Dorms and what they were like

I am sure many people wonder what the living arrangements are like in the dorms there. Well the building is 16 stories high.
I only went to the 8th floor as that’s where I had friends, and the rooms got worse as you went higher. My friend Elena had cockroaches in her bathroom, quite a contrast to my newly furnished suite, but you learn to deal with it. I was lucky. Anyway the dorms curfew was 11 p.m. if you weren’t back to the building by then you were SOL, and locked out until 6 am the next day. Sometimes you could bribe a guard to let you in if you paid him.
You had this check point where guards sat behind a glass booth, and when you walked in that you had to swipe your card through to get into the dorm. I also got stopped by the guards and questioned about my laundry at 2 a.m. This is when the only available washer in the dorm was free. I had to wait for the key, and no one ever knew where it was. The key was only for students on the international floor. Other things to note were that since curfew was at 11p.m. most of the parties were held in the dorm at night. You could always find one with ease.
There was also a little store where you could buy food, school supplies etc. The clerk Galena, was a sweetheart. I didn’t really understand what she was saying half the time, since she didn’t speak English, but a nice enough woman.
There was also an internet lab in the dorm where you would pay 10 rubles for an hour. 10 rubles equaled about 50 cents. I had to use the computer lab because I didn’t have access in my room, and didn’t until the last week of the semester.
The carpenters tore out all the wiring and didn’t have it fixed until the last week in November. Yeah that was good timing. I left December 11th.

going to the movies

There is only one cinema in Volgograd that I am aware of. This is also where the only McDonalds in the city is located. Going to the movies there is pretty much the same as here. You buy your ticket, you buy the popcorn except it is Carmel popcorn there -- I don’t think they have the butter kind that we’re accustomed to --and your soda. Beer is also an optional purchase, Russia is way better isn’t it? Anyway I went to see James Bond Quantum of Solace. I was able to understand the movie somewhat based on the what the actors were doing, but basically, I spent the next two hours asking my friends Maria and Vera what was going on.

Lenta

Lenta is the 24 hour grocery store across the street from the dorm. It is similar to a giant Wal-mart, they have everything from a cafe called la cucaracha and a cell phone store where you can buy phone cards. I think I spent most of my money on shoes. This store was a lifesaver.

Uryupinsk

During my stay in fall of 2008, my group and I had the chance to visit Uryupinsk. It is a small agricultural town about 211 Miles Northwest of Volgograd on the Khopyor River. One of their biggest industries is goat farming. The town has a museum dedicated to the goat as well as a statue near the center of town. If you rub its nose and make a wish it is supposed to come true. No lie, it actually worked for me. The trip was a fun one with lots of shenanigans, and beautiful countryside.

Mamayev Kurgan

Mamayev Kurgan/Mamayav Hill is the highest point(which isn't very high) overlooking the city of Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad. The battle of Stalingrad served as a major turning point for the allies during WWII. Many died on Mamayev Hill. A memorial complex sits on the site today. .

Cooking in the Dorm Kitchens

Remember how I mentioned that I couldn’t cook too well? Well, while staying in the dorms at Volgu I had to learn. The stolovaya (cafeteria) closed sometime in the early afternoon. So dinner was on me. I knew how to cook pasta, but I got really sick of it so I branched out. I had a few experiments such as macaroni and cheese without milk which turned into macaroni and a cheesy blob of glue, burnt chicken, rotten eggs etc. I don’t think I did too badly. The building is still standing. By the end of my stay and after numerous trial and error experiments I was able to cook chicken soup and able to extract broth from the chicken bone to do this. Thank you Volgu students and Google.

shi with Vera

Vera was an English tutor. The degree she was working toward was one in teaching. Anyway, she sometimes took me along to her lessons with her students. So I had the opportunity to meet them and their families. I told Vera I was curious about Shi, which is cabbage soup. So Vera talked to her student Yana’s mother, Sveta. We wound up making it one afternoon. Vera did all the translating, since the mother did not know English. She knew right away that I couldn’t cook either. So I learned in Russia, pretty quick. We cut up vegetables, the meat etc. An hour later it was ready. Vera also wrote down the recipe for me, I still have it somewhere.

I will update this entry with the recipe once i find it.