Merry Christmas!

Hello from Russia on Christmas day!

Its so strange being in a place where the 25th is just another day. All the foreign students got together last night, though, so we had something resembling Christmas! It was deifnitely one of the oddest Christmases I've ever had. Around 4 o'clock yesterday I found myself walking down the street through the snow carrying a little Christmas tree over my shoulder (about 4 feet tall), a small wooden stand for it, and a Christmas present. I must have looked like something out of a movie. We had a huge meal with a rather random assortment of strange and interesting foods. There were people from North and South American, Asia, Africa, and Europe. They were really good sports when we attempted to conduct them in a round of The Twelve Days of Christmas. We also went to a catholic mass (the only one in the city) - another international experience since the priest was from Argentina and conducted the mass in Latin and Russian. We did sing Silent Night, which was nice. Our tree didn't turn out too bad! A little Charlie Brownish, but oringinal. Buying it from the two babushkas at the market who were arguing about who's trees would last the longest was an interesting experience. The strangest part of the evening was when at four am on Christmas morning we found ourselves still talking with three Russian guys who just weren't quite ready to leave yet.

This morning we slept in, made breakfast, and decorated gingerbread cookies. It was cozy and relaxing, but I miss all of you! I hope you had a lovely Christmas!

Our tree :)

Pictures!

The sunset at 3:15

At the market buying Christmas presents!



Kazan's kremlin

Inside the kremlin

The kremlin from the bank of the river

"Danger zone"

Lights of the city center (before the lake froze!)

It got increadibly cold (below - 20!). You can't really see it, but I have ice on my fur, on my scarf (from breathing), and on my eye lashes. (because its so cold your eyes water and then they freeze - just like Sam McGee)

It was so cold that the car exhaust made huge clouds and filled the streets with mist.

Iceskating!

Snow in Lenin Park. It finally warmed up a little (came up to the low 20s) and we got more snow!

We went to watch Kazan's soccer team "Rubin" play. Apparently, they're really good.

Marlene, Caro, and Marieke. It was really cold!

They tied, which meant Rubin was still in line for the championship. The smokiness is from the fireworks to celebrate afterwards.

Us :)

"Champions!" - the whole city celebrated.

I also watched Kazan's volleyball team "Zenit" play. They are really good as well. There are actually two Americans on the team. They moved to Kazan, Russia to play volleyball. Who would have thought.

"Zenit - Kazan': Gasprom is with you." By the way, the fans in blue we found out later aren't really fans. As far as I understood, they are boys from a military school and have to go to the games all dressed in blue and role and unrole the flag during the breaks.

Even the volleyball teams have cheerleaders, and ones in gold at that!

Teaching English in the village school! We played hangman with English words.

Almost all the villages look like this. Their house are like fairytales, even if their lives aren't.

Tea at the English teacher's house in a nearby village.

At the orphanage!

The kids helped us decorate their bedrooms for New Years.

Well, sort of helped ...

It was so sweet - my host mom bought me a Christmas tree for my room so that, as she said, it would feel more like Chirstmas (in a countrythat doesn't really have Christmas, at least not on the 25th). I love it, flashing colored lights and all.

I realized the other day that I live in a room with exactly four pick lamps. Since this is probably the only time in my life I will be surrounded by such pinkness, I thought I should document it.

Жизнь

Life in Russia is, in a word, incomprehensible. Russians love to quote one of their poets who wrote something to the effect of, "You cannot understand Russia; you can only love her." But there is something about the incomprehensibleness that I really appreciate. Afterall, most of the important things in this life cannot be grasped with our minds.

Anther thing about this country is that nothing is predictable, so you can never be sure of how your day will turn out, even if you have things planned. You just have to be thankful that God is in control and then hang on for the ride!