Winter Camp

Right after our New Year celebration, Beth and I spent the next week out at a Winter Camp hosted by the English Exchange.

The Winter Camps have a totally different feel from the Summer Camps (temperature and weather aside)-- the pace is much more relaxed, and although it was a few weeks since Christmas had come and gone, the time was spent singing Christmas carols, decorating gingerbread houses, and other festivities as if Christmas was right around the corner.

We all played several holiday-themed games.

Vasya and Zhenya reenacting pouting and crying (from "Santa Claus is Coming to Town).  But I think they are also a little disappointed they lost their respective games.

We decorated gingerbread cookies and houses.

One very special aspect of this camp was the theme-- it was a going away camp for Beth and Liam and I. One of the evening was spent with each team performing a Christmas themed skit (Home Alone, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and a Christmas Carol) but adding in the three of us somehow. The performances were hilarious and moving.

Here is a video of one of the skits (there's one moment that's my favorite. If you see it you'll know it):





Later that evening we all had coffee and our gingerbread cookies together.

Hook and Vika (or their band name: Hook and Snow White) performed together.

Life in Moscow was difficult at times. But there were many more times of incredible joy and value. Times where we never want to leave. This week was one of those times.

Back in the States!

On January 27th, Beth, Liam, and myself boarded a plane to Atlanta.  Our time in Moscow has ended.

Although our term is complete, but of course we were very bittersweet in leaving the city we've called home for the past two years.  At the moment we're searching for jobs, possibly applying for graduate schools, and looking at the possibilities of returning to the capital of Russia.

Since being back we've been overwhelmed by the welcome of our friends and family.

While we're back in the states, we do plan to continue posting to this blog (we still have most of January that I haven't written about yet). Stay tuned!

30 Things I'm Going to Miss About Moscow

1. Public transportation
2. Phones and phone plans (NO CONTRACTS!!).
3. Being able to buy fruits/vegetables and flowers on our walk home.
4. Fast and cheap internet.
5. Being able to feel a sense of community in a city of 15 million people.
6. Tea - lots and lots of hot tea.
7. Shashlik - delicious shishkabobs but better.
8. A lengthy and intensely interesting history.
9. Unexpected parades and demonstrations.
10. Dachas - those cottages outside of the city.
11. The banya - a Russian variation of the sauna.  Heat and humidity followed by extreme cold.  And repeat
12. White nights - in the summer the sun doesn't set until around midnight.
13. Going out to places like Burger King or Starbucks is a special occasion.
14. Honey is taken very seriously.
15. Unlimited hot water (save for about two weeks during the summer)
16. Balcony can double as a freezer for nearly half of the year
17. Snow.  Lots and lots of snow (however, after three months or so this can also turn into a bad thing).
18. The cultural tradition of taking off your shoes at the door.  It just makes so much sense!
19. Juice boxes are not relegated only to toddlers.
20. With milk, refrigeration is optional (most of the time at least).
21. Marshrutkas (this could theoretically be relegated to public transportation, but they're just so cool and convenient-- like min-buses that get there faster and charge you less.  It's just a little bit cramped, but a small sacrifice to pay)
22. Gypsy cabs (again, this could be relegated to public transportation I guess, but there's just something unique about being able to hail down anyone willing to give someone a ride.  The whole "never get in a stranger's car" stigma in the states is overrated.)
23. Getting laughed at for not having a shoehorn every time we have people over.
24. REALLY celebrating New Years, and the gorgeous and serious recognition of Easter.
25. Not owning a car.  Even though there are occasions where we really want one (Russia just seems like the best country for a road trip), we've saved a ton of money and have actually enjoyed not having one.
26. Banya scented shower gel.
27. Feeling like we're in a spy movie.
28. Being just minutes away from Red Square.
29. Every day feels like a new adventure.
30. Our friends.  I know this is a somewhat serious note that I'm ending on, but Beth and I are fortunate and beyond grateful for the friendships here in Moscow.  I don't know where we'd be without them.

30 Things I'm looking Forward to in the States

With our departure being only 1 week away, I was thinking about things we're excited about that we can't really have or get here.  It's a totally vain list (sadly mostly food items are on it), but I hope it shows just some of the small differences between Russia and the US.  And don't worry-- next up will be 30 things I'm going to miss about Moscow.

So here it goes-- some things I can't wait to get back to in the US:

1. Chick-Fil-A (this one is probably a no-brainer)
2. Pumpkin Spice Lattes
3. Free Refills
4. Pedestrians having the right-of-way
5. Free condiments at fast food joints
6. Being able to hold random conversations with people in lines at grocery stores
7. Cheez-its
8. Being able to eavesdrop
9. Mellow Mushroom
10. Driving
11. Reese's Pieces
12. Coupons and bargain shopping
13. Root Beer
14. Ginger Ale
15. Dr. Pepper (Although you can buy this here, it's just much much more expensive and rare)
16. Peanut Butter (You can also buy this here, but it is also more expensive)
17. Free plastic bags at grocery stores
18. Cashiers not getting frustrated if you don't have the correct amount of change
19. Zaxby's
20. Being able to smile in public
21. Thrift stores
22. Air conditioning
23. Triscuits
24. Barbeque sauce (more specifically:  Sweet Baby Ray's Barbeque Sauce)
25. Hulu
26. Netflix
27. Ordering things online
28. Traffic laws (or the relative obedience of them)
29. Urinating in public is frowned upon
30. A lengthy Autumn (at least as far as Georgia is concerned)

Ringing in the New Year

There is nothing quite like New Years celebrations in Russia.  It's probably the biggest holiday here-- it's a good week or so before you finally stop hearing fireworks.  It's a blast to be a part of, and a very special time of the year.

This time around we decided to take it easy and spend time at home with good friends.  Andrew and Ira (I'm sure you've seen on this blog before) came over to celebrate with us and brought more food than we could possibly imagine.   They prepared a plethora of traditional Russian dishes that are commonly eaten on New Year's Eve.  The idea of New Years here is how you celebrate it will reflect the coming year.  So naturally we had lots of food and were surrounded by incredible friends.

Just a small portion of the amazing spread.

Butter, dill, and caviar on white bread.

Hiding behind Liam is Ira.

Liam is a fan of Andrew!

Дед Мороз (Ded Moroz) -- or "Father Frost" greeted us with gifts.  He's Russia's Santa Claus.

He gave Liam a toy train.

I received a great sign that on one sign says "break" (or перерыв - pereriv), and the other side says "Boss, I am here" (or шеф, здес я! - Shef, zdyes ya!).

(Western) Christmas in Moscow

Christmas was busy this year for us.  It began early in the morning with a Christmas party for our English Kids Club.

I, naturally, played Santa Claus-- as you can tell by my festive Santa hat in the above picture.  For an hour and a half we played games, learned new words, and shared the customs that we practice in  the United States.



In the evening we met with our house church group and celebrated Christmas together with an incredible dinner and fellowship.  Sadly, we got probably 4 pictures from this.  We just set our camera on a table and left it there.

The next day we celebrated with the English Exchange and Open World.  We decorated ginger bread cookies and made houses, sang Christmas carols, and talked about the gift of giving: