Some Sad News :(

I was planning on having this blog entry about my wonderful time at the ballet seeing Tchaikovksy's Sleeping Beauty on Saturday night, but sadly, after the ballet, while I was walking home (I went home right after the ballet instead of going to a cafe with friends, 'cause you know - it is dangerous in Petersburg!), I was assaulted and mugged right near my house. The assailant then ran into the abandoned field (see diagram on previous post), where it was dark and there was nothing that I could do.

I was walking down the street, which was a lit street, it was just past 11.00 PM, and a man came from behind (possible from the other side of the street as well) and pushed me to the ground really hard (almost a body slam) and grabbed my purse.

In my purse was my cell phone, money, credit cards, camera, and documents. But thank God I had my keys in my hand, a safety precaution I always take, and also my passport was not in my purse. I usually keep my money and credit card and documents in my money pouch, but it didn't match my outfit for the ballet!

My host family was very helpful, they called the police for me and helped me call the program director, who called my parents and had my parents call me. The police (much to my host sister's surprise) actually came and took a report and gave me the reference number of the case to give to the consulate.

The next morning my host mother went to the abandoned field and found my purse, although it was completely emptied of all of its contents. But it was ripped so hard from my arm that both of the straps were ripped off! My host sister thinks that it is salvageable, but I disagree. If I were a seamstress I could save it.

If hearing about wounds is not your cup of tea, skip the next paragraph :)

As far as my physical wounds are concerned, my right knee got banged up pretty badly; there are 2 fairly large open wounds about 2 inches in diameter a piece, which is pretty large. They are not deep at all, but just all of the skin was ripped off, and a few other very minor scrapes. I have been putting bandages on it that I change twice a day and Neosporin. But there are also a lot of bruises on my right knee and it is really swollen. Today (Tuesday) is the first day that it hasn't been too painful to walk normally. My left knee just has a few scrapes, and my right arm (where my purse was grabbed) was really sore the day after, but it is fine now.

Emotionally, I am doing pretty well. I've been more homesick, understandably, and I don't feel safe at all in my area even when I am walking in daylight with lots of other people.

The directors of the program themselves decided to move me, but St. Petersburg State University is the one responsible for finding host families, and they haven't yet found one. I really like my host family, but I live really far out in a not good section of town, and I've already been mugged...

And today, Tuesday, some of my documents were returned to the university! My photocopy of my passport, and my credit cards (which had already been canceled), but it was still very exciting to get them back.

Stay tuned for more news...