Karina in Россия (and Ukraine): December 2013

Well, this is it. My semester in Russia has come to an end. It had its ups and downs but all in all it was a great experience and I'm really glad I was able to do it. I'm not totally sad yet because I still feel like I'm going to wake up tomorrow and still be here, even though I know I won't. To conclude:

Things I will miss:

Although these aren't in a particular order for the most part, I will miss my host family the most.
The friends that I have made here
The beauty of the city
An endless amount of things to do. Museums, bars, cafes, parks, theaters, etc.
Knowing that there will be borscht on the menu at virtually every restaurant
Same for blini
The convenience of the metro
Being around people that share my interest in Russian culture in general

Things I have learned/gained from this experience:

Above all, I have gained a lot of independence.
My language skills have improved. I'm not sure how drastically, but I'm sure they have.
I have a better understanding of Russian (and Ukrainian) people, and ~The Russian Soul~
I ended up memorizing several poems and songs.
Traveling alone is no longer (completely) terrifying!

Things of mine that Russia destroyed:

2 pairs of boots
A hat
My phone (okay... the battery just died but, still)

and finally,

Things I am looking forward to about coming home:

My parents & grandma who have all thankfully been heart attack-free while I was on the other side of the world
Being able to Skype Jake and then actually see him in person after so long!
Seeing my wonderful Wooster and Cleveland friends again
Being on a liberal arts campus
CVS, Target, pretty much any place where you can buy everything you need at once!
American hospitals
Getting a haircut
Buying new boots that I desperately need
I can't believe I didn't think of this until i got to the Frankfurt airport and saw a water fountain for the first time in months-- All the free water I want!!! Oh how I've missed this!

My time here is winding down, and I've actually done a lot the past few weeks! To note some of the more substantial things:

I visited the Hermitage again with some friends.
We went on a tour of the Baltika Brewery.
We also went on a tour of Yusopov Palace which was so beautiful! This was also where Rasputin was murdered.
I went to my first Anticafe and loved it.
CIEE celebrated Thanksgiving!
I saw Swan Lake at the Mikhailovsky.
We had a tour of the Russian Museum.
I went to a conversation group with Russians that are learning English.

I didn't take photos of some of these things (either they weren't allowed or you had to pay), but here's my attempt to document the past two-ish weeks in pictures. Some of them are stolen from my friend Lauren, and the 3 of the Yusopov Palace are from google haha. Enjoy!