Journal · 2013–2019
A Russian Abroad
Archived posts from Alexandra’s blog, written in Moscow, Italy and wherever else life took her. 36 posts, newest first.
Straight into the deep end.
Back to Moscow after 8 months away. The most surreal, outer-body experience of a return and after nearly three weeks it feels like I never left. So much has changed during my time away and I’m still astounded by the…
ReadDaily living.
It will come as no surprise to anyone that food takes a central role in day-to-day life in Italy. It’s always amusing to hear friends making fun of each other for the way they cook pasta - “you put onion in your…
ReadWhere am I?
Back in Europe now for a little while and, after having truly discovered and awakened my Russian side that had stayed dormant for so long, I was fascinated to see how I would adjust back to life in Europe, in Italy.…
ReadStrange questions for a strange gal.
For some reason, the colder and darker it gets the less frequent the buses are. Thankfully, the weather is being kind and it hasn’t gotten too cold...yet. Hovering above zero degrees with blue skies, even if we did have…
ReadFeeling Raf and Ready.
Back to Moscow, back to real life and the smell of pine tar in my trousers from an August spent sauna-building*, which I got sick of at the time, now puts a smile on my face as it transports me instantaneously back to…
ReadTime.
This is now my 3rd winter in Russia (I have stayed much longer than I originally planned), yet I still get excited as ever when heavy snow starts to fall and cover the city in a glistening blanket of white, transforming…
ReadA Russian beating.
There are some traditions and practices in various cultures, which are very difficult to explain to someone who hasn't had the experience themselves. A Russian banya is no different. "It's just a sauna" people might…
ReadLiving Safely (БЖД)
I honestly cannot not recall how this came up in conversation, however, I very recently learnt that while Russians use the same word for foot and leg - нога (na-ga) - and for hand and arm - рука (roo-ka), they do…
ReadBread with Tea and Jam.
I can't believe I have gone this long without mentioning the fact that Russians put jam in their tea. Yes, my reaction was the same. As Maria very clearly states, tea is a drink you have with jam and bread, you don't…
ReadHop, skip and a jump.
Winter is very much upon us here and, while I sometimes have problems speaking after the lower half of my face has become numb from being in the cold for a minute too long, I still prefer cold and snow to the constant…
ReadMoscow Mule.
1st September. 1st day of a new term at a new academy with new people with the first lecture scheduled for my year group at 12pm. Of course I missed it. I basically missed the first day. Thanks to delays in Frankfurt…
ReadThere's no place like home.
Two months later and I have finally found the time to write a new post. Ironically, it is a time when I should be in a lecture but horrendous Moscow traffic made me ten minutes late (first lesson I have been late to…
ReadSome things never change.
Although I would say that I am a fairly-experienced traveller, that still doesn’t seem to ever prevent my baggage from being overweight, and the threat of paying extra is always a very real worry at the check-in desk. I…
ReadAlcohol in breakfast products.
I had to do a Russian literature exam the other day. A terrifying prospect, but made somewhat easier by the fact that it was multiple choice and the word for a multiple-choice test in Russian is угадайка (oo-ga-da-i-ka)…
ReadLiving in a city built for cars.
Feeling worse for wear, tired, damp and wedged between a rather large man and a window and with my phone out of battery, I had no option but to endure a twenty minute conversation about the bus we were on. What was the…
ReadSundays don't exist in Russia.
The Big Melt. Back into my daily routine and my days are filled trying to avoid falling clumps of snow and icicles - especially after my mother was kind enough to scare me with a story of someone in Moscow getting…
ReadPreparation vs Traveller's Instinct
No matter how many times I fly, I still get butterflies and that flutter of excitement as I walk through the gate to board the plane. Even just looking at the departures board puts a smile on my face - I could go…
ReadWhere is your hat??
I think I might be one of the few people in St. Petersburg thoroughly enjoying and revelling in this Russian winter. Classic first-timer. Having left to go home for Christmas when it was still +6˚celsius, coming back to…
ReadMoscow loving.
'Time flies' A phrase technically implying that the time passed felt shorter than it actually was and a phrase that, on the plane home for Christmas, I would appropriately use to describe my last three months in St.…
ReadStereotypes.
Through various observations and social interactions during my two months in St. Petersburg, I have started to notice certain characteristics of a typical Russian woman. I understand that a city with a population of at…
ReadHips-ta-ta.
Everybody assumes that coming to Russia to learn the language is a walk in the park for me considering I am half-russian and my mother speaks Russian at home. However, we hugely underestimate the percentage of language…
ReadBuckets and buckets of vodka.
My mum called me today. "Hello?" "It's winter." I mean...if you're own mother doesn't call you to tell you that winter has arrived then who will? Yes. October has only just started and snow is predicted for tomorrow…
ReadBerlino - why we NEED to travel.
I've just learnt that France is also known as L'Hexagone. Why? If you connect its furthest points together they make the shape of a hexagon... You really do learn something new every day. It's 3am and I'm half-way…
ReadAn encounter with a fellow Russian Abroad.
A post to celebrate reaching 2000 views! I sincerely thank each and every one of you for taking time to read my posts. May my ramblings and incoherent observations have filled revision breaks (as this post is doing for…
ReadSquatting is the undoubtedly most comfortable way to sit.
Recently I have been regularly asked the question 'what on earth where you doing in China?' much more than I had anticipated. Having applied for the three week Chinese language and culture program completely on a whim…
ReadLife Goes On
Three days before my 21st birthday and I present to you another apologetic introduction for another late blog post which has actually been written in my mind for a while now but for which I hadn't found time to sit down…
ReadThe Things I've Learnt
Ironically when I find myself the most inspired to write my blog is when I also find myself at my busiest with no time to sit down and share my experiences! All the same, I'm now temporarily back in Italy with a few…
ReadIs this Art?!
Yesterday I took advantage of all french museums being free on the first sunday of the month and dragged myself across town to the museum of contemporary art in Toulouse - 'Les Abattoirs'. I have never felt I've been…
ReadThe best way to learn a language is to fall in love.
I present to you a more insightful and pensive blog post as opposed to my usual ramblings of the activities which I deem to be worthy enough of recounting to my loyal readers, you have been warned. My boss told me that…
ReadTwo for the price of one.
I have come to realise that being one of the lucky ones who has two erasmus experiences over the course of one year means I get to learn two languages, about two cultures, experience two different cities/countries and…
ReadApologies.
As you can probably see, I have finally found a number of different ways to fill my time to once again be as busy as possible as this has contributed to the sudden absence of blog posts. As a result I have an unusual…
ReadThe Chocolate Festival comes to Bologna.
Last week the inhabitants of Bologna were treated to five days of a chocolate festival which took over the three main piazze in the centre of the city. I had the best white hot chocolate I have ever tasted and indulged…
ReadAung San Suu Kyi
Time is going by quicker and quicker. I can't believe it's November already and I've been here for nearly two months! I have set myself a target that from the 1st of December I will speak only italian until I go home…
ReadSHAMELESS
Phoebe (another friend from Bristol who is also studying in Bologna) and I have decided that our key word in Bologna is shameless . This stemmed from our constant underlying fear to speak to italians in our lessons and…
ReadSecondary Thoughts.
I meant to do a weekly update every sunday - always ambitious in my case to try to keep something going on a regular basis - but of course I got distracted doing other stuff. I will now endeavour to do an update every…
ReadInitial thoughts.
After much deliberation I have decided to cave in, follow the trend and start a year abroad blog. I am now sat at the desk of my freshly set-up room after having spent a week living in the living room of my flat waiting…
Read