The first seven days here in Russia have gone by so fast, but yet seemed like an eternity. Some days are busy and some days are slow, but each one is full surprises and interesting experiences. On my excursions into the city I find it is similar in many ways to America, but it's the subtle things, the little details that make every trip outside so interesting.

For example, we had to go to the post office one day. The inside was pretty normal, a few postal employees handing out packages, tables to fill out your forms, some stands with birthday cards for sale - and then I noticed the toaster. Yes, they were selling toasters in the post office, and coffee makers and clocks and a few more oddball items that seemed vastly out of place. In any case, it brought a smile to my face.

The thermometers here are a little different too. A normal American thermometer has zero degrees somewhere near the bottom, but not so here. Zero is in the middle and it goes fifty degrees up and fifty degrees below. (Celsius of course) I cant wait for winter...

Starbucks has yet to reach these fair shores, as well as Root Beer. However the city is overrun by Cinnabon and Pepsi. I find it very interesting the amount of American influence here. People will have US flags on their shirts, or USA bags. When I went to a 5D theatre with my host sister they had two "American Adventures," American television programs are almost more common on TV than Russian ones. I even saw a Simpson-themed restaurant. English is very prominent as well. Ads in english are common, english songs play on the radio, or are blasted in the mall. People wear shirts with english on them, but the grammar is often incorrect and makes no sense to me. Yet for all the english, there are very few english speakers that I've met so far. Even those who do speak a little shake their heads when I ask them if they would like to speak it.

Shopping here is a really cool experience. As far as food goes, fish and meat are bought in special markets, there are different vendors and you walk around and pick the best looking piece of meat or fish. Produce is the same way; outdoor markets are all over the place in our neighborhood. Fruit, vegetables, nuts, honey just right on the side of the road. Milk and bread are bought in the supermarkets. Of course you can buy produce and meat in supermarkets, but the selection is very limited. Candy can be bought in supermarkets, or in special candy stores.

Shopping malls are small, but are a blast to walk through. The majority of the shops are clothes, very beautiful clothes. I was particularly enthralled by a shop selling the most magnificent fur coats. They were straight out of a fairy tale, some with leather and fur, others just pure white, fluffy and floor length. They were stunning. Shoes, bags, hats... You can get anything in malls.

 I am lucky to be living on a very busy street that is lined the whole length with little shops and markets. Right across the street from out apartment is a market selling everything you could possibly want, and cheap cheap cheap. One old woman spins yarn and knits at her stall: socks, sweaters and scarves. Another man makes shoes for people. Its fascinating to watch him cut out the soles and punch the leather onto them. Plastic buckets at one booth, tape and wallets at another. The variety is incredible.

All over the city, especially at bus stops there are these small booths. One person sits inside, the wares are displayed in the glass walls and are so crammed you can't see inside. You simply find what you want, and buy it through the tiny window in the front. They sell everything in them: hot food, drinks, cigarettes, cheap toys, post cards, tape, candy, pens...

Downtown the shopping is more expensive: boutiques and higher end stores, little cafes and restaurants line the streets. Want to have a coffee underground? Not a problem here. To cross the streets in the town center you have to go underground to tunnels that cross under the streets. They are filled with more shops and cafes and souvenir shops. The volume of products sold here is staggering, it's a wonder every shop can stay in business with the amount of competition from other stores.

The other thing about the city that absolutely fascinates me is the contrast between the people and their surroundings. A lot of the city, especially outside the downtown, is a little rundown, the sidewalks are cracked, sometimes just rubble, there is graffiti everywhere, and it has a very grim feel to it all. Yet the people drive new cars, walk out of shopping malls laden with bags and dress like supermodels. Its striking to see beautiful women in high heels and the latest fashion pick their way through muddy, broken sidewalks and go home to rundown concrete apartment buildings. The look like they belong in New York or Paris. Its what I love about the city, it seems to clash in many ways. The old and the new, the west and the east, tradition and modern culture.

And of course, the food... My host family complains every meal that I eat too little, like a little girl. I feel like I'm going through a stomach expansion program. Luckily the food is very tasty.

Cheese is a staple, they put it on everything. Everything. I've been introduced to cheese on pancakes, cheese on fish and cheese on cookies. One breakfast was just cheese. They have many flavors of cheese, like cucumber flavored cheese, and mushroom flavored cheese and some cheese that tastes sweet. There is this cheese that is very soft, but sort of grainy, like a cross between ricotta and cottage cheese, they put honey in it and eat it like pudding. Or they will take sweet corn puffs and dip them in a soft cheese. A lot of cheese, but it's all so so good.

One breakfast I was treated to Russian pancakes, which are basically crepes. You can eat them with virtually anything but we had them with cheese and salmon eggs. My host mother filled the left overs with more cheese and crab for dinner.

Yes, they do have vegetables in Russia. They have a lot of salads, like cucumber salad, tomatoes salad, carrot salad... and by salad I mean chopped up vegetables and oil. They use a lot of oil in their cooking, but very few seasonings. Just salt and pepper usually. The food here is very healthy, and very filling. Somethings are better than others, but so far its all been excellent.

Besides the food being a little different so are the times that we eat. Breakfast is usually between eleven and noon, lunch can be around five or six and dinner at nine or ten at night. It threw me for a loop the first couple of days, after eating lunch (which at that time I assumed to be dinner) I started winding down for the next few hours, and I wandered into the kitchen at ten to say goodnight, to find my host mother cooking and everyone trickling in for more food.

Breakfast is usually eggs, or sandwiches and tea. Lunch is salad, sandwiches, maybe soup and tea. Dinner is usually a grain or potatoes (always boiled) with some meat, salad, cheese and tea. Dessert is usually fruit, but they have a lot of sweets in the house. Lots of chocolate, cookies, corn snacks, yogurt (which you drink), tea and honey. (I've adopted my host sister's method for eating honey: with a spoon).

My first week has been a blast. It's had it's ups and downs, but I've learned so much already, and have become much more comfortable with my baby-talk Russian. I am excited for what the year has in store for me and can't wait to learn more of the language and fit in to the culture here. It's an amazing place and I'm so blessed to be here.