Moscow

Things we have learned in Moscow so far.
Some we like, some we don't like, or understand.

*  Our apartment stinks; literally stinks.
* They take around $150 out of your deposit to clean the carpets for the next tenant.  WELL I'm pretty sure they just pocket that money and give it a quick vacuum. Hence reason number one.  This one made and continues to make me very upset.
* First priority get my Scentsy warmer out and fill it full of something good!
* We have a master bathroom!
* Having a Two bedroom Two bathroom apartment is sweet!
* The master bathroom is HALF the size of the guest bathroom; what the Heck?!
* The previous tenants did a terrible job of cleaning before they moved out.  I don't even think it's legal to have someone move in in this condition!  This too makes me very angry.
* We live on the third floor
* We have a balcony, WITH a sliding back door AND a screen door!
* We have a balcony storage closet
*The carpet is nasty colored. Totally 70's style. Light blue with light brown scattered so it looks like someone walked through with muddy shoes.
* The power turned off the second day we were here.  I thought the power went out.  Or I thought they turned our power off because it was a new month and we hadn't paid our bill yet. So I had to call the power company.  Luckily it was just the breaker that tripped because our AC unit was on. Ugh.
* Reading schedules; dates and times; for school is VERY IMPORTANT!!! Mike got accepted into an early welcome program for the law class…..And he missed the first day because we thought it started on Wednesday! Turns out it started on Tuesday. Opps! The lady in charge emailed Mike and asked if he was ok and asked if there was anything she could do to help. Mike emailed back and apologized.  she said no worries just come to our BBQ tonight. We had NO idea where it was or how to find it.  So after two hours of looking at old emails and googling the professor we luckily found it JUST in time to show up for the BBQ on time!
*  "Welcome to the BBQ, the beer is that way" the first guy we saw said.    "haha ok cool thanks, is there water that way too?" Quite the adjustment for us.  Ya like we are going to drink since we have a sleeping baby in tow.
* There is a super Walmart AND a Winco in town!!!!
* We sold the jetta and the corolla so we only have one car. Mike will be riding his bike, walking or taking the public bus system :)
* The are One-Way streets EVERYWHERE!    UGH I hate one way streets! pray for me, haha
* Park under the parking port then take the elevator or escalator to go UPSTAIRS to get to the bank!
* Our apartment complex gave us some paper work to fill out; they also gave us some microwave popcorn as a welcome treat with a cute saying on it, "Let us know if anything 'pops' up that you need" cute right? WELL,….the apartment DOES NOT provide a MICROWAVE!! how am i suppose to eat my popcorn?!?!  (This ones my favorite).
* Our apartment management IS. A. JOKE.!!!!!  They have been nothing but rude to us and look at us like they are annoyed with us and that we are stupid. UGH
* Our mailbox situation is A. JOKE.
I changed our address for everything so that by the time we got back from our two week vacation we would be caught up on our mail. When we got back we asked the office if they had a mail key for us, they looked at us stupidly and said, "Ugh you have to go to the post office to get that." oh ok. Like we knew that?! So we just go and ask them for a mail key? "No you have to take your signed copy of your lease" oh ok.  Actually we are still unpacking…
interruption…What is your email?
...we were wondering if you could email us a copy…
…WHAT IS YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS MA'AM?!
see what I mean, rude. And that's just One example!
So we finally get our printer hooked up and print our lease.  We go to the post office to get our key.  She comes back with a new lock and two keys.  "Oh we get a new lock huh?" Mike commented.
 "Ya every time a new tenant moves in we change the lock" post office lady
"Oh wow, ok cool"
Ya they change it because you can make as many copies of the key as you want so they don't want old tenants coming to get into the mailbox so we just change the lock"
EVERY person in line, in front of us and behind us, had mailing address issues or key issues.  Seems like a lot of work if you ask me. Just hand out two mail keys turn them, in rent them out, turn them in, rent them out, etc. Why go through all this hassle.
* I have a peep hole in my front door; I can see you :)
* Mike gets his own cubicle in the library to study in for all three years :)
* Mike loves law school
* Hannah and I are still adjusting
* I swear every body drinks, smokes or does drugs. yesterday there was a frat house with a bunch of guys on the roof having a ''smokin'' party
* Frat houses and sorority houses EVERYWHERE
* The family Ward we attended Sunday tried to kick us out and said "Oh…um…do you know about the married student ward? We are supposed to encourage students to go there. They don't want you to come here unless your oldest is turning eight years old" Talk about weird!   "But if you decide to stay we will love you just the same"
So our interpretation, "go to the married student ward but if you want to stay I guess we will love you if we have to".  So we will try the married student ward next sunday.
* Every car, every business window, every apartment building etc, there is Vandal stickers, etc EVERYWHERE!!! And I thought Boise State had a lot, haha.
* I've learned I miss Idaho! haha, I totally feel like I'm in another state, it almost feels like I'm in WA or something.
* We have met some really nice people and are starting to run into people we know as we wonder through town and campus.  One of the librarians teaches belly dancing…. maybe I'll sign up HAHA.  We have run into her like four times now   (I would NEVER think she would teach belly dancing.  She's a little shorter than me and well she looks like a librarian. I'm not being rude, it just surprised me. But good for her!
* I miss my friends. A LOT!!!  I miss my social interaction, I swear I'm getting dumber by the day.
* Time is flying by and school hasn't even officially started yet!!
* Moscow is an adjustment for us for sure but I'm sure we will learn to love it! And find many other goo things about this town! :)