Beautiful Despite...

Stay for another 5 months? Why not, I considered. As I returned to the city after a short visit home, I was confronted by bright sun, warm weather, and sparkling snow.

This semester I am teaching fewer classes, so I have decided to focus on improving my Russian. Improvements are currently in progress, however, the extra time I was supposed to have to study is  quickly disappearing. Last year I had three private weekly lessons. This year I have six...and counting. Yesterday, when I was rushing back to the office after clas,s a teacher stopped to tell me that there was a man looking for me. Another teacher popped out of the office and pointed at me, "There she is!" She directed the said man towards me and he immediately began to inquire whether I would be free to teach at his school. Another teacher informed me afterwards that he had run into the office asking--"Where is the Canadian?"

Other than jealously guarding my time so that I can watch my usual amount of amusing Russian movies (*ahem, studying), I have been preparing and reading up on my new classes. This semester I am teaching a course about North and South Korea, and another about International Relations (where the current theme is globalization). Good preparation and a convincing tone is all I need to get by. After all, I am "the Canadian." 

On my way into the centre one day, I discovered that they had added a new bus to the bus route. Instead of going into the centre, I discovered myself traveling across the bridge. Great views, yes, but I was very late for my movie!

An early morning walk afforded me this incredible view of this fiery red sun rising over the dark, smoky bay.

Infrastructure struggles to keep up with the naturally seductive beauty of the city.
As you can see, every other step is missing on this frequently used pedestrian underpass. 

Please, if you are sending mail, make sure your envelopes are no larger than four inches.

This garbage has been sitting in front of the entrance to this apartment building for some time. Any tires, however, are not actually being thrown out, they are to be painted pastel colours and then used as decorations.

At -20 I'm very surprised (and shamefully pleased) that this hardy lady is selling the usual menu of pirozhki (tasty tasty little breads).









At the Arseneev museum, I was especially impressed by the nature section, and especially by this magnificently large (and ominous) vulture.

For Mardi Gras, my friend Elena invited me to a cafe and I tried the Russian delicacy--"chocolate sausage." Yes, meat and chocolate!

Now catching another beautiful sunset on the sea of Japan, it is not difficult to admit that this city is beautiful, despite...