Novosibirsk III

We slept in late until 2:30 p.m. local time (2:30 a.m. Chicago time.) We went to the grocery store and picked up enough groceries for the four of us in the flat. We spent 880 rubles (about $34). Very european. Breads, crackers, cheese, sausage, keifer, etc. We sat around talking and then were picked up for pizza and orientation.

The pizza was “New York Style” and was good. We got back to our apartment around 7:30 p.m. We went to bed around 8:30 p.m. but ended up watching the recent episode of Heroes which we brought along. I tried to go to sleep and Anne read. In hindsight this wasn’t such a great idea. We both woke up around 1:30 a.m. and wasted a couple hours trying to get back to sleep. In the end, we woke up around 3:30 a.m. and read. Breakfast was toast, cheese and bread, and oranges. We were picked up and arrived at the Seminary around 7:50 a.m.

Our first day of class was three class periods of one and half hours with breaks every forty-five minutes. The seminary is an old bank building. It has many rooms and hosts Lutheran Heritage Foundation and the Consistory for the Lutheran Church of Siberia. The class is long since everything is translated but the translator is faster than the lecture. We found it interesting that the Russians do not have a term for “bioethics.” Apparently issues like IVF, stem cell research, prenatal screening aren’t even on their radar map. I expect this interaction will become even more interesting as the class passes.

We had a nice tea after our Russian matins. Lunch was potatoes, meat patties, and slaw. We decided to walk the two or so miles back to our apartments.

This is the typical Soviet-era apartment building.

But right across the street is the less typical pre-Soviet era home.

As we were walking through the forest, we encountered this church.

The path was rugged, unmarked and a pleasant hike. I hope we can find our way the next time!

Our apartments are Soviet-era grey buildings. They’re especially fun to get into.

Our apartment has an outside door, inside gate, inside wood door, and inner door. Paranoid? Nah.

And so ends the first day of classes. We’ve been watching Russian TV (MTV, basketball, soap operas, news), listening to Bruckner, Glasonov, and Rachmaninoff, and doing reading and studying. We’re going to watch 24 and go to bed. Maybe we’ll sleep better tonight.