What a great day

I thought today started out badly, but I just decided to pray that it would go well.  I looked out the window when I woke up and there was snow on the ground!  It's May 19th, and it is way colder than it should be at this time of year.  When we first arrived in Russia on May 17th 2006, we had consistent weather in the low 20s.  We just haven't seen that kind of weather yet.  The forecast keeps promising that the weather will warm up but it hasn't happened yet.

When I was in the shower I pulled a muscle in my neck.  It's been hurting all day.  Melody gave it a massage this evening and I can move it a bit better now.  But I just have the peace of God in my life.  I remember times when these kinds of events would have put me in a grumpy mood all day.  Not now.  How so much has changed.

I navigated my way through paying some fees at the bank for our multi entry visas and then made my way up to the University.  The University have built some new buildings, which are quite impressive by Siberian standards.  The main building where I will have my classes is above. (The snow did melt after a couple hours.)  The writing in Russian says Siberian Federal University.  

The buildings in the distance are obshezhitiyes or dormitories. I met some Sakha students there in the past.  So yes, my classes are right next door to where some of the Siberian students live.  I spent an hour filling out 5 copies of the contract to be a foreign student and signing the forms for our multi entry visas.  They administrators asked me how long I wanted to study for, to which I answered two years.  The replied that we would have to leave the country after one year.  This would mean having to do a new visa outside of the country.  We might do that, or there may be a way to renew in country.  Alternatively we are thinking of applying for residency visas.  What ever the case, I still had God's peace.  These kinds of issues would have stressed me in the past as well.  But I know that he will take care of all those details which are quite minor to him.

(Another angle of the same University building.)

Following my business at the University I went down to the shopping centre to kill some time.  Well that's what I thought anyway.  I was waiting for Tim to finish some of his business in the city centre.  While at the shopping centre I managed to buy some SIM cards for our mobile phones.  During lunch I noticed a couple of indigenous students around.  I left them alone as they were having lunch with other Russians.  But later on as I was exploring the shops I noticed a young indigenous guy.  I managed to strike up a conversation with him.  After 20 minutes or so I invited him to our house for dinner and a linguistic survey about his language.  He gave me his phone number and accepted.

(The new library building at the University.)

After I said goodbye to this new acquaintance I met up with Tim.  We headed over to Akademgorodok and met our landlady who gave us the keys.  The place is as every bit as nice as I remember.  There was an added bonus though.  There is a new large couch set in the living room.  This means we won't have to go out and buy a couch.  It also will save us a lot of money.  God is so good to us.

That's a lot of things to get done in one day in Russia.  Again I marvel at what happens when God opens the doors and everything flows so smoothly.  What a great day.  Praise God.