Day 2 - Moscow orientation

First day orientation sessions

The first day we were in Moscow we had to attend the HSE orientation day for foreign students. This was my second trip to the Metro station since arriving in Russia. I bought my first Troika card (москва Тройка) and off we went to what I would later learn is the heart of HSE campus, Myasnitskaya street at Turgenevskaya station.

Turgenevskaya Metro Station
The Troika card is what is used everywhere for public transportation and can thus be swiped to ride the Metro train or the bus.

The Moscow Troika

This is the map of the city center where the HSE main building is located. Most of our first day of orientation was spent walking around here.

Google maps - Myasnitskaya

The first say three days I was in Moscow was the furthest I've ever willingly just walked to look at things. By the end of the first week, we were dead tired.





That first day or two I checked my Google Fit app I had walked on average about 10kms a day!

Highlights from my first day

This is the main street Myasnitskaya. 

Myasnitskaya


From the main street, we walked past a lot of construction on the first days on our way to the HSE buildings at the back. This first cafe I saw on the way to orientation would be Cafe Odessa.

Cafe Odessa



Our orientation sessions were at (Armyanskii pereulok 4, bld. 2) one of the HSE buildings. 


Armyanskii pereulok 4, bld. 2

We were given an introductory class and some information about the school, grades, rules, and regulations, Visa, migration, and Registration etc. 


The introductory class

The first couple of days we ate at various places in the main street that we didn't know. The food was very good but mostly quite expensive. I only later realized that the main HSE building does actually have a cafeteria. The HSE cafeteria food is very delicious I now eat meals there before and after class so as to save time on cooking.


Lunch at Marketplace

The city

The city

We walked around a lot and these are just some snapshots of the first parts of the city I saw. Below is a photo of Jeffrey and me in front of the main HSE building in Myasnitskaya street.


Main HSE building

Us walking around

Cherry Pepsi


This was the first Pepsi I bought in Moscow and it was my absolute all-time favorite - a cherry flavored drink. They have almost anything here in Cherry flavor and I love it. Cherry Pepsi has become my drink of choice when I go out.


Church Building


All over Moscow, you see these beautiful church buildings and most of them have little charity stores they run for funds where you can buy anything from scarves, rosary beads to a statue of the Mother Mary.



Mosaic on the church wall



On our way to ESN welcoming Party

On our way to the ESN welcoming party, I saw the most amazing candy store. It's almost like the South African sweets from heaven that we used to have.


Candy Store

Candy Store


Here I bought some rainbow colored Liquorice drops and some Liquorice blocks, and these purple marshmallows shaped just like berries.

Candies I bought


Me


We were searching for the ESN HSE introductory party for foreign students. Here are some photos I took of the area while we walked there. Pictured below is my friend Daisy from my dorm. We were sightseeing and having fun.

Daisy in front of the ESN party building


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