курить?

I've decided that there is a serious risk I'll sustain permanent lung damage from my time here in Russia.  It's not so much a complaint as an observation.  I mean, it kind of sucks for me since I still haven't entirely outgrown my childhood asthma, but eating, drinking, and inhaling (even if by accident) things I normally would not eat, drink or inhale back home is all part of  traveling abroad.  Chalk it up to cultural experience.

Still, everyone smokes here, and they don't do it in moderation.  Maybe it's because St Pete is a more European city, or maybe this is true for all of Russia.  But I must admit, although I'll never pick up the habit, sometimes I do feel like I'm missing out on a really useful method of socialization.

Especially in the dorms here -if you're hanging out in someone's room, or at a party (which is really just hanging out in someone's room with the added presence of a certain liquid substance made from potatoes), at least every half hour 50% of the people in the room go out for a smoke.  It's an instant way to make friends -suggest an outing to the hallway, offer a cigarette or a light, and presto! You have a clique for conversation. Everyone is a friend, because of this newfound common gound for your friendship.  If you're a non-smoker you're welcome to stand in the hallway with them and join the conversation, it's not as though non-smokers are deliberately ostracized or shunned, but you definitely feel like a little bit of a dolt just standing there. Besides, when 10 people are all lighting up at once, standing in the middle of them kind of  defeats the purpose of not smoking in the first place.  For all the haze being puffed at you, you might as well just light up yourself.  

Of course, this instant butt-buddy relationship isn't really a strictly Russian/European phenomenon, I've observed the same thing in the States and Australia.  But in a dormitory full of different nationalities and languages, it's nice to have such a handy icebreaker, incase you screw up your Russian and insult someone or wind up speaking in a whole other language. *Heather and I did that with a Chinese guy we met the other night...we spent ages asking him to repeat himself, finally reali

zing he wasn't asking us anything, but was telling us his name.*

But years of horrific images on television thanks to Australia's anti-smoking campaign has ensured I won't be picking up any smokes any time soon.  And since I live on the 18th floor, and the one remaining working elevator broke down today (there are 3 -apparently at least 1 is always out of order), I certainly don't want to do anything to negatively affect my lungs at this point.

Loves,

Bimini.

PS: Speaking of different nationalities and languages...I haven't really met many Russian students my age just yet.  I'm in an international dormitory, and I study in the international department.  In a way I really like this, because although the common language is Russian, since it's a second language for a lot of people here, they usually speak slowly enough for me to understand them, or if I don't understand them, they smile and are fairly understanding/patient.  That's not to say that I'm not being pushed out of my comfort zone -I'm speaking plenty of Russian to real Russians at my internship and in day to day life.  Plus, when I get a little more used to my schedule I might put up a notice looking for a conversational partner -I help them with english, they help me with russian.  

The interesting thing is that compared to everyone else I've met, I feel so boring!  I mean (not to blow my own horn)  I'm from Australia, I study in the states...I've travelled a lot, hosted a TV show...I've done things like surf on the backs of whale sharks, swim with seals in the galapagos, and lived on aboriginal communities...I've been caving and I can turn myself over in a capsized kayak... I grew up on the Great Barrier Reef, live 15mins from waterfalls...You know, I think I'm a fairly interesting per

son. 

 I know I'm not the most incredibly intriguing person in the world, and I didn't expect everyone I met in Russia to swoon and find me to be the coolest or most fascinating person they've ever met, but I have some interesting things to talk about...I figured I should be able to hold my own in most company.  I'm not too dull, right?

Well, compared to some of the people I've met here, all that stuff seems pretty paltry.  I'm only 20 years old, and I feel like I have some serious catching up to do with my life.

Ok, really Loves this time,

Bimini.