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

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

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

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

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

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

Anddddd it's ON!

I GOT IN OFFICIALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! УРА УРА УРА! My worries are over. I will be in Russia Fall Semester 2010!