What you have been waiting for....

I know, I know. It has been forever since I updated this thing.... So much has been going on, it will take me a long time to write this.

Anyways, right now in Vladivostok it is -12 degrees celcious and there is alot of snow... I mean alot. When I walk my knees are covered in it. At least it isn't that cold.

Christmas is coming around the corner and I feel wierd about not having to buy presents for my family and friends. I will get to celebrate it on the 24th though, so I am really happy about that. January 7th I leave for China and I will be there 20 days; 15 days in Harabin and 5 days in Bejing. I am super excited! It will be lots of fun, I just wish more exchangers were going! In February I am going to a city called Kamchutka. I am so so so so so excited for it. The place is supposed to be absolutly beautiful.

So, crazy thing! I have been here for almost exactly three months. It is crazy because it feels like three years. I miss everyone alot, and my cat, and McDonalds. It is really wierd to see pictures of my family and see how much they have changed in these months. My brother is tall, that is the first time I have ever said that. My sister can wear my clothes, like really wear them not drown in them. It's really strange.

My Russian is... coming. It is really difficult! I can understand people if they speak slowly and clearly and I can speak sometimes... but I am really self concious about my accent. I find it sounds really funny when Americans speak Russian. Sometimes here I read about what's going on in the USA, but it kind of makes me upset when I hear things like 30,000 American men and women are being deployed to Iraq when the war was supposed to be coming to an end. It is sad, but I have been able to hear people's opinion on the US and it is really interesting.

Well September 23rd was my last entry and since then I have been pretty busy. Somethings haven't changed though, like me being sick constantly. It is like I have had the flu for the past three months! Ehh, I don't care because it's bearable. I have visited a bunch of places in the past two -ish months! I am really happy about that because it makes the time pass really quickly and every city is different and has it's own feeling and life to it.

First I will start with my trip to Irkutsk. No words can explain that city. It is located in Sibereia by Lake Baikal. It was my favorite trip so far. While we were there we visited a University, a few museums, a childrens center, a hypo-therepy center/ranch, and the best of all Lake Baikal. The childrens center and the horse center were located in a village outside of Irkutsk. The Village was beautiful and amazing. There is something about the Siberian air that gives you such energy and life. Now, the most amazing thing I have seen yet would have to be Lake Baikal. When you go there you can feel how old it is and feel that is a very mysterious and magical place. It is the deepest lake in the world and huge. You cannot see the other side of the lake. There we saw a show with animals that look like seals but aren't, they can only be found in Baikal and they look like aliens. Then we went hiking and it was amazing. I would have liked to hike more, but time didn't allow it. I would really like to visit Baikal again.

The sunrise over Irkutsk.

The village in Siberia.


At the Children's Center.


Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal

We really wanted to stay.

Next we went to Khabarovsk, Russia. It was a very beautiful, clean city. We spent Halloween there and were with members of Roteract. It was a fun trip, but so so so cold; it was -25 once. The most interesting part of our trip to Khabarovsk was the way we traveled. We went by train and it took 10-ish hours. Now the trains here are meant to sleep on so they have "beds" and not alot of sitting room. Over all it was a very interesting trip lots of fun!

Sunset over the Amour River in Khabarovsk.

So our next adventure was to a village outside of Partisanks called Tigrovy. It is a little village of 300 people and is comprised mostly of artists, musicians, and painters. Just really creative minds who come and live in the same area. They said that alot of creative people go there because the area inspires them. It was really intersting to meet them. We stayed in a house called a Dacha, it was basically a cabin. Which means it has no running water or plumbing. It was really ruoghing it, but I enjoyed it alot. We got to hike and use a banya (sauna) and have fun. I really like villages alot more because you get the feeling that you are actually in Russia and the people and the landscape are breathtaking. Tigrovy got its name because there are actually tigers in the woods. It made hiking alot more fun! Also, Tigrovy was extremely muddy because the snow was melting. Not that fun when you only have mesh sneakers. I hope I get to go back there sometime soon.

When I think of a picnic in America I think of sandwiches, hiking, and bugs. Here in Russia it is a little different. Picnics here are alot of fun! They involve food, family and friends, alcohol, and lots of laughter. My first picnic experience was with my first host family and some of their friends. This picnic happened to be on a WWII bunker though... very fun! We went exlporing and ate food and just had a great time.

WWII Bunker

Where we had our picnic.

Really scared...

On the WWII Bunker

Russian Tradition!

The next picnic I went on was with the Rotary and involved paintball and killing a sheep. It was alot of fun and very intersting. It was on the coast of Vladivostok and really beautiful.

Paintball fun.

Time to kill the sheep...

It was a really good day.

The coast.

It is funny how things change and your way of thinking and ideals become altered. The things I miss are the things I took for granted. I used to think Central Pa was the worst place to live in the whole world and I couldn't wait to leave. Now I can't wait to come back. I will miss the sea though, I really like the sea. I have eight more months before my real life starts and I am looking forward to spending my time here and then coming home to beautiful Pennsylvania.

I will post more pictures soon and hopefully I will write another blog entry before another two months pass.

"The sea's only gifts are harsh blows, and ocasioanally the chance to feel strong. Now I don't know much about the sea, but I do know that thats way it is here. And I also know how important it is in life not necessarirly to be strong, but feel strong. To measure yourself at least once..." - Into the Wild