Wait, you want me to do what?

So, trying to play catch up again. When I last left you, I had given only a glimpse into the weekend trip to Suzdal. We learned about picking wildflowers, which is still a running joke among the group...

No vehicles are allowed through this field, all visitors must walk 3ish km.

Once we got to Suzdal, we had a great lunch at a cute little restaurant, then started our excursions to the many churches in the region. The first was the Church of Boris and Gleb, which was pretty cool to me because of the Medieval Russian Lit course I took last year. It's also pretty freaking cool to see stuff still standing that was built in the 12th century. (You don't find that much in Russia, since most buildings were made of wood and either burned, rotted, or were destroyed in some other fashion.) The scenery was also amazing. The soil is black and everything is bright green. I cannot express to you how poorly photos capture the beauty of the land and scenery.

Anyway, after that church was a bus tour, and... you guessed it- more churches! I unfortunately didn't write down the names of all the churches and monasteries we went to, but they're all really old and really beautiful. Some even have miracles, and important historical figures associated with them. There was also a little sample of what life was like for Russian families in the 19th century, with authentic wooden churches and houses which had been moved into a specific area to try to recreate and preserve the memories of average life back then. It was pretty cool to see an example of how my ancestors may have lived... but I also can't blame them for leaving, the standards of living were so different from those of the same time period in the US. At least I learned some cool cultural stuff though. Again, I won't bore you with details, you can ask me if you really want to know, though. So, if you ever find yourself in Suzdal, I highly recommend the Suzdal Inn. It was lovely and clean, and man they know how to throw a party! Or maybe my teachers, who organized the trip do, either way, a night of good food, local beer, some homemade strawberry moonshine concoction, and dancing was just what I needed.

Recreation of an old Russian bedroom, and by old, I mean early 1900's

Amidst all of that fun, was another fantastic experience- Banya, a weekly ritual among those who can afford it. Oh man, even though the girls and I didn't do it quite right, it was still a great time, and another chance to push myself out of my comfort zone. I didn't take any photos of the Banya, so sorry, you'll just have to experience it for yourself. The building was located in the yard of the hotel, as is Russian tradition to keep it separate from the main house. There are old beliefs and superstitions as to why, but I won't bore you with that now. Anyhow... the building was wooden, very nice, and clean. There was a bit of an anti-chamber for a toilet, supplies and changing... and by changing I mean stripping. That's right, it's not a Banya if you're not naked. Upstairs there was a bit of a lounge with couches, a table prepared for tea with cookies and marmalade, as well as a small cardio room. On the bottom floor was a room with a giant wooden tub of cold water, a shower station, and a bucket of cold water overhead that would fill with cold water for you to pull a string and be quickly doused with cold water. In that room was also a door to the hot room.

It looked just like your average sauna, all wood, and hot as hell. However, here's the difference- there's a bucket of hot water in there with a ladle and a bundle of birch branches in it. The ladle is for pouring water onto the hot stones to steam the place up and heat it even more. The branches add a lovely scent to the water, which fills the air as it evaporates into steam. More importantly, those birch branches are for beating yourself, or others, to improve circulation. I highly recommend getting someone to beat the crap out of you. It feels and smells so refreshing!

So, after sweating out all sorts of toxins and getting flogged, what do you do next?  Step out for a bit and shock your system with a dousing of cold water, of course! Suck it up, do it. It feels fantastic! Then go sit down for a spot of tea, and repeat the process. Apparently the girls didn't quite do the Banya correctly, I guess we were supposed to stay in the heat for shorter spurts with a good dousing in between. Hopefully I'll learn the proper technique before the summer is over.

My matryoshka is lacking...

Moving forward, we went back to the party, everyone stayed safe, everyone had a good time, and again I got to suck up to my professor. The next day was another slew of churches and monasteries, either in Suzdal or Vladimir, with beautiful frescoes and even the hand of Alexander Nevsky- Russian bad ass. The day was capped off with a lovely lunch at a restaurant called Adam and Eve in Vladimir, just by the remains of the old city walls, and a workshop on how to paint traditional Matryoshka dolls. I think I'll stick to music though, I suck way less at that than I do painting.

Once our dolls were almost dry, we set back out for Moscow, and well, you've already read my public restroom survival tips, so you pretty much already know what the rest of the trip was like. Oh, but one more addition to that, in case I forgot- bathrooms are often not separated between men and women, and if there's TP, it may just be communally located, and there may or may not be a toilet seat... so... get used to that.

Moscow was a giant party, yet again, when we got back. I swear there is at least one holiday per week in the month of May. Turns out that Saturday was Museum Day. So not only did everyone celebrate the number of museums in the city by going to them, but also with music, parties, and fireworks. And drag racing/drifting, can't forget about that! Oh wait, that's EVERY FREAKING NIGHT! I'll try to go out there and get photos one day, but if you ever live in the MSU area, get used to the sound of revved up engines lulling you to sleep.

On that note, I'll leave you with my lesson from the trip: embrace traditions of the culture. Take the advice of master painters on how to improve your skills. Go see what the noise is all about down the street. And most importantly, set your pride and insecurities aside. Get naked with people you barely know and flog yourself with birch branches. I tell you, the Russians are on to something with Banya... maybe that's why all the girls here have flawless skin!

The first church we encountered in Suzdal, and the least impressive.

Because we're adults. Well, technically we all actually are.

Another lovely church of the Vladimir/Suzdal area

A 3km trek through a field of dandelions was well worth it to enjoy this sight! Imagine being a regular worshiper here...

MORE CHURCHES!

Other angles of more churches!

Frescoes inside one of the churches... sorry I don't remember which one :-/

Picking Wild Flowers

Another monument at the edge of the city.

See... What ha' happen' wa'...

We're in the middle of a 4 hour bus ride to Suzdal, and have yet another hilarious incident, as well as a cultural lesson about Russia.

Y'all saw my dorm, cute & cozy, oh and that mammoth building that keeps showing up in all my photos, that's it. That's my home for another 4 weeks, pretty cool, huh? It's amazing walking up to it every day. Anyway, I never showed you the bathroom, because, well there's nothing too special about the one in our room. Toilet room on one side, shower and sink room on the other, nothing crazy about either. That was pretty deceiving. Went to the bathroom at the airport, nothing too bad, just figured it was a busy one, so the usual mess and lack of supplies. Same for the mall and a few other public places. The buildings on campus, nupe. They're hit or miss. If you're in a building/on a floor they've already refurbished, it's not too bad...

Let me just warn you about them a wee bit... go into any public bathroom expecting similar conditions you would find in the women's bathroom at AJ's (a popular 18+ bar by FSU's campus, for those of you who haven't had the pleasure...) at 1am the night before a big home football game, say vs one of those schools down south... THOSE conditions... then if you experience something better, you're delightfully surprised. Unless you're on the outskirts of town shopping at an open air market, in which case you pay 25r for a hole in the ground with walls around it. I haven't tried it, but I've heard stories from those who did. We have yet to check out the pay toilets we've seen throughout the city either.

This looks like a nice place to pick some flowers!

So, now that you have an idea about the conditions of public restrooms, you can only imagine how bad it could be when you stop somewhere on the highway. My professor told us stories... nupe. I don't want to find out for myself. Anyway... a while down the road, once we got out of the city congestion (everyone is heading to their dachas, for real - we left at 8am and traffic leaving the city was heavy) someone on the bus needed to go. So, a request to stop at a gas station or something was made, which queued in my professor's horror story. But that was followed by a legit cultural lesson. Because the conditions of public restrooms are terrifying, drivers just pull over and go "picking flowers". Cue 2 women walking out of the woods, through a field of dandelions, back to their car. In that moment, the "I'll take my chances, or hold it" mentality was thrown out the window. When in Russia, right? So the bus stopped, and a bunch of girls learned how to pick flowers. Hi. Freaking. Larious.

If you really want to know about that horror story, (and you know you do) you can now enjoy a delightful reenactment courtesy of Emily (one of those awesome friends I made while in Russia) and some of her classmates!

https://youtu.be/TIhFlIdZzI0

Now that you're thoroughly terrified, here is today's lesson: public restroom survival tips.

• Keep some napkins with you at all times. A lot of toilets don't have TP.
• Learn to hover/squat. The toilet seats are nasty, because apparently all women just hover here. Really though, the joint would stay cleaner and smell less if you would just sit. C 'mon bro.
• Don't expect soap. Or paper towels. Hand sanitizer is your bestie. Invest in some.
• The "poop shelf". I have yet to have an issue with it yet, but I've also been avoiding the bathrooms on campus. Just be prepared for the water to flush from a weird place.
• You may have to pay for a hole in the ground. Literally. Be prepared to pay, or be told that you can't use the toilet in whatever store your at.
• Oh, and holding your breath isn't a bad idea either.

On a much more pleasant note- the best public/restaurant bathroom award goes to a cute little restaurant in Suzdal we went to on Friday. More details on those adventures are to come!

Who knew Russia was so green? Or had so much swampy land?

Would it be sacrilege to pick some flowers here?

A lovely welcome to Suzdal - these churches were just the beginning!

This salad is FANCY... also good. It's an Oliviye

Blini with fresh jam is a perfect dessert in the summer!

So THIS is the horse we'll be riding? (jk... it's the one we'll eat tomorrow.)

Really... does this town NEED so many churches?

Even If It Breaks Your Heart

I lied about not being able to break chronological order for my posts. Friday was too big to wait until I'm caught up. I've been working on it since then too, so be prepared, this is a long one...

Пятница была тяжёлый день, но также с радостью. Она была день победы, и почти каждый русский человек гуляли с тяжелым но счастливым сердце. Я тоже гуляла с тяжёлым сердце, но моё сердце разбито из-за немного веш.

Alright, I'll translate that for you. Friday was a heavy day, but also with joy. It was victory day and almost every Russian walked with a heavy, but joyful heart. I also walked with a heavy heart, but my heart is broken because of a few things.

Vibrant tulips provide a happy contrast to such a grim monument.

Victory Day is huge here. Bigger than any patriotic celebration I've seen in the states. The day started out at Victory Park for me, because our teachers wanted us to be as safe as possible, yet still experience festivities by avoiding the crowds at Red Square. There apparently was a screen up for people to watch the parade, but my group took our time to enjoy the monuments and missed it.

The monuments. Holy crap. Monolithic and moving are the only words I can think of to describe them. Maybe it was the environment, maybe it was because I've been focusing on WWII so much in my studies, or maybe it's because I had 2 grandfathers fight in the "Great Patriotic War" (as it's called here), but I couldn't help but feel so small, insignificant,  humbled, solemn, and grateful. I was physically moved by them, had I not been with a group, I may have actually shed some tears from the way my heart sank to my stomach as I walked through the park. The weather was absolutely perfect for a day like this at least - sunny and 70. (Yeah, it snowed a few days ago, remember?)

The number of carnations I saw about the city could keep a flower shop in business year round, just to supply for Victory Day. Old traditions remain alive, and could easily bring you to tears. Children are dressed up as little soldiers, girls young and old wear period soldiers' caps and everyone, I mean EVERYONE wears an orange and black stripped ribbon, even we did (since someone was passing them out at the park). Children give flowers to veterans of the war, and veterans also receive complimentary services and discounts through out the city. All military personnel receive thanks and gratitude, and not a single sweet old man looks any less manly for carrying around arms full of flowers as they stroll through the city in their uniform. Every monument related to the war has flowers placed in front of it, and the graves of those who made the ultimate sacrifice do as well.

Kruschev wasn't kidding when he said Russians never forget. It's true, we never do. My professor spent the day with her mother because she still has a hard time on this day. Remembering such times hurts, and that's one myth I can debunk about the Russian people as a whole - we are not hard, cold and unfeeling, though it may seem so. In fact, I really believe that Russians feel emotions so intensely that they reserve the expression of them for those who deserve to see it. More on that topic will come in another post.

The sheer number of people we saw heading to Victory Park after the parade was astounding. I've been to some big concerts and sporting events, and those crowds were nothing compared to this.

The day started out pretty rough for me. I woke up to the news of Dr. Tommie Wright's passing, and my heart goes out to his family. I had the joy of meeting him on several occasions and working with one of his daughters in a musical a few years ago. The sweetest man you'd ever meet, he always made sure to compliment every actor, no matter how small their role was. A Seminole head sticker is hanging in my room between a drawing my god daughter gave me on the day I left and my Victory Day ribbon.

As we left, people as far as the eye can see exited the trains and funneled through the station to the park above.

Rather than go back to the dorm when we left Victory Park, I decided to rally and stay out in the city with some students I didn't know that well. It's just what I needed. I was able to distract myself from my own breaking heart, observe even more of the ways that people celebrated the day, and got to know new people as we walked down Arbat Street, and then to a beautiful glass bridge crossing the Moscow River.

All day people celebrated, tailgate style, in front of Moscow State U.

The mood among the city gradually changed as the day progressed. Rather than solemn remembrance, it turned into joyful celebration. It seemed like the whole city carried itself with pride and kindness.

  

At about 9:30 pm we went to the front entrance of the university to watch the fireworks show over the Moscow River. Again, the crowd was HUGE. There was music everywhere and everyone was in a good mood, though that may have been from the amount of alcohol people had consumed throughout the day. The show wasn't as good as Disney, but still impressive. Afterwards we went down to the river, where plenty of people were still taking walks, having picnics and just enjoying the weather and celebrating. 

Even the next day, people still wore ribbons, and some still had their cars decked out with Victory Day paraphernalia. The city still has all of the monuments and signs up, and government offices are still closed (most of the city completely shuts down on May 9th, you want groceries- good luck finding an open store), there are still flowers on all of the statues in the city, even in the metro. It's truly impressive and awe inspiring how deeply they remember the war and respect the sacrifices their homeland made for the war effort and especially for Victory. All over you can see signs that say "Мир отстояли. Помним. Гордимся. Живём." Which means, "They defended the world. We remember. We are proud. We live." Heavy words for a heavy day.

My lesson from this heavy day: find the beauty in pain. If I had given in to my breaking heart (and sore body) and gone back to the dorm I would have missed out on that beautiful day. I wouldn't have seen how people took that solemn mood and turned it into something happy. I would have missed out on some amazing sights and hilarious incidents. Adjusting to a new environment, new friends, and new dynamics in preexisting relationships is tough. Add to that even the slightest bit of homesickness or sad news from home, as well as any empathy for those in pain around you, and that tough adjustment is even harder. My advice - push through it by trying something different, hang out with a different group than you normally would, go against the popular flow a bit, and take some time for yourself, even if it's just thinking while walking along and sightseeing, or painting your nails, or writing, or just observing your environment. Find the beauty in pain, even if it breaks your heart.

Photos cannot capture the feelings invoked by this monument.

Passing through the monument, even the most cheerful people take a moment to solemnly reflect on it's meaning.

Standing at it's foot, you can't help but feel so small.

Saint George slays the Dragon

Dancers in period costume dance along Arbat Street, a beautiful, yet heart-wrenching sight.

We stumbled across another one of the "Wedding Cake" buildings of Moscow.

The 1st selfie for new roommates and fast friends.

Fireworks set off from barges in the Moscow River for Victory Day.

The party in front of the university kept going into the night.

Locals found secluded places to picnic, drink, and celebrate.

The lights of Moscow (albeit a poor quality photo) from Sparrow Hills, just in front of MSU.

First Impressions

Yup, as expected I'm behind in posts, so... y'all will just be a bit behind, since I can't break chronological order. I won't do it, I don't like doing it!  (10 points to anyone who gets the reference) 

Anyway... quick update on the first day: the first day was, as predicted, long. Suck it up, stay awake, second and third winds will come along, and when you finally sleep, you'll sleep hard, and it will be wonderful. My roommate is awesome. It's weird how quickly we bonded and how well we get along. I'm incredibly happy with our impromptu decision on the bus from the airport to be roomies!

So, time for a few quick lessons. (My history class will be starting any second) Be optimistic. Approach everything as a challenge and with an open mind. The prospect of our hot water being turned off for up to 2 weeks has become an opportunity to discover the secret to the porcelain skin all of the girls here have. Our dorm just needed a little love and a feminine touch. Apparently we got lucky and got a good room as well. The cold weather we had until today- opportunity to turn our windowsill into a refrigerator. It's all about your attitude. Eastern Europe and adventures like this in general are all what you make of them.

Oh and 1 more tip- suck up. I didn't want to be an adult while here, but ya know what? Having my professor consult me about plans is pretty awesome.

My wee dorm room when I first arrived

My wee room after decorating a bit and getting rid of the rug. It feels like home already!

That windowsill makes the PERFECT refrigerator in lieu of a proper one anywhere around here.

The view as I see it lying down in bed, pretty sweet, huh?

Our home for the Summer, on the day we arrived. Dreary, rainy, so Russian.

Another angle of our massive home, from one of the courtyards.

From Russia, With Love...

Alright, here's my the beginning of my attempts to get caught up, so I'm combining/completely nixing some of my original post ideas. This post was originally started on day 2 (here I am on day 14), so I may have forgotten some stuff. Sorry. The less you hear from me = the more fun I'm having.

Anyway, day 2 we got placed in our classes, and I wound up placed in the top class, just because of how much I've already taken and what I was able to express in Russian during our wee interview and our placement exams. The original post I had begun went on about how much of a sham I am, which turned out to be true. This trip is all about pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and doing things that scare me. Guess the 1st item on that list was actually admitting I'm a sham and asking to be moved down a level. I've got the feeling trip is gonna continue to teach me lessons about pride, and to let it go.

      

Proof of life for the few I sent this to.

My next post was going to be encouraging you to keep on trucking, but considering I'm tired of trucking and haven't learned anything in the past week and a half (hopefully switching classes will change that), I'll go ahead and give you one of the lessons from that post: find your caffeine fix stat. I'm an addict, and a bit of a snob. All they have here is espresso (which just isn't enough for me) and instant coffee. Falling asleep in class when you teacher is sitting directly in front of you is not a good way to get on her good side.

We went to the Kremlin Armory that day, since no one had homework- how deceiving! It's a museum! I thought I'd get to see some cool Russian military as stuff! I mean old stuff is cool, and the building and everything in it was breathtaking, unfortunately no cameras were allowed, so sorry, you'll just have to go on your own one day.

While shamelessly taking selfies in front of Red Square, which was closed for Victory Day preparations (don't worry, we're having another trip there later this month, so I'll actually get to go in) I remembered that whole "I left my cell service on" thing and decided to send some love & kissey faces back to the states. You have no clue how comforting that is. I feel like I've adjusted more easily and quickly because I can still reach people back in the states at any time. Thank you T-Mobile for the free international texting and data. Talking to my roommate last night, I realized I haven't been homesick, and that I won't be. It doesn't feel much different than my adventure to AZ last year, just a bigger time difference. That, plus having nothing to go back to, (for reals though, I don't even have an apartment to go back to) makes for a fairly homesick free trip.

    

The most expensive mall you'll ever see. 

After the Armory was the ГУМ (GUM), a beautiful mall right next to the square. Столовая (stolovaya - a kind of cafeteria where you go thru line and pay for whatever you pick up/ask for) are still a huge thing here, which can be nice. No waiting on service, no tipping, but when you're not nearly fluent in the language, or very knowledgeable about the culture's food and beverage traditions, they can be intimidating.

So here's where our next lesson comes in: Push yourself. Push yourself to try new things. Push yourself to speak as much of the language as you can, whether it's just with other people in your group, or the person serving you at a restaurant. It's hard. Especially when you realize all you've learned over the years has not prepared you for simple things like shopping, or actually ordering food. The worst part is probably that you're not prepared to hear people speaking so quickly, or muffled etc. So you freak out, even though in hindsight you realize you totally could have understood and replied in a full, coherent sentence, rather than with a scared look and 1 or 2 words. So, push yourself to listen harder, and don't be afraid to ask someone to repeat what they said more slowly. Just make sure you have that request down first.

But don't forget what your confused/scared face feels like, sometimes it works out in your favor to play dumb.

Oh, and another note on public toilets, don't be surprised if they're co-ed.

A gorgeous fountain just across from the Kremlin

Tulips! SO MANY TULIPS! Perfect for the promise of summer approaching.

Part of the Kremlin wall

One of the many towers of the Kremlin

Guards stand in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, just outside the Kremlin walls

The calm before the storm. This place will be PACKED for Victory Day!