Back in the USA

Friday, June 22, 2007
Just over a year since leaving DC I've found myself back home for a month and a half, and I'm so happy to be here! I've survived a year of master's work in Russia, which means I'm halfway to getting my master's degree! 11 finals during the month of June and a 12-hour trip to the State and I'm now sitting comfortably back in my OWN room, and my house with my family. The weather's been great, things are blooming everywhere, there's a string of family parties coming up - I feel like I'm in heaven.

I'm sure in about two weeks that feeling will wear off. ;-)
Anyhow, in the meantime, I plan to love every minute of being back with my family. We're working hard as we do have a lot of family gatherings to celebrate in the upcoming two weeks - graduations, birthdays and capping off our mini-holiday season with Independence Day. I might be ready to get back to school after all that!

I plan on writing more in a bit, but for now, I'm going to leave you all with some fantastic photos of the scenic views I get to enjoy everyday while being home. I hope you like them!
A view of our house from the "side" lawn..
Everything looks really pretty cause we're hosting all of the parties!
Our beautiful backyard.....

Moscow in the summer

Friday, June 01, 2007
Hello all. Finals time has hit here at MGIMO, and I've been pretty busy trying to wrap up the year well and getting things in order for the summer. The weather's been nice, so at the same time I've been trying to get out and enjoy Moscow in her glory. I'm learning that Moscow can be a tourist city, but only in the summer. Honestly, the mood in the city changes, people are happier, friendlier and the city changes her face.

Two weeks ago I went to Denis's grandparent's dacha with Rosario and Tomash. The weather here has been incredibly hot - around 95 degrees, and being in open fields as opposed to the stuffy metro was a welcome change. Their dacha is outside of the city of Petushki, which is about two and a half hours by electric train car outside of Moscow. Many Russians have dachas, which are country homes outside of the city, and most keep gardens there. Dachas can be simple wooden houses without plumbing, or sturdy brick houses with plumbing and electricity. Most everything depends on the person's economic abilities. Most essential to dachas are the Russsian banya - a HOT steam room, considered absolutely essential to good health here in Russia. Russians make banya's an all day ritual...sit in the banya until you can't take it anymore, then a cold shower, drink, eat, and repeat. It's brutal - but you feel oh-so-clean and new afterwards. I hope to go back next weekend.

On the electric train to Petushki. People sell their goods on the way, walking from one train car to the next - and items of the moment, The selling product that day - ice cream.



Denis, me and Rosario in the gazebo at the dacha. Spent most of our time there eating great food, talking and having tea made from the leaves of Denis's grandmother's berry plants.
Denis and Tomash in the field outside of the dacha village. We spent about two hours walking the fields and surrounding woods, and escaping city life.
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