We arrived in St. Petersburg yesterday evening, got checked in and registered, and went out for a lovely meal with Marc. Nadia had homemade pelmeni, draniki (little potato pancakes), and a little cabbage salad. We don't have WiFi, so will be harder to post, but we'll be stopping in to cafes. Right now we are at one down the street called 'Laika', named for the first dog in space. It's very hip. Sometimes the contrast between the old and the new Russia is too great to process. Yesterday Nadia and I had breakfast in Novgorod at a place that was right out of the 1970s. Completely untouched by the modernization taking place all around it.
Nadia: The coats here have fur. I have a fur hat the students gave me for a present. It's not real fur. You can't brush your teeth with the water here so you have to use bottled water.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Novgorod!
We took an overnight train last night to Novgorod, a small, ancient city north of Moscow. The train was really fun for Nadia -- like a pajama party with college students. She has made friends with everyone and now takes the hand of the nearest student and just starts chatting. Today in Novgorod we visited an open air museum of medieval - 19th c. architecture, then had a traditional Russian banquet, followed by a sleigh ride in the snow! Nadia's favorite part, especially when one of the students pointed out that we were experiencing a "one-horse open sleigh", complete with jingle bells.
Our hotel is an old, crumbling Soviet structure. I'm pretty sure I stayed in an exact replica in the 90's in Tallinn or Vilnius... Nonetheless, there are fish (and 80s pop music) in the lobby and they give us breakfast (also old-school: kasha with butter, bread, Russian cheese, tea).
Tomorrow we are off to Petersburg! My mobile phone for Pete is activated, so that's the best way to reach us for now.
Our hotel is an old, crumbling Soviet structure. I'm pretty sure I stayed in an exact replica in the 90's in Tallinn or Vilnius... Nonetheless, there are fish (and 80s pop music) in the lobby and they give us breakfast (also old-school: kasha with butter, bread, Russian cheese, tea).
Tomorrow we are off to Petersburg! My mobile phone for Pete is activated, so that's the best way to reach us for now.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Film Studio; U.S. Embassy; Russian workbook
We have been busy! Yesterday we spent most of the day at Mosfilm, the largest movie production company in Russia. Because Marc knows the CEO, who is also a very famous director, we got VIP treatment: we saw sound studios, sets being built, costumes, cars from the early 20th century and throughout the Soviet period (that was my favorite part), and an entire town built to look like 19th-century Moscow. We also got to see some tv studios and we were allowed peek in on the Russian "Dancing with the Stars" (that might have been Nadia's favorite part). I was amazed at how Nadia moved through all of this intuitively knowing how to behave and watch not to touch. Sometimes she walked with me, sometimes she held the hand of one of the students, but she never strayed and never fussed, even though it was a long day.
We had a huge meal at the restaurant at the film studio, then had a quiet night just the two of us, and a light dinner of pelmeni and yogurt. Four retired ladies from Switzerland arrived at the hostel, and one of them kept us company for a bit. They are taking the Trans-Siberian railway all the way to China. Their cheerfulness and intrepid nature inspired me.
Nadia: The film studio had real cars and real dresses. Everything was really cool!
Anytime we are with the students, Nadia is very happy!
Today we went to the U.S. Embassy! We got to meet quite a few diplomats in the foreign service, which was great for our students, interesting for me, but not really spell-binding for Nadia. Good thing we had her little backpack with maze books and a cheese sandwich. She was really good, and it was mildly interesting, I think, for her to hear about the preparation for Barack Obama's arrival last July.
Later we met Yeran and hit a bookstore. I got two books on Stalin. Nadia spent a really long time in the kids' section and left with a workbook (in Russian) and a paper-folding project thingy. We went to "Moo-moo" cafe and there she pretended to read my book. A lady nearby got a huge kick out of seeing a little kid "reading" a history book about Stalin. She leaned over and said, "She's very advanced!" Then she smiled, laughed, and said "What a little beauty!"
Nadia: I got to stay up late to have cake with the students tonight. It was Brittany's birthday. I sat by Sarah. I wish my whole class could be here, then every student would get to have a kid with them all the time!
We had a huge meal at the restaurant at the film studio, then had a quiet night just the two of us, and a light dinner of pelmeni and yogurt. Four retired ladies from Switzerland arrived at the hostel, and one of them kept us company for a bit. They are taking the Trans-Siberian railway all the way to China. Their cheerfulness and intrepid nature inspired me.
Nadia: The film studio had real cars and real dresses. Everything was really cool!
Anytime we are with the students, Nadia is very happy!
Today we went to the U.S. Embassy! We got to meet quite a few diplomats in the foreign service, which was great for our students, interesting for me, but not really spell-binding for Nadia. Good thing we had her little backpack with maze books and a cheese sandwich. She was really good, and it was mildly interesting, I think, for her to hear about the preparation for Barack Obama's arrival last July.
Later we met Yeran and hit a bookstore. I got two books on Stalin. Nadia spent a really long time in the kids' section and left with a workbook (in Russian) and a paper-folding project thingy. We went to "Moo-moo" cafe and there she pretended to read my book. A lady nearby got a huge kick out of seeing a little kid "reading" a history book about Stalin. She leaned over and said, "She's very advanced!" Then she smiled, laughed, and said "What a little beauty!"
Nadia: I got to stay up late to have cake with the students tonight. It was Brittany's birthday. I sat by Sarah. I wish my whole class could be here, then every student would get to have a kid with them all the time!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
"Black Nights""
When we were landing in Moscow last Friday night, Nadia looked out the window and said excitedly, "When we came in the summer it was 'White Nights' and now it's 'Black Nights'!" I thought that was a clever observation. For a week in June, St. Petersburg celebrates 'White Nights', when the sun barely sets.
It's been warmer here than in Minnesota, which means we haven't needed our long johns yet, and it's been pretty pleasant walking around. Nadia's mom is really going to miss the cafes, especially because all of the walking makes higher caloric intake quite possible. :)
Nadia says: "I miss everybody! Meera, Travis, Eleanor, Ole, Karsten, Caroline, Sophia, Lydia, Clara, Corrina, Rylee, Alex, Leif, Eli, Carter, Berit, Lars, and ALL of the Chickadees and ALL of my friends!! Russia is not like home at all. We don't have a car here and most people don't have cars. We take the metro everywhere (the subway). We walk everywhere. The coats are different here. We live in a hostel here. We have a room like an apartment and share the kitchen. It's fun because there's always people around!"
Today we really slept in: I woke up at 10:30 when our friend Yeran arrived unexpectedly. My cell phone battery ran out yesterday, and I couldn't receive calls while the phone was charging. She was so worried that she couldn't reach us all evening that she traveled half way across the city to make sure we were okay. That's what a Russian friend is like!
After a slow start to the day, we went to a cafe for an infusion of caffeine and bliny, then to the Leningrad train station where we bought tickets to Novgorod for 21 people. That adventure took a fair amount of energy, so afterward Nadia picked out a new coloring book (one with the Russian alphabet to trace) and we grabbed a hot dog at a "buffet" in the metro. In the old days, there was no snack bar right in the metro! We stopped at a small grocery, the kind with all products behind counters where one has to order everything from sight and pay at different counters.
This evening the students went out to a play and we opted to stay in. After dinner we played the math game that Nadia's teacher sent. The last game involved so many made up rules that mommy had to depend on Nadia to tell her where to put her piece. :) Nadia moved the furniture around in our room and played that the beds were an island, then she made a project out of a book Gaga gave her, and now she is doing a word finding puzzle.
Some of our new friends here at the hostel said good-bye to us tonight, and had many nice things to say about our girl. I could see that having a little person around brings many smiles to many people.
It's been warmer here than in Minnesota, which means we haven't needed our long johns yet, and it's been pretty pleasant walking around. Nadia's mom is really going to miss the cafes, especially because all of the walking makes higher caloric intake quite possible. :)
Nadia says: "I miss everybody! Meera, Travis, Eleanor, Ole, Karsten, Caroline, Sophia, Lydia, Clara, Corrina, Rylee, Alex, Leif, Eli, Carter, Berit, Lars, and ALL of the Chickadees and ALL of my friends!! Russia is not like home at all. We don't have a car here and most people don't have cars. We take the metro everywhere (the subway). We walk everywhere. The coats are different here. We live in a hostel here. We have a room like an apartment and share the kitchen. It's fun because there's always people around!"
Today we really slept in: I woke up at 10:30 when our friend Yeran arrived unexpectedly. My cell phone battery ran out yesterday, and I couldn't receive calls while the phone was charging. She was so worried that she couldn't reach us all evening that she traveled half way across the city to make sure we were okay. That's what a Russian friend is like!
After a slow start to the day, we went to a cafe for an infusion of caffeine and bliny, then to the Leningrad train station where we bought tickets to Novgorod for 21 people. That adventure took a fair amount of energy, so afterward Nadia picked out a new coloring book (one with the Russian alphabet to trace) and we grabbed a hot dog at a "buffet" in the metro. In the old days, there was no snack bar right in the metro! We stopped at a small grocery, the kind with all products behind counters where one has to order everything from sight and pay at different counters.
This evening the students went out to a play and we opted to stay in. After dinner we played the math game that Nadia's teacher sent. The last game involved so many made up rules that mommy had to depend on Nadia to tell her where to put her piece. :) Nadia moved the furniture around in our room and played that the beds were an island, then she made a project out of a book Gaga gave her, and now she is doing a word finding puzzle.
Some of our new friends here at the hostel said good-bye to us tonight, and had many nice things to say about our girl. I could see that having a little person around brings many smiles to many people.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A warm and sunny day at the Kremlin
We went to the Kremlin today with the students and Yeran. She went early and got the tickets. We went through a museum that had really neat things, like the carriages the tsars rode in and Catherine the Great's coronation dress. She had a really tiny waist. We also say Faberge' eggs that have lots of jewels and tiny surprises inside them. We went in old churches, too.
After the Kremlin, I went with Mommy to Okhotnyi Riad and had cheese pizza for lunch and a chocolate blin for dessert! Mommy had a chocolate bliny, too, and I said, "Isn't it like a dream coming true?"
We had pelmeni for dinner back at home. (Pelmeni are stuffed dumplings.) Then we had tickle time and I wrote letters in one of my workbooks from my teachers.
After the Kremlin, I went with Mommy to Okhotnyi Riad and had cheese pizza for lunch and a chocolate blin for dessert! Mommy had a chocolate bliny, too, and I said, "Isn't it like a dream coming true?"
We had pelmeni for dinner back at home. (Pelmeni are stuffed dumplings.) Then we had tickle time and I wrote letters in one of my workbooks from my teachers.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Another divine day!
Nadia has crashed after a very good, but long day. She slept for almost twelve hours last night, and woke up around 10:00 am. I couldn't sleep so soundly -- and woke up at 6:00. This gave me plenty of time to sit in the window (literally -- the window well is about 2.5 feet deep) with a cup of coffee and watch the sunrise over Moscow. Got some work done, too!
The communal kitchen is a busy and lively place. We ate our breakfast with a number of students and other guests, and we both enjoyed the company. Nadia is a social butterfly here -- she's ready to talk to anyone. I like how traveling opens up time for living in the moment. Conversations happen.
After an adventure getting lost (Nadia said, "Mommy, didn't you know? Never trust directions from the internet!", we made it to the second half of "Prince Caspian" at the "Theater on Malai Bronnoi". Getting lost has advantages, too. Walked around in a pretty ritzy area -- fascinating how much Moscow changed in 20 years -- and Nadia was compensated for the long, cold walk with a trip to McDonalds. After 4o minutes of walking in 7 degree weather with a 6-year-old in tow, one is very happy to see the golden arches.
After the show, we were treated to a private Q and A with the actors, some of whom also had roles in the play we saw yesterday. Nadia's favorite winked at her! And even better for our young traveler: we got to go backstage!!! One of the set creators took an interest in us and led the two of us on a spontaneous tour of the workshops and offices of the set designers while the rest of the group watched a rehearsal. Nadia felt very special -- and was entranced by the experience. Her favorite part was getting to touch the fake snow banks for the set of Narnia in winter, and the secret stair cases we got to take.
We went from there with two of the students to the Red Square area. HAD CHOCOLATE BLINIS, which are like skinny pancakes but much better. St. Basil's cathedral has the most perfect dusting of snow right now, adding to the fairy tale feel of this entire experience. One of the girls gave Nadia a piggy back ride to the metro.
We went home and had a very random meal of xhachapuri (Georgian cheese pie) that our friend Yeran's mother had made for us, bananas, three-dimensional mushroom-shaped cookies and lots of cherry juice. All evening we hung out in the kitchen with different groups of students coming and going. Our room is right next door to the kitchen, which is really an advantage: Nadia can go back and forth with books or little toys to show people -- and show up at just the right time to be offered a cookie.
Have I mentioned before that I love communal living?
I better sign off -- Nadia wants to be up in time to eat with the students.
The communal kitchen is a busy and lively place. We ate our breakfast with a number of students and other guests, and we both enjoyed the company. Nadia is a social butterfly here -- she's ready to talk to anyone. I like how traveling opens up time for living in the moment. Conversations happen.
After an adventure getting lost (Nadia said, "Mommy, didn't you know? Never trust directions from the internet!", we made it to the second half of "Prince Caspian" at the "Theater on Malai Bronnoi". Getting lost has advantages, too. Walked around in a pretty ritzy area -- fascinating how much Moscow changed in 20 years -- and Nadia was compensated for the long, cold walk with a trip to McDonalds. After 4o minutes of walking in 7 degree weather with a 6-year-old in tow, one is very happy to see the golden arches.
After the show, we were treated to a private Q and A with the actors, some of whom also had roles in the play we saw yesterday. Nadia's favorite winked at her! And even better for our young traveler: we got to go backstage!!! One of the set creators took an interest in us and led the two of us on a spontaneous tour of the workshops and offices of the set designers while the rest of the group watched a rehearsal. Nadia felt very special -- and was entranced by the experience. Her favorite part was getting to touch the fake snow banks for the set of Narnia in winter, and the secret stair cases we got to take.
We went from there with two of the students to the Red Square area. HAD CHOCOLATE BLINIS, which are like skinny pancakes but much better. St. Basil's cathedral has the most perfect dusting of snow right now, adding to the fairy tale feel of this entire experience. One of the girls gave Nadia a piggy back ride to the metro.
We went home and had a very random meal of xhachapuri (Georgian cheese pie) that our friend Yeran's mother had made for us, bananas, three-dimensional mushroom-shaped cookies and lots of cherry juice. All evening we hung out in the kitchen with different groups of students coming and going. Our room is right next door to the kitchen, which is really an advantage: Nadia can go back and forth with books or little toys to show people -- and show up at just the right time to be offered a cookie.
Have I mentioned before that I love communal living?
I better sign off -- Nadia wants to be up in time to eat with the students.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Nadia: We were going to Europe and our plane was two hours late. We ran through the London airport and I fell down, but I wasn't hurt and we just kept on running. We made it onto our plane to Russia but we almost missed it. The plane to Russia was great! It was so great! So great! Unh-huh!
Mommy: Our Moscow friends met us at the airport. Yay! Because it was almost 11:00 pm by the time we got out of the airport, we stayed with them last night and met up with our St. Olaf group today. Nadia couldn't sleep much last night, but she was so captivated by her experiences today that she didn't complain even once.
Nadia: Today was great. I went to see the play "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". It was fabulous!
Mommy: The play was hands-down one of the best productions for children that I've ever seen. The stage and set had many tricks and special effects that were seamless and magical. After the theater, we walked with Marc to a little cafe where we had an omlette, a savory pastry, and I had my fourth espresso of the day. First three were at Yeran's apartment. We walked along Tverskaia Blvd. on the way back to our hostel. It's all so magical. I think Nadia is feeling that, too, because she asked this evening, "Mommy,is this real? I feel like this isn't really happening, but it is!"
The hostel is sort of like having a room in a communal apartment. We have two twin beds and a great view. Nadia thrives in this type of social environment.
And now mommy is too tired to write anymore.
Mommy: Our Moscow friends met us at the airport. Yay! Because it was almost 11:00 pm by the time we got out of the airport, we stayed with them last night and met up with our St. Olaf group today. Nadia couldn't sleep much last night, but she was so captivated by her experiences today that she didn't complain even once.
Nadia: Today was great. I went to see the play "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". It was fabulous!
Mommy: The play was hands-down one of the best productions for children that I've ever seen. The stage and set had many tricks and special effects that were seamless and magical. After the theater, we walked with Marc to a little cafe where we had an omlette, a savory pastry, and I had my fourth espresso of the day. First three were at Yeran's apartment. We walked along Tverskaia Blvd. on the way back to our hostel. It's all so magical. I think Nadia is feeling that, too, because she asked this evening, "Mommy,is this real? I feel like this isn't really happening, but it is!"
The hostel is sort of like having a room in a communal apartment. We have two twin beds and a great view. Nadia thrives in this type of social environment.
And now mommy is too tired to write anymore.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
We're Leaving Today!
Nadia bounded down the stairs this morning: "I'm leaving today!" Nadia is so excited, she is bouncing off the walls. Our friends Kate and Jimi came to help us pack and get ready. Nadia's grandma, Gaga, is taking us to the airport. Our friends in Moscow, Yeran and Volodia, will meet us at the airport. Thank goodness for friends and family near and far!
We've got all sorts of things to keep us busy on the plane, including lots of books and fun things from Nadia's teacher, Jeanne'.
Our next post will be from Moscow!
Poka, poka! ("Bye-bye" in Russian.)
We've got all sorts of things to keep us busy on the plane, including lots of books and fun things from Nadia's teacher, Jeanne'.
Our next post will be from Moscow!
Poka, poka! ("Bye-bye" in Russian.)
Friday, January 1, 2010
Countdown to Russia!
We leave in 6 days for our trip. Kind of daunting to pack for three weeks in Russia. In winter. With a -30 windchill. This is what mommy is thinking about. Nadia is thinking about which Christmas presents to pack.
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