Home from Russia!!!

My journey has finally ended! After a nearly 38 hour trip home, I arrived in Kansas City yesterday morning. The trip home was long!!!! Fortunately, it was a fairly smooth trip from Moscow to New York to Detroit (spent the night) to St. Louis to Kansas City! WOW!!! A lot of travel! Though it was a long trip to KC, I am glad to be home!!

Lawmakers, Leopards and Roads Swelter in July Heat Wave

During our time in Moscow, we have really had to deal with the heat that has blanketed Russia over the past month. It was reported today that this summer is the hottest in Moscow for 30 years. This article was in The Moscow Times today and we wanted to share it with our friends and families back home. I know we are definitely ready to return to more favorable temperatures in the US, or in my case (and several other Midwesterners), at least air conditioning!!! (Click on the post title to be forwarded to the article.)

Final Day in Moscow

I can't believe this day is here. It is our last day in Russia! How did we spend our day....just like any other tourist...shopping!!!! ;)

This morning we visited Izmailovsky Park. This is a special souvenir park in Moscow that has hundreds of stalls for people to sell different types of Russian souvenirs. Unfortunately for us, it is Friday. Most of the stalls were empty today because they only come on weekends. But we did just fine with the selection we had. There were thousands of matryoshka dolls, jewelry, magnets, painted wooden souvenirs, lacquer boxes, traditional Russian clothes, and much more. I think everyone had a great time shopping at the outdoor market!!

After our shopping spree, we had the afternoon free. On our way to the embassy yesterday, Will and I saw a Russian sports store that we wanted to check out. So we had some more join us to find it again. The store is Bosco Sport. It is the official store of the Russian Olympic Team. Everything in the store is clothing that the Olympic Team wears. Shirts, shorts, jackets, pants, socks, shoes, winter boots, coats, and more. It was really cool!!! They even had t-shirts for the Sochi Olympics. Boys and girls - Sochi is a town in Russia that will be hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics. They are really excited about the Olympics and are already selling things for it. I bought a t-shirt and one of their mascots for the Sochi games!!! He is cute!

In the evening, we walked to a local Georgian restaurant for our farewell dinner. It was fantastic! Of course, as with Russian meals, the Georgian meal was several courses and we were pleasantly full when we finished eating. As a surprise, Bonnie, Bridget, and Sean gave out special 'awards' to each of our group members as parting gifts.

Wendy - The Pioneer

Natalie - Goodwill Ambassador

Julie - Anthrapologist

Paul - The True Slavic Soul

Vinton - Cunning Linguist

Amy - True Soviet Olympian

Attalia - Best Cartographer

Will - Reconnaissance Man

Bridget - True Fashionista

Sean - True Star Pupil

Bonnie - Rough Guide Russia

Kelly - True Diplomat

Embassy Visit

We had an interesting day today. The day began at the US Embassy in Moscow. I was really excited to go to the embassy and see what it is like. Outside the buildings are not stunning, but once inside the complex, we were taken to the main embassy building which was very beautiful. All around the grounds were blooming flowers of red, white, and blue and it was nice to see an American flag hanging in the courtyard.

We spent our morning listening to different embassy officers describe what their departments do and how they help make connections between Russia and the US. We heard about political, human rights, cultural, economic, environmental, health, and consular issues. The officers were all positive in their outlook of our relationship with Russia. This has been changing toward the positive since President Obama and President Medvedev created a Bilateral Presidential Commission that includes 17 working groups, of various topics, that are working to improve our relations between the two countries. Our morning was extremely informative!

After a quick lunch, we went by metro to our next appointment. The afternoon was spent talking to Tim Stubbs. He is a University of Michigan alum and for the past 19 years, has worked in Moscow as a lawyer. Mr. Stubbs and one of the other partners of the firm, described for us how they help domestic and international companies move into the Russian system. It was interesting to hear how they view Russia and how it has changed since the fall of the Soviet Union.

The rest of the evening was free so Kelly, Vint, Julie, and I decided to go to Old Arbat, an area of Moscow that is a pedestrian street filled with cafes, art vendors, souvenirs, and live musicians. It was really nice to stroll the street and enjoy the hot Moscow evening.

Tretyakov Gallery

Our afternoon today was spent at the Tretyakov Gallery. In the 19th century, a Moscow merchant Pavel Tretyakov opened a gallery of Russian artwork. Today the gallery contains about 150,000 works of art from the 11th through the 20th centuries. The gallery has paintings, drawings, scultures, and icons. Below is a picture of the front of the Tretyakov Gallery, as well as a statue of Pavel Tretyakov.

We followed a guide that took us to the masterpieces of the gallery. She took us to the paintings of the 18th and 19th centuries. I saw artwork by Rokotov, Borovikovsky, Kiprensky, Perov, and Vrubel. A special collection that we viewed was by Ivanov. Moscow wanted to build a special church in the early 19th century. For this church they held a competition to see who would decorate the inside of the cathedral. Ivanov won the competition so he began working on his painting. For 25 years, he worked on his masterpiece and he painted close to 500 sketches to make his composition. Another special piece that we saw was a portrait of Tretyakov himself. He commissioned (or asked) Repin, a very famous artist in the 1800s, to complete his portrait.

My favorite part was the collection of icons. The gallery has icons dating back to the 1100s or the 12th century. It is amazing!!! To be looking at a piece of artwork that has been preserved for over 900 years is incredible. The icons in this collection are very beautiful!

Following our tour of the gallery, we walked to the Kolomenskoye Park. This is a special area of Moscow that in the 16th and 17th centuries was a summer getaway for the Russian czars. At that time, this was a place to vacation and relax outside of Moscow. Now, it is a great place to relax by the Moskva River, read in the park, or just enjoy the view!

We decided to enjoy the river again and took another boat ride. It was so nice to relax and enjoy the beautiful view. It was hard to believe we were in Moscow because it is so peaceful in the park. There are trees everywhere and people are enjoying nature. It was a wonderful way to finish our day!

Kremlin and Armory

Our morning was very productive today. We had a lecture about Russian oil and gasoline and discussed how it impacts the country. The presenter was very funny and helped make the information understandable. Russia is ranked second in the world of barrels of oil pumped per day with the US in the third place. It was very interesting to hear different statistics about Russian oil companies and how they operate in Russia.

After a quick lunch, we rode the metro to downtown Russia. Our afternoon was spent inside the Kremlin. Boys and girls - Kremlin in Russian means 'fortress.' This is a place of protection. Once inside, we toured the many sites of the Kremlin. We saw the building were President Medvedev works, the Czar bell and Czar cannon, the Grand Palace, and Cathedral Square.

Below are pictures of the Czar bell and Czar cannon. They are really big!!! The barrel of the cannon (the green part) weighs 40 tons (or 18 elephants)!!! It is so big that it has never been fired! The Czar bell is even bigger! It weighs 200 tons. When it was being built, a part of the bell broke off and the bell never rang! It is neat to look at though!!!

After our tour, we walked to Armory. This is a special museum that has artifacts that date back to the 12th century - the beginning of Moscow's history. I saw carriages used by Russian czars (rulers), armor and equipment used in battles, dresses, jewelry, gifts from other countries, and my favorites, Faberge eggs. These eggs are very special in Russia. Every Easter, the czar would have a special egg made for his/her family. They are beautiful and very unique designs!!!

When we had toured the armory, we went for a boat ride on the Moskva River. It was wonderful to sit back and enjoy seeing Moscow from the river! It was an amazing way to finish another awesome day in Moscow!!!

Moscow City Tour

We had our first day of lectures and activities in Moscow today. We met the director of the universities high school and discussed how this school is connected with the university. Also, we met with the rector of the university. He told us all about the university and the programs that are offered here. Our lecture was over the Cold War today. It was interesting.

My favorite part of the day was our tour of downtown Moscow. Our guide took us to Red Square, St. Basil's Cathedral, the Christ Savior Cathedral, GUM shopping center, metro, overlook of Moscow, and more. I love Moscow and am excited to get back to several of the landmarks and learn more about them in the next few days.

I had to take a picture of this matryoshka (stacking doll). I couldn't believe it when I saw it. A matryoshka of a Kansas State football player!!! Go Cats!!!

In Moscow!

We arrived safely in Moscow today! It was difficult to say goodbye to my host family. Artur, Olga, and Anna have been so wonderful over the past three weeks. I truly feel that I now have three more family members!

After many goodbyes in the Krasnodar airport, we flew to Moscow. While here, we will be studying and staying at the Russian State University for the Humanities. I am truly a university student. I have my own dorm room that I will be staying in the next week!

We walked around the area today. It looks like a wonderful area of Moscow. To our excitement, we have already found a McDonalds and Starbucks within walking distance!!! I think we are all excited and eager to begin our stay in Moscow!

Rector's Reception

Wow! I just returned from an amazing reception at Kuban State. Today is our last day in Krasnodar! It does not seem possible that three weeks have gone by already. However, we were very fortunate to have a wonderful send-off from our new friends at the university!

We were greeted by the Rector and Vice-Rector of the university. Both had kind words to share about our stay. They also presented us with gifts from the university! The staff had prepared a white table cloth dinner with covered seats for us. I felt like I was at a ball. The table was set with many appetizers and beverages when we arrived.

Throughout our meal, administrators, lecturers, group leaders (several of which are pictured to the right), and participants took turns giving toasts. In Russia, it is customary to give many toasts throughout the meal. We had a wonderful time talking to one another and sharing the wonderful memories we have had while in Krasnodar.

At the end of our meal, we took lots of pictures to remember everyone at Kuban State. I don't think we can put into words how wonderful the people in Krasnodar have been to us. This has been an amazing opportunity and one we will never forget! We are leaving Krasnodar tomorrow, but we will never forget the people we met and the friendships that we have made! Thanks Kelly and Sasha for making our Krasnodar leg absolutely fantastic!

Weekend at the Black Sea

What a fantastic two days! We just returned from two days by the Black Sea! It was amazing!

Thursday, July 8

We began our journey bright and early at 7:30 am by boarding our vans and heading to Gelendzhik, a resort area on the Black Sea. The three hour ride was beautiful but took us through mountain roads that were windy and curvy. A few of us were a little carsick, but we made it!

When we arrived, we checked into the Kuban State University hotel. We were in heaven there. My room had a balcony were we could relax and enjoy the sea air!! After checking in, we got back into our van and went on our afternoon excursions. Our first stop was in a small village (I can't remember the name) that has an amazing view of the Black Sea. The guide took us to a great spot to see the entire harbor and take pictures. Next we went to an attraction that is called "New Park" in Russian. What is funny is that it is buildings of 'old' things. For example: there is a small replica of the pyramids and sphinx, Roman buildings, Chinese houses, etc. The architect of this park brought together examples of architectures from any different centuries and from around the world. As our leader Sasha said, "It's like Epcot but smaller!"

Our next stop was at a local champagne factory, Abrau-Durso. It is known around Russia as one of the best, if not the best, champagne factory in the entire country. We were taken on a tour of the facilities. The factory and storage for the champagne is built into a mountain. It was really cool!!! We actually saw one of the tunnels were thousands of bottles of champagne are housed. The best part was getting to see a special supply of champagne that is being set aside for the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014!!! A picture of the bottles is on the left. That was cool!!!

When we returned to Gelendzhik, we had time to swim in the Black Sea. I got on my swimsuit and got in! It was wonderful! The water was just right! The beach was a rock beach so that hurt a little bit, but we didn't let it stop us! It was a wonderful way to end a full day on the Black Sea!!!

Friday, July 9

Most of the morning was spent in Novorossiysk. This is the largest port city in Russia. Our guide first took us to a World War II Memorial that had an amazing view of the entire harbor. She explained to us how Novorossiysk was involved in the war. At one point, there was a battle between Russian and German foces in Novorossiysk for 225 days. The memorial there was erected to remember the marines that died while fighting to protect Novorossiysk.

Next, we went into the city to view a Russian Naval Crusier that was used from 1954 to 1984. While onboard, an active Naval Sailor told us about the ship. He is pictured here on the starboard side of the ship (the right). His job is to take care of the ship and make any repairs needed. We saw the officer's mess, different equipment used on the ship, the anchors, and more. At one time, there could have been 2000 sailors working and living on the ship when it was in use.

Following our tour, we returned to Gelendzhik for lunch at a Ukrainian restaurant. It was amazing! We had borsch, garlic bread, potatoes wrapped in cabbage, and fish topped with mushrooms, cheese and tomatoes!! YUM!!! When we had eaten ourselves so full we could hardly move, we were given some time to relax. I decided to go back to the sea to relax. Julie, Vint, and I found the sand/rock beach. I wanted to take a short nap while they swam, but it was so hot, I had to go back to the hotel. It was okay because we had to get ready and head back to Krasnodar. This was an amazing trip and a wonderful way to end our time in Southern Russia!!!

Final Day of Sessions at Kuban State

Wow!!! Where have our three weeks gone? Today was our final day of sessions at Kuban State. We will still be in and around Krasnodar until Sunday, but our time at the university has come to a close.

We spent time today as a group discussing our time in Krasnodar. Our group has been so fortunate to have wonderful experiences with faculty, staff, tour guides, business people, etc. while in Krasnodar. Everyone has been gracious, kind, supportive, and hospitable! I have felt welcome everywhere I have gone in Krasnodar and on all of our excursions out of the city. We have truly been blessed by meeting wonderful people with warm and kind hearts. This has been an amazing opportunity!!! Krasnodar and its people will be greatly missed!

Trip to Maikop

Tuesday, July 6

Today we visited Maikop, capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adygheia. The Adyghe are a group of Muslim people living in the Caucasus mountains (and other places around the world). We began the day by visiting the national museum (pictured below). While in the museum, we viewed three different exhibits: 1. Adyghe history 2. World War II Memorial 3. Russian and German children's exhibit of reptiles.

The Adygheia history was very interesting. We were able to view models of traditional Adyghe villages, forms of transportation for land and sea, farm equipment, and more. My favorite items were the clothing that Adyghes wore. The women wore beautiful dresses with very intricate designs. At sixteen, Adyghe girls are given special rooms. However, they have to learn to sew three mats for the room before receiving it. Sewing and weaving were two skills that girls learned. We saw special gold thread that Adyghe girls used to sew patterns, dresses, etc.

The World War II exhibit was very nice as well. This exhibit focused on the impact Maikop played in the war and specifically the Adyghe peoples role. Many of Maikop's war heroes were on display, as well as stories of their war experiences.

The children's exhibit was very special. To help mend connections between Russia and Germany, this exhibit was created. Children in both countries were asked to create drawings, paintings, beadwork, and more of reptiles. Then the exhibit was shared to build relationships between the countries.

Next we walked across the street to the Maikop mosque. This was very interesting. We were greeted by two Adyghe women who lead us upstairs to the women's prayer quarters. They discussed the rituals used in the mosque and answered our questions. They were interested in our opinions and also asked us several questions. The women were very kind and open to sharing about their faith. I really learned a lot from this visit.

After our tour of the mosque, we had a fantastic lunch. When we arrived, the table was set for a feast (see picture below). There were fruits and vegetables, different kinds of fried breads, corn meal squares, two kinds of milk drinks (one that was warm and chocolate and one that was white), a dipping sauce for breads, and meat. There were so many choices, it was hard to pick something. We definitely had enough food and then some for our lunch. It was really great to taste traditional Adyghe food!!

As we entered the restaurant and during our meal, we were treated to traditional Adyghe dances. The two dancers below greeted us with a welcome dance as we entered the restaurant. Then as we were eating, they danced a wedding dance. As you can see from the picture, the women's dress is long and covers her feet. As a result, you get the sensation that she is floating over the floor as she dances. It was amazing! The man had crazy footwork too! Luckily I taped the performance so I can watch it again because all I could do was stare at their feet in amazement!! It was awesome!

After lunch, we were taken on a tour of the city of Maikop. We went to their war memorial which commemorates the Civil War and World Wars. Then we traveled to an ancient kurgan. This is a mound of earth that is built to cover a grave of a nobleman. As we were listening to our speaker, a women and three men came out of the house. They began to make a lot of noise and when I turned around, they were holding a blanket over a tree. I realized they were collecting berries from the tree. Later, one of the men (and this is a grandpa!) got a ladder and climbed up into the tree to get more berries. After about 10 minutes, the women told us to take a five minute break and eat the berries (she is below)! It was so nice and the berries were GOOD!!! This is just one more example of the hospitality we have received from complete strangers while in Russia!

Botanical Garden and Honey Tasting

Today was our last official lecture at Kuban State. We were joined by an ecology expert from Kuban State who told us all about the ecology in the Krasnodar Krai. It was a very interesting presentation.

Following lunch at the university, we were taken to the Kuban State University Botanical Garden. The university has created a beautiful garden that includes over 2500 different species of plants. Some of the most beautiful were their lotus and water lilies. They were gorgeous plants!

While we were touring the garden, a group of young folksingers was waiting for us. They began to sing traditional Russian songs while we toured the grounds. When our tour was over, the group was waiting again, and performed for us. While they sang, we were treated to tea and different types of honey. Kuban State has a department that teaches students about bee keeping and to their knowledge, it is the only such program in Russia.

We tried three different types of honey and even a honey drink. It was interesting. They get the different flavors of honey from different trees. We tried honey from White Acadia and Chestnut Trees, as well as another (but I can't remember what it was...whoops!) They were good, but my favorite was the White Acadia! On blini!!! (like a really thin pancake) YUM! We really had a fun afternoon!

Fourth of July Celebration

Sunday, July 4
Today was a wonderful day surrounded by our new friends and families in Russia. To help celebrate our American holiday, Kuban State hosted a special lunch for the American guests and our host families.

We arrived at the university to find tables filled with wonderful appetizers (mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumbers, bread, cavier, and PIZZA!!!) As everyone came in, we ate, visited, and had a great time.

Before our main course arrived, our group had a special surprise for our host families. We had prepared a 'short' (and I stress short) concert for them. We decided to sing a few America-themed songs for our families. We chose America the Beautiful, This Land is Your Land, and Amazing Grace! I think our host families liked our songs and we had fun singing them. To our surprise, our host families (without even prior planning) got up and sang a couple of traditional Russian songs! They were awesome!!!

After our short concert, we ate our main course then had desserts and tea. The afternoon was fantastic. We were able to meet each other's families and enjoy their company. Our Russian hosts helped make our Fourth of July very memorable and one we will not forget for many, many years!!!!

нтв News Broadcast

Attached is a link to our news cast. (Click on the title of this entry.) The video was broadcast on Saturday, but you can view it online. Hope you enjoy!!

Dacha - Summer House

Can this weekend get any better? Today I traveled with my host family to their dacha. Boys and girls - A dacha is a summer house that Russians travel to to relax and enjoy nature. My families dacha is about 110 miles outside of Krasnodar in the Caucasus Mountains.

After an hour drive, we arrived at the dacha. It is a cute house that is surrounded by flowers, fruits, and vegetables. My host father immediately began picking berries and vegetables from the garden. They were so good! Blueberries, raspberries, cucumbers...YUMMY!!! My host mother changed clothes and walked into the mountains to look for mushrooms!!! While they were working, my host sister took me for a walk around the village. They saw a lot of pretty flowers and beautiful countryside!

When we returned, I spent a couple hours just sitting outside enjoying the amazing view! I was completely relaxed. You couldn't help but think of nothing while you were there. My host father joined me later and said that he can't think of work while he is at the dacha. I completely understood. When I return to the States, I may have to think of finding an 'American dacha' for myself!!! ;)

After a wonderful lunch, Olga and Anna (my host mother and sister) took me for a hike in the mountains. They took me to several special look-out points where I could see amazing views of the mountains! It was breathtaking! Unfortunately, our hike had to end and we returned to Krasnodar. However, Olga says that after I have breathed the mountain air, I will sleep wonderfully tonight!! I am really looking forward to that!

Orlenok - International Summer Camp for Kids

Friday, July 2
Yesterday was amazing and today was great too!!

Our day was spent right on the Black Sea at an international summer camp for kids aged 10-18 called Orlenok. In Russian this means baby eagle. Right now, there are 3000 kids at the camp taking part in one of seven different sub-camps. The mission of the camp is to teach students three things: 1. patriotism 2. leadership 3. citizenship.

We were greeted at the camp by two camp leaders. They began to give us the grand tour of the vast complex. Our first stop was at the border patrol camp. Here the campers are to watch three different posts on the grounds (two entrances and one of the sea). The kids report to their advisors routinely and make note of all visitors or anything strange. We were told that a few times, the children at this camp have actually seen strange boats in the Black Sea. They reported these boats to their advisors, the advisors reported to Russian authorities, and they found the boats to be poachers. I actually got to try my hand at being a camper by running their obstacle course. Each morning, the campers train to stay in shape. They run, jump, climb, and exercise through the course. It was hard! I was breathing really hard after I finished the course.

Next, we went by several different camps. There was an international camp for visitors from outside Russia, Sunny camp, Starry camp, and Rapid camp. Starry and Rapid camp help build patriotism and leadership of students. We saw the observation dome where students can look at the stars and planets. One of the major goals of this camp is to build interests and skills in different areas for the kids. For example, students that are interested in writing can write articles for the camp newspaper. The camp not only has a newspaper, but they have a radio station and TV station too!!!

After lunch, we were taken to the aeronautics camp. Here students learn everything about flying. If a student wants to be a pilot or astronaut, they can go to this camp. Students - Do you know what an astronaut is called in Russia? Ask mom and dad if you need help!!! We were able to see models of rockets, uniforms, helmets, space equipment, and more at this camp. The students can actually practice using the same equipment men and women use in space! Pretty cool! Our next stop was at Orlenok's museum. On July 12, the camp will celebrate its 60th anniversary. To celebrate, they have put together a special museum of their history. We were lucky to be the first international guests to see the museum before it opens to the public!

The next two hours were spent relaxing and swimming in the Black Sea!!! AWESOME!!! Unlike the Azov Sea, the Black Sea has lots of waves but was just as nice. It was a beautiful day! The sun was shining and we all enjoyed the warm sea water. After swimming, I relaxed on the soft, sandy beach! There were rocks all over the beach so I spent some time picking them up. I'll bring them to school to show you what a Black Sea rock looks like kids!!!

To complete our day, we were allowed to talk to a group of campers. The kids greeted us and asked us to join their circle (They sit in circles to talk and discuss any problems or issues they may have). For over 30 minutes, the kids asked us lots of questions about the United States and Russia. They were very excited to visit with us and hear what we had to say! To finish our visit, the kids sang their camp song for us. While they sing, you are to place your arms on each other's shoulders and join in the song together. It was a special treat and a great way to end our wonderful visit to Orlenok!!

Orphanage

Thursday, July 1
What an incredible day!!! This has been my favorite day so far!

Today was our last Russian class! Our teacher surprised us with small Russian gifts to celebrate the occasion. We also celebrated by bringing flowers to our teacher, which is a Russian tradition! Our teacher's name was Irina and she is pictured with us to the right (she is wearing a white blouse.) After exchanging gifts, we were joined by a film crew! After being interviewed by the local Krasnodar TV station, a national Russian TV station (NTV) found out about our visit and wanted to do a story also. So the film crew starting taping our Russian class. It was strange to have a camera in my face while I worked. Boys and girls - I know now how you feel when you are under pressure at school. It is hard to think!!!

After Russian class, the crew followed us to our next lecture. Today we discussed women's rights in Russia from pre-revolutionary times to today. It was very interesting and at times, sad to hear how women's rights have changed and not changed during the past century.

The best part of the day came in the afternoon!!! Following lunch, we boarded our bus and traveled an hour out of Krasnodar to a local orphanage. An orphanage is a place where boys and girls live if they are not able to live with their parents. When we arrived, several of the children were waiting for us at the entrance. They were so excited to see us and we were glad to see them too! The children gave us a tour of the facilities. It was very impressive. They have a special recreation building where the children sing, learn special dances, draw, paint, sew, and more. They are creative just like you are boys and girls!!!

Next, we were taken outside to see more recreation areas. They are very lucky to have their own mini-soccer field, basketball court, therapy pool, and playground. It was really cool!! Our next stop was inside the concert hall. The students presented a special concert for us. They sang, danced, played instruments, and invited us to dance. Miss O'Neal got to join the kids on the dance floor for a song! It was fun!! When they were finished, we gave the kids special gifts. To thank us, they gave us drawings and paintings they created. I was given a lot of paintings so we will have lots of pictures to look at when school starts in August!!!

I had a wonderful time at the orphanage. This opportunity reminds me that children around the world are all the same! They are happy, like to sing and dance, and love to make others smile! What an amazing day!!!