Wow, it's hard to believe it's already 2012! It seems like the last year really flew - a friend of mine once told me that when you are very young, time seems to move slower, then when you get to be in your late teens and in your twenties the pace speeds up, and that after that it doesn't slow down until you're over fifty! Of course, I don't know if she was just telling me this because I was eight years old at the time and fretting over the fact that some holiday - I think it was Christmas - was taking forever in coming, or whether it is all actually true...but I can definitely vouch for the increase in pace when you get in your twenties!!!
The last month has certainly flown by. I think that is the reason that Thanksgiving and Christmas have separate months - it really feels like you've stepped into a time warp where everything speeds up when you try to have Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the same month! It felt like I'd just finished washing dishes after Thanksgiving dinner when it was already time to start thinking about Christmas decorations. Of course, finding the Christmas tree ready and waiting out on the balcony was a big help, and so were the ornaments in the closet - Christmas decorating can get expensive really quickly! It also helped that the neighbor kids came over and helped me make some paper ornaments - Timour even made me a beautiful paper star for the top of the tree. And I found a great deal on tinsel at Billa, and since I decided not to make gingerbread this year (the thought of trying to find molasses, and both types of corn syrup, and nutmeg, and some equivalent to pumpkin spice proved too daunting) I had all of these whole cloves left over from the pumpkin pie recipe that I wasn't going to use. So I took some mandarin oranges and paper clips and made ornaments instead!
However, I'm pretty sure my piece de resistance (at least in terms of Christmas decorations I have finished setting up; more on that in a minute) has to be the Advent wreath - not for appearance so much as for the effort that went into putting it together. I already wrote about my unfruitful search for purple and pink candles and the resultant painting. But that only gave me candles - I still didn't actually have a wreath. Well, about five days before Christmas it started to snow....and snow....and snow... I have never seen so much snow except for once before in my life (remember the two feet we had around 1999?). And it was so beautiful. I can see why some languages have many different names for snow; there are so many different kinds! When it first started, the flakes were big, soft, wet, and fluffy - they clung to everything. As soon as it got a bit colder, though, it changed to the sand-like snow I've written about before. A couple of days later (yes, it was snowing almost ceaselessly for four days!) it alternated between tiny ice crystals and the most beautiful snow I've ever seen, snow I don't think I've ever seen in North Carolina: some of the flakes were almost four millimeters in diameter; it was like a master crystal-cutter had specially designed each one. And it sparkled! I've read about sparkling snow before, and some of the snows back in North Carolina have sparkled a bit I think, but this was like watching sequins fall from the sky - they glinted whenever they caught the light. And it was all so quiet. Sometimes I think that's what I love most about the snow, the way it hushes all the day-to-day sounds. Of course, it wasn't as quiet here as it would have been back home (I think Muscovites have a similar resolution about weather that our post office does, but the Russians stick to theirs more faithfully than our post office does today! - "Neither snow nor rain not heat nor gloom of night can stay us from our swift attempts to drive our cars on the roads.") So it wasn't as quiet as NC would have been; there were still people driving, but since they were driving through at least a couple of inches of slush, even the traffic sounds were muted. And at this point you're probably wondering what all of this has to do with my Advent wreath. Well, I knew I wanted greenery for my wreath, real greenery to make up for having a fake tree, so I decided to steal some for the park I walk through to get to work. So on the twenty-third I put on a double layer of socks, laced up my boots, and trekked off through the snow...it was some of the most fun I've had since I've been here! Just a wealth of snow! I took my camera, and I must have taken dozens of pictures. At one point I started running through the knee-deep snow just for the fun of it...and promptly fell over. It made me realize I haven't run just for the fun of it since I've gotten here; I need to do it more often. (In fact, I think it wouldn't hurt a lot of adults to take a random sprint now and then.)
Anyways, I had a lovely time stealing fir branches and the beautiful red berries that hang off of the trees around my flat - I don't know what these trees are called, but they have bright red berries that hang in bunches off of each branch, and the snow piles up on the bunches in funny peaks. So Christmas Eve night found me frantically trying to assemble all of my decorations - I was still trying to finish decorating the tree, I had to put the wreath together, I was planning to make sugar cookies, and I was having Jenny and Andrey over for dinner.
In the end, I just had to nix the idea of sugar cookies, and the tinsel and mandarin orange ornaments had to wait until Jenny and Andrey had left. So I stayed up decorating until at least 1 in the morning, and even then I didn't finish - I still haven't finished my nativity scene! I can't remember if I mentioned it in my previous blog, but I think not. Anyway, I decided that I needed a nativity scene in my apartment - it's one of the Christmas traditions I really didn't want to do without. But since Christmas isn't all that big a deal in Russia, they don't sell nativity scenes in the shops, at least not in any of the ones I frequent. So I decided to make my own. Therefore, it's not finished yet. So far I've got the stable, the donkey, and the midwife and her apprentice finished, and the shepherds are about halfway done, but as of yet there is no sign of the Holy Family, or the three kings, or any of their entourage, and no angels to speak of! But I figure that as long as I finish it before the end of the Christmas season, it won't be too disgraceful.
As for the actual celebrations of Christmas and New Years, they went better than I thought they would. I was afraid, especially at Christmas, that I would suddenly be overcome by a huge wave of homesickness. Back home, we have so many special traditions and fun ways to prepare for Christmas, and I just knew that at some point it would hit me that I was celebrating Christmas without my family, almost on the other side of the world. However, my Christmas was so different this year that it really didn't feel like the Christmases I am used to at all. It was still good, it was just different. On the 23rd we had a party at the Mitino school, and that was a lot more fun than office parties usually are, I think. The school is so small, and we all get along pretty well, so it was fun to celebrate together. Then on the 24th Jenny and Andrey came over to my place and we made a nice dinner. It was really sweet of them to come and celebrate, it helped make Christmas Eve seem special, which I especially needed after working all day. (Speaking of which, I'm of the firm opinion that working on Christmas Eve should be illegal. People should get off on the 23rd and then have a day to prepare before Christmas.) Anyway, we didn't really do much of anything except cook, eat, and talk, but it was really nice and low-key. And since Andrey was tired from work, we spoke Russian practically the whole time, which was a really good way for me to practice - there wasn't any pressure, and if I was stuck for a word I could use the English one. So all in all it was fun. The only downside was that I was up til 1 or 2 trying to finish decorating! But even that was nice because I skyped with my family while decorating.
It sure was hard prying myself out of bed Christmas morning, though! I had to get up early to go to Mass, and that was the only point when I felt a funny pang, opening my door and seeing the Christmas tree - back home, we kids have a special tradition on Christmas morning: the first person to wake up has to wake all the others up, and no one is allowed to go downstairs until everyone is awake. Then we all go down together, and turn on the lights, and wake up Mom and Dad, and open presents. But I didn't have any time to get depressed; it's an hour to church on the metro, and I had to hurry. Mass was beautiful - the whole church was ablaze with lights, and at the base of every column there was a Christmas tree dazzling with tinsel and ornaments and lights.
The singing was wonderful, and many of the songs were Christmas carols/hymns we often sing translated into Russian. So for once I knew the tunes, and could really sing. We did "Silent Night" and "Oh, Holy Night," and "Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful". I was particularly thrilled with "Oh, Holy Night"; it's one of my favorite carols. So Mass was beautiful, and then I had to catch the metro up to Marina Rosha station to go to dance class - like I said, it's a normal day for most Russians, so everything went on as usual. Class was so much fun - we did a ballet barre, and learned the first variation from Carmen (which I've done before, and it was so great to get to do it again), and then we put on character shoes and worked on a Moldavian dance, which was a new style for me and so interesting. After class, we had an impromptu party: Lena bought food and we all sat and watched the dvd of their latest recital. It was great fun, and it was really nice to spend a little time with the other company members outside of the studio.
By the time I got home, it was 8:00, and I was absolutely exhausted, but happy. I skyped with the fam again, and went to sleep. Aaaaaaannnnd that's almost all I've done this entire past week: sleep. It has been wonderful! However, amidst all the sleeping I did find time to go see a movie with Liliya, a New Year's comedy called "Yolki 2" ("Christmas Trees 2") which I actually understood! (It really does merit an exclamation point; it was one of those films where there are about six different plot lines and they finally all tie together but until the very end you have no idea how.) And on Friday we went together to see the Kremlin. That was so cool - also really cold! We had had a thaw a couple of days before, so there wasn't much snow on the ground, and the temperatures weren't even that far below zero, but I just didn't wear enough layers so I was freezing! The inside of the Kremlin was a lot smaller than I expected. I think because we stayed in the Sobornaya Ploshad (Church Square) and didn't walk around very much, I didn't get a true idea of the Kremlin's size. But I loved seeing all the old churches - they are all so beautiful, with the rich, dark colors, and the gleaming metal accents on the icons, and the vaulted ceilings. I also saw Ivan the Terrible's tomb, and Dmitri Donskoy's, which in my opinion were a lot cooler than seeing Lenin! (Which I haven't done yet and don't plan to.) We also saw the Tsar's Cannon and the Tsar's Bell, both of which are enormous. Apparently the Tsar's Bell was never rung; when it was removed from the mold a huge chunk fell out of it, which is sad because I can't imagine how beautiful such a huge bell would sound. It is amazing to imagine casting such a huge bell such a long time ago, though...even today, with all of our scientific advancements and technology, it would be a mighty feat. Anyway, it was really neat, and it is one of the only places in Moscow where it is really easy to imagine yourself back hundreds of years - nearly all of the buildings are so old; there is a real sense of history there.
We also walked around Red Square briefly; it is all aglow lights right now, and there is an ice rink set up in the center of it! It was all very festive and fun, a really neat way to spend the day.
Yesterday was fun as well. My partner in crime from the Mitino school, Teya, came back from Denmark, and we celebrated New Year's together. I love Teya because she is so fun and crazy; she was the perfect person to see in the New Year's with. First, we both decided to get really dressed up, and then she came over and we started the evening with tea and sugar cookies. Then we walked over across the way to Shokoladnitsa and had dinner. Shokoladnitsa is basically the Russian equivalent of Starbucks, but with more hot chocolate options, so it was pretty fun to go in and order when we were dressed up like we were going ot the opera! After that, we walked back to the flat and had shots of vodka - well, I had about half of a shot and that was all; it still tastes like shoe polish to me. Teya had this trick she'd learned where you drink vodka accompanied by a piece of brown bread. First you sniff the bread, the you take a sip of vodka, then you eat a piece of the bread. But then it just tasted like eating brown bread with shoe polish...I don't think I'll ever be much of a drinker! Afterwards, we watched The Irony of Fate, which was great fun. If you haven't seen this movie, I would recommend it; it's quite funny! But it's also quite long, so don't try to watch it in a hurry - it's probably best for a long evening when you don't have anything planned. You can watch it on youtube with English subtitles; the link is here: http://www.youtube.com/movie?v=lVpmZnRIMKs&feature=mv_sr
Afterwards, we still had about half an hour til midnight, so we chatted and Teya got the champagne out. Five minutes til midnight we turned on the television to see the Spasskaya Bashnya clock ring at the Kremlin. I have to admit, I think that's a much better tradition than our ball drop - even as kids my siblings and I didn't really see the point. After all, nothing really happens! It would be much better if they actually dropped the ball, at least! I was explaining that tradition to Liliya, and she didn't really see the point of it either. Anyway, Teya and I rang in the New Year's with the Kremlin bells and singing...and then the most beautiful thing happened. People started shooting off fireworks all over Mitino, and there were some right in our courtyard! And almost as soon as the Kremlin bells stopped ringing, it started to snow - that most beautiful kind, with the huge, sparkling flakes.
The last month has certainly flown by. I think that is the reason that Thanksgiving and Christmas have separate months - it really feels like you've stepped into a time warp where everything speeds up when you try to have Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the same month! It felt like I'd just finished washing dishes after Thanksgiving dinner when it was already time to start thinking about Christmas decorations. Of course, finding the Christmas tree ready and waiting out on the balcony was a big help, and so were the ornaments in the closet - Christmas decorating can get expensive really quickly! It also helped that the neighbor kids came over and helped me make some paper ornaments - Timour even made me a beautiful paper star for the top of the tree. And I found a great deal on tinsel at Billa, and since I decided not to make gingerbread this year (the thought of trying to find molasses, and both types of corn syrup, and nutmeg, and some equivalent to pumpkin spice proved too daunting) I had all of these whole cloves left over from the pumpkin pie recipe that I wasn't going to use. So I took some mandarin oranges and paper clips and made ornaments instead!
Lilya's ornament
Timour's ornament
a couple of my ornaments
my beautiful Christmas tree!!!
lights in my bedroom window :)
However, I'm pretty sure my piece de resistance (at least in terms of Christmas decorations I have finished setting up; more on that in a minute) has to be the Advent wreath - not for appearance so much as for the effort that went into putting it together. I already wrote about my unfruitful search for purple and pink candles and the resultant painting. But that only gave me candles - I still didn't actually have a wreath. Well, about five days before Christmas it started to snow....and snow....and snow... I have never seen so much snow except for once before in my life (remember the two feet we had around 1999?). And it was so beautiful. I can see why some languages have many different names for snow; there are so many different kinds! When it first started, the flakes were big, soft, wet, and fluffy - they clung to everything. As soon as it got a bit colder, though, it changed to the sand-like snow I've written about before. A couple of days later (yes, it was snowing almost ceaselessly for four days!) it alternated between tiny ice crystals and the most beautiful snow I've ever seen, snow I don't think I've ever seen in North Carolina: some of the flakes were almost four millimeters in diameter; it was like a master crystal-cutter had specially designed each one. And it sparkled! I've read about sparkling snow before, and some of the snows back in North Carolina have sparkled a bit I think, but this was like watching sequins fall from the sky - they glinted whenever they caught the light. And it was all so quiet. Sometimes I think that's what I love most about the snow, the way it hushes all the day-to-day sounds. Of course, it wasn't as quiet here as it would have been back home (I think Muscovites have a similar resolution about weather that our post office does, but the Russians stick to theirs more faithfully than our post office does today! - "Neither snow nor rain not heat nor gloom of night can stay us from our swift attempts to drive our cars on the roads.") So it wasn't as quiet as NC would have been; there were still people driving, but since they were driving through at least a couple of inches of slush, even the traffic sounds were muted. And at this point you're probably wondering what all of this has to do with my Advent wreath. Well, I knew I wanted greenery for my wreath, real greenery to make up for having a fake tree, so I decided to steal some for the park I walk through to get to work. So on the twenty-third I put on a double layer of socks, laced up my boots, and trekked off through the snow...it was some of the most fun I've had since I've been here! Just a wealth of snow! I took my camera, and I must have taken dozens of pictures. At one point I started running through the knee-deep snow just for the fun of it...and promptly fell over. It made me realize I haven't run just for the fun of it since I've gotten here; I need to do it more often. (In fact, I think it wouldn't hurt a lot of adults to take a random sprint now and then.)
snoooooowwwww!!!!!!!!!!
winter birds :)
funny little snow caps on the dried flowerheads
the frozen pond
if it's possible to be high on snow excitement, then I'm pretty sure that's the state I was in
Anyways, I had a lovely time stealing fir branches and the beautiful red berries that hang off of the trees around my flat - I don't know what these trees are called, but they have bright red berries that hang in bunches off of each branch, and the snow piles up on the bunches in funny peaks. So Christmas Eve night found me frantically trying to assemble all of my decorations - I was still trying to finish decorating the tree, I had to put the wreath together, I was planning to make sugar cookies, and I was having Jenny and Andrey over for dinner.
In the end, I just had to nix the idea of sugar cookies, and the tinsel and mandarin orange ornaments had to wait until Jenny and Andrey had left. So I stayed up decorating until at least 1 in the morning, and even then I didn't finish - I still haven't finished my nativity scene! I can't remember if I mentioned it in my previous blog, but I think not. Anyway, I decided that I needed a nativity scene in my apartment - it's one of the Christmas traditions I really didn't want to do without. But since Christmas isn't all that big a deal in Russia, they don't sell nativity scenes in the shops, at least not in any of the ones I frequent. So I decided to make my own. Therefore, it's not finished yet. So far I've got the stable, the donkey, and the midwife and her apprentice finished, and the shepherds are about halfway done, but as of yet there is no sign of the Holy Family, or the three kings, or any of their entourage, and no angels to speak of! But I figure that as long as I finish it before the end of the Christmas season, it won't be too disgraceful.
the stable in progress
finished stable
midwife and her apprentice; donkey
As for the actual celebrations of Christmas and New Years, they went better than I thought they would. I was afraid, especially at Christmas, that I would suddenly be overcome by a huge wave of homesickness. Back home, we have so many special traditions and fun ways to prepare for Christmas, and I just knew that at some point it would hit me that I was celebrating Christmas without my family, almost on the other side of the world. However, my Christmas was so different this year that it really didn't feel like the Christmases I am used to at all. It was still good, it was just different. On the 23rd we had a party at the Mitino school, and that was a lot more fun than office parties usually are, I think. The school is so small, and we all get along pretty well, so it was fun to celebrate together. Then on the 24th Jenny and Andrey came over to my place and we made a nice dinner. It was really sweet of them to come and celebrate, it helped make Christmas Eve seem special, which I especially needed after working all day. (Speaking of which, I'm of the firm opinion that working on Christmas Eve should be illegal. People should get off on the 23rd and then have a day to prepare before Christmas.) Anyway, we didn't really do much of anything except cook, eat, and talk, but it was really nice and low-key. And since Andrey was tired from work, we spoke Russian practically the whole time, which was a really good way for me to practice - there wasn't any pressure, and if I was stuck for a word I could use the English one. So all in all it was fun. The only downside was that I was up til 1 or 2 trying to finish decorating! But even that was nice because I skyped with my family while decorating.
It sure was hard prying myself out of bed Christmas morning, though! I had to get up early to go to Mass, and that was the only point when I felt a funny pang, opening my door and seeing the Christmas tree - back home, we kids have a special tradition on Christmas morning: the first person to wake up has to wake all the others up, and no one is allowed to go downstairs until everyone is awake. Then we all go down together, and turn on the lights, and wake up Mom and Dad, and open presents. But I didn't have any time to get depressed; it's an hour to church on the metro, and I had to hurry. Mass was beautiful - the whole church was ablaze with lights, and at the base of every column there was a Christmas tree dazzling with tinsel and ornaments and lights.
didn't get many good pictures, unfortunately!
The singing was wonderful, and many of the songs were Christmas carols/hymns we often sing translated into Russian. So for once I knew the tunes, and could really sing. We did "Silent Night" and "Oh, Holy Night," and "Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful". I was particularly thrilled with "Oh, Holy Night"; it's one of my favorite carols. So Mass was beautiful, and then I had to catch the metro up to Marina Rosha station to go to dance class - like I said, it's a normal day for most Russians, so everything went on as usual. Class was so much fun - we did a ballet barre, and learned the first variation from Carmen (which I've done before, and it was so great to get to do it again), and then we put on character shoes and worked on a Moldavian dance, which was a new style for me and so interesting. After class, we had an impromptu party: Lena bought food and we all sat and watched the dvd of their latest recital. It was great fun, and it was really nice to spend a little time with the other company members outside of the studio.
By the time I got home, it was 8:00, and I was absolutely exhausted, but happy. I skyped with the fam again, and went to sleep. Aaaaaaannnnd that's almost all I've done this entire past week: sleep. It has been wonderful! However, amidst all the sleeping I did find time to go see a movie with Liliya, a New Year's comedy called "Yolki 2" ("Christmas Trees 2") which I actually understood! (It really does merit an exclamation point; it was one of those films where there are about six different plot lines and they finally all tie together but until the very end you have no idea how.) And on Friday we went together to see the Kremlin. That was so cool - also really cold! We had had a thaw a couple of days before, so there wasn't much snow on the ground, and the temperatures weren't even that far below zero, but I just didn't wear enough layers so I was freezing! The inside of the Kremlin was a lot smaller than I expected. I think because we stayed in the Sobornaya Ploshad (Church Square) and didn't walk around very much, I didn't get a true idea of the Kremlin's size. But I loved seeing all the old churches - they are all so beautiful, with the rich, dark colors, and the gleaming metal accents on the icons, and the vaulted ceilings. I also saw Ivan the Terrible's tomb, and Dmitri Donskoy's, which in my opinion were a lot cooler than seeing Lenin! (Which I haven't done yet and don't plan to.) We also saw the Tsar's Cannon and the Tsar's Bell, both of which are enormous. Apparently the Tsar's Bell was never rung; when it was removed from the mold a huge chunk fell out of it, which is sad because I can't imagine how beautiful such a huge bell would sound. It is amazing to imagine casting such a huge bell such a long time ago, though...even today, with all of our scientific advancements and technology, it would be a mighty feat. Anyway, it was really neat, and it is one of the only places in Moscow where it is really easy to imagine yourself back hundreds of years - nearly all of the buildings are so old; there is a real sense of history there.
entering the Kremlin: Troitskaya Bashnya
inside, approaching Sobornaya Ploshad
Sobornaya Ploshad
Blagoveshenskiiy Sobor
Liliya and me in front of Uspenskiiy Sobor
the Kremlin New Year's Tree
the bell towers
the small, beautiful Tserkov' Rizpolozheniya
entrance to the Uspenskiiy Sobor
the Moscow River from the Kremlin walls
Bolshoi Kremlevskiiy Dvorets (literally, "Big Kremlin Palace") and the Blagoveshenskiiy Sobor
Tsar's Cannon
the Tsar's Bell
We also walked around Red Square briefly; it is all aglow lights right now, and there is an ice rink set up in the center of it! It was all very festive and fun, a really neat way to spend the day.
the eternal flame near the entrance to Red Square; we got to see the changing of the guard, which was really cool!
Red Square!!!
looking across Red Square in the other direction
Yesterday was fun as well. My partner in crime from the Mitino school, Teya, came back from Denmark, and we celebrated New Year's together. I love Teya because she is so fun and crazy; she was the perfect person to see in the New Year's with. First, we both decided to get really dressed up, and then she came over and we started the evening with tea and sugar cookies. Then we walked over across the way to Shokoladnitsa and had dinner. Shokoladnitsa is basically the Russian equivalent of Starbucks, but with more hot chocolate options, so it was pretty fun to go in and order when we were dressed up like we were going ot the opera! After that, we walked back to the flat and had shots of vodka - well, I had about half of a shot and that was all; it still tastes like shoe polish to me. Teya had this trick she'd learned where you drink vodka accompanied by a piece of brown bread. First you sniff the bread, the you take a sip of vodka, then you eat a piece of the bread. But then it just tasted like eating brown bread with shoe polish...I don't think I'll ever be much of a drinker! Afterwards, we watched The Irony of Fate, which was great fun. If you haven't seen this movie, I would recommend it; it's quite funny! But it's also quite long, so don't try to watch it in a hurry - it's probably best for a long evening when you don't have anything planned. You can watch it on youtube with English subtitles; the link is here: http://www.youtube.com/movie?v=lVpmZnRIMKs&feature=mv_sr
Afterwards, we still had about half an hour til midnight, so we chatted and Teya got the champagne out. Five minutes til midnight we turned on the television to see the Spasskaya Bashnya clock ring at the Kremlin. I have to admit, I think that's a much better tradition than our ball drop - even as kids my siblings and I didn't really see the point. After all, nothing really happens! It would be much better if they actually dropped the ball, at least! I was explaining that tradition to Liliya, and she didn't really see the point of it either. Anyway, Teya and I rang in the New Year's with the Kremlin bells and singing...and then the most beautiful thing happened. People started shooting off fireworks all over Mitino, and there were some right in our courtyard! And almost as soon as the Kremlin bells stopped ringing, it started to snow - that most beautiful kind, with the huge, sparkling flakes.
fireworks in our courtyard!
So much has happened for me in 2011, both bad and good: my dad lost his job, my little brother got held back in school, one of my dearest friends moved to Washington, D.C., and I realized that joining a dance company across the ocean is not as easy as I'd hoped it would be. But I also got to travel to Italy - twice! - both times with some of my best friends; Sophie and I got to make our first trip to Washington; I graduated from college; I got to see my younger siblings really grow and develop; I got to play the Evil Queen in the ballet Snow White, we all made it safely through a tornado; I got to assist teaching Russian language with a wonderful teacher, and I moved to Moscow, where I'm learning so much about other people, my faith, and myself every day. I don't know what 2012 will bring, but I hope it will bring a job for my dad, good health for all my family and friends, and that God will make his purpose for me in this next year very clear. Lots of love to everybody, and Happy New Year!!! May it bring you joy. :)
