5/19/09, 3:46 p.m.

so, after all the sights and walking
after all of the museums and palaces
and after a nice 19 hour train ride
here i am, in volgograd
the former namesake of stalin himself
the seat of волгоградский область

i have to say, i feel like a complete idiot
my host mom's name is людмила [or люда, as she told me to call her],
and i can't understand most of the things she says
i was expecting to pick up at least a little bit more
but man, my comprehension absolutely sucks
hopefully this will get better as classes gear up
and i actually practice my conversing
but damn
they could be telling me anything and everything under the sun
and all i can do is smile and nod and say 'да'
wish me luck at all that
otherwise it's going to be a long five weeks
a long, misunderstood, awkward five weeks