first days.

2 February - Beginnings.

Well, honestly, I didn’t really pay attention to the world „happening” around me in the last twenty something hours.

I’m just baffled. So unbelievable that I’m already here in Minsk, sitting on my bed…

I have two roommates, a Turkish and a Korean girl. I'm not yet able to speak with them properly. So we switch between Russian and English.

Anyways, despite the first wave of shock I’m not sad or disappointed (concerning my oral capabilites), since I haven’t been in a Russian-speaking environment before (with actual Russian knowledge), thus it will obviously take some time before I’ll be able to participate in proper conversations. It is just annoying… I understand many things, but cannot answer often, because… blackout. Oh, hell, every beginning is difficult. I shall face the challenges.

One surprising thing has happened though (at least I was surprised): there was no passport control on the Minsk airport. I didn’t mind, because hopefully thus I’ll manage to get the obligatory medical insurance at the university tomorrow.

3 February - Ups and downs

Ups:

The staff at the university is incredibly nice! There is one particular lady, who told me everything first in Russian, and then, just in case I could not follow, in English. Tomorrow I’ll sign the contract. This part of the administrative things to do seems to be easy.

Downs:

After some struggle… I have a SIM-card. Another event to remind me I still have a lot to go.

Neither:

The dormitory is very “Eastern”. It is quite simply, I don’t have much space, but at least there is heating (not really in the study room – but perfect for me).

P.S:

I decided today that I need some motivation: I went on a short walk in the centre, to get to know the city a bit better and I found my way to the Central Bookstore. Typical me, I guess. First thing to do: check out the bookstore. Anyways, I was searching for a good children’s book to read more easily-comprehendible text, and I found the whole of Moomin stories! In Russian! Isn’t that just magnificent? :D Those in love Finland will understand.

4 February

Some fun facts:

·         Belarus is one of the few countries that do not issue coins. This results in an endless flow of banknotes. The smallest is 50,-, and the biggest is 200.000,- . Don’t have high hopes, the 200.000 banknotes still worth just around 21 USD/4620 HUF.
Conclusion: it takes some time until you get used to it.

·         You can buy separately tickets and monthly tickets on buses, trolley buses, trams and the underground. One ride is 3000 BYR (~ 0.3 USD /66 HUF). You can buy the montly tickets in several combination (e.g. tram+ bus, tram+metro, bus+metro, bus+tram+trolley+metro, etc.). I have mine with the tram+metro combo, which costs 180200 BYR (~19 USD /4173 HUF).

·         In theory I should have gone to the migration office and to one of the ministries, but the university did all of it instead of me. I do hope so that they did. The lady I asked it from seemed to be a bit tense. :)

·         I have a medical insure as of today: 45 EUR / 4 months. Fair enough.