After much time: PICTURES!
Moscow:
Sochi:
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Angina, not a heart problem after all.
Angina, is the Russian word for tonsillitis. Why is this concerning? Oh, I don't know, MAYBE because in English it means severe chest pain and issues with your coronary ARTERIES. Little bit of a difference.
Fortunately I knew this unfortunate false cognate before my host-dad looked down my throat and said "Ooooo, angina. Yeah, you have angina."
Still, everytime they say it, I still think dammit I'm just 21 and I am going to have to have a stent put it and some beta blockers or something.
My host-mom, Mama Elena, the woman is a saint. She has been seriously worried at my decreased appetite. But honestly I can BARELY swallow! Not eating is a sign of death here I swear. I caught her cutting up leaves in my food again, like she tends to do when I am sick. Its like she thinks I go blind when I am sick? And I cant catch on to her turning her back to cut a leaf and then dropping it quickly into the bowl of soup she then sets in front of me? I even ASKED her well kind of signed since I lost my voice , did you put leaves in here? Noooo, you said you didnt like them didnt you? She answers, SHEEPISHLY. I say/sign/rattle/whisper, Well if they help me get better I'd eat them. Oh, really? Hmm. I swear she was almost rubbing her hands together like an evil scientist at that point! But seriously those leaves have magic powers, Im not slamming them as long as they help me get better.
ALSO, her new big thing, which Katie Udenberg finds hilarious, is to crush up medicine and put it in my juice. LIKE I CANT TELL ITS THERE. Seriously. So she comes in with a bottle of juice, and says It is hot, thats good for your throat. I nod, voiceless, she gave me hot juice with honey before which was awesome. So I set it on my desk and I open it up and it smells literally like rotting fruit. I frown, but trusting in her magical powers I pour some. I find that I CANNOT drink it unless I plug my nose, and it still tastes rancid. I swish some in my mouth, pure torture, and realize it tastes remarkably like the AWFUL angina, aka tonsillitis, meds she had me gargle with the other day. I roll my eyes. So I sign/mention/whisper to her that it tastes different, shes says, oh, I heated it up. Why? I ask, knowing she had to make it hot to dissolve the ground up medicine. Because its better not to drink cold liquids. This is actually a legit fear of Russians to drink cold liquids, annoying, but I know she was grinding them up because I found this smashing thing and packets for meds in the kitchen. Not such a good health criminal my mom.... ;) Shes the best, and has been calling me moya rodnaya, which I guess kind of translates as my own? idk how to translate it, makes total sense in Russian, but its really sweet, and cute.
Anyways, I know I have not posted in well, a long while, but I am currently laid up, so I can post away now.
I went to Saint Petersburg for the second time last weekend and it was AMAZING. I had my 21st birthday party, inconjuction with Misha's 22nd birthday. My fantastic friend Hana, who I went to immersion school with 2 years ago, came all the way from Moscow for me! We met up at the hostel, all the Oles from Novgorod came up with me, and then we grabbed some Asian food for dinner while Jim, who studies in Novgorod too, and his friends Irene and Emma ran errands. Then we went to the produkty, got some drinks, and headed back to the hostel to prepare for the evenings festivities.
We then went out to Dumskaya Street, a place of infamy where you go to really celebrate on the cheap in Piter. And that we did. Among other things I had half a bottle of champagne on the street, and a new kind of shot called the sobaka, or dog (though I think they might be elluding to the word bitch, as it give quite the kick) I will divulge the ingredients when I return. I danced all night, in three inch heels--the Russian way. My friend Jill, who is living in Piter, disappeared off to somewhere else part way through the night, but her good friend Giulia made the night a blast. It was SO nice to celebrate my birthday with Hana and my Oles. Misha fortunately agreed to take the metro with me back to the hostel that night when the alcohol wore off and I realized how BADLY my feet hurt. We got back around 7am I think and didnt leave the hostel until 1 or 2 in the afternoon.
After I recovered, we went to the Russian Art Museum, which was great, but we had to do the quick and dirty version of. Which was refreshing, because I HATE getting museum back. You know when you walk really slow and stall here and there for 4 hours and you feel like your knees are gone and your vetrebrae are actually stacking on top of each other like Lincoln Logs??? Torture. But the Modern wing was closed, so that was a bummer. Then I went and bought a bunch of gifts at the market near Church of the Spilled Blood. NOT my favorite place, but the market is awesome!
We went out for awesome Georgian food that night, and although they kind of forgot my order it was a great time and the food was AMAZING. If you ever have the opportunity to have Georgian food, do it, its my absolute favorite. I had a lot of it in Sochi and Adler. I promise I will post my Moscow and Sochi pictures soon.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Anyways, Im exhausted. So off to bed for me and my heart wait no TONSIL problems.
Chmok Chmok,
TaanTaan
Fortunately I knew this unfortunate false cognate before my host-dad looked down my throat and said "Ooooo, angina. Yeah, you have angina."
Still, everytime they say it, I still think dammit I'm just 21 and I am going to have to have a stent put it and some beta blockers or something.
My host-mom, Mama Elena, the woman is a saint. She has been seriously worried at my decreased appetite. But honestly I can BARELY swallow! Not eating is a sign of death here I swear. I caught her cutting up leaves in my food again, like she tends to do when I am sick. Its like she thinks I go blind when I am sick? And I cant catch on to her turning her back to cut a leaf and then dropping it quickly into the bowl of soup she then sets in front of me? I even ASKED her well kind of signed since I lost my voice , did you put leaves in here? Noooo, you said you didnt like them didnt you? She answers, SHEEPISHLY. I say/sign/rattle/whisper, Well if they help me get better I'd eat them. Oh, really? Hmm. I swear she was almost rubbing her hands together like an evil scientist at that point! But seriously those leaves have magic powers, Im not slamming them as long as they help me get better.
ALSO, her new big thing, which Katie Udenberg finds hilarious, is to crush up medicine and put it in my juice. LIKE I CANT TELL ITS THERE. Seriously. So she comes in with a bottle of juice, and says It is hot, thats good for your throat. I nod, voiceless, she gave me hot juice with honey before which was awesome. So I set it on my desk and I open it up and it smells literally like rotting fruit. I frown, but trusting in her magical powers I pour some. I find that I CANNOT drink it unless I plug my nose, and it still tastes rancid. I swish some in my mouth, pure torture, and realize it tastes remarkably like the AWFUL angina, aka tonsillitis, meds she had me gargle with the other day. I roll my eyes. So I sign/mention/whisper to her that it tastes different, shes says, oh, I heated it up. Why? I ask, knowing she had to make it hot to dissolve the ground up medicine. Because its better not to drink cold liquids. This is actually a legit fear of Russians to drink cold liquids, annoying, but I know she was grinding them up because I found this smashing thing and packets for meds in the kitchen. Not such a good health criminal my mom.... ;) Shes the best, and has been calling me moya rodnaya, which I guess kind of translates as my own? idk how to translate it, makes total sense in Russian, but its really sweet, and cute.
Anyways, I know I have not posted in well, a long while, but I am currently laid up, so I can post away now.
I went to Saint Petersburg for the second time last weekend and it was AMAZING. I had my 21st birthday party, inconjuction with Misha's 22nd birthday. My fantastic friend Hana, who I went to immersion school with 2 years ago, came all the way from Moscow for me! We met up at the hostel, all the Oles from Novgorod came up with me, and then we grabbed some Asian food for dinner while Jim, who studies in Novgorod too, and his friends Irene and Emma ran errands. Then we went to the produkty, got some drinks, and headed back to the hostel to prepare for the evenings festivities.
We then went out to Dumskaya Street, a place of infamy where you go to really celebrate on the cheap in Piter. And that we did. Among other things I had half a bottle of champagne on the street, and a new kind of shot called the sobaka, or dog (though I think they might be elluding to the word bitch, as it give quite the kick) I will divulge the ingredients when I return. I danced all night, in three inch heels--the Russian way. My friend Jill, who is living in Piter, disappeared off to somewhere else part way through the night, but her good friend Giulia made the night a blast. It was SO nice to celebrate my birthday with Hana and my Oles. Misha fortunately agreed to take the metro with me back to the hostel that night when the alcohol wore off and I realized how BADLY my feet hurt. We got back around 7am I think and didnt leave the hostel until 1 or 2 in the afternoon.
After I recovered, we went to the Russian Art Museum, which was great, but we had to do the quick and dirty version of. Which was refreshing, because I HATE getting museum back. You know when you walk really slow and stall here and there for 4 hours and you feel like your knees are gone and your vetrebrae are actually stacking on top of each other like Lincoln Logs??? Torture. But the Modern wing was closed, so that was a bummer. Then I went and bought a bunch of gifts at the market near Church of the Spilled Blood. NOT my favorite place, but the market is awesome!
We went out for awesome Georgian food that night, and although they kind of forgot my order it was a great time and the food was AMAZING. If you ever have the opportunity to have Georgian food, do it, its my absolute favorite. I had a lot of it in Sochi and Adler. I promise I will post my Moscow and Sochi pictures soon.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Anyways, Im exhausted. So off to bed for me and my heart wait no TONSIL problems.
Chmok Chmok,
TaanTaan
Monday, September 27, 2010
More Pictures.
Due to a lot of grumbling, mainly from my mother and Steph, here is a link to my album of pictures on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=284725&id=565627999&l=b0268b7cef
Please let me know if it doesn't work correctly, if it does work, ENJOY! :D
Chmok Chmok,
TaanTaan
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=284725&id=565627999&l=b0268b7cef
Please let me know if it doesn't work correctly, if it does work, ENJOY! :D
Chmok Chmok,
TaanTaan
Saturday, September 25, 2010
A Lunch Date with Putin
First, I have expanded my list of things I miss: Coffee, my mom, free bathrooms (you know about those ones), I also really miss coffee TO-GO, this does not exist. And I miss American speedlimits, there are zero speed limits here, and SIDEWALKS. My Russian mama asked me what I missed, and I very emphatically said: Ya skuchaio po trabuaru!! I miss sidewalks!!! And she just cracked up.
I love making my host mom laugh. I say the weirdest things sometimes.
For example, she asked me about Barack Obama. "Do you like Barack Obama? Tell me what you think about him as a president and as a person." I explained that I do like him, I am not a fanatic, but I like him well enough. I also explained that I think he has/had a lot of potential, but he hasn't done enough to take advantage of his potential. I also said, I find him very interesting as a person, and would love to meet him. So then of course, I asked her about Putin, and she said a lot of stuff I did not understand a WORD of, but she did say that at times she is ashamed of him. But, she added, not as ashamed as she was of Yeltsin, which I told her was very understandable. (If you don't know why she would be ashamed of Yeltsin, read this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/341959.stm)
And then we talked about Putin for a while, and she told me that its difficult to live somewhere where the people are not expected to know or be a part of political affairs. I asked her about Medvedev and she said that she didn't dislike him, she likes him just fine, and that he's just a regular guy, there's not much to like OR dislike. Which I found FASCINATING, and totally true now that I think about it.
She asked me what I thought of Putin, and I told her, in complete honesty, that he scares me, but that I am absolutely intrigued by him.
"Why are you scared of him??" She said, starting to laugh.
This I could not explain well in Russia, so I said rather elementarily "He is strong, and cunning, and harpoons whales, and fly fishes, and judo fights, and rides horses and fights fires and he was in the KGB!"
She laughed again and nodded.
But I followed that up with "However, I would still love to have lunch with him someday."
"Does he know that??" She asked me.
I laughed loudly, and said, sheepishly "Nooo..."
She grinned and looked around the room, "Now he does!!" she said.
And my eyes just got reallllllllly big and I darted my eyes at the corner she had looked at with the vent in it.
Then we BOTH just laughed until we cried. Little did I know, all I had to do is say I wanted lunch with him out loud in Russia, and he'll know ;) God, my Russian mama is HILARIOUS. I am so lucky.
Also, gin and tonic in a CAN. SO SO SO SO SO good! And SO CHEAP. Like less then 2 dollars.
Anddddd even better than gin and tonic in a can? GIN AND GRAPEFRUIT in a can!!!
I'm never going back to America, this place rocks, I can survive a few sidewalks for this fantasy.
Kak Obyichna Chmok Chmok,
Vasha Taan Taan
I love making my host mom laugh. I say the weirdest things sometimes.
For example, she asked me about Barack Obama. "Do you like Barack Obama? Tell me what you think about him as a president and as a person." I explained that I do like him, I am not a fanatic, but I like him well enough. I also explained that I think he has/had a lot of potential, but he hasn't done enough to take advantage of his potential. I also said, I find him very interesting as a person, and would love to meet him. So then of course, I asked her about Putin, and she said a lot of stuff I did not understand a WORD of, but she did say that at times she is ashamed of him. But, she added, not as ashamed as she was of Yeltsin, which I told her was very understandable. (If you don't know why she would be ashamed of Yeltsin, read this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/341959.stm)
And then we talked about Putin for a while, and she told me that its difficult to live somewhere where the people are not expected to know or be a part of political affairs. I asked her about Medvedev and she said that she didn't dislike him, she likes him just fine, and that he's just a regular guy, there's not much to like OR dislike. Which I found FASCINATING, and totally true now that I think about it.
She asked me what I thought of Putin, and I told her, in complete honesty, that he scares me, but that I am absolutely intrigued by him.
"Why are you scared of him??" She said, starting to laugh.
This I could not explain well in Russia, so I said rather elementarily "He is strong, and cunning, and harpoons whales, and fly fishes, and judo fights, and rides horses and fights fires and he was in the KGB!"
She laughed again and nodded.
But I followed that up with "However, I would still love to have lunch with him someday."
"Does he know that??" She asked me.
I laughed loudly, and said, sheepishly "Nooo..."
She grinned and looked around the room, "Now he does!!" she said.
And my eyes just got reallllllllly big and I darted my eyes at the corner she had looked at with the vent in it.
Then we BOTH just laughed until we cried. Little did I know, all I had to do is say I wanted lunch with him out loud in Russia, and he'll know ;) God, my Russian mama is HILARIOUS. I am so lucky.
Also, gin and tonic in a CAN. SO SO SO SO SO good! And SO CHEAP. Like less then 2 dollars.
Anddddd even better than gin and tonic in a can? GIN AND GRAPEFRUIT in a can!!!
I'm never going back to America, this place rocks, I can survive a few sidewalks for this fantasy.
Kak Obyichna Chmok Chmok,
Vasha Taan Taan
Saturday, September 18, 2010
I did it! Pictures! Finally. With the painstaking speed of death.
Here are the pictures, long awaited, with bated breath I am sure, they appear small, but if you click on them they are gigantic so check them out.  |
| This is the incredibly pretty garden I found near Sarah's apartment. It is such a little haven, as residential areas in Novgorod can be unkempt. I wanted to sit in it and read immediately... but I guessed that would have been frowned upon. |
 |
| Remember the bells I told you about?? HERE THEY ARE!! Gorgeous right? |
 |
| Mishkas! My fav Russian junk food. OMG they are SO CUTE and delicious. They even have chocolate in them, and I like it so miracles can happen! |
 |
| Yeah yeah I know, just tip your head. THIS is one of the TOWERS on the KREMLIN WALL. WHAAAAAAAT?!?!?! YES I know hard to believe its reallll its so cool and so so so so old. |
 |
| Yep thats me kinda disheveled on a bench in a park in Russia! |
 |
| Yes. I ate a bacon flavored snack. It tasted like bacon. So of course, I was not wild about these "BEKON" snackz. |
 |
| A church at the wooden architecture museum! Super neato right? Thats what my future home is going to look like. |
 |
| Ok so work with me and tip your head because I suck at rotating things. THIS IS THE COOLEST MONUMENT EVER. Ok so its the 1000 years of Russia monument. It has 3 tiers. On top is the angel blessing...Mary I think? Then the second tier down has the great rulers of Russia/Novgorod. The archbishop and tsars and Rurik the first prince of Novgorod etc Then the third tier is all statesmen, clergy, rulers, and writers/artists. ITS SO COOL. More pictures of this will come. There are 129 figures on it total. SO COOL!!!! |
 |
| My room after my first night sleeping. Those are my adorable bee sheets which are SO comfy. And cheering. I forgot to take a picture of the rest of the room. Well, those are the pictures I have the patience to put up. It takes about 5 mins to upload each one and I am sleepy. Getting up tomorrow for a Skype date with my REAL MOM!!!!!! Unfortunately I have to rise at 630 am, but I'll do anything for that special lady. Enjoy the pics, I'll report back soon with tales of my NEW RUSSIAN FRIENDS! :))) Chmok Chmok Taan Taan |
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
COFFEE!
I HAD REAL NON-INSTANT COFFEE TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had two mugs of coffee at Lindsay's house, and it was SO GOOD. So everyone sing the praises of Lindsay for being a true friend and getting me super hopped up on caffiene.
ALSO, today we planned our vacation in October to Moscow and SOCHI! Yes Sochi, here is an example of how BEAUTIFUL and WONDERFUL and WARM it is there. They call it the Russian Riviera. Doesn't get better than that. We will be in Moscow for 5 days, take the two day train to Sochi, and stay for 7 days!
Pictures this week I SWEAR.
Chmok Chmok,
Taan Taan
I had two mugs of coffee at Lindsay's house, and it was SO GOOD. So everyone sing the praises of Lindsay for being a true friend and getting me super hopped up on caffiene.
ALSO, today we planned our vacation in October to Moscow and SOCHI! Yes Sochi, here is an example of how BEAUTIFUL and WONDERFUL and WARM it is there. They call it the Russian Riviera. Doesn't get better than that. We will be in Moscow for 5 days, take the two day train to Sochi, and stay for 7 days!
Pictures this week I SWEAR.
Chmok Chmok,
Taan Taan
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Belini, Beer, the Black Continent Cafe, and Pushkin: Finding the High Life in Russia
So I have failed to write for like over a week, but let that be a testament to the BLASTY blast I have been having.
Ok Belini, I think I did a run down on these earlier but let me restate, they are the light of my life. I mentioned to my mom how much I freaking LOVE cheese. (Russians ALL eat watermelon like its injected with crack or MSG or something) So I told her, I eat cheese, like Russians eat watermelon. And her eyes got REAL big and she was like That is a lot. Following this, she now finds me all kinds of cheese to put on anything and I am in hog heaven. Russian cheese is probably the only thing I will love almost as much as Wisconsin cheese. Holy jeez its good. OK so today I was dying ill. I woke up late, with a migraine, and a cold. She took one look at me and started bustling about, calling my profs telling them I wouldn't be in and pour hot tea berry currant honey mixture down my throat and WATCHING me take medicine to be sure I did it. I slept for a total of 16 hours today, and when I woke she specially made me my favorite soup: shi. And CHEESE FILLED BELINI. I felt a lot better. And of course had more tea juice honey.
Let's go over another favorite of mine as a Russian foodie: Smetana, SOUR CREAM. Do you ever feel your food is missing something? How about adding sour cream? It will always make it better. Veggies in a bowl? Add and its a SALAT. Cabbage soup? Add and its the greatest bowl of soup in your life! Potatoes and mushrooms? Slather, and TADA sauce. Smetana makes my world go round and I dont care what people say I am going to put it all over everything. See my Russian Mama just came and asked me if I wanted chicken with pasta or rice, I said pasta because I know I am going to throw some smetana on that and be happy as a clam. Who knew doing a dollop of Daisy was REALLY a good idea all along.
Piva, beer, is so ridiculously cheap and always amazingly delicious. All single 16 oz cans of beer are around a dollar. I am as always a HUGE fan of Baltika, and highly recommend it. Not only does it come in varying degrees of alcohol percentage. it is always delicious. I am a fan of Baltika Sem, 7. You should allll go to your specialty liquor store and try it. Unless you live in the Cities in which case go to Kramurczurks and get it there with some delicious Ukrainian food. Also tried a white Russian beer, very very good, even Lydia, who is no fan of beer, likes it. Also Hoegaarden is a fav of Lindsay and I, which is def available in the US. Lydia had a "Fresh Lemon" beer from a company named "Gold Mine" in Moskva, Moscow, and she didnt mind it but I definitely felt like I was sipping a liquid Halls-Honey-Cough-Drop-Beer. There was something funky going on there, so I dont recommend that until we see if anything happens to Lydia for drinking it ;)
Our new favorite haunt is Chyornyi Kontinyent, Black Continent, which is a diamond in the rough here in Russia. (Yes it is called Black Continent....) First let me explain: THERE IS NO absolutely ZERO drip coffee in Russia. And it might kill me. Fortunately we found out MacDonalds of all places has drip coffee so who knew, I might be needing to hit that place up. Sad but true. I have vices and coffee is one of them. Chyornyi Kontinyent, has espresso at least in varying forms of addicting. I had a Baileys concoction which is delish, but expensive around 5 or 6 bucks for a smallish glass. There is Arabic coffee which is espresso with caramel, and Russian, which is espresso with chocolate, and some other kind with has spices and a pepper kernel in it that is good, all for around a buck or 1.50. They also have tasty belini, my addiction, for 2-4 dollars. Its got great atmosphere, other than the weird sports channel. So if you are ever in Novgorod dying for a moment of coffee shop splendour go to Chyornyi Kontinyent.
Classes are boring boring, except for Literature with Marina Anatolyevna who is the most powerful intimidating woman I have ever met. She is broad shouldered and a little bigger, but its pure muscle I SWEAR and I think, as I told Stephanie, that she is secretly running Russia. GOD love her. So she has us reading Pushkin, The Queen of Spades, which you all must read. I read it in English once, but reading it in Russian is like, THIS is what I wanted to do. READ PUSHKIN in RUSSIA. Its incredibly hard, but the reason Pushkin is like the Demigod of Russia is because he was the first writer to actually write in RUSSIAN not highfalutin bullshit. And he wrote about real life things, granted these were 1800s real life things, but still! So I think every one was just like FINALLY when he started publishing, and he really is a master. So I must go attend to that translating business. But definitely go and check out ANY Pushkin. Or Blok who is my favyfav of all Russian writers.
I am going to leave you with one last story. Andrew and I went to Cafe Le Chocolat, which is over by the hotel because its like the expensive coffee shop where all the rich tourist go, but we went in to have coffee and SUSHI. And they totally gave us the Russian menu. WE were MISTAKEN for RUSSIANS. It was the best, and we were very very happy. So I officially look like a Novgorodka, a girl from Novgorod, anddd I am still living it up. I miss you all, but I don't miss America one bit.
PICTURES this week I promise.
Chmok Chmok,
Taan Taan
Sunday, September 5, 2010
I eat forests, DUH GEORGE WASHINGTON, and we don't have Easter in America: misunderstood with my family
So many things, in such a short amount of time.
We went on a tour of the city, downtown, where the Kremlin, Kreml, is this is where the wall is around the old churches and monuments and things like this. I have lots of pictures, and I am sure I will be down there again. I'll describe that more when I get the pictures up because its hard to make a mental image look exactly right.
We were walking across the bridge from the historical churches area, to the Kreml and we saw alllllll these people around this monument. We asked our teacher what was happening, and she said it was the anniversary of the end of the Second World War. It was very telling that we did not know that it was the anniversary, because as Americans it is hard to understand it beyond the loss of lives, but in the scarring of their land and how it changed the entire shape of Europe and their own homes. I am fascinated by this feeling of historical difference, how we purely talk about WWII as human loss, but every European I meet, or Russian, also delves into where, and how, and what happened to that place after the war. Very interesting.
So I was thinking about this, and I talked to my Russian mama about it, and she was intrigued that I noticed a difference. She had supposed it was different for us, but never knew for sure. We talked about the blokade, and she told me something our teacher mentioned on the tour: There is an ancient belfry with giant church bells from probably around the 12th century, beautiful, and exquistitely detailed, but they are all very tarnished. This is because when the Germans were headed through Russia, they put the bells in the river, so they wouldn't steal, wreck, or melt them I am guessing, and they stayed there until much later. These bells are HUGE like could crush cars, and it was very moving that they got them in the river. Russians are very prideful, and they take thier history very seriously. Which OF COURSE, I just lap up like a kitty with milk because RUSSIAN HISTORY yessss my reason for being.
As I am talking to my host mom about WWII, she was asking me if I like fish and about meat and I was like "YES I LOOOOVE TO EAT LYES!!" "Lyes?" She asks me, "No, you mean ryba, fish." "No," I say with confidence, "Lyes is one of my favorite foods." Then I pause, only to realize. Lyes means forest. I wanted to say lasos, salmon. She was laughing so hard, and so did I. Forests. Kakoi kashmar, what a nightmare.
So after that, we were eating, her delicious delicious food, I think I had cabbage tomato basil soup, and this fritatta type thing, with salmon and spinach (YES SPINACH lots of spinach thank god!) in it, and watermelon. So we are talkinig about watermelon, and what grows in Wisconsin, and then I tell her I want to go to Lake Baikal because I too have an AMAZING lake in my country, Ozera Superior, Lake Superior, and she is asking me about it, and so I start to tell her that my family is from there and that I always travel up there with my mom in the summer, and then I start to say but not lately because we have been so busy, and I just LOSE it cryyyying like a big wimp. And I am laughing, because, as I tell her with tears literally STREAMING out of my face, I am not sad, I love being in Russia, but whenever I think about my mom subconciously I must be really upset about it because I burst into tears. Keep in mind this was yesterday.
Today, I woke up and had another 3892183 glasses of compote because it is the greatest thing I have ever tasted. She told me get up early and I will make you belini, which are like not quite crepes, but not as thick as pancakes either. The best of both in my opinion, delish not too thin not too thick, absolutely DELISH. And so I get up at 8 allllll excited for belini, and 8 is not early enough by Russia standards fyi. Sooo, I have some sandwiches she left me and Sergey, my Russian dad, got me tea, and we chatted for a bit. He likes to tease me because I am always studying out of my dictionary. He says he hopes I dont leave Russia blind.
My host sister, Nastia, and her husband, Zhenya, who are both ridiculously cool and really nice to me, picked me up so I could go to the museum in the country. Again, better to explain with pictures, but we picked up Andrusha, Andy, and Misha, Mike, who are also from St. Olaf.
Then we stop at the store, because yes, my LUGGAGE is stillll GONE. It was hard to shop and I was not happy because I do not want anything but my own things. I am not sad or petty about my stuff, I just feel lost like I was an alien dropped here or something. Anyways, I got home and had a cry fest, of course, Mama Lena happened to find me and she comforted me and said we would figure it all out and she totally understood. I felt a lot better, but I slept a lot afterward, its kind of my respite from the stress.
But then I ate, late, because I passed out asleep, and she made me mashed potatos, WAY better in Russia, and these chicken patties? I think? They were well seasoned which is all I care about. And an assortment of veggies, yes Russia has LOADS of veggies! Fresh too. And of course, my biggest vice, compote. I swear I will need to get a second bladder to handle all the compote I drink.
We looked at pictures, and they were showing me this is paskha, and I was like I have no idea what that is, lots of eggs and candles and I was like nope we do not have that in America, then I look it up in my dictionary. It's EASTER, of course, EGGS, CROSSES, etc. So I corrected myself, when I said out loud, OH MY GOD, Eaaaaaaaster! They laughed.
And then I left a penny out and I was talking about Lincoln and then I had my last dollar out and I was like THIS is George Washington! I meant to show excitement because I loooove GWash, but they thought I thought they had never heard of him, and they were like um yes, we know about George Washington, of course.....I FELT AWFUL....Anyways, I adore them, and I think they like me back, despite the crazy things I say.
Tonight I had my little America hours, which was super nice, I talked to Mama Boolava, or Amy as some may know her. What a relief, let me say that. She of course, got me right back on track and teased me appropriately. I feel much better now, at peace I guess. I also got an email from Stephanie! And my Oles have been great about supporting me and my blog stuff via email :D So THANK YOU. Its important to me!
Chmok Chmok,
Taan Taan
We went on a tour of the city, downtown, where the Kremlin, Kreml, is this is where the wall is around the old churches and monuments and things like this. I have lots of pictures, and I am sure I will be down there again. I'll describe that more when I get the pictures up because its hard to make a mental image look exactly right.
We were walking across the bridge from the historical churches area, to the Kreml and we saw alllllll these people around this monument. We asked our teacher what was happening, and she said it was the anniversary of the end of the Second World War. It was very telling that we did not know that it was the anniversary, because as Americans it is hard to understand it beyond the loss of lives, but in the scarring of their land and how it changed the entire shape of Europe and their own homes. I am fascinated by this feeling of historical difference, how we purely talk about WWII as human loss, but every European I meet, or Russian, also delves into where, and how, and what happened to that place after the war. Very interesting.
So I was thinking about this, and I talked to my Russian mama about it, and she was intrigued that I noticed a difference. She had supposed it was different for us, but never knew for sure. We talked about the blokade, and she told me something our teacher mentioned on the tour: There is an ancient belfry with giant church bells from probably around the 12th century, beautiful, and exquistitely detailed, but they are all very tarnished. This is because when the Germans were headed through Russia, they put the bells in the river, so they wouldn't steal, wreck, or melt them I am guessing, and they stayed there until much later. These bells are HUGE like could crush cars, and it was very moving that they got them in the river. Russians are very prideful, and they take thier history very seriously. Which OF COURSE, I just lap up like a kitty with milk because RUSSIAN HISTORY yessss my reason for being.
As I am talking to my host mom about WWII, she was asking me if I like fish and about meat and I was like "YES I LOOOOVE TO EAT LYES!!" "Lyes?" She asks me, "No, you mean ryba, fish." "No," I say with confidence, "Lyes is one of my favorite foods." Then I pause, only to realize. Lyes means forest. I wanted to say lasos, salmon. She was laughing so hard, and so did I. Forests. Kakoi kashmar, what a nightmare.
So after that, we were eating, her delicious delicious food, I think I had cabbage tomato basil soup, and this fritatta type thing, with salmon and spinach (YES SPINACH lots of spinach thank god!) in it, and watermelon. So we are talkinig about watermelon, and what grows in Wisconsin, and then I tell her I want to go to Lake Baikal because I too have an AMAZING lake in my country, Ozera Superior, Lake Superior, and she is asking me about it, and so I start to tell her that my family is from there and that I always travel up there with my mom in the summer, and then I start to say but not lately because we have been so busy, and I just LOSE it cryyyying like a big wimp. And I am laughing, because, as I tell her with tears literally STREAMING out of my face, I am not sad, I love being in Russia, but whenever I think about my mom subconciously I must be really upset about it because I burst into tears. Keep in mind this was yesterday.
Today, I woke up and had another 3892183 glasses of compote because it is the greatest thing I have ever tasted. She told me get up early and I will make you belini, which are like not quite crepes, but not as thick as pancakes either. The best of both in my opinion, delish not too thin not too thick, absolutely DELISH. And so I get up at 8 allllll excited for belini, and 8 is not early enough by Russia standards fyi. Sooo, I have some sandwiches she left me and Sergey, my Russian dad, got me tea, and we chatted for a bit. He likes to tease me because I am always studying out of my dictionary. He says he hopes I dont leave Russia blind.
My host sister, Nastia, and her husband, Zhenya, who are both ridiculously cool and really nice to me, picked me up so I could go to the museum in the country. Again, better to explain with pictures, but we picked up Andrusha, Andy, and Misha, Mike, who are also from St. Olaf.
Then we stop at the store, because yes, my LUGGAGE is stillll GONE. It was hard to shop and I was not happy because I do not want anything but my own things. I am not sad or petty about my stuff, I just feel lost like I was an alien dropped here or something. Anyways, I got home and had a cry fest, of course, Mama Lena happened to find me and she comforted me and said we would figure it all out and she totally understood. I felt a lot better, but I slept a lot afterward, its kind of my respite from the stress.
But then I ate, late, because I passed out asleep, and she made me mashed potatos, WAY better in Russia, and these chicken patties? I think? They were well seasoned which is all I care about. And an assortment of veggies, yes Russia has LOADS of veggies! Fresh too. And of course, my biggest vice, compote. I swear I will need to get a second bladder to handle all the compote I drink.
We looked at pictures, and they were showing me this is paskha, and I was like I have no idea what that is, lots of eggs and candles and I was like nope we do not have that in America, then I look it up in my dictionary. It's EASTER, of course, EGGS, CROSSES, etc. So I corrected myself, when I said out loud, OH MY GOD, Eaaaaaaaster! They laughed.
And then I left a penny out and I was talking about Lincoln and then I had my last dollar out and I was like THIS is George Washington! I meant to show excitement because I loooove GWash, but they thought I thought they had never heard of him, and they were like um yes, we know about George Washington, of course.....I FELT AWFUL....Anyways, I adore them, and I think they like me back, despite the crazy things I say.
Tonight I had my little America hours, which was super nice, I talked to Mama Boolava, or Amy as some may know her. What a relief, let me say that. She of course, got me right back on track and teased me appropriately. I feel much better now, at peace I guess. I also got an email from Stephanie! And my Oles have been great about supporting me and my blog stuff via email :D So THANK YOU. Its important to me!
Chmok Chmok,
Taan Taan
Thursday, September 2, 2010
A long ride, a chemodan, and a new life with excellent vittles
So I am finally here! Everything is ochen harasho, very good, and I am really enjoying myself. But let's start with the trip here. I got to MSP flew with Sarah to Chicago, no problem! Other than being pulled aside for my water bottle which the security at MSP found VERY SUSPICIOUS even though NO other airport stopped me for it.... Anyways, then I took a LONG flight from Chicago to Stockholm, after reuniting with Lindsay, Lydia, Andrew, and Sarah obviously and eating the most expensive sandwich ever.
So the flight wasn't that bad, the last three hours were definitely the hardest. I watched Valentines Day, and maybe it was because I was stuck on a plane, but I actually liked it? I mean, I cried TWICE, which might speak more for my excessively emotive state rather than the quality of the film. Then I started watching the Swedish movie available and had to stop immediately because I realized that Ma:n Something Something Kvinnor means Girl with the Dragon Tattoo! And that is the book my lovely momma and I have chosen as our international book club reading. Fortunately it being in Swedish with teeeeeny tiny subtitles helps me not really know anything that happened. I sat next to Lindsay thank god, and a nice Swedish girl who said nada for 8 hrs. Got woken up by the lovely Linsday and her new friend the head flight attendant telling me, my luggage was in Chicago... SUPER. We get to Arlanda and just hang out, it was so cool there, seriously the prettiest airport I have EVER seen. I got a Latte mmm, and Svenska Lant Chips, Potato Chips, aand my first legal beverage with alcohol! Of course, not carded because Sweden and Europe are cool and the US is not. It was a tasty Czech beer as well. Celebrating my heritage.
So we get to Russia, on this little plane, and literally Lindsay and I sat down on the plane and passed out from exhaustion all of a sudden we woke up and we were over the sea and it was so weird. Then we went in Pulkovo, St Petersburg airport which was kinda sketchy, but had Free WiFi unlike every other airport ever. And I had to fill out this crazzzy form thing about my luggage. and it took forEVER. My suitcase, chemodan, is still AWOL. Then changed money, got supa stressed, and we finally took the 'bus' aka van, which was really nice and so was the driver.
We got to the University, and my host sister, and her boyfriend? Husband? picked me up, they were realllllyyy nice, and we got home where I met my family Lena and Sergey. I basically just went to bed I was so tired.
This morning I got up at 9, had these little tvorog pastry fried things YUM some chai, tea, and compote my new fav thing in the world. Its like tasty tart juice. My host mom, actually makes it! And she totes made a WHOLE other batch because I said I loooove it. Its made from sliva, plums, which are a lot smaller than ours. And for dinner I had fish, which was DELISH, and rice, she asked me about rees and I was like I dont know what that is, and then she showed me and I was like HAHA I should have known that rees is rice. Silly. Lots of silly language moments right now, but in a day, I feel better, so imagine what I will have under my belt in one month or at the end of four!
I met my teachers today and they all seem great, one talked SO fast. But I think I can handle this, I gotchyou Russia! Everyone seems content, happy, a little awkward, and mostly tired in the group. At this point, I am happy, so happy, but life is overwhelming so I make sure I am calming myself down a lot. Preventative care :) When I get my suitcase, and all of my things, I will definitely feel more comfortable, I feel a wee bit displaced right now. Then again, I am in Russia, so a little displacement is nothing compared to my euphoria.
Anwyays, its 1130, and I want to study a bit before bed. But I am here, safe, and sound, and blissful.
Thank you, whoever is reading, for taking the time and I can't wait to have more of my dreams come true! (Cheesy, but accurate)
ChmokChmok,
TaanTaan
So the flight wasn't that bad, the last three hours were definitely the hardest. I watched Valentines Day, and maybe it was because I was stuck on a plane, but I actually liked it? I mean, I cried TWICE, which might speak more for my excessively emotive state rather than the quality of the film. Then I started watching the Swedish movie available and had to stop immediately because I realized that Ma:n Something Something Kvinnor means Girl with the Dragon Tattoo! And that is the book my lovely momma and I have chosen as our international book club reading. Fortunately it being in Swedish with teeeeeny tiny subtitles helps me not really know anything that happened. I sat next to Lindsay thank god, and a nice Swedish girl who said nada for 8 hrs. Got woken up by the lovely Linsday and her new friend the head flight attendant telling me, my luggage was in Chicago... SUPER. We get to Arlanda and just hang out, it was so cool there, seriously the prettiest airport I have EVER seen. I got a Latte mmm, and Svenska Lant Chips, Potato Chips, aand my first legal beverage with alcohol! Of course, not carded because Sweden and Europe are cool and the US is not. It was a tasty Czech beer as well. Celebrating my heritage.
So we get to Russia, on this little plane, and literally Lindsay and I sat down on the plane and passed out from exhaustion all of a sudden we woke up and we were over the sea and it was so weird. Then we went in Pulkovo, St Petersburg airport which was kinda sketchy, but had Free WiFi unlike every other airport ever. And I had to fill out this crazzzy form thing about my luggage. and it took forEVER. My suitcase, chemodan, is still AWOL. Then changed money, got supa stressed, and we finally took the 'bus' aka van, which was really nice and so was the driver.
We got to the University, and my host sister, and her boyfriend? Husband? picked me up, they were realllllyyy nice, and we got home where I met my family Lena and Sergey. I basically just went to bed I was so tired.
This morning I got up at 9, had these little tvorog pastry fried things YUM some chai, tea, and compote my new fav thing in the world. Its like tasty tart juice. My host mom, actually makes it! And she totes made a WHOLE other batch because I said I loooove it. Its made from sliva, plums, which are a lot smaller than ours. And for dinner I had fish, which was DELISH, and rice, she asked me about rees and I was like I dont know what that is, and then she showed me and I was like HAHA I should have known that rees is rice. Silly. Lots of silly language moments right now, but in a day, I feel better, so imagine what I will have under my belt in one month or at the end of four!
I met my teachers today and they all seem great, one talked SO fast. But I think I can handle this, I gotchyou Russia! Everyone seems content, happy, a little awkward, and mostly tired in the group. At this point, I am happy, so happy, but life is overwhelming so I make sure I am calming myself down a lot. Preventative care :) When I get my suitcase, and all of my things, I will definitely feel more comfortable, I feel a wee bit displaced right now. Then again, I am in Russia, so a little displacement is nothing compared to my euphoria.
Anwyays, its 1130, and I want to study a bit before bed. But I am here, safe, and sound, and blissful.
Thank you, whoever is reading, for taking the time and I can't wait to have more of my dreams come true! (Cheesy, but accurate)
ChmokChmok,
TaanTaan
Friday, August 13, 2010
Champagne taste on a beer budget: shopping for Russia.
This is a post about my two great loves: shopping and Russia
So there are still a lot of things on my lists, but so far here are somethings I have invested in that might be useful for anyone else going abroad...or anyone who loves shopping...or anyone who likes to stalk me.
Comfortable cute boots are a staple for Russian fashion, Borns qualify with high marks
Soffts are very 'European' shoes, fashionable, but you can walk a mile in them without screaming or taking them off.
These Geox peep-toe pumps, have breathing soles, so you dont get hot feet, and it is fantastic. Also a solidly based heel for snow tromping and distances.
I am also considering these vintage riding boots, because they are beautiful.
Plug adapters: This for some reason was one of the most FRUSTRATING things, but I have two universal plug adapters. You ALSO need voltage converters.
I am notoriously terrible at getting up in the morning so I purchased a travel alarm clock. I was also in dire need of new reading materials so I Amazon'd Wicked, and Her Fearful Symmetry. I have two new suitcases a carry-on and a 28" from Diane Von Furstenberg, who offers a 10 year warranty with her luggage, and they are delightful. (I recommend looking at TJMaxx, but they do not have a fun link for me to use.) Of course, going to a land full of Russian divas, I had to make a couple makeup purchases to keep up. I got a ton of great samples of eyeshadow for $2.50, which are great sizes for traveling, and some Aussie Perk Me Up Concealer that my lovely Katya recommended to me for covering up dark circles and transforming them into highlighted glamed out cheekbones and two samples of foundation powder! LOVE Everyday Minerals.
I did spend a chunk of change on a great sleep mask. Since I will be flying and on the train quite a bit, let alone trying to sleep in a new place everynight, I figured it was a good investment. AND Bonnie aka BibBon has a great selection of varying prices at her Etsy shop.
Mine is one of the Luxury ones :) and I can't wait to see it. She custom makes them to order, and answered great questions about fabric for me. HIGHLY recommend her!
EBAY is likely the greatest and WORST thing to ever happen to me and my checkbook. I found great shoe deals and some great deals on Zara clothes.
If you are going to Russia I recommend reading this website. It is a great resource.
What I have learned is that shopping here and there over a longer period of time, and stretching your cash at the moment, pays out in the long run because you can catch deals and sales! Places like Ebay, Etsy, Endless.com, Amazon.com and TJMaxx have all been my favs.
I am getting so excited to leave, and nervous, but a healthy amount. Next update will be my Going-Away dinner at Chino Latino's with all my favorite girls! (including Steph who recently returned from abroad adventures in Sweden! OH HEJ!)
"I like my money right where I can see it: hanging in my closet."-Sex and the City
Chmok Chmok
Taan Taan
So there are still a lot of things on my lists, but so far here are somethings I have invested in that might be useful for anyone else going abroad...or anyone who loves shopping...or anyone who likes to stalk me.
Comfortable cute boots are a staple for Russian fashion, Borns qualify with high marks
Soffts are very 'European' shoes, fashionable, but you can walk a mile in them without screaming or taking them off.
These Geox peep-toe pumps, have breathing soles, so you dont get hot feet, and it is fantastic. Also a solidly based heel for snow tromping and distances.
I am also considering these vintage riding boots, because they are beautiful.
Plug adapters: This for some reason was one of the most FRUSTRATING things, but I have two universal plug adapters. You ALSO need voltage converters.
I am notoriously terrible at getting up in the morning so I purchased a travel alarm clock. I was also in dire need of new reading materials so I Amazon'd Wicked, and Her Fearful Symmetry. I have two new suitcases a carry-on and a 28" from Diane Von Furstenberg, who offers a 10 year warranty with her luggage, and they are delightful. (I recommend looking at TJMaxx, but they do not have a fun link for me to use.) Of course, going to a land full of Russian divas, I had to make a couple makeup purchases to keep up. I got a ton of great samples of eyeshadow for $2.50, which are great sizes for traveling, and some Aussie Perk Me Up Concealer that my lovely Katya recommended to me for covering up dark circles and transforming them into highlighted glamed out cheekbones and two samples of foundation powder! LOVE Everyday Minerals.
I did spend a chunk of change on a great sleep mask. Since I will be flying and on the train quite a bit, let alone trying to sleep in a new place everynight, I figured it was a good investment. AND Bonnie aka BibBon has a great selection of varying prices at her Etsy shop.
Mine is one of the Luxury ones :) and I can't wait to see it. She custom makes them to order, and answered great questions about fabric for me. HIGHLY recommend her!
EBAY is likely the greatest and WORST thing to ever happen to me and my checkbook. I found great shoe deals and some great deals on Zara clothes.
If you are going to Russia I recommend reading this website. It is a great resource.
What I have learned is that shopping here and there over a longer period of time, and stretching your cash at the moment, pays out in the long run because you can catch deals and sales! Places like Ebay, Etsy, Endless.com, Amazon.com and TJMaxx have all been my favs.
I am getting so excited to leave, and nervous, but a healthy amount. Next update will be my Going-Away dinner at Chino Latino's with all my favorite girls! (including Steph who recently returned from abroad adventures in Sweden! OH HEJ!)
"I like my money right where I can see it: hanging in my closet."-Sex and the City
Chmok Chmok
Taan Taan
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
A fated encounter, and reality begins to set in
Some of you know that in preparation for Russia I have been acclimating myself to being more superstitious, fatalism, eating chickens, and serendipity. Well today, providence showed her face, and I met a fascinating woman, at Planned Parenthood. If that isn't fate, I really don't know what is.
I went in to get tested for the HIV (pronounced as a word not an acronym of course), I met Tamara. She just happened to be the nurse called in to take my blood, and she was from Ukraine! She spoke Russian and Ukrainian, obviously, and we exchanged a little Russian, but I was so nervous we switched to English. We started talking and she was so insightful. She told me about traveling there, and what people where like. I explained to her that I was learning Russian because I am interested in specializing in Russo-Ukrainian relations, and that I cant wait to go to both places. But I also told her I was nervous, some people native to both countries wonder how I think I could understand their situation better than natives. She totally calmed me though, and said that motivation and an inexplicable love for a place could get you just as far or father than being merely born there. Tamara was FANTASTIC, and I can't believe I met her. She was a sign! I am on the right track!!! Russia here I come, watch out.
This weekend, I went to the Minneapolis Gay Pride Festival and it was fantastic. So, I had to pick up a Pride shot glass to take over to the Motherland in order to encourage the more, and sadly, closeted community over there.
I ALSO received my letter of invitation! It looks so official and weirdly still Soviet. No contemporary, modern styles for them. Still workin' through that stationary commissioned by Khrushchev I guess.
AND biggest of all I got my plane ticket!!!!!! It is a lovely one-way, flying on SAS. I'll fortunately be traveling with three of my trip members, so that is handy. AND I have a 5 hr layover in Stockholm so hopefully I can grab coffee in the same place that Stephmoney did when she was there! I think that would be sooooo neat. MIND MELD in a physical sense. LIFE meld.
What else, I get my visa soon. And my lovely Aunt Sara, gave me my 21st birthday present! Even though its not till fall, she wanted to give it to me so I could use it because its a CAMERA!!! AND she didn't even know that I had been shopping for one and had picked one out! Sooo I ordered it the other night! It's an Olympus Stylus 9000 and I can't wait, its got 12 MP and 10x wide angle zoom and like 10000000 features. I can't wait! It was a perfect gift idea. I like this getting my birthday presents in July thing ;) Russia's the BEST!
I'm going home this weekend, so pumped, hopefully I will get a bit tanner so I don't go over and blend in too much! Gotta have me a true American summer! Gays, tans, lakes, and materialism already done, so I'm workin' on. Watch out Russia, I'm almost ready. Almost...
Chmok chmok,
TaanTaan
I went in to get tested for the HIV (pronounced as a word not an acronym of course), I met Tamara. She just happened to be the nurse called in to take my blood, and she was from Ukraine! She spoke Russian and Ukrainian, obviously, and we exchanged a little Russian, but I was so nervous we switched to English. We started talking and she was so insightful. She told me about traveling there, and what people where like. I explained to her that I was learning Russian because I am interested in specializing in Russo-Ukrainian relations, and that I cant wait to go to both places. But I also told her I was nervous, some people native to both countries wonder how I think I could understand their situation better than natives. She totally calmed me though, and said that motivation and an inexplicable love for a place could get you just as far or father than being merely born there. Tamara was FANTASTIC, and I can't believe I met her. She was a sign! I am on the right track!!! Russia here I come, watch out.
This weekend, I went to the Minneapolis Gay Pride Festival and it was fantastic. So, I had to pick up a Pride shot glass to take over to the Motherland in order to encourage the more, and sadly, closeted community over there.
I ALSO received my letter of invitation! It looks so official and weirdly still Soviet. No contemporary, modern styles for them. Still workin' through that stationary commissioned by Khrushchev I guess.
AND biggest of all I got my plane ticket!!!!!! It is a lovely one-way, flying on SAS. I'll fortunately be traveling with three of my trip members, so that is handy. AND I have a 5 hr layover in Stockholm so hopefully I can grab coffee in the same place that Stephmoney did when she was there! I think that would be sooooo neat. MIND MELD in a physical sense. LIFE meld.
What else, I get my visa soon. And my lovely Aunt Sara, gave me my 21st birthday present! Even though its not till fall, she wanted to give it to me so I could use it because its a CAMERA!!! AND she didn't even know that I had been shopping for one and had picked one out! Sooo I ordered it the other night! It's an Olympus Stylus 9000 and I can't wait, its got 12 MP and 10x wide angle zoom and like 10000000 features. I can't wait! It was a perfect gift idea. I like this getting my birthday presents in July thing ;) Russia's the BEST!
I'm going home this weekend, so pumped, hopefully I will get a bit tanner so I don't go over and blend in too much! Gotta have me a true American summer! Gays, tans, lakes, and materialism already done, so I'm workin' on. Watch out Russia, I'm almost ready. Almost...
Chmok chmok,
TaanTaan
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Preppin' and reppin'
So, I went to my study abroad orientation...which was a complete joke. The only useful part was something I missed part of, due to a classic St. Olaf induced migraine that lasted all night the night before, but three former students came in and talked to us. That was the only thing I held onto. Lucky for us in the afternoon we got put with the groups going to third world countries so I got to learn all sorts of things I don't need to know like 25 minutes on malaria, and another 20 on how to function in Islamic countries. Good thing I am in college with four classes to do work for so I had NOTHING else to do with my time. Seriously. Crazy. Fortunately the day wasn't a total waste, considering the three students who talked to us about Russia were very enlightening, and Tess of course who always answers my 2939148 questions I ask her almost every week :) Thanks Tess!
I have purchased some fabulous luggage, courtesy of Ms. Diane Von Furstenberg. One large 28" fuchsia suitcase and a grey-brown carry-on with a little snakeskin leather detailing, of course. The suitcase is totes me, and the carry-on is a perfect color that won't show dirt when I take it all over Russia with me!
The International Studies office is probably the greatest bane of my existence right now. They are not super helpful, which I thought they would be considering how many students go abroad from St. Olaf, and they have already screwed up several things for me including misinformation on getting my passport, and losing my visa application. I have some medical things to do still, which I have put off of course. I recommend for anyone planning to go abroad to get that stuff done like the first second you find out. It's a real pain.
BUT enough of my whining I LOVE preparing for Russia! I wish it was happening faster. I did find out that I will probably leave around September 1st or 2nd, so I have a little more time than I anticipated :) Probably to hang out with you, whoever you are reading this.
Currently in preparation for Russia I am looking for a new Gladys, my very large large oversized purse who I have worn out to death, but I can't find anything I like that is that big! I know I have months to look but I want it right NOW. Of course.
What else to update? Stephmoney is in Sweden right now, updating me on her travels, and she writes such fantastic blog entries I was inspired to publish another wee post. Although, hers are much more interesting considering she is actually in Sweden, and I am sitting in a Caribou...in Minnesota. Exotic!
More once more happens
Chmok Chmok
TaanTaan
I have purchased some fabulous luggage, courtesy of Ms. Diane Von Furstenberg. One large 28" fuchsia suitcase and a grey-brown carry-on with a little snakeskin leather detailing, of course. The suitcase is totes me, and the carry-on is a perfect color that won't show dirt when I take it all over Russia with me!
The International Studies office is probably the greatest bane of my existence right now. They are not super helpful, which I thought they would be considering how many students go abroad from St. Olaf, and they have already screwed up several things for me including misinformation on getting my passport, and losing my visa application. I have some medical things to do still, which I have put off of course. I recommend for anyone planning to go abroad to get that stuff done like the first second you find out. It's a real pain.
BUT enough of my whining I LOVE preparing for Russia! I wish it was happening faster. I did find out that I will probably leave around September 1st or 2nd, so I have a little more time than I anticipated :) Probably to hang out with you, whoever you are reading this.
Currently in preparation for Russia I am looking for a new Gladys, my very large large oversized purse who I have worn out to death, but I can't find anything I like that is that big! I know I have months to look but I want it right NOW. Of course.
What else to update? Stephmoney is in Sweden right now, updating me on her travels, and she writes such fantastic blog entries I was inspired to publish another wee post. Although, hers are much more interesting considering she is actually in Sweden, and I am sitting in a Caribou...in Minnesota. Exotic!
More once more happens
Chmok Chmok
TaanTaan
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Orientation Handbook.
So the other day I received my Study Abroad Orientation Handbook. It was about an inch thick, with THREE pages, in blue, that pertained to my specific program. The rest was a diatribe by St. Olaf on safe, and appropriate behavior, they are ALLLL about being appropriate...
Right now, I have only started one thing. I chose a proxy! Haley filled it out with me the first day I got my form. I think she is PERFECT to handle the little 'chores' involved, since she is suuuper organized but also quite laidback. And I can trust her to the ends of the earth.
The other day I talked to PMcD about rooming, alllll by myself, and she was really nice and helpful. Now I can move into our pod when I get back! Also, today we meet with our new roommates Kathryn and Anna who are a great fit, and Kathryn agreed to hack out some Russian with me when I get back! :) An ally is good when you are in a group of the craaziest and best girls on the planet.
I'm still deciding whether or not I will travel to Prague after my program, but as for now I know a little bit more about it! (Like they have a LENTA which is the Russian version of Sam's Club, for some reason I am super excited about this!!)
Chmok chmok,
Taan Taan
Right now, I have only started one thing. I chose a proxy! Haley filled it out with me the first day I got my form. I think she is PERFECT to handle the little 'chores' involved, since she is suuuper organized but also quite laidback. And I can trust her to the ends of the earth.
The other day I talked to PMcD about rooming, alllll by myself, and she was really nice and helpful. Now I can move into our pod when I get back! Also, today we meet with our new roommates Kathryn and Anna who are a great fit, and Kathryn agreed to hack out some Russian with me when I get back! :) An ally is good when you are in a group of the craaziest and best girls on the planet.
I'm still deciding whether or not I will travel to Prague after my program, but as for now I know a little bit more about it! (Like they have a LENTA which is the Russian version of Sam's Club, for some reason I am super excited about this!!)
Chmok chmok,
Taan Taan
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Anddddd it's ON!
I GOT IN OFFICIALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! УРА УРА УРА! My worries are over. I will be in Russia Fall Semester 2010!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Restraintz
Today, I found out my transcripts are being held AGAINST MY WILL. This is not really blog material, but I am panicking sooooo I'm going to tell the people who have accumulated 15 views on this thing! Yeah 15!
So yeah, my entire application is on HOLD. Tomorrow I am going to go knock some heads around. Because its Russia, and the Russians are my homeboys. No transcript biz is going to keep me from chillin' with the villains. Other than that there is no news about Russia, other than I wrote some sweet questions for my Russian history class today. My entire undergraduate experience is spent preparing myself to go to a country, where I would never use any of my knowledge in a conversation with them, let alone know the words necessary to speak in academic jargon about the Petrine Era and the issue of citizenship in Imperial Russia. It makes me feel really prepared for the world.
Ok, I just had a brilliant idea. Since I can't use this knowledge for my actual life, I will utilize it in my fake life. RIGHT HERE WITH YOU!
Ok ok ok, so first nugget of history:
Peter the Great: Biggest Badass Baller on the Block, otherwise known as BBBotB
SO there is your first nugget of Russian history. I hope you enjoy.
Chmok chmok,
TaanTaan
So yeah, my entire application is on HOLD. Tomorrow I am going to go knock some heads around. Because its Russia, and the Russians are my homeboys. No transcript biz is going to keep me from chillin' with the villains. Other than that there is no news about Russia, other than I wrote some sweet questions for my Russian history class today. My entire undergraduate experience is spent preparing myself to go to a country, where I would never use any of my knowledge in a conversation with them, let alone know the words necessary to speak in academic jargon about the Petrine Era and the issue of citizenship in Imperial Russia. It makes me feel really prepared for the world.
Ok, I just had a brilliant idea. Since I can't use this knowledge for my actual life, I will utilize it in my fake life. RIGHT HERE WITH YOU!
Ok ok ok, so first nugget of history:
Peter the Great: Biggest Badass Baller on the Block, otherwise known as BBBotB
Basically, he took Russia ran it through the blender and it came out bigger, badder, and more European.
He came into his tsardom around age 10 I believe, amidst a rebellion led by his half-sister who wanted the throne as well, during this time the military elite clashed with Peter's 'faction' and many people were killed, friends to both sides, and Peter was a witness to some of these events. At the age of 10!
Finally, he gets back on the throne, AFTER his sister ruling over him for over five years. He was super into ships, and science, and was also 6'8". Six feet and eight inches tall. Ridiculous. A woman can barely find a properly 6' man in these lean times.
Anyways, he gets on the throne because his sister had some difficulty in the Crimea, a place very near and dear to the Russian heart, and eventually after sharing power with his mother and his super lame brother Ivan V, he is tsar all on his own in 1696. A note on Ivan V, he was completely incapable, and it still boggles me that he was put on the throne at all. What did that say about the Romanov family when their fellow royalty or ambassadors or dignitaries were around him? I seem to remember he was of such intense disabilities that he had a hard time walking without assistance, and mentally lacking...to say the least. Oddly enough, he was convinced to let his brother assume the power when they were finally no longer co-tsars. Oh my gosh if you rearrange that is says co-stars!!! SO funny.
SO there is your first nugget of Russian history. I hope you enjoy.
Chmok chmok,
TaanTaan
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Concrete Evidence
It is now COMPLETELY in their hands. My essays, my weird forms, and the money. I kept trying to print the required photo of myself but that did not happen. They said it was fine since my candidate pool is so small. Aka EVERYONE knows who I am. I just can't believe this is actually in process. Also holla' at Sarah for being my one visitor so far! Yeah girl. Also, today I ran between Holland and Steensland THREE TIMES to get everything signed and printed correctly, and because it was soooo unbelievably nice out today I sweat like a pig. Thanks Russia, for makin' me sweat. Like CC and the Music Factory.
Chmok chmok,
TaanTaan
Chmok chmok,
TaanTaan
Monday, March 1, 2010
The very beginning
Tonight, slash it's really morning, I am finishing my abroad application! I just finished my homework for tomorrow, and editing my essays for my application when I decided I SHOULD START MY BLOG. It seemed like a neato idea to start the blog o' life in Russia with the day before I turned in my app. (Thanks Anne for inspiring me with your AMAZING blog) Of course, it is now 238 am. So for the first taste of my journey to Russia, I give you my answer to the application question:
I wrote:
"In 2007 I was coming St. Olaf as a music major, but two weeks before I arrived I changed my mind. Put into an undecided major group, I felt lost without my passion for music, which had served as the directive force for my career plans.
Then I fell in love with Russia. After a class with Professor Dale and an in-depth paper on Romania and Ukraine, I knew I wanted to focus my career on Russia and Eastern Europe. My first semester of sophomore year was invigorating, with three classes focusing on Russian language, politics, and history. During this time, my achievement was at its highest level of my academic career.
Realizing I had identified my niche, I attended Russian immersion school for the summer in order to advance my language skills and acquire a Russian Language degree. The commitment to immersion school was incredible, in money, time, and energy. With six hours in class per day, along with meals in Russian, four to five hours of homework and cultural immersion through excursions and films, it not only nurtured my studies, but my passion.
Following my graduation from St. Olaf, I plan to enroll in the Peace Corps and work in the Eastern European/Central Asian area to contribute to the areas still rallying after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Going to Russia next semester will not only solidify my Russian Language degree, but also give me the experience I will need to work in these areas for the Peace Corps and my endeavors beyond."
So that's it, this is what the mysterious deciders of my fate in the international studies office will read when they pick me (knock on wood) to go to Novgorod, Russia for the Fall of 2010 :D :D :D A special thanks to Steph$ for helping me with my revisions, all insightful, and Momma Boolava (Mom, Amy, My Matching Head, etc) for kind of giving me pointers while she fell asleep on the phone with me.
RUSSIA!
Chmok chmok, (kiss kiss)
Taan-Taan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
