One of the last relaxing days of the summer

Today was pretty chill. At 10 I had my oral proficiency interview, which went pretty well. I found out at 11:40 PM that I've been placed in level 7, which is the highest level offered. I'm pleased with my placement; I really think it's where I belong.

The rest of the day was spent exploring campus and the town of Middlebury. It's about the cutest, most picturesque little town you could imagine. There are no chain stores of any kind, so every store is locally owned, but you can still find everything you need. I bought some hangers and a shower bucket today (I know, exciting, huh?). Then some of the girls I've met here and I went to this little cafe for ice cream and, for me, coffee. Yum!

I've been meeting more and more of my classmates, although with many of them I've just had time to introduce myself, but not much time to actually talk. I'm sure we'll be getting to know the classmates in our levels very well. One girl I've met so far who's been really cool is Greta, who is in my class. She's in grad school at Columbia for Russian literature, and we had quite a good conversation over ice cream this afternoon. I'm really looking forward to talking with her more in Russian.

After dinner we watched a film from 1934 which roughly translates as "The Happy Gang." It's a slapstick, farcical musical comedy, which was truly funny in a way slapstick sometimes can't achieve. Our professor did a good job picking it, because the actors spoke pretty slowly and clearly (maybe that was the style in the 30s?), which I'm sure was helpful for many of the students. We all found the movie to be really funny, but it became much more somber for me afterwards, when one of our professors explained how most of the people who worked on the movie ended up in labor camps or executed during the Purges (though not because of their work on this film). Yikes.

Along with our placements the faculty here have posted the calendar of events for the whole summer. It looks like there will be several interesting lectures from guest speakers to attend, as well as movie nights, parties, volleyball and soccer games (I'll be a spectator only), and other events. Additionally, this week we'll be learning more about the co-curricular activities that will start next Sunday. I'm particularly interested in yoga, culinary club, and possibly the choir (though it's been years since I've sung).

Tomorrow Stephanie, my roommate, and I are planning on sleeping in (although for me that probably means getting up at 8, if I can even sleep that late), then we're going to go find the gym and work out. We also need to buy our textbooks tomorrow, and we're meeting our professors for the first time in the afternoon before dinner, where we'll receive our syllabi and other instructions for the start of class on Monday. After dinner, we sign our Language Pledges, and I will officially be on a Russian-only diet for nine weeks. Wish me luck!