way above the chimney tops...

 Hi.  Finally it's Spring Break!  Right now I'm sitting on my window sill with daffodils and tulips that were gifts from my students.  If I look outside, I can see and hear the snow melting.  It's brown, dirty, and slushy, but to me, it's beautiful.  I'm a huge supporter of the winter season but am definitely ready for some warm weather.  Russian winter is brutal but it makes spring that much sweeter.  You appreciate so much more.  

Here in Russia, the first day of spring is March 1st.  To celebrate the coming of spring they have a week long holiday called Maslenitsa.  Each day has a name and something different is done on each day.  I'm not sure of the specifics.  In the kindergarten at school we celebrated it together just one day.  We all went outside, sang songs, and played games.  Beforehand, the children made paper birds, flags, and suns.  We decorated the front of the school and invited all the parents to come and celebrate with us.  One of the parents actually hired professional actors to come and play with the kids.  My favorite part was when we all went to the back of the school and burned "Woman Winter"!  :)  It was a little disturbing to watch a straw woman burn with 3 and 4 year olds but they liked it and I liked it.  It's supposed to be symbolic of our farewell to winter and hello to spring.  After we were done watching her burn, we went back to the front of the school.  Here, the cafeteria had brought out tea and blini.  Blini is a traditional Russian pancake. They are very thin and are filled with whatever you can think of.  Traditionally, people eat them with jam, sour cream, or sweetened condensed milk.  It's kind of like Mardi Gras.  It's right before Russian Orthodox Lent.

The next day, we celebrated Women's Day.  This is on March 8th.  It's a national holiday and we didn't have to work.  On this day, women get flowers and gifts.  I was walking through the metro on the 8th, and it was crazy how many flowers I saw.  Men standing with flowers, waiting for their "women."  I got flowers from my students.  I also got some really good coffee.  

Right now, we are on Spring Break.  Most of the American teachers here have already left on their trips.  We (Sarah, Amber, and I) don't leave until Tuesday.  We are going to Copenhagen to visit a friend who is living there.  He name is Oli and I have mentioned him in previous posts.  It should be a relaxing time away.  I'm looking forward to a change.  Hopefully most of the snow will be melted when I come back?  We'll see about that.

School is going well.  I'm really enjoying working with the children.  They trust me a lot more now and actually love the lessons.  Whenever I go to the preschool (which is actually 5-6 yr olds) they all ask me, "Which group are you with today?" If it's not their group, they are disappointed.  This makes me happy.  :)  Here is a video of some of the preschoolers.  They are too cute.  I can't understand what they are talking about.  I think just a penguin.  It's interesting how you can not understand them, but clearly see individual personalities.  Liza is loud and abrasive :) and likes to be in charge.  Leva (the skinny one in the long sleeves) is very much about facts.  He's very smart and likes things to be perfect.  Pasha (the redhead) is mature in a strange way.  He speaks in a lower voice and will joke with me like an adult sometimes.  He also will shake hands with all the security guards whenever we go outside, just like a little man.  He also very rarely will walk down stairs but chooses to slide down the handrail instead. Anton, the one with the Polo shirt, is the rowdy one.  He is SO cute but also a troublemaker.  Fyodor has the vest on.  He is so sweet and loves my lessons.  He needs a lot of practice.  But this video is my current world.  I hear and see this from 8:30-5 every week day.  Weekends are mostly filled with English. :)

I love you for reading. Type at you again soon.

-Kristin

These are a few of my every day things...

This post is a lot like the last, about living in Moscow.  I promise to make a personal update soon about my actual life. :)  In the meantime, enjoy this little number.

For some reason I was inspired to rewrite this classic song to fit life in Moscow.  A possible inspiration for this is the fact that I just got home from work and it's a Saturday.

I'm sure many more verses could be written.  Please do not just read it.  Sing it out loud to yourself.  It will make you feel better.  I'm sure of it. :)

To the tune of "My Favorite Things"

Raindrops on sidewalks and dirty stray puppies

Old copper statues and rich snobby yuppies

Flowers and wine as gifts tied up with string

These are a few of my every day things.

Cream colored skin from a lack of the sunlight

Car horns and shouting heard from the street all night

Drunk man alone who decides he will sing

These are a few of my every day things.

Girls in short skirts wearing deadly high heels

Soft fur coats probably made from a seal

Brutal white winters that melt into springs

These are a few of my every day things.

   On the metro

   And the pee stinks

   If you're feeling sad

   Just simply remember my every day things

   And then you won't feel....so bad.  

Moscow, you gotta love it.  There's no place like it

You Know You're in Russia If:

This list was compiled by my lovely friend Megan and I added a few on the end. I thought it might be enlightening for those of you who are curious about what life is like here in Moscow. Enjoy.

• The majority of the calories you consume daily are from chocolate
• When you are walking outside you eye literally freezes shut
• You begin thinking that –5 degrees is warm.
• For a week of school you may have 6 out of 32 students
• Your students may stay home from school if they coughed one time on Saturday. This means they will be ill for a week or more.
• You ice skate everywhere. Your not actually wearing ice skates but since the sidewalks are one big sheet of ice you just glide along everywhere. (Because we all know if you try to lift your feet the chances of falling have greatly increased)
• If a law changes and you are upset, wait a week and it will change again… or ask someone else and they will give you a different answer.
• On the metro you smile and someone looks at you like you are mentally ill. And if you are reading a book and begin to cry… you will get lots of weird looks.
• You get body slammed by a 70-year-old woman who was walking on the other side of the street but decided that she wanted to walk exactly where you were.
• You have almost been knocked out by the swinging doors at the entrance and exit of the metro.
• You have been afraid of riding the metro because suicide bombers are in fact real and very prevalent in Moscow.
• One errand a day is an accomplishment. Two is a maybe and a huge feeling of success.
• You have had to put some grocery’s back because you realized that carrying 6 bags on the metro is quite a challenge.
• Your students correct your spelling of “mom” in class because it is spelled “mum”
• You drink so much tea that now you think teeth are actually yellow- When we made paper self-portraits I made my teeth white and my students told me “no, teeth are yellow”. I was quick to tell them mine were in fact white. But most of them still cut theirs out of yellow paper.
• You realize that kids really don’t need to drink water if they have tea… right??
• You hear English and get confused, sometimes it still sounds like Russian.
• It takes everything in you not to pet the lady’s coat next to you on the metro
• You hear the other teachers tell the children that putting tons of butter on a small piece of bread is, in fact, healthy.
• You have to walk in a zig zag pattern on the sidewalks to avoid all the spit.
• Now, sweetened condensed milk is not just an ingredient in a recipe but actually a sauce to be poured on desserts and breakfast items.
• You have become immune to the flavor of dill because it's in almost everything.
• You know that in June you will be either taking showers at a friend's flat or taking freezing cold showers, because your hot water WILL be shut off for 2 weeks.
• Piracy doesn't exist. You can get almost anything for free on the internet. Software, movies, music...
• You hear the strangest medical advice: "Don't read and eat at the same time. Your body can't focus on digestion." "Don't eat milk with fish because you will get sick." (and I told them my dad soaks his fish in milk after filleting them and they were shocked.) "Don't put milk in your tea. The chemical reaction will cause you to be sick." (Even though the whole of England drinks tea this way.)
• You get an eye-roll and an exasperated sigh if you come up to a cashier and give her anything but exact change.
• You are tempted to wink at a complete stranger on the extremely long escalator because you know you will never see them again.

After reading this, one might ask: "Why are you staying for a third year, my poor child?" :) I have decided to stay for a third year. I am very excited about this decision. I still feel like this is where I need to be. I don't feel done here. I just can't see myself going home just yet. With all it's craziness, Moscow is an amazing place to live. I am starting to feel attached to this place. But not in a I'm-Never-Coming-Home sort of way. For now this is my home and I'm not ready to leave it. I'm not ready to stop learning the language and I'm not ready to leave the job that I have started.

I miss all of you back home!!

Type at you soon,

Kristin

Простите мне...

Простите мне...Forgive me blog readers. If there are still any of you out there. I have utterly neglected this blog for a while now. Seems like all my posts start that way. :)

There is so much to write home about! Let's start with Christmas. So, I decided to stay in Moscow this year instead of making the day long journey home to the other side of the world. I thought it would be a good experience to see what Christmas in Russia is all about. And plus the plane ticket costs WAY to much this year. I do regret not seeing my little brother like normal. I have never missed a Christmas at home in my life so it was a little strange.

Christmas started with Christmas eve. That day we...I actually can't remember. Those days were a blur of food eating, fun-having, and friends. Well, I do remember the evening. Those of us left in Moscow met at Starbucks that evening before heading to a Christmas Eve service which started at 11pm I think. It was an Anglican service so it was pretty traditional. It was actually kind of refreshing. We got there just as it started so we couldn't all sit together. I ended up sitting alone. It was peaceful sitting there, holding my candle, listening to the liturgy and songs. Eventually my candle burned my fingers though. :) Also during the service, the massive amount of inscence set off the smoke alarm. It went off for at least 10 minutes before they finally got it turned off. That part wasn't as peaceful. But it was over at midnight and then it was Christmas!! 9 hours ahead of my normal Christmas.

The next day started with breakfast at my apartment with a few friends. Then we headed to the apartment of the loveliest British family I will ever know. They invited all of us over to their place for present opening and a huge Christmas dinner. We were all given our own homemade stockings filled with small gifts and candy. It was...it was...(insert appropriate adjective here). I can't even think of a good word for it besides nice. It was so nice. That's just not the best word for it. But it was a great way to spend Christmas. We had a huge feast. We had traditional (British) Christmas pudding. Complete with flames. Then we had (American) egg nog which I had never tried. Then we ate (Faroese) rice pudding made by my friend, Oli who is from the Faroe Islands. If you don't know where the Faroe Islands are, it's ok. I didn't either. They are northwest of Ireland. With 18 different islands and a population of 50,ooo. Known for whaling. :) I think that's all correct. I learned a lot about it from Oli. Hopefully we will be able to visit him there in the future. (Actually we are visiting him in Copenhagen in a few weeks for spring break. Can't wait to get out of this freezing city.) Anways back to Christmas. Oli made rice pudding. It was really good. Inside the pudding is hidden an almond. Whoever is served the almond wins a small gift. A fun tradition to add to Christmas, I think. A lot like the pickle ornament game (which I never win. I was hoping to win the almond gift, but no such luck...) After the feast, we sat around and played some games. It was a very relaxing and festive Christmas. One that I will remember forever.
The next day started, again, with a big breakfast. I went to Amber's apartment and she made us french toast. We sat around all day watching youtube videos and listening to music and drinking tea. Another relaxing day. Discovery of that day: A hilarious video from Conan O'Brien about old-time baseball. I'm pretty sure this is real. You should check it out-> http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x51o16_lnwcob-1864-baseball_shortfilms
That day was also Oli's last. He went back to the Faroes and is not coming back to Moscow. We had to say our first goodbye of the year. There will be more goodbyes coming. But let's not think about that until June...
The following week we (being Sarah and I) tried to see something around Moscow each day. One day we found a sculpture park. This had old statues of Stalin and Lenin. Might be the only place with Stalin statues? I think. That was a cool find. Another day we went to the Mikhail Bulgakov musuem. It was his old apartment from the Soviet Union days. It was pretty cool. I haven't read "The Master and the Margarita" yet but I am inspired to do so now. But...we did some other stuff. Obviously it didn't make that big of an impression on me because I can't really remember. :)
Then came New Year's Eve!.....It started with dinner at a Veitnamese restaurant. I kept thinking about what we were about to get ourselves into. Sarah and I decided a while back to ring in the new year in Red Square. Almost every Muskovite will tell you that it is too dangerous. People told me about all the people there and all the police. I was warned not to do it, but I knew I had to. Spend New Years in Moscow (the biggest holiday in Russia), and not go to Red Square? Not an option. So, Sarah and I made it to the center of Moscow around 10pm. Most of the streets surrounding Red Square were closed. When we exited the metro, we were able to walk down the center of the main street, right to Red Square. When we got there, we were greeted by hundreds of police. We went through two different security checkpoints but finally made it. The next two hours consisted of bitter cold. It was SO freezing. We walked around a little, but ended up playing 20 Questions to pass the time. A Russian guy with four gold front teeth decided to join us. I ended up having a conversation in Russian with him. He ended up telling me that he lost his friends and then asked us for our phone numbers. I said in Russian, "Why?? I don't speak Russian and you don't speak English?" Crazy guy. He eventually left us alone and when continued our game. On Red Square there is no counting down to the New Year like at Times Square. Instead, at 12:00, everyone counts the chimes of the big Kremlin clock. Once at 12..."HOORAH!!" "Snovim Godom!!" Happy New Year! And then the fire works started. We were right by St. Basils.
The fire works were ok. I was a little disappointed. I heard a rumor that they weren't going to be as good this year because of riots that occurred not too long before Christmas. True or not, the fireworks at Canal Park on July 4th were better. :)
The next week, Sarah and I spent 8 days at an English camp outside of Moscow. But I will save that story for the next blog. Now it's time to go teach. (Yes, I am doing this at school.)

P.s. sorry there are no pictures. they are all on facebook if you would like to see them!

Yours truly,

Kristinochka

The rowdy ones tend to be my favorites...

Some of you may know about a little boy that I have in my class right now named, Vanya. He is very difficult to deal with. He tends to be violent and cannot control his impulses. He will react in anger, but then will regret it. He knows its wrong and knows all the rules, but still continues to misbehave. He also is prone to using bad words. He knows more than he should for being only 5. We can't seem to figure out how to help him. It's so hard for me because all I want to do is talk to him. I want to know why he's so angry and why he acts the way he does.

I've come to really care for him and I just want to see him get help. I was told on Tuesday that they are going to hire someone to work with him all day. It will be his/her job to stay with him and make sure he does not hurt anyone. If he does, this person will take him out of the classroom so that the lesson can continue. I was SO happy to hear this and I started praying right away. I just knew that God allowed this to happen so that someone new can come and will actually help him. They won't have any other responsibilities. Just help Vanya. Right now, I am praying that the school will find the right person and that the Lord's hand will be in this decision. I am confident that God will use this opportunity to bring someone loving into Vanya's life and someone that knows what to do. Please pray about this too.

Story of my life...

I don't know if it's the sudden drop in temperature or the lack of sun but lately life has been a little...I guess I could say...lonely. I think we're all prone to those times in our lives when we feel lonely, even when we're surrounded by friends. And no, don't go worrying yourself sleepless about me, that I'm sad or depressed. I just thought that I would share some thoughts that I had yesterday. Walking 2 miles in -15 C weather by myself long after sunset, gave me sometime to think. So here's the story...


I've decided that it's time to go see a hockey game again. Even though the last Russian hockey game that I saw was a big disappointment. You would think these Russians would be fighters..but there were no fights at all. Not that I go to hockey games to see fights...but I think we all enjoy a friendly hockey tussle now and again, know what I'm sayin? :) But I digress...So, I was on way to buy tickets. I went alone because frankly no one wanted to go with me. lol. I mean...who would want to walk 2miles in the frigid Moscow air for hockey tickets? So I got there and realized I had no cash but I thought, "There's always ATMs in the metros." But...there wasn't. I walked outside and saw a bank across the street. "Perfect," I thought. "This is going to be easier than I thought." I walk into the bank and the ATM is broken...of course. I ask the woman if there is another one nearby and she says no. Then I think to my rational self, "Since I'm already here and it took a little while on the metro, I mine as well walk to the arena. It's a big arena...they have big events there...surely they will take cards." I thought this to myself as if trying to reassure myself that this was a good idea, knowing fully in the back of my rational mind that they probably would not take my Visa. But, I walk on. 15 minutes later, I get to the arena. I ask for 6 tickets for 300 rubles for the Ak Bars Kazan game on Saturday (feeling very proud of myself for being able to do this in Russian.) I take out my card and she says in Russian, "I'm sorry, only cash." I think she felt bad for me because she told me their working hours and told me to ask people where an ATM is. At this point, I can't feel my legs and I would rather not walk any more miles. So I ask if there will be tickets on Saturday and she said, "Yes, I think, yes." So, I walk away feeling proud of my conversation in Russian...but also a little degected. I told everyone that I would by tickets for the game and I didn't. This was not a huge deal but seriously, stuff like this happens to me ALL the time. Ask my mom. She'll tell you. My taxes get messed up and now I'm being investigated by the IRS...I accidently get in a car ACCIDENT and the guy sues me for $50,000...I'm sick for one day after my trip to Egypt and the school doesn't let me come back for 2 weeks. I'm forced to go to the hospital 8 times, having blood drawn, samples taken, an ultrasound, and some other stuff...only to find out, when I return to school, that the Russian government no longer pays foreigner's for sick days. That's another story...but it's just an example of the story of my life. Haha..oh man. What a crazy life it is. But back to the first story...so I was walking in the Minnesota-like weather back to the metro. I started thinking. (Keep in mind, I am not sharing these thoughts for you to feel sorry for me. I hate when people feel sorry for me. Also keep in mind that my pity-party self was exaggerating, but I really did think this. Just keep reading.) I started thinking, "This stuff ALWAYS happens to me. Nothing EVER works out. What am I supposed to learn from this stuff happening ALL THE TIME? Here I am again, like ALWAYS...by myself. Not just today but in life I'm always alone. (Note the exaggerations. :) ) I went to college alone. I went on all my mission trips alone. I came to freezing cold Russia all alone. I just wish...for once...that there was someone who always wanted to spend time with me. Someone who I am completely comfortable with and tell them anything." And as soon as these selfish thoughts streamed through my head...my selfishness turned directly into guilt. I heard the quiet voice of the Lord saying, "Well, what about Me?" I stopped...sighed...and felt like an idiot. How could I say those things with God standing there right next to me? It was like I was saying those thoughts out loud and God was standing next to me and I didn't see him there. And he was like, "Hello...what about me?"

God wants to spend time with us. He craves it. We should crave Him to. Sometimes we think these thoughts: Why is life so hard? Why don't I have more money? Why don't I have a family? Why don't I have a husband or wife? But really...when you get down to it...All we need is Him. That is hard for our puny human brains to fully be content with, however. We know this truth, we study it. Maybe your pastor will speak about it on Sunday. We will get teary eyed and nod our heads in agreement. Thank the pastor afterwards and then we go home and balance our checkbooks and think, I need more money. Right?

It's a difficult thing to do. To be completely content in every situation. Paul claimed to have attained it. Job must have mastered it a little. But still, we are human and so were they. The Lord knows this and forgives us for it.
I share these thoughts because some of you may by feeling the same way. Life gets hard or life gets lonely...but He's there. I'm praying that I may understand this idea. I'm praying that you will too. I'm praying that the Lord will bring me contentment...even as I'm about to stand outside in -20 C weather, waiting for the bus. Lord help me. :)

Thanks for reading.

yours, Kristin

oi, oi, oi...

I don't know why I'm finding it more difficult to keep this updated this year. Sorry to my couple of faithful followers.

So I've been back in Moscow for 3 months now. I can't believe that it is going by so quickly. I feel like we just got here. I haven't told you about the new school year at all. I am still in the kindergarten. It's been great working again with the same teachers and most of the same children. It's also been great because the teacher who did not like me very much quit over the summer. :) I think she moved to America actually. I hope she realizes now how hard it was for me to be living in a new place and not being able to speak the language. She gave me a hard time but I think I'm definitely growing from every difficult person that I come across. I hope she's doing well in America but...I was also very happy to hear that she was gone. :)
I am working in the same grade as last year, but they have also made me the native English speaker for the Preschool as well (which is the same age as American kindergarten.) So the children that moved on to the next grade still get to see me every day. I felt a little overwhelmed at first when I realized that I would be running around all day in two grades. But it has actually been good. It is a little crazy and I feel like I don't have much time to plan, but it's good to see the children grow and learn more and more English. Whenever I come to the 5-6 year old class, they run up to me and ask (in Russian), "I am in your class today?" (Because I only work with a third of them each day.) They actually enjoy being in my lessons. Possibly because they know they can get away with a lot more...but still. It's nice to feel like a teacher and that the children want to have English.
My Russian is coming along. I'm still just teaching myself. I understand most of what the children say to me. If I don't understand a word they will ask, "You don't know that word?" and then I say, "No." And then they will try to explain, still in Russian but with actions. :)
Work has also been great because of new friends that I have made. Our little group consists of 4 American teachers and also 2 new Russian teachers. It is their first year at the school. They speak English very well so it has been great getting to know them. I like that us, Americans, don't just hang out with each other or just eat lunch with each other. Their names are Lelia and Vitaly. They are fun to have around and also good for my Russian. I am constantly asking them questions about grammar or for different words. I recently asked them to speak to me in Russian. I really need practice speaking. I've gotten to the point where I can almost evesdrop on their conversations in Russian. They will look at me and say, "You know what we're saying, don't you?" :) It's fun. But I'm still a very long way from knowing the language.
Being back has been strangely comfortable. I am familiar with Moscow and I have a routine here. There's not as much culture shock or adjustment involved in a second year overseas. It is still difficult at times, but I know what to expect and I don't let things bother me. I know that if you don't have exact change, the woman at the cash register will get upset. I know that in some places, if they hear you speaking English, they might follow you around the store. I know that if you're on the bus with other teachers, you don't let your shoes touch the seat because you will offend the old ladies. I also know that some days are harder than others. Some days you just want to stay in or some days you just want to talk to your family. The hardest adjustment for me, I think, was not having 2 very good friends from last year here with me again this year. I was used to going places with them and seeing them. Different places around the city brought back memories from last year and I would wish that they were here. But..that's life. We are always missing someone somewhere right? Once I leave Russia, I will miss the good friends that I've made here too. Speaking of leaving...No, I don't know about next year. I haven't decided. Three years in Russia? Maybe...maybe not. But you faithful blog readers will definitely be informed. :) Thanks for reading. Type at you again soon!