Moving to Moscow was never really our plan. After five years in Malaysia – and before that six years in the Netherlands – moving to a country that wasn’t warm, friendly or at least easy to get to definitely wasn’t going to happen. But jobs are jobs, and so we arrived in Moscow on a gloriously hot sunny afternoon in August. And now, mid-way through our second winter, as I watch the snow gently falling from the sky, I can honestly say that the move has been more interesting and fun than I ever anticipated.

We visited Moscow for a long weekend in 2007, and I can remember being stunned by the energy of the city, terrified by what seemed to be scary looking people everywhere, and bamboozled by the language. But something about the Russian culture always appealed, and when the job offer said Moscow, we took it. As we drove to our hotel on that first day, the sun glinted off the skyscrapers of Moscow City – that were not there when we last visited – and I realised that I had change my preconceptions of what the city would be like now I would be living in it.

Moscow is huge. I find – just like in any other large city – that I’ve got to know parts of it really well, and never venture into other sections. I use the Metro or bus almost every day, and after five years in Malaysia of only being able to get anywhere by car, I relish the chance to walk on wide, clean streets, wandering along and taking in the sights. I still get goosebumps at seeing Red Square and St Basil’s Cathedral, and can’t quite believe that they’re just down the road.

I love reading Russian writers, and being able to walk the same streets that their characters do thrills me. There is an appreciation for culture and arts here which I’ve never seen matched. Beautiful bas-reliefs and sculptures commemorate artists, composers, war heroes and writers on every street you walk along. The metro stations are works of art. The amount of theatres and concerts are astounding – and that’s before you get to enjoy the myriad of festivals and celebrations that pop up on the open spaces throughout the city. Since we’ve been here we have enjoyed festivals devoted to jam, watermelons, ice cream, pumpkins… it’s kind of crazy, and fun, and always obviously enjoyed by the locals too.

Yes, those scary looking locals… are not scary any more! It’s true that while they don’t walk around with a grin on their face, which citizens of a capital city do? I can always raise a smile by trying to speak some abysmal Russian, and seeing as I get asked for directions almost every time I leave the house, I have plenty of chance to make them laugh! The language is hard – for me at least – but Google translate is incredibly helpful, and just making an effort is often enough to figure things out. Learning the alphabet helped immensely, and explaining that I don’t understand and I’m foreign usually lets me off the hook. Of course, a smile goes a long way too, no matter which country you’re in, or from.

The only downside is the weather. Our first winter was exciting – after all, it had been a while since we’d got cold – but the second winter feels harder as it’s lost its novelty value! However, we get out, see the wonderful museums, try winter activities and excursions, and always return home to our lovely warm apartment. Our tip is to have lots of light around, because while the cold might not worry you, the darkness can feel oppressive. And wrap up warm!

But more than anything, having the privilege of learning more about Russian culture and the history of a place that has had such a pivotal role in modern history, has been fantastic. Moscow has challenges – the traffic! – but a sunny afternoon with an ice-cream in Gorky Park, or a chilly walk through Patriarshy Ponds makes them seem a world away. It’s beautiful, clever, with hidden aspects to be slowly appreciated, just as every proper city should be. Perhaps I am Moscovichka now?