Hey, I know it's been a long time since I wrote on here. I just haven't had a lot of time lately. With all the Office episodes that I've been watchin' and all....Just kidding. Life has really been busy lately. It's my last official week of school this week. I can't believe that it's almost time to come home for Christmas. Some things that I've been up to? Well, yesterday I went to the Nutcracker at the Bolshoi Theater!! It was really amazing. A little different than seeing the Nutcracker at the Reif Center. :) It was great. I also spent time with the other American teachers and our lone British teacher. We had a Christmas gift exchange. On Friday I FINALLY went to a Russian hockey game. We watched CKA, which is a team from St. Petersburg and they played цска, which is a team from Moscow. I was really excited for the game but was a little disappointed. I love hockey so it was great to just watch a game, but I was expecting more from Russia. Wouldn't you? Come on...no fights? Not that I approve of fighting...but the game was slow and a little boring. I would like to go see some other teams. I would almost prefer to go see a MN high school hockey game. And I think I will when I'm home. Speaking of which...I am coming home on the 22nd! Which is in 8 days! It will be nice to be home and not have all the stresses of living in a city of 16 million. But I also think that it will be somewhat of a culture shock. I won't be used to hearing English all the time. Can you imagine!? It's easy now to ride the metro and think about all kinds of things because I've gotten used to tuning things out. I don't understand what people are saying so my brain doesn't really think about it. Now I'm going to hear all kinds of conversations and it might be a little bit of an English overload at first. It's weird to think about. I won't have to get nervous when I'm about to order food. I will be able to talk to children and they will understand me. I'm starting to forget that children really do speak English. And I haven't ridden in a car in 4 months. I haven't driven in 4 months! Watch out people. I haven't been to Target in 4 months. Oh my....
Well in other news....I have a prayer request for everyone. The church that I go to on Sundays is in need of a place to meet. We have been meeting in a theater school but they have decided to not let us meet there anymore. I'm not really sure what the plan is. We need a new place by the first Sunday in January. It's hard finding a place that will let a group meet in a city like this. I also ask that you would pray for safe travels for everyone who is coming home for Christmas. I always get a little nervous when I have to travel, especially in a foreign airport. I hope there will be no snow storms here in Moscow or in MN while my parents drive to Minneapolis to get me. And that reminds me that we finally got snow! It was such a relief. If it's going to be cold, there mine as well be snow. And now recess is a lot more fun for me. The temperature has stayed around -5 C which is around 23 F. Next week the forecast is freezing. The high is around 5 F and the low is around -12 F. My friends from Texas are in for a shock. The Russians keep asking me if I'm going to be ok or if I'm scared. I have to explain that I'm from almost the same climate. I get the feeling that they still don't believe me. They can't brag to me about the cold. They also keep asking me if I have warm boots. They must think that Americans are just stupid and that I would wear my tennis shoes around. Then I have to explain to them that I have mukluks. THE warmest boots. Oh Russians...they expect so little of me. I'm pumped that my friends get to feel it before they leave for Christmas. It's a good story to tell the family.
So, this week hopefully will go by fast. It's pretty much going to consist of Christmas program practice and Christmas crafts. The kids have been warming up to me more and more each week. There are still the difficult ones that just can't get themselves to like me just yet. But for the most part, the children are asking me things in English. Most of the time they speak to me in Russian and surprisingly, I am beginning to understand them. I am surprised how much I have learned without taking a class just listening to the children, watching their body language and picking up on words. It's pretty fun. I'm pretty sure that I will asked numerous times when I'm home to, "Say something in Russian, Kristin." :) Can't wait to see everyone! Russia's been great but I'm ready for some Grand Rapids. Oh and I'm posting a video of my kids playing outside. This is what I hear all day. It's become almost normal to me now. Almost. :)
