SPAETZLE. BLESS YOU.

Nothing like eating some spaetzle as your flying above the forest lands of Germany. Gosh, do you know how long Ive been wanting to say that? Well, to be honest not too long, but it's pretty awesome that i can even say that! The plane's wings were sprayed with what looked to be green tinted, steaming hot water so that the planes wings don't freeze (comforting thought). I filled out registration papers (the airline dude gave me a pile when he saw that i was going through them as if they were scented kleenexes ) as i ate my hot airline breakfast which consisted of, you guessed it, spaetzle.

 I sat there looking out the window while writing down notes and things to remember on the edges of a Russian newspaper. My body would shut down for short amounts of time, until my excitement would shock me right back awake. My first sight of the city was amazing, this place is HUGE! Buildings as far as the eye can see. And i couldn't help but get my gassy nerves and think to myself, "This is it!"

 We met our head teacher as well as all the hosting families when we got through all the mumbo jumbo of registration where we were given a very welcoming, though with not as many smiles, Russian, "zdrazveetyet" (i dare you to try to pronounce that correctly). Turns out I'm not with a hosting family as originally planned, but I'll actually be living in an apartment with three of my fellow teachers! My own apartment in St. Petersburg, Russia? Yes, please!

As i took my first step outside i took in a big breath wanting to fully embrace my new home, but was instead greeted with a small body seizer and a fit of coughs as my lungs seized up as it took in that refreshing -5 degree Russian air (the idea of it all looked a lot better in my head, i promise).
 My apartment is located on the eighth floor and not but a five minute walk across two lanes of deadly traffic, from the old elementary school where i will be teaching. I have a 24 hour grocery store on my left and a store dedicated completely to alcohol on my right. I have already seen my fair share of sled/strollers, very large, stern, hairy men wearing ushanka hats, as well as wrinkly, waddling lumps of fur which are called babushkas, or old as i like to call them furry grandmas.
By this time i am beyond the point of exhaustion, but i am told that i mustn't sleep until 9 so that my body can adjust to the time difference, and what better to wake you up than with an adventure to the 24 hour Russian grocery store!