goal-revisiting with one month to go

So, those goals, remember them? Me neither.

Average no more than 30 minutes per day in communication with America (including email, Facebook, phone, and video chat).

Maybe? Probably. I definitely average no more than 45 minutes online each day, but I haven’t counted time writing emails etc offline, to send when I get internet.

Learn to pray in Russian.

Success. I mean, it’s communication, so as far as I’ve learned to communicate in Russia… success.

Find a place in St. Petersburg where I can swing dance. Wear my amazing (-ly obnoxious) new $6 dance shoes. Be the exotic American doing exotic American dances like, the way they do them in America.

Welllll let’s just say I found better uses for my time/money.

But otherwise, keep the obvious Americanness to a minimum.

For the most part, I’m doing okay with this, I think. Considering the fact that old men walk up to me on the street and ask me for directions occasionally.

Read at least one “for fun” book in Russian. Even if it’s a children’s book.

I haven’t finished it yet, but I’m working on this fascinating account of Geronimo Stilton and the Emerald Eye. I think it’s at about a 2^nd grade reading level.

Remember to take my dietary supplements and vitamins.

85% success?

Attend a Russian church. Make friends with the local бабушки (read: little old church ladies).

Yes! Have only missed twice this semester, I think. But as I said earlier, the “old” category of church ladies is a bit… lacking.

Don’t be too annoying about rooting for the good ol’ USA during the Olympics.

Already obsolete.

Update this blog at least twice a week.

I have succeeded, mostly! Of course, I realize now that I wrote about twice as frequently during my first month as I have since then. But that’s okay, because most of the big stuff I guess I covered earlier?

Get more sleep than I do at ND on a regular basis (so, more than 6.5 hours/night).

7-8 hours a night, not bad.

Stay in a hostel.

Hasn’t happened, and it won’t. But I’m not too heartbroken. I’ve heard they’re kind of like hotels, except… not exactly. And I’ve certainly done my time in hotels in America.

Visit every free museum in St. Petersburg.

Yeah, that will not happen. But I have been to the Hermitage 4 times, so that has to count for something.

Do not end up leading/directing/in charge of anything. Except maybe weekend excursions with the other students.

I should have given myself a number limit of weekend excursions I could plan. Except… the fact that I planned excursions for pretty much every weekend and sometimes for Wednesdays or Tuesdays as well means that I got to choose where we went, what time we left, etc! So convenient! But other than that and some icebreakers, I have not ended up in any sort of leadership position, so that’s good.

Learn 12 words/day, and use them again.

I never did land on a system that consistently worked, so I fell back to just reviewing my notes every day. I kind of doubt that I’ve learned 12 words a day for the last week or so, just because I’ve reached the point where I can understand daily exchanges with the vocabulary I have, but I think it’s okay.

Keep a journal, minimum 150 words/day.

Is not happening so well as I hoped, but sometimes yes. It’s always very useful when I have time, but if it’s a choice between journaling and sleep… sleep wins.

Read 3 news articles/week.

With lack of internet and lack of motivation to buy newspapers, this has also not been happening. But apparently on the end-of-semester oral exam, current events is a likely topic, so I’m going to start this up soon.

NEW GOALS

Go to Pushkin

Go to Vyborg

Average 100 words/day in my journal

Memorize two poems (and know all words)

Listen to a complete audio book

Reasonable, I think. Let’s go!