And now for the long overdue post...

featuring: our apartment

Slide.com is having issues and i'm not able to put them in a nice slideshow like i nomrally do here. Instead, you can click HERE then click "slideshow" which is near the top right side of the page. Or you can see the mini-slideshow to the right of this post.

There are pics from moving day as well as what it looks like now that we're all moved in and settled.

Here's a preview pic of the living room/bedroom:

Moving Day:


Now:


Our landlords are somewhat obsessed with IKEA, so pretty much everything they got for the apartment was purchased there...down to the lightbulbs. so forgive us if it looks a little like a catalogue. And some things aren't finished yet, like some baseboards and doorframes and painting of walls in the kitchen and toilet closet, but all the important stuff is done.

Enjoy!

Estonia...is that, like, a country or something?

this is just a teaser. for the full lot of photographs from my weekend in Tallinn, go HERE.

we found an apartment

yes, that's right. we've found our own place. we'll be moving out of the hostel next month and into our own apartment. its a studio-style apartment, with it's own kitchen and bathroom. it's 2 metro stations away from here - Pionerskaya Metro Station. we've singed the pre-liminary lease agreement and paid a partial down-payment to hold the apartment for us. we'll sign the final lease agreement at the end of this month and move in the on the 1st of May. Please pray for us, because this is a big change financially, from living at the hostel. but it will be good for us, since now we won't have to live on edge, according to the moods wings of the hostel commandant. and i won't have to cosnstantly convince that one lady who works at the desk downstairs that, "YES! I DO LIVE HERE! YOU'VE SEEN ME A MILLION TIMES...AND STOP YELLING AT ME IN RUSSIAN, BECAUSE I DONT UNDERSTAND YOU. SAYING IT LOUDER DOESNT HELP!" so, yeah keep us in your prayers. thanks!

is there a Russian word for...OOPS!!

Today on the metro i knocked the hat off an old man's head. It's not as malicious as it sounds, I promise. First, let me explain that it was rush hour and the metro was packed. So there I was, trying to make the most of the precious few inches of personal space I had. I had left my seat and quickly made my way close to the door as the rush of passengers was getting out at a station, before the next batch of people rushed in, so I could be close to the door for my escape two stations away. When you take a seat in the metro, it is understood that you place your bag on your lap, so as to take up less space. So, now that i was standing i was quickly trying to put my backpack back on my back so that when i exited i would be less likely to disrupt a lot of people on my way out. i had one arm through the strap and was sliding my arm through the second strap as new passengers rushed in to the train. i only had inches to begin with, so i tried to conserve space by using the empty space above the heads of the passengers seated near the door. unfortunately, in my state of being jostled around, the arm didn't exactly clear the head of the man nearest me, and my hand clipped the brim of his hat and knocked it backward right off his head. he shot me an incredulous look as i sputtered my apologies and gave him my best "please-don't-kill-me" look. "isvaneet" means "excuse me/sorry" in Russian. except that the panic that was flooding my brain at that moment scrambled my English-Russian translation abilities and it kind of came out more like, "sorrispaseet" which was a mix of "sorry" in English, "thank you" in Russian and "isvaneet". Thankfully, the man simply replaced his hat and went back to ingoring me. the next 6 minutes lasted a lifetime as i tried desperately not to even breathe on the man until i reached my stop. i was never so happy to hear, "Petrogradskaya", announced as we reached the station.

Zim.

Free and Fair? Hardly.

Poll Officials detained

"Quiet diplomacy"?

Voters share their stories

the Torch

The olympic torch arrived in St. Petersburg today.

and I found an english-language bookshop!

is this still messed up?

hello? yay! i can write in English again! =)

randomness. because i've been falling behind on my posts...

ok, this will be a very random post. full of tidbits and odds n' ends of thoughts i've had of things to share with you.

a few weeks ago our fellowship group went to visit the Wycliffe Bible Translators center in St. Petersburg. A friend of ours who attends our fellowship (Tom, from the USA) works for Wycliffe, and had invited us to come to the center and see what they do. we had a great time of worship together with them, shared tea, coffee and some snacks, and then we watched a presentation about Wycliffe's history and the work they do, and more specifically about Russia and the work they do here. Here are some pics from the night:

i didn't get a picture of it but, as with just about every home in Russia, the Wycliffe center has a small mudroom area at the entrance, complete with a rack for shoes and house slippers for everyone to wear inside.

* I start teaching a new pre-intermediate class tonight.

* I am planning a trip to Tallinn, Estonia next weekend since i have to leave Russia for a few days so i can renew my registration on this visa.

* I think one of my students summed up the entirety of Russian-thinking in one statement a few weeks ago. It was my class at Lenta (grocery store) I was talking with my business-people students about customer service and why its important in business. I asked how it would effect a business if the customers aren't happy with their store, and the answer I got was this, "if they don't like it, they can just go somewhere else." Bingo. i think this pretty much sums up life here. (and believe me, once we can....in 2011...we will!)

* We've switched to daylight saving time now. and its eery, because now its still light out after 8pm. and its only going to get longer and longer, until the "White Nights" in June where the sun never really sets at all. Quite a contrast to the phenomenon of only getting 5 hours of daylight in the winter.

* Also, we've had unusually great weather this week. on Tuesday is was +9 C. which is 48.2 F!! and it's been hovering around there for the past 3 days. add that to the fact that it's been DRY and MOSTLY CLEAR...this equals GREAT WEATHER in St. Petersburg!

Ok, somehow I hit some keys on my keyboard, and I can only type in Blogger in Cyrillic now! When I type anything it looks like this:

црфн фьв Ш щтдн фиду ещ ензу шт Скнддшсю Ершы шы куфддн акгыекфештп!

and actually the keys are not even corresponding to the correct letters in the Cyrillic alphabet, for Russian at least, so I’m not sure what the deal is. Thank God it’s only doing this on my Blogger and its not affecting the whole computer, like Word and stuff. So I’m typing this in Word and cutting and pasting. So for now I will post this and hopefully I can get the whole language things squared away soon! Cheers.

March went out like a lion....

as i walked to work yesterday late in the afternoon in the blowing, whirling drifting snow, i had this song stuck in my head and it just repeated over and over...

"March went out like a lion
a whippin' up the water in the bay
Then April cried and stepped aside
and along came pretty little May"

for those of you who don't have a history of being a musical theater freak like me,(and aren't my parents) you won't know that this song is from "Carousel" by Rodgers and Hammerstein. and until now, you'd probably never heard of it, much less known that i was once in this musical, spray-painted yellow hair and all. and at the strangest of times little bits of lyrics from my past life as an aspiring actress climb into my brain and won't let go...strange times like the one yesterday as i clomped through more snow on March 25th than we seem to have gotten all winter. it was only the above snippet that replayed and replayed itself. i think subconsciously i couldn't even allow myself to think the lyrics to the chorus because at the time they just seemed so preposterous and well, impossible...

"June is bustin' out all over
All over the meadow and the hill!
Buds are bustin' outta bushes
And the rompin' river pushes
Ev'ry little wheel that wheels beside the mill!

June is bustin' out all over
The feelin' is gettin' so intense,
That the young Virginia creepers
Have been huggin' the bejeepers
Outa all the mornin' glories on the fence!
Because it's June...

June, June, June
Just because it's June, June, June!"

sigh. maybe someday. but for now....it just seems LIKE A LOOOOOOOONG WAY OFF.

enjoyment

things i'm finding enjoyment in these days:

teaching and getting to know my students
Sunday night Hebrews Bible study with Pooja, Gracewin, Amadu, Sam and myself
working out with Deepthi
Sam not studying as much this semester
thinking about finding an apartment and hopefully moving next month!
emails from Amber and living vicariously through their summer plans


a few things i've read or heard this week that i find share-worthy:

something a visiting pastor at All Nations Church said that just struck me as truth: "Our children are our investment into a future we ourselves cannot enter."

From the movie "Starter for 10" (which is only ok) but there was this good line that stayed with me: "The people who really care about you don't mind if you make a mistake. It's what you do next that matters."

From an email A sent today. it gave me a great start to my day and it seriously makes me smile when i think about how awesome it is that i know someone so creative and talented in many ways, but specifically as a writer and more importantly as a friend. this just cracked me up and still makes me laugh when i re-read it: "Let's definitely set up a gtalk time. Just let me get through the week and I'll have my people talk with your people. Only my people will be wearing jeans and sandals and your people will be wearing fur hats."

i realized that i've talked a little about the church sam and i are going to, and i've talked more about the fellowship group we're a part of, but never have given much info on either. well, there is a website for All Nations Christian Church and at the site there is info of SFC (the fellowship groups) as well. i actually just looked at the site for the first time today. its a nice little site with a small photo gallery and info about the church and events, history of how it started, etc. so if you're interested you can give it a look. the site is pretty new but is well put-together. and in fact it was designed by Manyo from Nigeria. (my friend Deepthi's fiance') i don't agree with every point of their statement of faith, most specifically numbers 14 and 16 of the points listed there, but this is the church God has placed us in and we have been given good opportunities with individual believers from ANCC in pouring over the Word, to have good discussion on these points. it's funny, but as you look at the photos on the website you might start to think that St. Petersburg isn't nearly as white and mono-cultural as you thought...but really, when you walk on the street it is...i think probably 90% of all the african's, indians and other people of color in this city go to church there! but it does at least make me a feel a little bit like i'm back in Namibia when i'm at church and my white face is in the minority again.

http://allnationschristiancenter.org/

happy belated Easter to those of you in most parts of the world. we here in Russia don't get Easter till later. crazy orthodox calendar...

almost halfway....

Women's Day

To compliment the Men's Day in the end of February, Russia also celebrates Women's Day on March 8th. (I think it's genious that Men's day is first because that way, in whatever the women do for the men, the ladies get to set the bar for the guys. The friendly competetion of the guys trying to "outdo" the ladies is certainly welcomed! Smart, huh?) Here are some pics from the Women's Day celebration the guys threw for us. They did a great job and we all had a lot of fun.

Pool halls and tacos

Sam and I enjoyed a busy day on Saturday. We got together with some of Sam's groupmates to go bowling. it turns out there's this really nice new bowling alley inside a huge new mall at сенная площадь, which is just a few metro stops from here. (inside you forget that your'e in Russia!) We got there and got our bowling shoes only to discover that their computer was down and they told us that it should be fixed in 5 mins. so we waited about 10 mins. and then asked again, to be told that it would take an hour. We waited another 20 mins to only then be told that the technician was coming in about an hour and then who knows how long it will take to fix it...? Needless to say we turned in our shoes and took plan B. We saw that there was a pool hall there, so we went there and played pool for the next 2 hours. There were 5 of us - 3 guys and 2 gals - so we got two tables so 4 of us could play at a time. I have to say that the ladies triumphed. We each played one of the guys for 2 or 3 games and both kept winning, so we finally decided to play each other. That was a fun game. I won the first game, then Lola won the next game because I scratched on the 8 ball. Lola and her boyfriend who came with us are actually not Sam's groupmates, but friends of one of sam's groupmates. they both go to this medical school, but are in the Russian-medium course, whereas Sam and his group are in the English-medium. After our pool-playing afternoon, Olli-Pekka (Sam's groupmate from Finland) invited us back to his place to make tacos. Sam was torn because the Manchester United game was going to be on tv, but we persuaded him when Ollie Pekka told him he could also watch the game at his place AND get free food. so we all went to the grocery store and got the taco supplies and ice cream for dessert. (O.P. showed us a store that actually carried taco spices and shells...salsa too! there's only one kind and its kind of expensive, but good to know when we are craving Mexican food!) Back at Ollie Pekka's we ate and watched the Man U. game (unfortunately they lost!) then another of Sam's groupmates came over and we had ice cream and coffee. by the time we were finished it was 7:00 and Sam and I needed to leave to go get groceries for the week. After shopping we got home around 9:00. it was a long day, but quite a lot of fun too. We're hoping that soon, maybe next week, we can go back and actually be able to bowl this time.

weird...

it's a strange feeling to have your husband come home at the end of the day and make the statement, "Ooh, don't touch me, I smell like dead bodies"

...and its true.

and yet somehow its a perfectly normal thing to say.

Men's Day

In Russia February 23rd is a holiday called, Men's Day. Every year the ladies in the fellowship group do something for the guys and give gifts to them for Men's Day. This year, we made a personalised mug for each of the men in our group. Each mug included pictures or phrases that reminded us of him. Here is Sam's mug.

Working Girl

So, yes...as preveiously blogged, I got a job! I will be working for American Language Master (ALM) teaching English. ALM is an American-owned language school here in St. Petersburg. They offer pre-intermediate, intermediate, upper intermediate, and advanced English classes. (this means the students have to know basic english already in order to enroll...meaning I don't have to be able to speak Russian to do this. which is A BIG PLUS.) They offer evening classes and also have a number of contracts teaching english at local companies (in the morning) who want their employees to improve their english. I have been orienting/training a few days these last 2 weeks, and getting familiar with the ESL books from which I will be teaching material. Also, I have been helping with the conversation group ALM offers on Saturday afternoons. The students who attend an English class with ALM can go to the conversation group on Saturdays for free as another opportunity to practice their English. We meet at a local coffeeshop and split the students into 3 groups, each group including a teacher, who then leads conversation on a certain topic, or leads the group in a game or activity that encouages them to speak. I have been to conversation group the last 3 Saturdays - the first time just as an observer to see what they do - and the last two weeks I have been a leader. Its a lot of fun and the students seem to respond really well to the things i have prepared. Plus I just have fun talking to people and hearing what they have to say. Fun for me, and i even get paid to do it! I went to ALM today for my last training thing - I met with the director and together we went through a lesson I had planned. He gave lots of good feedback and at the end told me that he had no reservations at all about me doing a good job teaching. He thinks I am totally ready and he could put me in front of a class tomorrow if he had one. The classes don't run on a set semester schedule, but rather begin once enough students are signed up. I don't know when I will get my first class, but he said that it should be in the next few weeks. Very exciting.

A HUGE THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO POSTED COMMENTS!

You've made my day. I have loved getting a glimpse into who reads up here!

Ah, Summer....

I did not take this photo, Amy McSwegin did, but I was just looking at it today and remembering this sweet time with lots of heaping nostalgia. This was right before we left Ohio. We shared frozen custard with dear friends, looked at wedding photos, (Neil taught Sam the "neat trick" of spinning his wedding band on the table to see how long it would spin, which he still does from time to time and did I mention that I am just so very proud of that....yeah, uh, Neil thanks for that....) sense the sarcasm? good, because i'm laying it on pretty thick.

In the photo, from left to right: Sam, Lisa J, Josh V, Neil, Maveja, Mike, Amy, Me.
I love it because, well, I can't really explain why, but just that when i look at it, I feel loved. And I am encouraged that the warmness of summer breezes and comfort of flip flips will one day return. Just for today I will pretend that it didnt just snow 3 more inches. I will take cheer in the fact that it is now almost 5pm and it is not yet dark outside. Amen.

Valentine's Day

New

got a job teaching english!

recieved "Christmas" packages from loved ones in the States...in February (thanks to the Russian post)

second semester classes have begun for Sam

have become addicted to LOST. late i know, but its much better this way because now i have 3 whole seasons i can watch on my own time schedule. so much better this way than having to wait for the next show each week.

reading: "God Grew Tired of Us" John Bul Dau's memoir of his journey as one of the lost boys of Sudan. (i requested it, Amber kindly responded, and "pre-read" it for me...ha!)

learning: African geography at www.ilike2learn.com

enjoying the new "Inside Russia" series this month on BBC World - beginning with the "Russian Godfathers" documentaries.

the days are starting to get longer, hope that winter will end sometime!

we attended our first "couples" fellowship. Sam dreaded it and said it made him feel old. we also discovered we suck at the "how-well-do-you-know-your-spouse" game.

possible opportunity for an apartment...pray about this!

leave some comments...i'm wondering if anyone still reads this anymore! miss you guys. drop me a line here.

post-birthday blogging

So, on Monday I commemorated another year of life on Earth. As is the hostel tradition, my friends from the fellowship group came to celebrate at midnight - as Feb 3rd turned into Feb 4th (my brithday). Many of our friends from fellowship are away in Moscow right now on a Winter retreat, so we had a small gathering, which was actually quite pleasant. Deepthi had recorded video messages on her phone from everyone who couldn't be there. So it was very nice to know that even those who weren't there to celebrate with me were still thinking of me. We had 2 kinds of cake and of course everyone sang Happy Birthday and I blew out candles. I got a salwar kameez and dupatta from Deepthi. Follow the link or just look at the pics below if you don't know what that is.








Here are some pics from the midnight party.

The next morning Sam made breakfast for me and gave me my present. I got a steamer/rice cooker. I was totally happy. We eat a lot of rice so this will be really convenient and there is no worry about over-cooking. Plus I can steam vegetables...mmmm.



We spent a leisurely morning at home and then Sam took me out for Sushi for lunch! I had mentioned a little while ago how I wanted to go to this Japanese place for Sushi sometime and he took me there. So sweet. The place was quite nice and the food was good. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that God gave me a nice present too - snow. So Sam and I had a nice walk to the metro station in the snow. It was very pretty because not only the ground, but also all the tree branches were covered.

On our way home from lunch we stopped at the post office because we had gotten a notice that a package had arrived for us. I also got a postcard from Courtney on my birthday. Talk about perfect timing! We received the package from my parents' neighbor whom we recently met when we were in the States. She is a very lovely, sweet lady. We got a number of goodies that we just can't get here that I'm very excited about.



ground decaf coffee (can only find decaf instant here), salsa spices, spicy ranch mix, candybars, Tylenol sore throat/cough syrup (Sam considers this a wonder cure), long underwear, and Crest mouthwash. It was a great birthday present!

After we got home, Sam and I watched a movie and made dinner and had a relaxing evening at home together. I had such a fun day; couldn't have asked for a better birthday. And it was even better because Sam has the week off since he cleared all his exams for last semester and classes don't begin till next week. All in all, I'd have to say that Russian birthday #1 turned out alright.