ugh.

So it's August 30th and I am still in the US. I have been in contact with my host sister and she seems really nice and she speaks some English. I am just getting super impatient and pessimistic. I would really like to go now.

Good News! FINALLY!

My certificate was received by my travel agent and now I am in the process of getting my visa! I will leave th 28th at the earliest... unless there is some sort of miracle and I leave the 25th so I can get to Vladivostok for orientation by the 28th, but it's doubtful. Hopefully I will hear from my host family soon; my ptience is running out quickly.

So I figure I should probably tell you a little bit about where I am going in Russia. My city is called Vladivostok which roughly translates to "rule of the east". It is Russia's largest port city on the Pacific and home to about 850,000 people. It borders China and North Korea and is home port for the Russian Naval Fleet. About 2/3 of the suburbs are so polluted it's considered a health risk and the average annual temperature is 4.3 degrees celsius. I CANNOT WAIT TO GO! It is going to be such a change from Watsontown where the population is a little over 2,000 and there is absolutely nothing to do. The language will be hard for awhile, but it will get easier over time. I am so so SO excited to go and experience everything my city and Russia have to offer.

Soooo....

It's August 15th, I still don't know when I'm leaving. I am supposed to be there the 28th for orientation, but it's highly doubtful that I will be there for it. My Russian contacts are trying to track my Certificate of Invitation in the mail because I need that to get my visa. I haven't had contact with any "Russian" yet, because for some reason all of my emails never get there. I haven't talked to my host family yet, or my yeo. I don't know anything at all and I am freaking out. Hopefully everything will come together soon.

I JUST WANT TO GO.