Istanbul, so this will not be my last post. And anyways I still need to make good on my word to provide photos. So instead, my top five songs sung by Michael Jackson (I suppose that for a countdown you should watch them in reverse order):

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG7Dn4t8Q4Q
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVSYJXpD2_E
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75sx7U6dAB4
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex30DYwQlHU
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvYygjcMDdQ