The dreaded visa application

So, this morning, I very productively woke up and dutifully filled out my visa application. It is now somewhere in the depths of FedEx.

A girl posted this on one of the NSLI-Y facebook groups, and I think it describes the process of filling out a visa fairly accurately:

http://thetimeistudiedabroad.tumblr.com/post/22049230037/when-i-try-to-apply-for-my-visa

But it was a learning experience, as I hope to travel to many more countries in the future. You guessed it, that means more visas!

Love,

Nina

Thoughts, and Cheburashka :)

So, after publishing my last post, it occurred to me to write about a really great experience I had last weekend. In February, I participated in a Russian Olympiada (a competition of spoken Russian) where I met some kids that were heritage speakers of Russian. They participate in a local Russian children's theatre group that performs at nursing homes, libraries, etc. For Russian Victory Day, last weekend they performed at two different nursing homes with significant populations of Russian people. There were a bunch of kids of all ages, and they performed different poems and songs related to Victory Day. I got to participate- I performed a poem called Война, Война (War, War) and I also got to announce each of the presentations in English for any American people in the audience. It was a really wonderful experience, because practically everything was in Russian and it was great immersion. I am to the point where I can understand a lot of what is said in Russian, but it's harder for me to speak it myself. One of the things I am most excited about in going to Russia is letting the Russian part of my brain take over and just having the opportunity to speak it whenever I want to!

On a random note, I am watching the end of Saturday Night Live right now and am getting teary eyed because it's the end of the season :'(

On a more Russian-related note, here is a picture of my very favorite Russian cartoon character! His name is Cheburashka, and he is a cheburashka. His best friend is a crocodile named Gena, and he was found in a crate of oranges, being mistaken for an orange.

Okay, bye for now!

Nina

In the meantime...

Well, it's been a while since my last post. Since then, I have completed all three of my Russian placement tests (1 grammar, 1 reading and listening, and one oral) and sent all my paperwork to the NSLI-Y/American Councils people over in DC. I also had to send in a picture of myself, which will the first impression that my host family has of me. Probably the most stress felt over a single photograph that I have ever experienced. The only things I have left to do in the 34 days left until I leave for orientation in DC are fill out my visa application, which I will probably get in the next week or so, get my host family information (early June sometime) continue studying Russian, and pack! I think I'm going shopping this weekend, it will be a long process.... My school stuff is all starting to wind down. I have a big paper due on June 1st, about two weeks from now, so once that hurdle is over I can seriously think about leaving! Until then, Nina