Erin Horn's Third Journal Entry from Russia
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Sept. 5, 2006
Much has happened during the past few weeks-there’s been a lot more softball…except of course when it rains, which is becoming more and more often as autumn approaches. The Russian Championship is now over. My team (Caroussel 1–Bosco Sport, to give credit to our sponsor) took first place for the 13th (I think) season in a row, and our second team (Caroussel 2–Bosco di Ciliegi) finished in second place, so it was a good year for the Caroussel Club. All this excitement took place August 30, and we have two more tournaments coming up in the next couple of weeks. First is the Governor’s Cup, in which teams from the Moscow Region will play each other (with the addition of two other teams, one from Ukraine and one from Bulgaria), and the following week is the European Cup, in which we will host teams from Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, Switzerland, Ukraine, and one other team, but I don’t recognize the abbreviation so I don’t know what country it represents. In all there will be six or eight teams, and I will no longer be the only foreigner in Tuchkovo! As a result of all of the visitors, the hotel where I have lived these two-and-a-half months will be completely full, so on the 6th I will be moving into the apartment of one of my teammates, Masha, for the final two weeks of my trip.
My roommate, Stephanie Cortese (who played at Creighton University in Omaha) left to go home about two weeks ago, and the other American who was here (Jessica Moppin, University of Kansas) also went home a few days ago, so it’s been a little tough trying to fill the time when I have no one to talk to. However, I’ve been doing a lot of reading, and every few days or so someone comes by the club and relieves me of my boredom. Yesterday some visitors from Holland arrived, and they spoke English very well. They are friends of the president of the club, and we went to Borodino (not sure the spelling is correct) to watch a reenactment of the battle in the War of 1812 where Napoleon (yes, Bonaparte) lost his first battle. Unfortunately for rain, we missed the reenactment and ended up tired and muddy instead, but we didn’t miss out on all of the festivities of the day. We were still able to do a little souvenir shopping, and ate a little BBQ meat in the rain. Oh well! As for no one to talk to, I’m told that there will be an umpire here from Boston, so that is exciting for me to be able to talk to another American. Also, if any of my old teammates aren’t busy, or are looking for an opportunity to procrastinate (don’t deny it…even the best of us avoid writing papers until the very last possible minute!), please don’t hesitate to email me and give me an update!
It doesn’t look like I’ll be making the trip to Saint Petersburg because we have a lot of softball coming up, but that’s OK…I’ve made a lot of trips since I’ve been here and I imagine it might be getting a little cold for me up there anyway. However, I do have the opportunity to go to Moscow a lot, and I have made no shortage of trips there. One time we were there, we took the electric train home, and while standing on the platform, three people asked me a question about the train. Mind you I was one of two Americans standing there amongst the hundreds of other people, and I was asked not once, but three times! I said to my friends that I must look very wise! (I have been told that I do not look like an American, but this was confusing to me because, well, what exactly does an American look like?). A couple of weeks ago, we hit up the souvenir markets, as well as a huge store called Ashan, along the lines of a Super Wal-Mart, only bigger and cheaper. We had a blast in there, buying all sorts of things, mostly chocolate and CDs, though. I’m hoping to make at least one more trip there in order to pick up a package my parents sent me, which somehow got arrested in customs (and we are all still confused as to why), and I still have a couple of more souvenirs to get before I’m ready to come home.
I have made a few friends around town, and one girl, about my age, has had me over to her flat 4 times for dinner, and three out of the four times we had Borsch, which is positively the most delicious soup in the world! I’ve learned to do a little cooking since I’ve been here, and I even made some borsch of my own! Anybody who knows me knows what a feat that is! I’ve also learned to make a couple kinds of cakes, and I’m in the process of introducing Russians to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (since I’ve been given some Dutch peanut butter, but I cannot say it tastes as good as bona fide American peanut butter), but I’m not sure how well it is taking…people think I’m crazy when I ask them to try it! One thing’s for sure: when I get home, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to eat anything from a can again–it’s just no good! For those of you that have been reading Coach Johns’ journals from China, I, unlike her, do not miss American food TOO badly (OK I admit it, I miss Italian food (Coach), Doritos (Jackie Greer), King’s Hawaiian bread, and Cheesecake really badly) because the Russian food is so good. Every day people want to share the “traditional Russian food” with us, and every day we are stuffed 5 times beyond capacity. I am very unhappy to say that, despite how good and healthy Russian food is, I’ve gained some weight (for you UVA softball players, I have officially graduated from the SBC and have petitioned entrance into the TTC, no exaggeration!). I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving, though, so I can share Russian food with my family.
Well, I return home September 19th, and as much as I am enjoying myself here, I have to confess that I look more and more forward to coming home and seeing everyone as that day approaches. I’m excited to see the 2007 Softball squad (which makes me sad to think that I will not be playing for), my family and friends!