The Cat in Seat 13

So the gods of the Trans-Siberian have #blessed me with a living, breathing, ultra Russian cat as a companion on my four-day train ride to Krasnoyarsk and I’ve never been happier. He is named Tigr and he is perfect in every way. In other news, after my short stay in Vladivostok I am journeying to the wonderful city of Krasnoyarsk for yet another short stay as I slowly make my way to Moscow. On the train, I have been doing a lot of prep work for graduate school applications, and a TON of reading, both for my thesis and for fun. Of course, the train is also the best place to practice one’s Russian, as people are constantly having conversations in its cramped space. When people hear my accent, responses are varied; some want to practice their (usually very limited) English, others immediately ask me what I think of Russia as if I have any diplomatic authority, and my favorite, which has happened several times, is when someone proceeds to list off English words they know: ie “hello! green! lamp! dog!” Needless to say the train is a strange and unique experience, and I’m quickly becoming somewhat of an expert on its intricacies.