I finally managed to go to class yesterday!! Snaps for me. It was so exciting. I felt like a little giddy school child. I packed up my notebook, my Doctor Who pen (got to have a bit of British in class!), my banana (classes are between 2 & 3 hours long so I needed energy) and I trotted off!
My first class which required me waking up at 8.30am was History of Russia. The early wake up was definitely worth it. Despite the slightly dodgy building, uneven stairs and funky smell I utterly enjoyed my first class. The professor is a Russian Historian who seems like a sort of hermit & smells a little like my gardener, BUT he's so enthusiastic about his subject and this enthusiasm brushed off on the class. The 2 hour class went past in a flash! We're starting in 800AD and working our way through to the present day. I also managed to show off some of my limited English history when we discussed 1066 & the less famous battle at Stamford Bridge! It involved Tostig (brother of Harold) seeking help from a Hungarian Prince who was married to a Russian Duchess......hence the link to Russian history!
The classroom contained hooks for our coats and the chairs were pretty tiny but the desks had funny panels in the front so I was constantly bashing my legs. I guess the price one pays for long legs! Plus the Professor was using chalk to write on the board! He wrote all over the entire blackboard and continued to write on top of other things he'd written, such that he drew a map of the Balkans & Caspian sea on top of the list of Dukes of Kiev! It was a wonderful class and the Professor lit up when we asked questions. I think I'm really going to enjoy it, as well as be interested in certain aspects of Russian history from a Russian perspective!
My second class was a Masters class called Mergers and Acqusitions. I was the only undergraduate in the class, as well as being the only English person. I think my fellow Russian classmates thought I didn't speak Russian so it was nice to overhear them talking about me, the англиская девушка (English Girl). The class was again taught in English and the Russians seemed a little bit miffed about this.
It was a fascinating class which I thoroughly enjoyed. I did have a little difficulty finding the building. Russians have this thing about not naming streets in obvious places and not having road signs. I wandered around and eventually found 33 кирпичная street - after walking down some rather dodgy streets but nothing a tough Wycombe Abbey girl can't handle. The building google maps had sent me to was the wrong one, dang google maps. Luckily I found probably the only friendly security guard in Russia who directed me to the correct building (even though he didn't speak english and I had to use all my powers of Russian language).
We learnt about what Mergers & Acquisitions are and their history and the patterns of M&As in the US Market. It was all highly interesting stuff. The class is supposed to be aimed at Business Masters students, those who want to work for companies advising on M&As or people who just want to be CEOs! Not sure which category I fall into but I'm just glad to have found an interesting class which I actually seem to know a lot about. We have to do a number of group projects during the semester but our overall grade is made up of lots of different components and not just the exam alone. I'm hoping I'll find some friendly Russians in the class who are willing to be my partners!
Only 2 awkward moments in the class were my ink cartridge running out (yes people I use a fountain pen, I'm old school) and managing to get ink ALL over my hands. I like to use permanent black ink because I'm cool like that. Oh and when I pulled out my bar of Milka chocolate to have a snack during break and all the Russians stared at me.
I did have to walk back to the Metro station from class in the rain. The drowned rat look is ever so attractive. However, skipping along, avoiding the puddles & holes in the street, and listening to Brandon Flowers makes all the difference. I might need to buy an umbrella, it's just such a shame that my nice umbrella counts as a weapon according to BAA.
