orientation

Haven't made it to Russia yet, but thought I'd pass along some info that we were given after being accepted to the NTI program. I pulled some stuff from our handbook that I thought would be relevant to the Fordham kids going to Moscow this winter, in addition to some stuff that I noticed...

Things to bring:

-A Moscow guide book!! You have days off and you'll want to know where to go, what to do.

-A notebook.

-A backpack or small gym bag to transport clothes/ballet stuff/props, etc to and from the school.

-Electric converter! Or share one with whomever you room with.

Medical:

-Any medications you need or think you might need: prescription, Advil, aspirin (expensive in Russia), multi-vitamins, feminine hygiene products, iron supplements if you're a vegetarian (the diet is pretty meat-heavy), decongestants.

-Consider having your flu shot before you go.

The dorms:

-There's a full kitchen on each floor with a stove/refrigerator/oven/pots and pans etc.

-There's a communal bathroom on each floor.

Money money money:

-You will be able to use your ATM card over there! But make sure to tell your bank that you are so they don't assume it's stolen and consequently freeze it.

-Concerning ATMs: only use bank ATMs. Others can be easily hacked.

-If you're carrying around rubles (which you can get via exchange upon arrival in Moscow), make sure that you're getting notes smaller than 500 notes. Most cashiers won't be able to break 500 or larger.

Food:

-The MXAT cafeteria is inexpensive (and actually pretty good, I thought); you should be able to get by on $15-20 American dollars for lunch and dinner. There are 2 supermarkets close to the dorms, and there are a ton of restaurants close to the school. [This is where the Moscow guidebook comes in handy-I wish we had gone out to different places more often instead of staying in such a close local.]

-You pay for everything-including water at meals. This is because they're not simply putting a glass under a faucet-the water in Moscow is not good for drinking.

Being in Moscow:

-Speak softly. People in Russia don't speak loudly, and it will make you stand out. Speaking English loudly in public is one of the main causes of pick-pocketing.

-Carry photocopies of your papers on you at all times: passport signature page, visa, student ID (given to you when you arrive), and the MXAT phone number. The police can stop you at any time and ask for these things.

-The metro runs 6am-1am. It runs every 2 minutes like clockwork during the day, and every 4 minutes at night. Everyone is expected to give up their seats to older people and passengers with children.

-Don't chat between yourselves or distract each other during class; it's disrespectful and will be noticed. On the same note, don't ask questions until the professor or translator is done speaking. Chances are, your question will be answered; Americans have a tendency to ask banal questions.

-Your professors are legendary. I mean no offense to the Fordham faculty when I say that these teachers are not just any teachers. If you don't come to class, you had better be dying. If a Russian student is late to class, it's grounds for expulsion. They take this very seriously and we should, too.

So that's that. I hope it's helpful. Y'all (whoever you are) can feel free to email me if you've got questions beyond all this.