Smolny!

In front of the Hermitage, yesterday! Haven't actually been inside yet. There's SO MUCH to this city; it's incredible.

Right now, I'm at Smolny Institute on Vasilevsky Ostrov (island) in St. Petersburg, and my first official intensive Russian class is about to start! I don't have time right now for an extensive update, but let me just say this is quite an experience. One important thing to mention:

All incoming calls and text messages (SMS) to my Russian cell phone are FREE for me. So, if you have a Skype paid account, it'll cost you only about 2 or 3 ¢ (cents) per minute to talk to me, and SMS will be probably even less. Or if you have a really good calling plan or phone card, that's good too. So give me a call! But remember that I'm 11 hours ahead of Pacific time, or 8 hours ahead of Eastern time. Although the sun doesn't set here until about 12:30am (seriously), I do need sleep! More updates later!

Again, the number is:
+7 931 208 71 37

So to dial from the US, it's either exactly as above, or:
011 7 931 208 71 37