Hah, was talking to Mary on Facetime this morning and realized how many methods of communication there are just at this very moment.  Mostly all good, sometimes too connected?

I visited a small "English Language" class this morning and it was wonderful to see the students practicing the language that I am supposed to know.

I asked the professor why the class, and for that matter most of the 200 faculty at this University, were female.   Just proving how little I know about anything.  90% of the faculty are female, and the average is about the same in the entire country of Russia.  The university professorship is, and has been, in Russia a traditionally female position, except in some of the sciences.  Who knew?  The faculty are excellent, scholarly, well prepared.  

There is a one year mandatory military service  for males in Russia and many go that route.  University is still an option, but many choose the 1 year of service.  Every day I am anywhere I find out so much that I don't know and it is always cool.

Tatiana helped me pick out a really cool street map of Perm so I could mark my bus route and walking route and I am now truly getting a handle on things.  I did, for a few minutes today, think I was on the wrong bus going the wrong direction, but that has happened coming home from Shales in Pittsburgh so no big deal.  And I did find a 2 mile walking route to the university through a park and some markets and all kinds of other cool stuff, continuing my fantasy that one day I will actually live and work at a university in a city where I can walk or take the bus.  Ah, good dream, but I still love Cal so my Comet Following has the perfect home base.