A Weekend in Moscow

      I finally made it to Moscow this weekend. It was a great time, with many different adventures that I will remember for a lifetime. Moscow has been one of my "to see" cities for a while now so I am glad that I finally made a dream come true. So, let me tell you a little bit about the weekend.
      Our way of transportation was sleeper trains. We left Thursday night at 10 PM and arrived to Moscow at 5 AM. The train was not as bad as the horror stories I have heard about them. Fortunately, we did not have any drunk men in our area. I was located on the top bunk, and there was literally no room to sit up. So once you climbed up, which was not an easy task, you were stuck up there laying down. After a while, the lights started dimming so I attempted to sleep. Key word: attempted. Once we arrived in Moscow, we cleaned up our little beds and grabbed our gear and headed out to explore Moscow for the day.

                                                                                      

My bed on the sleeper train. 

        The first day in Moscow was random, yet exciting. The first thing we did was go to an old Convent where nuns used to live. It consisted of two cathedrals, a very tall bell tower, and a graveyard. The sun was just peeping through all of the trees and the scenery was beautiful. It was so serene and relaxing to just walk around, feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, and snap a couple landscape pictures. Inside the church there were many old paintings and we saw a couple real nuns which was very interesting. After we walked all the way around the convent we went on the outside of it and looked at the pond next to it. Apparently it is where Chikovsky composed the music for Swan Lake, which I think he picked a great place to write that. There was also a wall that everyone touches and gets a picture with, so we decided to do that as well. After the Convent we decided to walk around and go find the love lock bridge. This is a small bridge in Moscow where the Art Institute created small metal trees that people go and put metal locks on them. Once the tree is full of locks, they replace it with an empty tree and put the full tree along the river. It was very entertaining glancing at all of the locks and what people wrote on them. Next, we decided to walk across the street to a little peaceful park where we people watched the Russian couples and played on the playgrounds there. That night a couple of us girls went to a place called the Shake Shack, it was a Russian version of an American burger joint. Surprisingly it was really delicious, but I think Russians must believe that all we eat are hamburgers and hot dogs. For dessert, the family I was staying with gave us apple crisp and vanilla ice cream! It was like heaven on a plate, I had been missing some traditional American dessert. 

  

The coolest headstone with the church in the background

The bell tower

Touching the wall everyone has to touch. 

                   On Saturday we did most of the tourist activities that people go to Moscow for, so that means we spent the day in and around Red Square. The first thing that we did was go and see Lenin's body. They have his body embalmed and saved in an open glass casket. It is in this dark, black, granite tomb that you walk underground to enter the room. There are Russian guards everywhere watching your every step of the way. While you are in there you are not allowed to talk, stop, or put your hands in your pockets. Once you enter the actual tomb, you see him laying there peacefully behind the glass with red lights shining upon him. It was a very interesting thing to do, and at least now I am able to say I saw a 40 year old corpse. After gazing upon the corpse, we went to the mall that is located in Red Square. It reminded me a lot of City Creek because it had bridges and it was 3 stories high. There was a huge shop in the mall that had pastries, wine, beer, vodka, candy, and ice cream. It took up about a whole section of the mall. Next, we went out around St. Basil's and inside the church. St. Basil's Cathedral is the icon most people picture when they think of Russia which is applicable because it is breath taking. The domes are vibrant, decadent, and detailed. My mouth literally dropped when I saw the church up close. The outside was amazing but the inside was pretty interesting as well. There were secret stairways, passages, and the each wall had different designs on them. I loved how I had never seen any of the patterns in St. Basil's before and I think it would be safe to say it is a complete Russian church. If you come to Russia, you should definitely go see St. Basil's because it is as extravagant as it looks. The last thing we did on Saturday was go to the Kremlin. The Kremlin is a museum that has a ton of royal relics and antiques. Unfortunately I was not able to take pictures, but the memories will be engraved in my brain forever. My favorite thing about this museum was the original coronation and wedding dresses of the Russian royalty. They also had various original carriages and thrones that Russian Czars used when they were alive. A great museum to go to if you love royal antiques. That night we ate tacos and brownies! It was great because I really felt like I was in America. The nice people we stayed with also sent us with Reese's, M&M's and Twizzlers; they are definitely heaven in a bag. 

The outside of Lenin's tomb

Some candy at the mall. 

The ceiling in St. Basil's. 

A view of St. Basil's.

       Before we left on Sunday we went to a souvenir street called Izmilava. It was a little souvenir city where a ton of vendors sold the typical Russian souvenirs. We spent about 4 hours just walking around and bargaining with the different vendors and spending our last hours in Moscow. Once we were done souvenir shopping we headed back to the train station and went on our way home to St. Pete's on another sleeper train. 

         Overall it was a very fantastic weekend. I am still in shock that I can say I went to Moscow for the weekend so casually, but I am also very grateful that I had the opportunity to. It is so great to experience different cultures and see what they cherish. I could definitely tell that the Russians are proud of their past and love to have people intrigued by it as well. The next big adventure on my list is a weekend in Lithuania the first week of April! I am looking forward to that expedition. For now I hope every body has a great week and smiles at some stranger because a smile can go a lot farther than you think. 

 

One down, Three to go.

   This past month has been the longest yet shortest month of my life. I sit here and think back on all that I have done so far and feel like I have been here for a year but then when I think about coming home in 3 months I feel like I don't have enough time! But, it is a great feeling knowing that I have already done so much and I still have more time to accomplish and see a lot more. 

    I was reflecting on America, and I honestly didn't realize all of the things I took for granted back home. One thing I miss is definitely my bed. I love my apartment but the bed is really hard and I love my queen size bed back home. So if you are reading this, appreciate your soft bed. Another thing I am missing is a car. I love getting the exercise and walking everywhere but some days I just really wish I could drive to the places we have to go. On the other hand though, Russian drivers are literally CRAZY! I thought Utah drivers were pretty bad but Russians just drive where ever they want. It is amusing but also sketchy for pedestrians. Many of us have had close encounters with cars, but we look every way now before crossing the street. As weird as this may sound as well, I really miss having trash cans in every room. For some reason I can never find a trash can here, it is always a treasure hunt. Don't get me wrong from these last couple of complaints, I really do LOVE St. Petersburg because it helps me realize that I should be more grateful.  

      Now for a reflection on my week. It was a pretty chill week, teaching everyday; Russian class on Tuesday where of course Ivan was disappointed or laughing at our Russian language skills, and a lot of preparing lesson plans. Then the weekend came! If you have read my past posts you know that the weekend is my favorite part of the week, just like in America. This Saturday was really awesome. We went to St. Issac's Cathedral with Sveta (my favorite Russian). The Cathedral isn't super far away from our apartment and we each got in for free which was very convenient. 

The refurbished WWII columns they kept. 

       My first impressions of the outside of the cathedral was that it was jaw dropping. It is one of the biggest buildings that I have ever seen in my life, and a very tall building. There are these ginormous columns outside that weigh about 150 tons each. There is also a giant, golden dome on the top of the building that is the fourth largest dome in the world and can be seen from all around St. Petersburg. To say that the outside of this Cathedral  was simple is definitely an understatement. It is magnificent. 

Outside of St. Issac's Cathedral 

                                                                                         Now for the inside of the Cathedral. My description cannot do the beauty of it justice. The dome is breath taking. When you look up into it you have to bend your neck back as far as it will go and then you just stand there with your jaw open in awe. There are statues, paintings, molding, and gold flecks inside the dome. I just cannot give the beauty of the dome a great enough description. The rest of the cathedral was stunning as well. There were columns made out of a green stone everywhere. The ceiling was made up of gold painted moldings and hand painted works. An interesting thing about the floor plan is that it is in the shape of a cross and the ceiling tells stories from the bible all the way across. It was super rad. There were also mosaic (little tiles that make up a whole painting) all over the cathedral. Obviously you can tell that I absolutely adored St. Issac's cathedral. It is also very cool that Sveta gives us history lessons of the sites we go to see. This Cathedral has had 4 different models and has been remodeled every single time to be bigger and more extravagant. It also has a huge basement where they stored precious artifacts during WWII and the bombings. I just really love the history behind all of the Cathedrals and Buildings in St. Petersburg. It makes visiting all of these significant places better because I can pin a story to them in history. 
        

The dome. 

The mosaic. You can see the little pieces. 

Close up of part of the dome.

       After we went to St. Issac's Cathedral and had an amazing time, Sveta took us to our favorite Russian fast food place we have been to so far. It is called Terremok and it has the best blini's ever. Blini's are a little bit like crepes and they can be either savory or sweet. I decided to get the Caesar  blini this time which consisted of ketchup, chicken, lettuce, and onions. It did not taste like American Caesar at all so I was a little surprised but it was DELICIOUS. I also decided to get a dessert blini that was filled with strawberries so of course if was scrumptious. This restaurant is seriously so delicious that my mouth waters thinking about the food. I wish that they had it in America, so don't be surprised if you see a Terrmok pop up in Utah. Pleas come in though, you won't be disappointed.  

THE FOOD 

     Hopefully you all enjoyed reading my rant about another week in St. Petersburg. This really is an amazing city with various things to do and very kind people. If you think it looks fun I say take a chance and come and travel, or even if you are dreaming to go somewhere else. I SAY DO IT NOW! You only have so much time in your life and you never know what tomorrow is going to bring. So get on it and pursue that dream you have been thinking about, because if you don't you will never know. Have a great week everybody and love every minute of your life. 

Learning Russian, Sickness, and Prison

     The second full week in St. Pete's flew by super fast. I started to realize that I have been gone for almost 3 weeks! It seems like I have been here for a year already, but I am happy I still have a long time. This week was full of another adventure....so let's reminisce. 
      On Tuesday mornings all 8 of us girls take the Metro to the center of the city for our Russian class. I was thrilled when we were told that we get to learn Russian for the 4 months while we are here, but it is a very difficult language. The alphabet has a lot of symbols instead of letters, but I think I have finally got the symbols down and I find myself trying to figure out what things say while walking around. Of course I don't know what the words mean once I decipher them, but at least reading is a step towards understanding the Russian language. One of the most embarrassing things about Russian class though was when our teacher Ivan asked me a question and I answered Si (in Spanish) instead of Da (which is yes in Russian). I don't know why but my first instinct is to speak Spanish to the Russians. I guess I just revert back to the foreign language I know really well. Anyways, learning Russian is definitely not easy but I will at least know some when I get back to America!
      After Tuesday, the rest of the week was not very fun until Saturday. Unfortunately, while I was teaching my kids on Wednesday night I got really sick. My limbs started going numb, I had uncontrollable chills, my lips turned blue, and I almost passed out. Luckily I made it back from the school (thanks Lucy) to slip into a sleep coma. That didn't last long though because I was woken up and found out that I had a fever of 104 and high blood pressure! I haven't felt that miserable in a while. So, I had my first experience of going to the doctors in Russia. Fortunately we found an American clinic so everyone spoke English, I got some blood tests done and an examination and I am fine! Just some bad virus, but I am thankful it wasn't anything bad. DON'T WORRY people, I get to stay in Russia and you can keep reading my blog :) Oh, by the way it was the classiest doctors I have ever been to, they had gold elevator doors with molding. Russians must think we have classy doctor's offices back home. 

The Tombs

        FINALLY, on Saturday I was feeling great enough to go on our Cultural excursion for the week. Sveta, our spunky, funny, loving Cultural expert took us to the Peter and Paul Fortress. I love Saturdays because of the exploring and because we get to see Sveta of course! Anyways, the fortress has a Cathedral in it and a Prison. The Cathedral was very beautiful inside just like all of the Cathedrals I have been in so far in St. Pete's. There are diamond chandeliers all over, gold moldings, painted ceilings, and colored columns. This particular Cathedral was the home of Russian Royalty who have been buried underneath. The coffins are on top, which were made out of beautiful marble, and the bodies are below the ground. We got to see where Anastasia's memorial was, along with her family. The Cathedral was also really really tall. The tower was the tallest in St. Pete's until recently. 

The Outside of the Cathedral

A View of the inside of the Cathedral

The Tower

           Along with the Cathedral, the Fortress was blocked in, hence the word fortress. We walked out right along the river and you could see a whole skyline of St. Pete's. It was really pretty. There was also a Political Prison located inside of the fortress. It was kind of creepy being in cells that people were actually locked in once upon a time. 

Walkway to the Cathedral

        














         Overall, the Peter and Paul Fortress was a successful Cultural experience. It was very beautiful, historical, and fun. I loved the views especially with the arched entry ways and cobblestone walkways. On our way back we stopped at Burger King, definitely more expensive than it is in the United States but I thought it was worth it because it was A LOT better than BK in America. 

Inside of a prison cell

            Another week has come and gone in Mother Russia and I have really really started loving it here. I can't call it home just yet, but surprisingly I love the Russian people, the food, and the atmosphere. I am even starting to like the "smell". I am looking forward to another week with my kids and adventures. I hope everyone has a good week and try to serve someone that needs some help this week. Peace!
   

Russian Kids and Having an Adventure

I survived my first full week in Russia! To be honest it feels like I have been gone for a year, that is good though because I don't want it to start flying by even though I can't stop that. I started teaching school on Monday! I teach a class Monday morning (7 years old), a kindergarten class Monday and Wednesday nights, and a different kindergarten class Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The first week was definitely a challenge getting used to all the different schedules at the different schools and getting adjusted to the kids but they are all adorable! I love each and every one of their unique personalities. I can only imagine how much my love for them is going to grow, I like to call them my Russian babies. I am still working on names but of course some of the outgoing ones really stuck out. I love being called teacher Bre. I am loving it here.

This little girl is Anusha, she has the prettiest hair and cutest personality. 

This is Alisa, she loves me and has a big personality. She is really smart.

   One of my greatest memories of this week would definitely have to be Friday night and Saturday. On Friday we decided to go exploring after classes and we got lost in the city. Even though it was freezing cold and we walked about 5 miles I had a lot of fun. St. Petersburg reminds me of a European city. The architecture is so stunning and the landscape is gorgeous as well. There are bridges everywhere and the city runs along rivers. I love it here and I cannot wait for the weather to get better. 

   On Saturday we went to the Hermitage, which is also known as the Winter Palace. It was seriously the most beautiful building I have ever been in. It is right on the river and it is huge. There is gold, molding, and marble everywhere. It has been turned into a museum so there were also statues and paintings everywhere. It is one of the biggest Museums in Europe apparently. I also got to see a Michelangelo sculpture, some Leonardo Da Vinci paintings and paintings by Rembrandt (a dutch artist I love). It was an amazing museum that would literally take 8 years to look at everything in it for 30 seconds, but we plan on going back. A funny story about being there was that some young (late teens) Russian military trainees were there and they kept following us around because they thought we were exotic because we could speak English. Another Russian guy asked to take a picture with us, which was hilarious because we don't think we are that special. Overall, the Hermitage is my favorite place I have been so far! 

    A week full of new people, new places and new adventures but one of the best weeks of my life. I can't wait for the coming weeks in Russia. I hope you all enjoy the pictures, I will try to post some more. Have a fantastic week, I know I will! :) 

Travel. Home. Pizza.

    Well everyone, I made it to St. Petersburg, Russia. It has definitely been the longest 3 days of my life, especially since I lived one day twice pretty much. Really odd. The first flight to Chicago was absolutely horrible. We were on this tiny plane, the very back of it, and the heater was blasting. Talk about claustrophobic. Luckily that was only a 3 hour flight. After a short layover in Chicago, and our last american meal (fries and a chicken sandwich), we took off to Germany. That plane was luxurious compared to American Airlines. The flight attendants smelt amazing (their cologne) and were soooo nice. They brought around fresh towelettes, drinks every hour, plus we got two really good meals for airplane food I thought. There were touch screen mini tablets with various movies and the plane wasn't all the way full so we had a lot of room, it was very nice for an 8 hour flight. Once off the plane I decided that I really like German people and airlines, so I will have to go visit Frankfurt besides just the outside of the airport. The last flight I honestly don't remember that well because I was so tired I zonked out for the whole flight. So overall the trip went really well.
       Once in St. Petersburg  Ala (our native coordinator) picked us up from the airport and took us to our apartment. It was so cold outside though, like your mouth went numb and it was hard to talk after a while. On the way to the apartment I discovered that there are tons of apartment buildings here! Like thousands and there aren't any houses. It is really odd at first because I am so used to home where there are pretty much only houses and no apartments. But I think I could get used to it. I also learned that Russians are crazy drivers, they aren't bad drivers because they are always dodging people, it is fun though. Our apartment is super cute and homey. It isn't huge, Lex and I share a room with two beds, our head teacher has her own room, and then there is a bed in the living room. The kitchen is small, but I like it. The bathroom/laundry room is small as well but has heated floors which is nice when you get out of the shower. Not to mention scented toilet paper that is green. It is definitely starting to feel more like home.
       The past couple of days we have had to go around to the schools, which are super cute and the kids are adorable. One of the schools is an hour away that I teach at ( I teach at 2 different schools). We have also gone to the store which was interesting. Their milk is on shelves and not pasteurized, they have a ton of bread and pastries, and cheeses. Everything was in Russian though so I honestly don't know what half of the food is. Should be an adventure. Also, we exchanged some money into Rubles which is their money system, that was fun because I felt rich even though I really am not.
        On Thursday we went into the city and found the University where we get to learn Russian!! I am so excited to actually learn some of the language. Then we went to a restaurant where we got Russian Pizza. It was surprisingly super good. They had pepperoni, cheese with blue cheese, chicken pesto, and ham and mushroom. I was pleasantly surprised that they were all delicious. On the way home we went to a Cathedral that had a significant icon in it, It was beautiful and so peaceful. There were a ton of paintings and people giving thanks to their loved ones that had passed on. It had a huge dome on top with stunning paintings throughout. I can tell that I am really going to like this city.
        Well that is how the first couple days of Russia have gone so far. They have been long, extremely long because of jet lag, but fun and exciting. I am beyond excited for the next 4 months and getting accustomed to the Russian lifestyle. Sometimes I lay in bed at night and think to myself, "This is going to be one great adventure," and can't help but smile. We start teaching on Monday which will be stressful but I cannot wait to meet my kids. I will post pictures soon, but until then I hope America is treating every one well. Do svidaniya.
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Great things always start out a little scary; but oh so worth it!

    To say I am not nervous to go live in a different country for 5 months would be an understatement. The truth is I am totally scared, but a good scared. The scared that makes you want to go out and accomplish things to prove to people that you CAN do something. I mean if we never took the opportunity to do things that were a little scary at first, our lives would be pretty dull. So I am beyond excited for this adventure!
     I leave for St. Petersburg, Russia on Tuesday at 10 AM. Our flight stops in Chicago, Munich, and then St. Petes. I am sure it is going to seem like the longest day of my life, but I am stoked for it. I mean I get to be in Germany for a little bit! Plus, what is waiting for me once I get there will be one of life's greatest adventures.
     I have been packed to leave on this adventure for about 2 weeks now and counting down the days continuously until I finally leave.  I have definitely learned that it is really difficult to fit 5 months worth of clothing, shoes, etc in one 50 pound bag, a carry on suitcase, and a backpack. Luckily I have managed to fit a lot of things in them.....my advice. USE AIRSPACE BAGS!!! They save you a ton of room, but don't let it deceive you because your suitcase still has to be under 50 lbs. They truly are a life saver though, oh and try rolling your clothes because that saves space as well. Last tip, try to bring clothes that are neutrals so that you can mix and match your outfits. Just some things I have learned from packing for a foreign country!
    I am honestly, thrilled for this adventure. I cannot wait to get over there and immerse myself in the Russian culture. I cannot wait to teach my Russian kids English and I am stoked to go see Europe and see Russia. I never would have believed someone in October if they told me I would be on my way to Russia in just a few months but I am so grateful I took the leap of faith and pursued this. If now isn't the time to travel, then when will be? I say don't procrastinate adventure because life is short. Live it to the fullest and learn to love other cultures.

2014: Another Chapter.

Well, I guess everyone has to do the cliche New Year post, so of course instead of being an individual I decided on conforming to the crowd this time. Maybe because I am bored, but mostly because I will probably need a reminder of my goals next month. So here we go...
2013... a year of many laughs but many more trials. From friends leaving on missions, to ankle surgery and not being able to play the sport I love for four months, it was definitely a tough year BUT I learned a lot. So who says that life has to be fun all of the time, every year can't be amazing just like every day can't. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to appreciate the good times and honestly we learn more from the rough times anyways. If you are reading this and you are going through a trial, my advice to you would be to keep your head up and know looking back on it this trial will actually be a blessing. Thank you 2013 for the lessons, I will forever remember them.
Now for 2014, I am probably more excited for this year than I should be but all I have to say is bring it on! Some of my goals for this year include....

• Accept my strengths and weaknesses.
• Run a 1/2 marathon.
• Start piano lessons again.
• Be more selfless.
• Smile more.
• Never take anything for granted, including my loved ones.
• Write in my journal more consistently.

So if you took the time to read this boring post about what I plan to do with my year, first I have to say thank you. Second, my advice to you is make this year a year to remember. Smile more, love more, laugh more, and serve others more. Most of all, live the life that you have always wanted to and don't let anyone keep you from your dreams. Good luck.