Playing Catch-Up!

So I have been a terrible blogger and haven't written in over a month! I apologize and I will give you the long and short of things. So I celebrated the Super Bowl at a whopping 2:30 am in Moscow on Monday morning. Myself and some fellow Americans went to a Sports Bar and ate American food and watched the Saints win! Unfortunately I had to teach at 3pm that day......so it was a rough day.

My teaching schedule has been a little hectic lately. I have been teaching 6 days a week and doing overtime. It is okay because I love my classes and my kids. My new boss arrived and he took a class from me, but they didn't like him and wanted me back so that made my overtime worth it, to know that they wanted me to teach them. So I am content with my classes right now. Actually my favorite class just ended because they are taking their exam next week and the last lesson was so sad. One of the girls cried and it made me so sad. I really don't know if I can leave next year just because I feel like these kids need me to represent America and to relate to them. They have so many hopes and dreams and I feel like it is my job to foster them. I am truly in love with them and no words can describe it.

I have been making more Russian connections lately as well. I have been hanging out with a group of Russian guys and I went to one of their Dacha's (cabin) this weekend. It was really fun and lots of people were there. I am proud to represent America, because they have lots of questions and impressions and they like to hear what my input is on the matter. They teach me useful Russian words and cultural aspects. We have a great time and spend almost every day of the weekend together. Because of this new friendship, I have been neglecting my other Russian friends, so we are going to hang out this weekend. Also I made one more Russian friend, Sveta. She was an individual student of mine and now I teach her privately because she could not afford the price of Language Link. She wants to go to St. Petersburg with me in May and I can't wait. It will be so much easier with a Russian....hahaha. I was surprised that she wanted to hang out with me because she is so serious but she is really nice and we bonded over watching 'Friends' in English and discussing the episodes in class...hahahaha. So far every Russian that I have met that is my age and speaks English has become my friend so I feel like a success as a person.

I have been trying to keep up with my culture in Russia as well. I visited a famous art museum, the Tretyakov Gallery, and saw some beautiful Russian paintings. My favorite artist is Vrubel. I am basically falling head over heels in love with Russia and I really don't think I can leave it next year. So that is the short and skinny of the situation as of now.


Lindsay at the dacha.....Nikita had crazy clothes for us all to wear, including a pancho, fur vests, and a safari hat. There was also a real bear rug with the head on it still....so Russian.







































Nikita, Lindsay, and I at Nikita's dacha