Day of Russian Heroes

I believe that Ludmila thinks our class is sufficiently insane after today's class. She asked us to come up with advice for foreigners in Russia and in the US (in Russian of course), and we came up with some weird things. Actually we spent most of our time explaining US cultural norms to her in Russian and how to apply/why we chose the advice we did. Needless to say, hilarity ensued. Oh well! All in the name of maintaining sanity during our last week in Russia!

Today our list of things to do was short and sweet, just the way the Moscow weather likes it! We rode the metro over to Pushkinskaya to see Pushkin Square (Пушкинская Площадь) and the very regal monument to the Russian poet himself. It's a popular meeting place in Moscow and people still leave flowers at the base of the monument to show their continuing appreciation for the great writer. A quick but beautiful sight!

Hannah chillin' in Pushkin Square

Monument to A. Pushkin

Me taking a break at a beautiful fountain in the Square

After this we headed over to Leninskii Prospekt to check out the infamous ever-huge monument to the first Russian cosmonaut,Yuri Gagarin. We came up from the metro so that we had a lovely view of the monument's back. After several minutes of debating and staring at the giant traffic circle/highway between us and the statue, we decided that seeing the monument from the back was awesome enough and to locate some (what else) ice cream. So here's a picture of what the statue looks like from the front that I pulled from the web:

The weekend us upon us again, which here in Russia usually means drinking and sightseeing really cool old buildings. Tomorrow we're going to a palace within the limits of Moscow. But before then and before the evening festitivies begin dinner is to be made and laundry is to be done! So farewell from the motherland for now!

Love and hugs to all! xoxo 

P.S. And out of the millions of people (11,514,300 as of 2010) living in Moscow right now, who else do we see on the metro but one of our fellow Americans, Atticus. After an American exchange in the metro and lots of staring, calculate the odds of that!

P.P.S. I got carded again today. American documents to the rescue! I like to think our super nice demeanor and constant "спасибоs" endeared us to the poor cashier who had to read my English language passport. Heh.

(7 full days left in Russia!)

Soviet Stores & Jazz Music

Adventuring seems to be the name of the game this week, which in and of itself, is a miracle since it's too ungodly hot here to be alive. Well, scratch that. Moscow is not as bad as home right now, but when there's no A/C and your window barely opens and it becomes too hot to sleep at night over and over again, straddling the border between sleep and reality gets a bit old. Fast. In order to combat the heat during and following yesterdays final culture lecture, Hannah and I scurried across the street from MGU to our local Soviet store. Soviet stores are non-western food stores. As in everything is behind a counter and the counters are organized by product type. You have to be able to ask for what you want by name, and in some cases, how much of it you want. To the newly Russified foreigner this can be mildly terrifying. And despite having lived in Russia for eight and a half weeks now, I have successfully avoided Soviet stores (mostly because I prefer to do my own damn shelf-picking). Ice cream is probably the least intimidating thing to ask for (and one of the cheapest at only 22 rubles), so with our command of Russian and dire need for morojenoeh, we accomplished our mission. I seriously don't know what I'm going to do without Russian ice cream when I come home. It's definitely one of the things I'll miss.

As usual now, our nights are concluded by swatting moths out of the air in our room (because for some ungodly reason Russian people don't seem to understand the concept of screens) and attempting to fall asleep before 3am in the stifling Moscow dorm heat. Oi. I'll never understand.

Today was more class, more torture over participles (not really), and my individual lesson, in which I talked about the crazy-ass phobias that Muscovites have because of the article my prof. gave me to translate. Some days I just look at her and say "Ludmila, schto eta?" Then she shakes her head, laughs at me, and goes off in rapid Russian (which I follow so well now, it's scary). That's pretty much Ludmila in a nut shell. And she can wrangle all of us. Pretty much why I think she's awesome.

This evening we headed across the other side of campus into the birch forest that is eastern Vikhino to the Kuskovo Estate for a summer evening jazz concert. The estate is beautiful and the music was wonderful: four Russian guys who knew their jazz. Hannah said it was arranged a lot like Coltrane and I second that motion. A wonderful way to spend the evening, if I do say so myself. The insanity began just as the concert ended with the longest clap of thunder I have ever heard in my life. Hannah and I sprinted down the estate stairs and onto the (beautifully landscaped) grounds where we were greeted by 30mph wind gusts. In one of the open garden areas the wind kicked up so hard that we were blinded by leaves and dust and other earthly objects. It gusted so hard just then that I actually grabbed Hannah and turned her towards the wall in a there's-a-bomb-cover-the-person-next-to-you sort of way. Hilarious in hindsight. But in the end I loved it; I've always loved how it feels before a storm. And now it's pouring and thundering away. Maybe now we'll get respite from the heat! 

So before I go and do my homework for tomorrow, here's the only picture I have from Kuskovo Estate:

9 days left on Russian soil! Love and Hugs to all! xoxo

Lost in the Lubyanka

Contrary to this post's title we didn't get lost today... well, not really. As we all know, you should never rely on Rachel for directions. We did, but we made our way around Moscow bravely, so I'm taking it as a small life victory!

Today's goal was to get out and hit the town since I'm now back from the Caucasus and we only have a 2 weeks left here in the motherland. The agenda for today was long and intense since my individual lesson got switched to Thursday instead of this afternoon. Hannah and I set out for downtown Moscow at about 2:30pm, taking the metro from Vikhino to the Lubyanka Station with every intention of finding the infamous Lubyanka Prison, stationed on what else but Lubyanka Square. When we emerged from the station, I knew exactly where we were. However, despite our valiant efforts and wanderings, we found ourselves lost to the mystery of the Lubyanka: in this case, where the hell it was. Upon later research, I learned that we emerged from the metro right beside the Lubyanka Prison and had even commented on the beauty of the building. I had thought that was the Lubyanka but decided I was wrong. Lessons learned in school, never change your answers! As a result, I do not personally have a picture of the Lubyanka (maybe not possible either due to the police stationed outside) but here's a good picture I stole off the internet!

Lubyanka Metro Station (I took this one!!!)

 Lubyanka Prison, infamous headquarters of the KGB

After seemingly abandoning our search for the KGB headquarters, we hopped the metro back to Ploshad Revolutsii, headed for the Red Square. I've said before that the Red Square is my favorite part of Moscow, and today's visit only reinforced that feeling. We took some more pictures since the sun was out during our visit today, then we decided to take shelter from the 95 degree heat inside of GUM, the old Soviet State Department Store turned giant sprawling designer store mall in the Red Square. 

We wandered around for a while, looking into the windows of stores where we would never be able to afford anything unless we sold a kidney. We left GUM sufficently air-conditioned and went hunting for ice cream (which has it's own block on the food pyramid here in Russia). Sitting on a fence and eating our ice cream, we realized that we were right next to Aleksandrii Saad (Alexander Garden) and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We went into the garden and our investigation was well rewarded!

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier & The Eternal Flame

Changing of the Guard

Leningrad/Saint Petersburg

Chilling with Kiev

The Kremlin behind the walls

We walked all the way through Alexander Garden and ended up down by the Moscow River. So, we decided to trek down to the Kropotkinskaya metro station to go back to campus as it was then hot and late. On the way, we came upon the Khram Khrista Spassitelya (Cathedral of Christ Our Savior) which is the largest Orthodox church in Russia, seating about 10,000 people at once. It's where all the bigwigs in Russia go for their holiday services and such, meaning Putin pulls up pimping in his limousine every now and then. The church is absolutely stunning, especially with its gold gilded domes in the afternoon sun!

Cathedral of Christ Our Savior

We wound down our adventurous day by grabbing schwarma (kind of like an Arabic gyro on lavash bread) for dinner at a stand by our metro station. Then we went and bought four liters of water and a liter of coke at the RUS Mart because we were literally dying of thirst. It was hot today, and as an east coast resident, I feel like I can complain about it here! Now we're back, showered and resting, ready to continue adventuring the rest of the week! The plan has been laid out, so more is to come!

Love and hugs to all! xoxo

To the Ends of the Earth

(Or How I Went to the Northern Caucasus and Lived to Tell the Tale)

I know I haven't posted at all recently, but I have an excellent excuse! This past week I spent the majority of my time from Wednesday through today traveling to and spending time in the Northern Caucasus, specifically Kabardino-Balkaria and its capital, Nalchik. 

Austin and I left behind the scenery of Moscow from our dorm at 2:30pm on Wednesday and took a bus to Kabardino-Balkaria. 27 hours later we arrived in the capital city of Nalchik after seeing lots of this as soon as we left the city of Moscow:

We arrived at Nalchik late in the evening on Thursday whereupon we promptly started making rounds around town, meeting various members of Sonya's family. We were very warmly received when we finally reached his apartment, and after showering to get the bus-ness off of ourselves, we sat down to a huge dinner. In the Caucasus the culture is very hospitality and family centric. People welcomed into dwellings as guests are fed enormous amounts, offered endless comforts, and usually said to be under the protection of their hosts. And, damn, did we eat. A typical mom, and a Caucasian one at that, Sonya's mom gave us endless amounts of borscht, plof, salad, ram's meat, fruit, and bread. And vodka. Oh yes, there was vodka. The tradition of toasting throughout the meal is still alive and well in the Caucasus!

The next day we set out to see the mountains and the natural beauty that the Caucasus are so very famous for. I live in the mountains at school, and may I just say, I have never seen anything so beautiful! As you walk, you can practically feel how old the land around you is. There has actually been a decent amount of talk around the academic community in the past few years that the Caucasus may be the seat of man. The highest mountain in Europe, Mount Elbrus, in Kabardino-Balkaria, is believed by some to be the base of the myth of Mount Olympus in ancient mythology.

Our first stop was the Голубое Oзеро (or "The Blue Lake"). Nestled into the rising mountains, the Blue Lake is extremely clear, a stunning blue color from the surface, and a diving destination. 

 

After cooling off on the banks of the Blue Lake since temperatures we're reaching an East Coast norm of 95 degrees, we headed deeper into the mountains. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking and now I understand the lifestyle basis upon which Caucasian cultural ideas were built, which Dr. Isaenko has always been telling me about.

I will also leave you with this awesome graffiti that is close to my heart, as I do, as some of you know, closely study Chechnya and the ongoing insurgency that is overtaking the region's history.

"Grozny" -- capital of Chechnya

Dinner this day was a quiet affair, and then we all went out to celebrate Sonya's cousin's 18th birthday. Which should have been a hint because the celebration continued all weekend. However, the next day gave us some respite. We explored Nalchik and decided to go swimming. I cannot possible tell anyone how overwhelmingly happy this made me. I miss swimming so much; it's such a hallmark of an American summer. Needless to say, my outlook on life improved greatly after indulging my inner fish.

Certified International Swimmer :)

The remainder of the day was taken up by a massive Caucasian family dinner to continue the celebration of the cousin's birthday. We journeyed through Nalchik to an aunt's house where the living room had been transformed into a dining hall with a table absolutely covered in food. Everything you could imagine and then more. Sonya's family was wonderful and so gracious to have us and to stuff us full of food. They encouraged us to speak Russian as much as we were able to and were very patient with us when we forgot words. It really was the best practice I could have asked for. And of course, in keeping with tradition, there were toasts and shots of vodka all around the table. For several intimidating moments it was my turn to toast in Russian, but I made it out alive and to a happy table. And I'm just going to say this now: Caucasians can drink. Well that and when they found out I'm Ukrainian that only added to their filling of my glass. Oh the irony! 

If anything I find that I am at a loss for words to describe my trip and to do it justice. It was an experience of a life time and I have returned with an even greater love for the Caucasian people in my heart. Everyone we met was very congenial, bright-eyed, and so gracious to us. Whether it is all cultural impetus or not, I am duly impressed and forever grateful for their hospitality. 

So thus went my adventure to the Caucasus. I have returned without losing a limb to an IED or being shot by an insurgent. (Though I did see a tank rolling down the street my first day there.) I already miss the Caucasus, and I'm so glad that I've chosen such a wonderful and rich place to devote my studies to. And now that I've taken up a good part of your time regaling you with tales of the ends of the earth, I will only leave you with the red Russian sunrise...

Hannah and I have an impressive plan laid out to end our time in Moscow with a sight-seeing bang, so more posts to come!

2 weeks to go! Love and Hugs to all! xoxo

Being Artsy in Mosow

Today we all got up and got out butts on the metro at 10am for a group excursion meeting at the Novokuznetskaya metro station platform. At the time of our walk, it was already 80 degrees. Combined with the concrete jungle that is Moscow, this was brutally hot. But we pressed on! At 11:30, we arrived at the State Tretchikoff Gallery in the center of Moscow. The gallery is known for it's wide collection of masterpieces. In fact, it is said that the Tretchikoff has more masterpieces per a square meter than any other gallery in the world! The paintings were stunning, in both their size and craft! We ditched the guided tour and hit up the Last 19th and 20th Century painting exhibits. My favorite piece was one called "Roses in a Blue Vase," which I have so far failed at finding a copy of online. Oh the irony of beautiful but forgotten Russian art! (P.S. I took pictures of the gallery from the outside, but my camera is arguing with that theory and seems to have deleted them...)

After the Tretchikoff Gallery, Hannah and I headed around town to find the Fallen Monument Park, which houses hundreds of fallen/displaced statues from the Soviet Union. Ice cream in hand, we walked past the Red Square and the Kremlin (which are prepping for a Formula 1 race tomorrow) and down the banks of a small river. The garden itself is very unassuming and free! We wandered around taking in the mix of modern and classical sculpture. Some pieces had been pulled from the city, others were comments on parts of society such as the Gulag period. The park is also a really good excuse for you to take stupid pictures with the 8 billion Lenin busts around every other corner. As one would expect, hilarity and amazement ensued.

The only dignified picture of the day, we're classy ladies!

Soviet Union, anyone?

USSR provokes serious ponderings...

Chillin' with Lenin and Stalin

Lenin brings all the girls to the yard

Me and Dzerzhinsky, founder of Secret Police

On the way home, dripping in Moscow scented sweat (never a pleasant experience), we saw a few cool things like.......

Hey guys, look another cathedral!

Delegation to the European Union!

Anddd the French Embassy!

All in all, it was an epic if not insanely hot day. Considering the fact that we had ice cream twice and drained a two liter bottle of water on the way home, I'd say it was a great success. And now that we've had our daily it's-too-hot-to-move nap, it's time to party! Hey, it's Saturday night in Moscow!

Love and hugs to all! xoxo

(States Countdown: 3 weeks)

Slow Days & Harry Potter

Today was slowwwwww. We had lecture and woke up at 11am to make it to lunch at noon and lecture at 1pm. The sleep we got was desperately needed and gladly welcomed! Tomorrow I'm going back into the city to see something new (I don't know what yet), but I figured I would leave you all with a few random pictures from Moscow. Below is the view from Hannah's and my dorm room window as well as a doodle from class today that essentially describes our slow/rainy day procedure. Let the hilarity ensue!

On another note, Harry Potter 7 Pt. II screens tonight in theaters in the U.S.. If I was home, I'd have midnight tickets in my hands right now. But, alas, I am in Russia! So everyone go see it for me, bask in the glory, cry over the end, and tell me all about it! That's one thing I can't wait to see upon my return home! Till the very end!

 

 Love and hugs to all! Goodnight!

Podmoskovnii Vechera

Yesterday I had my individual lesson with my professor so I had class from 10am to 4pm, and damn was that rough! My brain felt like a puddle of mush by the time I was done, but I got to do some cool stuff. I told her I wanted to improve my reading, conversation, and vocabulary, so I read part of a report on how tourism affects the world GDP (11%). So. Intense. I promptly proceeded to head back to my room and pass out for a while, only to get up later and do more homework. It never ends! The week has been pretty labor intensive so far, if I do say so myself.

Last night we had an excursion of sorts: the program purchased tickets for us to go see Swan Lake (Лебединое Oзеро) at a small theater next to the Bolshoi Theater in the Teatralnaya area. The ballet was fantastic and the dancers performed beautifully! I truly felt for them though, it was deathly hot in the theater! I love ballet, so this was a nice treat. 

After the ballet, we decided to go to the Red Square at night again. A group of people turned into just Austin and I, so we hit up a store to grab some snacks before heading over. We got there at about 10:30 and the sun was still setting. We walked around a bit then parked it on the curb where we watched the sun set and ate chocolate. The buildings in the Red Square light up at the night and the Spasskaya Tower bells chime ever 15 minutes. The overall effect is very ethereal. I love the Red Square at night, and I could sit there very happily for hours if the metro didn't close at 1am. So, below are some of the Red Square by night shots I took. Enjoy! 

L to R: tower, History Museum, GUM

Spaskaya Tower

Austin taking a picture of St. Basils: PICCEPTION

GUM lights

Spaskaya and the Kremlin Walls

Oh hey there, militsia!

Lenin's Mausoleum and The Armory Building

St. Basil's by night

GUM Window -- Red Square

We were also in the Red Square for a specific reason: yesterday was the 450th Anniversary of St. Basil's Cathedral! Commissioned by Tsar Ivan the Terrible and finished in 1561, St. Basil's popular name comes from a homeless miracle worker, Basil, who lived and performed miracles in the space where the cathedral sits today. Legend says that Ivan the Terrible blinded the architects after they constructed St. Basil's so they would never be able to create something so beautiful ever again. And beautiful it is! Ура for 450 years of Russia's most beautiful cathedral!

Yesterday's Google logo for 450th Anniversary of St. Basils!

The rest of this week promises to be rainy and hot, so who knows how much we'll get out. Moscow is proving harder to get around in than St. Petersburg. There's just something off putting about the hour long metro ride into the city...

ALSO, it's the week of Harry Potter in the States right now, and you guys have no idea how much I want to be there right now! So everyone go see the movie for me, cry and laugh for me, and then go see it again with me when I come home! I'm wicked jealous! Here's to a happy conclusion to my childhood!

And now it's time for (more) homework, goodnight/good morning to all! xoxo