Moscow is just like Pittsburgh

I am now in Moscow, and it's about 24 hours since I first arrived at the apartment that I'll be staying in for the next couple months.

I did get a homestay, like I requested (which I was unsure of, even as I landed in Moscow yesterday morning). I also have another American who I'll be sharing a room with who is from Arizona. The apartment it fairly nice, and is in a nice neighborhood (between two elementary schools and a day care), and within walking distance of the campus where I'll be studying.

Today my host-mom walked my roommate (Ethan) and I to the campus. I'll take some photos soon of what is one the walk to campus. There is a small market that we walk through which my host-mom says is run by Uzbeki and Tajiki, who she doesn't trust. There is also a McDonald's on the way, which I'll take a photo of (since that's one of the main places I'm routinely asked if Russia has). It's a new McDonald's, and is attached to a supermarket.

Nothing super strange or interesting has happened, yet, so no long stories, but there are a few more small details that are interesting. I had been sure to pack Head & Shoulders shampoo to bring with me, and the first commercial I see on TV here was for Head & Shoulders. Then, taking a shower, the hot and cold water were switched (the blue was hot water, and red was cold—this is not to say that russians associate blue with hot, and red with cold, but instead just that the plumbing was mixed up. The house I lived in in Pittsburgh had the same thing). Also, it's already pretty cold and rainy, and my host family just leaves the windows open, so the apartment is pretty cold. I don't think I'll make use of the shorts that I brought.

Anyway, finally, pictures of food. The first is some borscht (борщ), which was the first thing my host-mom made for me, and then Блыни, which I had for lunch today.