The time is ticking away in Russia

I now understand why the people with Fulbright Hayes insist that people stay for 30 days. After all this time I've began to form opinions for myself and not because of the influence of the media, but because I've lived it and experienced it for myself. My Russian friends surpised me with a wonderful cake last night. Amy and Connie spent much time trying to figure out what was in the cake before they bought it. Cindy laughed and said it probably had cucumbers in it. I said dill also. (Inside Russian jokes) It was great but it did have a few surprises like raisins and nuts. We had a hard time trying to clean the dishes since we have no hot water, so we just had to throw everything away. It was a MAJOR ordeal this morning when I tried to ask a Russian woman where and how we throw away the trash from two days of American women. Through many gestures and acting out I finally understood what to do. We took off for the university for our last lectures this morning. We have had at least 30 hrs of lectures and 10 hours of language lessons. These are formal. many many more informal. I'm begining to read. I've learned on this trip I'm a very observate person. i watch where i'm going and notice and can read just about everything I need to survive. I can't speak but about 3 phrases, but a smile works in any langauge. We first had a history lesson and it was very interesting. Ryazan is one of the oldest cities in Russia. it was founded in 1095. I learned all about princeapalities, feudal times, tatars and tzars. We must keep in mind that so much of this history is sooooomuch older than anything we learn about Americian History. We heard of Ivan the terrible, Catherine the Great, Peter the Great, Alex the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Nicholas 1st and 2nd. I've always heard so much about Soviet times, but this was only a 70 year period in Russian History and there is so much more than that. He spent most time on 18th century because this is when so much changed for Russia. Before this time there was mongolian and Asian influnence. Peter the Great brought the European influnce to Russia. He changed everything and how it was done. He made the men shave their beards and become more Europe like. By the end of the 18th century Catherine the Great had mad ethe tzars have absolute power. but by the 1860,s they had had to give freedoms to the peasants. By the end of the 19th century Russia was a world power. They moved to Imperialism with factory work and engaged in wars to gain power in the economy and political areas. Around the early 1900's they had lost a major war with Japan and had a civil war which caused them to lose 8 million people. After that the Soviet period started. Russia is 17 million km and the largest country in the world. It has 85 regions and 142 million people that mainly live in cities. We also had a lecture about geography but I'm not as into that. We then went to a Korean place for lunch and had curry chicken. VEry good and not like anything I've ever had. We went to three malls after that. WE Hate Russian clothes. They are expensive and very small. There close look like they are made for 10 year olds in our country. WE are for sure cutting down on portion size on our return. Tomorrow we are going to a monastry and to see some people making crafts. We are winding down. We will spend Sunday with Sasha, Lena, and Alona at their dasha( summer house) for a farewell dinner. Back to Moscow on Monday and fly home on Tuesday. WE are 9 hours ahead of you guys. i may write again, but may not have another chance. we are maybe going to a computer lab to work on projects. I'm developing a list of differences. i decided today to do it like David Lettermans--10 things you should know before traveling to Russia. Anyway, thanks for the connections i've had with you guys while i've been here. Write me an email and give me your thoughts at short730@yahoo.com Love to all

Weddings in Russia

I've found it very interesting the way they celebrate weddings in Russia. I'm going to be putting together a full report after I return home.

Happy Birthday in Russia

today is my 52nd birthday. what a life I've had. It's been a really good one. Full of adventures and never the same from year to year. I wonder what is ahead for next year??? I woke up to lots of birthday wishes. Amy had brought me a card all the way from america, Norma gave me a coke and my roomie made my bed and put the cutest design on it with all of my stuff. I'll send a pic. I had a super cold shower---I'll never get use to that. Bugs were flying in the windows last night. We were picked up at nine and taken to their idea of Wal-Mart-Capitalism has hit russia with a force. We were so excited to see this huge clean wonderful store. We ate breakfast there and are headed back there as soon as we finish here. why do we impart American ideas all over the world?????? do we really all want to be the same. Some deep questions for this shopper to think of on her birthday after a life filled with shopping. We took off for Ryazan State University. this is were Lela is a Dr. of geography and sasha is a Dr. of Computer Science. Dr. Brooks met with the president while they took us on a tour of their offices and class rooms. You may think you haven't heard of this town but the name of the university is after the husband of Isadora Duncan( the famous dancer). It is also the home town of Povlo the famous behavioral scienctist(remember Palov's dog) we all learned that freshman year. this town has 530,000 people. every town in russia has a Lenin Street. We then when to a guys house to see these dolls his wife( who has died made). They were beautiful handmade work and very expensive. I liked seeing an apartment. I've wondered about it. VEry , very small. About 500 sq. ft. Very depressing to my standards--I guess, if I didn't know any different. WE then went to the Kremlin. A Krelim is the old fortress of the city. This city was founded in 1095. WE went in a church from 1698--very old beautiful buildings. About 8 churches in the area. we got to go in a great museum of russian clothing. All the beautiful lace!!!!! Red and beautiful were the same word in old Russian language , so that is why you see so much red in their clothes. WE went to lunch at a wonderful place--it was beautiful and they had a buffet. very good birthday lunch. well you know i've talked way to much about bathrooms on this blog. We have developed a number system to rank bathrooms. This one was a 6. The top score ever. WE all were taking pictures of it. I know those people thought we were crazy, but we were so happy to have something that we are use to. We then went to Alona's school for the Deaf. What a great experience on my birthday--after I've given 30 years of my life to helping children with disablities. I had to speak and they were so interested in what I had to say. I told them that we have really had to work to move children into their spot in the regular class, but to keep on trying because it's best for the child. they treated us like kings and queens. They had a tea laid out for us. what a nice day. I love ya'll and will be home soon. Thanks for all my birthday wishes.

Ryazzan Opera House

Happy to be at McDonald's

Book talks

I've enjoyed just being a teacher on this trip.  I've always been a special ed teacher at home and not considered on the same level as regular classroom teachers.  I like that all 13 of us teachers are just teachers of students.  There is no difference---We all just teach.  We are from all levels from high school to elementary, and all subject matter.  We all love to read and I've read some great books.  The first one is Savannah Blues--just light chic-lit---Another is Same kind of different as me.  It's a true story about Ron Hall and Denver Jones fromFtl Worth TX.  It's a story about how one woman can make big changes in the world.   The one I'm reading now is On the Divinity of Second Chances by Kaya McLaren .  It's all about how we deserve a second and maybe more chance when we make mistakes in life.  It's fiction.  I want to read to you a quote from the book today that made me cry.  It touched me and made me miss my family that I try to be the trunk of the tree for.  "Being inside the tree house while little branches blow around me reminds me of being in the safety of a mother's womb, in the womb of a dancing woman.  The tree strikes me as so feminine, the curves of her trunk, her delicate branches, and her leaves like a wild hat or a feather boa or precious jewels.  Or maybe this beautiful woman tree is cradling me in her arms.  I see myself in the woman tree.  I see within the tree, my family tree,each strong branch a child, and myself, the trunk, holding everyone up.  In the youthful leaves that tremble with the slightest wind, I see my children, vulnerable to the world and always reacting to it.  In the leaves, I come to see the chaos of my children's lives as natural.  I am the trunk, where people cut hearts like the painful experiences of motherhood, that eventually come to appear as beautiful.  I am what anchors my family in the wind, in the chaos, I cannot still my children, but I can anchor them.  The bark on the young branches is thin and vulnerable, whereas the bark on the trunk is strong.  Deep cracks in the bark, the woman tree's stretch marks and wrinkles, give it texture and beauty.  I feel the lines in my own face with my fingertips and think of that beautiful bark.  Silvery LIchen grows on the bark of the tree, like the silver that creeps into my hair.              I really liked that.  I might be a little sappy today, but I'm tired and its less than a week until I'm home and I'm turning 52 tomorrow.    I love you all.

Drama on the train

I want to say a special thank you to the two young men that came with us.   They have slung our luggage around way more than they bargained for and I appreciate every time they threw mine.  We got on a fantastic train this time.  Very new and sleek.  It didn't take long for the drama to start, there was this man that was drinking way to much on our car.  He was hollering and running up and down the hall looking for any of us women to join him in his drinking.  Sasha had to get a bit forceful and stand guard to make sure he didn't continue to grab at us.  He tried to convince Connie to join him with his whiskey and chocolates.  When the train stopped to pick up others he was putting on a show for all to see.  Before long he had stripped down to his underwear and was dancing around.  Chris got a picture and before long he became Underwear man!!!  Before dinner we went down to the dinning car where we met Dimetri.  We had taken a game to play but there was no need for that because we were playing charades with him to try to communicate.  We discovered he was also a professor, he had also started drinking vodka.  He found his way to our room later and Sasha had to chase him off also.  We had two meals on this trip since it was 26 hours long.  That night Dr. Brooks came down and gave us an informal Russian History lesson.  I think it's all starting to come together.   WE got on at 9am and got off at 9am the next day and lost two hours.  We then knew we had made it back to Europe, we were in Moscow and it looked like the big city.  Lena had promised to take us to Mc Donald's on the way to Ryazzan.  WE were all excited like we were 5.  I got a filet of fish, fries, coke with ice and cherrypie and it all tasted like I had gotten it in Bryant. Wonderful.  I'm afraid I might have reverse stomachache.  I never have gotten one coming this way but might get one going back to American food.  It took 4 hours on a bad bus to get here and we are so dirty and tired.  We are staying in a college dorm.  All ten of us women have to share one shower and one toilet.  AND it has only cold water.  For 5 days we have this to deal with.  WE are all very tired and this will test us to the limit.   WE have to take a bus to this mall to use the internet, but its a nice place.  This is the town our professors are from that have been traveling with us.  I never could have figured out all the red tape to travel like this on my own.  WE are going to their University tomorrow.  Ryazzan State University--I'm not sure what all they have planned.  I'll be 52--I'll celebrate with the family when I return.  Love to all.

A Day in Ekatringburg

WE took out walking this morning at 10:30. First a word about their time table around here. breakfast is around 9-10. Then lunch 2-3, then dinner 8. We are back to the sun going down around 10:30. We went to a Geology museum and our host was a very funny Russian. We were in this small run down space, since everything in this town is underconstruction. He showed us the precious stones that are found in the Urals.Citrin is a beautiful light green stones that can only be found here. Mylicate and ememerals are two other green stones found in abundance here. I have some ideas on what I think about scienctist in russia, We'll have to have this discussion when I get home. We walked to lunch and this across town to the Regional nature museum of the Urals. I do have to say, I've been to every museum for every area of Russia we have been to. I took some kool photos of animals for you Drew. We were then met by two ladies who took us on a long walk to a school. They were with Open World( the same group we met with several weeks ago in another city) We toured this 7-17 year old school. They wore us out telling us about all their awards. Then it was crazy all the sudden they said let's go and we took off on a two mile dead run to another meeting. This one was with about 30 educators at the public libary. It was very informative and they were excited to have American vistors. We exchanged ideas. We then walked another two miles to this internet. I took some aleve about an hour ago and hope I can make it back to the hotel. We are up and out to the train at 8 am in the morning. WE have a 24 hour train ride to Moscow. We will then ride a bus another two hours to Ryazaan. This is were Lela and Sasha are from. We are excited to get to meet their daughter and see where they teach. We are going to their dacha(summer house) and her mom is going to cook for us. I may not be able to connect with you guys for a few days. Love to all. We have all turned our thoughts toward home and look forward to giving you all a big hug.

Deer Park in the Ural Mountains

I was too worn out to make the hike to the internet cafe last night. It was a great day but very tiring. We left at 9am again not really knowing where we were headed. Before long we were at the Europe and Asia border and we all had to get our picture made and had fun making some group shots. We got on the bus for another 1 1/2 or so. Let me say now that I've truly enjoyed getting to know each and every one of the 13 people on this trip. We have had long bus rides and walks and I've had time to learn about everyone's passion and where all they have been. This is the most well traveled group. We have been to Japan, Africa, China, Mexico, Ireland, France, and Germany and of course now Russia and these are only school trips, I'm not even talking about places they have traveled on their own. You know I love people and that has been the best part of the trip, I've met lots of Russians and will be interested in keeping up with what they do next. Anyway we got to the Deer Natural Park, its a regional park located in the Urals. It was a 6km walk about 4 miles. It was raining at time which made for a muddy walk. Papa had told us over and over not to do anything dangerous, well this hike was. It amazed me the way the trail had no hand rails over long bridges that were over high valleys. It was interesting because we had a guide telling us all about it. Mom had to have a knee replacement done after she came to Russia and now I know why. My knees are killing me. There is so much uneven trerrain. No evelators and tons of stairs and miles and miles to walk. Anyway I enjoyed the mountains. They fixed a typical Russian meal for lunch for us. tomatoes and cucumbers cubed, bread, soup, barley with some pork on top, hot tea, and a bun with strawberry jelly in it. I fell asleep as soon as I got on the bus for the 2 hour ride home. One more thing about the bathrooms. There were lots of people standing around in hiking boots. So we go to the bathrooms and there are muddy boot prints on the toilet seats!!!!!! Our guide told us that they have to put signs for people to not stand on the toilets. They are so use to squating on the outhouses that they don't know what to do with Western toilets and they go ahead and stand on the seat and squat!!! Wow. Anyway I didn't move for three hours after we got home and we ordered out pizza. Another adventure--we weren't sure what we were going to end up with. It was good but had more of a cream cheese with dill on it. Oh the ways of Russia, just put dill on EVERYTHING<

The whole group

standing in Europe and Asia at the same time

A day with the Romanovs

We got to sleep into today and didn't get started till noon. Our guide the last couple of days has been a 25 year old journalist who does tour guides on the side. We started to the tour at church of the Blood/ This church was finished in 2003 over the spot that the Romanovs were killed. Let me tell you the story as a story first. The last Czar of Russia was Nicholas II his wife was from Germany and her name was Alexandra. He had never really been interested in running the country and his dad had spent much time with him training him. He was much more interested in being with his family. They had 4 daughters and finally the next heir Alexis. He was born with hemophila, this was something they tried to keep the people from knowing much about. After WWI Lenin had already started an uprising against the czar. Nicholas thought that he could take his family away from there and protect them. They ended up going to Siberia and then back to this city of Ekaterinburg in1918. There is a lot of mystery that surrounds them as to who ordered the family to be shot, but they were shot and then stabbed. They were then taken out of town and the bones were dumped in an old mine. Acid was poured over the bones. There is much debate about all these events and what really happened. But by this time Lenin came into power and communism and the USSR was created. Everything was so secret for so many years. Yelsin who was leader of this area in 1977 had the house torn down where they were killed. He later said that he should have never done that. I've learned so much about the Russian Orthodox church. They have over 500 saints. The Romanovs had this icon(picture of a saint) with them and they were praying to her when they were taken to be killed. She is Mary ( I believe) with three hands. So they found the exact Icon they had been praying to and built this massive church around it. Now the Romanvos have all become saints. So after we left there we went to the monastry where the mine had been where the bones were found. They built seven churches their to honor the saints Romanovs. Beautiful places and gives you lots to think about. There is one true God and people sure have come up with a lot of ways to worship him. We had to wear scarves and skirts. They say this is because the preist don't want to know your sex as you come to them. Very interesting story, so read more about it for yourselves. More about weddings. I've been very interested in Russian weddings. I don't know if I"ve mentioned that or not. Every Friday and Saturday are wedding days here. They first go to the Wedding Palace which is a government building and get married. Then their maid and best man along with several of their wedding party go different places and take pictures. While we were at Church of the Blood today we got to see all kinds of brides. Probably about 20 while we were there. They arrive in cars that have been nicely decorated. They bring drinks to toast the couple, today several had doves they let go. They also go down to a bridge in town and put a lock on the fence to symbolize their love. Today when we got back to the hotel we saw a car on the street, as it turns out I got us invited into the wedding reception to see what the next phase of the wedding it. They have an mc and he came over and I was telling him we were American teachers and were very interested in Russian weddings. We have pictures of all the food and decorations. They also take plenty of shots of vodka along the way. After that we went shopping at a mall. Very good one. Clothes were better priced. We ate dinner there at the food court. I ended up with chicken and was very happy. You never know when you order. Cindy and I have washed clothes and they are hanging on a line in our room. I hope I've been able to share all the differences in life here in Russia. I"ve loved it all. Traveling changes you and opens your mind. I have so much to share with my kids and other teachers at school. I hope I can do it without boring them. It has been so nice to have everything taken care of for us. I'vd had to make no plans just show up and go. Tomorrow we're going to the ural mountains hiking and to a national park. Love to all.

21 hour train trip

papa had prepared us well for getting onto the train,so we did it with no problems. I had to carry my 55 lb suitcase up a large flight of stairs with my 25 lb back pack on. So what ever i bring home--just know its not the gift its the effort I put into bringing it to you that is special. After we got on our bunking party started. One small problem--Dayan, Norma, and Shelia had a Russian man in their cabin with them. Thank goodness Papa made Chris go stay with the girls and the Russian man went to stay with Sasha, Tim and him. The man had told them he would leave while they changed clothesLOL, Don't you know that man was having to spend 21 hours with a bunch of loud American women. I didn't realize how picky I was about food until this trip. In the last couple of days I've been buying and throwing out food often. Chris gave me a bag to bring home of red caviar flavored Lay potato chips. They brought us dinner last night and it was the best meal I had had in days. mashed potaotes w. small meat pattie(who knows what kind of meat) cabbage salad, 1/4 piece of dry brown bread, a packaged cake, butter , jelly and mineral water. or water with gas They love it here, its like tonic water. This morning at 10 they bought most of thesame food but the main dish was rice with fish. At 10 in the morning. So I ate 4 cookies and hot tea. We had fun and great conversation on the trip. We did language lessons, lots of talk about our schools and teaching methods, and we solved the world's problems. Cindy, tim and I had gone down to the dining car early on the trip. Later in the night other people went down and figured out it was a Russian Brothel!!!! They sure had stories to tell about that!! The women were trying to accuse us of stuff we didn't do this morning. Crazy!! We're not sure what exactly happened with that. I had to sleep up in the top bunk and it was quite funny getting me up there the first time. Connie got it on film and I know will use it to blackmail me next year. again about an hour out they started to count towels and sheets again. No way would you be let off the train with a missing hand towel from your cabin. Another thing we stopped once for about 20 minutes and they were selling whole dried fish sorta like fish jerkey. Yuck. When we arrived we noticed some Indian looking people Dr. Brooks told us were gypsys. They have been begging for money. We haven't seen any before this town. He told us this town is a minning town and different from other towns we have been in and to stay together and don't be out alone. WE met at 6 and got a two hour tour of the city. Ekatrirenburg is a city of 1,300,000 people and is second to Moscow for traffic jams. It is the third largest city in Russia. They have a lot of Russian Orthodox churches that were destroyed by Stalin and are now being built back by the government I don't quite understand that. We are going to the Ural Mountains tomorrow and will stand with one foot in Europe and one foot in Asia. We'll also get a tour of all the Tzar places in town. I'm tired and i wanted some good food tonight. We found a division of KFC, but through communiction errors I ended up with 3 greasy chicken wings and some fries. Oh well, I"m off to bed. Love to all.

A day and night on the train

We met this morning at 9am to discuss the train ride we have ahead of us. As soon as the people clear the car we must rush to get on. He gave us our room mates so we'll enter this way. WE move down a narrow hallway to car 5. WE hurry inside and then try to get organized. Connie, Darla, Cindy and I are train mates. Well have two benches on bottom that our luggage should fit under. Well all sit down there. Then Cindy and I have to top bunks. Can you believe I'm one of the young ones that have to climb. There may be air and there may not be. They are so crazy about their towels. After we start they will bring us a towel. They only use hand towels and we get one. That is most hotels. Then they come and check the number of towels in the room before you can check out. The toilets will be locked while we are in cities. you know why?????? Because our waste goes straight out the cars and into Mother Russia. We left the hotel this morning and went to a great museum in town. WE saw some important mummies. My brain is on overload, I'll have to tell you about them later. They hada great display of Altai mountain things. In their cribs they hung from the ceiling of the yurts they had this shallow wooden plate that had drainage funnel for the urine from the baby to collect and leave the crib. Pretty cleaver. I love all the Altai mountain stuff. I like their colors and designs. I will be studying this in much more detail when I return home. I'm having some great converstions with other teachers and I'm being inspired to help kids like never before. I want to open the world for them like it has been for me. Love to all.

Most tiring and best day

The thing about the trip is never really knowing what is going to happen next. Eventhough he tells us, places change and so we make our trip down the 200 stairs and across the swinging bridge to board our bus really not knowing where we are going and when we will return. We had heard that we were going to a Hydro Electric plant. Everyone wanted a day of rest and so Papa began to look like Stalin-saying show up here--do this--don't do anything dangerous--no swimming--no zip lines--and esp. NO SHOPPING!!! We all had the idea this hydroelectric plant would be something like we would tour at home. We rode an hour and 1/2. We got out and started walking through all the booths again. Anywhere and Everywhere people set up booths and try to sell you something. This place was beyond beautiful. This lake emptied into this dam and flowed down to a river. With breathtaking mountains all around. The crazy thing was it was like the beginings of Wild River Country. They had two zip lines, a ropes course, carnival rides. The girl that spoke English that had come with us was great for shopping with us. She knows alot about the Altai Mountains and its people. She was showing us what was junk and what was real. I bought a throat singing instrument with the story telling god cut from wood. I also bought a bird to hang about my door to my home to protect it. I got an DVD in English of a friend of hers who climbs the mountains and then hangglides down as he films. After a long time we left there and rode for another hour to see to see the ancient petroglifts or drawings. I love mountains and these were so beautiful. We got out of the bus to make our way up 2 miles. It's just a small trail. I now changed Dr. Brooks name to Captain Von Trapp. WE were just like the sound of music climbing the mountains. A stream was running along side us as we climbed. I was shocked at there historical perservation. This way nothing like our national parks with anicent writings. We were able to just go up to them and touch them. It was cloudy and had started to rain. I took my time coming down and took time to breathe in the fresh air and pray to God praising him for such a beautiful creation. We had a long long ride back to town. Have I mentioned all the cows everywhere. Hundreds of them along the road. Bulls with horns at that. We were so tired when we returned to our rooms. I loved this day.

Russian Spy Scandal caused by me

I started off not wanting to go again today, but it turned out to be a great day. I've been the cause of a Russian spy investigation. To the begining of this story. When you get to Russia you have three days to registar with the Russian police. Dr. Brooks wanted to wait until Akademgordok . Some how I missed when he told us not to lose this special paper(along with Tim and Chris). I threw it away the day we left there and tried to get Cindy to also. When we got to the next place it was a scandal that we didn't have it. I was told by Papa that I might be teaching English in Russian instead of Bryant Middle School next year. Nothing else was said until we got to the next place. Farther out from Moscow where things are slower to change. Our leaders had to spend a lot of time trying to make it ok for us to be there. We were told we might have to pay 4000 rubbles to get another card 125$. Papa said it dates back to Soviet times when they kept up with your everywhere. They whole thing has taught me a lesson about my kids at school. I will tell them over and over that this paper is very important!!!! When I ask for it they have lost it and tell me I never told them it was important. The teacher gets all upset and tells all the teachers in the school while the child doesnt' really care. no big deal to them. The Russian government seems very upset about this----but I really don't care--Just give me another paper and be done with it. I know I will care on August 4th. But I've been promised that I'll be coming home!!! It was funny that Lena was telling us before we came to this area that the Altai people had been known to steal women and sell them into slavery. Sasha says these people are wild. They had never been to this part of Russia before and I'm sure some parts are like that, but where we are is like Gattlingburg in the early days of turning into vacation town. There was much more to this day, but i will finish with a story about the banya. The Banya is a tradition in Russia. Most summer homes have them. A group of us spent 700 rubbles or about 3$ each to rent this room for 1 hour. It was a cedar house. It had a kitchen and table and chair with a bathroom. we got ready some of us Americans had to wear our swimsuits eventhough the Russian way is to just wear a towel. You go into a sauna room with two levels of benchs/ It was so hot. after about 5 minutes then you go out into the shower area where they is a bucket of cold water, you pull the chain and it blasts down over you head. There is a hat you wear to keep your cool in. Its made of heavy wool. Then go back into sauna-- Repeat this process over and over. Also their are birch leaves in a bundle to hit other people with. It's sorta aroma therapy. It is soooooo great. After we did this and we would drink water in between. Then we went out o n porch in the kool night air. Wonderful experience. I slept great that night. Love to all.

Gorno Altalsk

We found out why we had such a long bus ride. We couldn't cross this bridge with our bus so we had to go around. It was a major event to get to town today. First we had to take a van down the hill=then we had to walk across a suspension bridge- old wooden-long. Those of you that know me well know I don't like swinging bridges and this one had cars and people on it over a raging river. After that crossing we had to cross a street and there were no lanes and about 10 cars coming at us and no light. We tried putting up our hand like stop. It didn't work. I really was afraid but we made it to our bus. WE started to town and had to stop often to blow the horn to make the cows in the road get out of the way. We stopped to get a friend of Evgenny's. The English teacher that was going to help out today had gotten her master's degree at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. We moved there every summer when I was 11,12, and 13. My Mom got her master's there also. We went to Gorno Altalsk state University. Their main focus is Archeology. They have digs in the mountains that are threatened by global warming. The highest mountain is Belukha,they are about the heighth of the Appalachians. They are known as Russian Tibet. This is the Altai Republic and they are a separate part of Russia, but still connected. The Altai People are considered to be very close to the American Indians and they have exchange programs with an indian university in Kansas and with NAU in Arizona. Their religion is Shamanism. They tie strings of cloth in trees as they say their prayers. Its a cool sight. We are right at the borders of Kazakstan, Mongolia, china. They lived in yurts(tepees) They do throat singing with a komus. Its a piece of metal put between the teeth. I'm bringing one home. There is only one city and 25 villages in this republic. Roerikh is a famous artist and considered a prophet from this area-he has a museum in NYC named after him. people here have a mongolian russian look. We were to a museum and I saw things dating back to early life on earth. I've never felt this connection to the beginings of life that I did today. Watch the old movie Lost Horizion-- It may have been about the Altai Mountains. A plane crashes and lands in Shangrila--It may be here. so beautiful and peaceful. I have a connection here with this place with the mountains, rivers and sky. Maybe my ancestors are Altai people. I rode on the back of a moped with Cindy today. Papa says we can't do anything dangerous although we want to go rafting on the Katua River. We have met people from all over the world. Lots of people want to practice their English with us when they hear us talking.

back from eating

Mom said something was wrong with my blog and someone else did also. I hope ya'll can continue to read it. We went upstairs to eat pizza and ran into the nicest young man. He asked if he could eat with us. He is 18 and a university student in Physics. He is from a city of 300,000 people. We took our picture together and I told him I would email it to him and he said his mother will be so proud. I'm back to the 1st day I was out of contact. I told Lena after that experience that she had let us see that Russian way of doing things and we didn't need to have that experience again. We finally arrived in a vacation spot--hundreds of people and booths everywhere. We got a wonderful pastry-it was like Indian fry bread around mashed potatoes. Fantastic. Soon we were in the most beautiful hills and rivers. I don't think I've ever seen mountains like them before. We were all excited by this time. WE had been gone for 4 hours. We were in major tourist traffic. We didn't know if anyone knew where we were going. Dr. Brooks just sitting there so calmly. They stop every once in awhile and ask but never tell us anything. I'm use to being in control and this was driving me crazy. They told me yesterday they had voted and that if any one of us could be dropped of in one of those villiages in remote Russia and survive it would be me. They said before long I would be running the villiage. I know Im not shy to ask questions and figure out what I need. I'm trying to learn to relax and not be bossy. So this trip is changing me. A new calm me. Will it last??????? We drove down a mountain road for two hours before we found our hotel. WE had to get off the bus at one point so that we made sure the bus could make it over a wooden bridge. We love our hotel in the mountains with a lake outside our balcony. We feel like we are in Dirty Dancing-- a hotel in the Poconos. Russian get a month off for holiday. People come to stay here in 24 day sections. We get breakfast and dinner. Russians don't mind breaking in line. They are not service minded people. WE have had to grab what we want and not sit back and wait to be waited on. Very relaxing place. we played a game and went to bed. Love it here.

The neverending bus ride

We got on the bus thinking it was going to be a two hour ride. WE had left early so we could make it to a festival that was in town. After we left town it began to be a beautiful drive. We passed fields with ole' Little Boy blue haystacks. The farmers were still using pitchforks and wooden wagons with horses. I know that we passed 1,000 stands with vegatables and fruits for sale. There were ones with just and old lady with a table and a few buckets of wild strawberries to sell. The ride was wild. There roads are bad and it felt life we had been on a vibrating chair. The two lanes are a bit wider than ours and they just get in the middle and sorta ride along and pass when they want to. It was crazy. I decided not to look. It seemed like the houses in every village had used the same turquoise paint to paint around the window frames of their dark wood houses. We stopped for a break after 3 hours of driving and I just had to go to the toilet. It was an out house. We put paper over our noses, but I just have never experienced anything like that in 52 years. there was a floor with a square hole in it. I busted out as soon as I finished and pulled my pants up as I ran up the hill. If you have seen Slum Dog Millionaire you know just what I've been through!!! I got on the bus and said in Scarlet OHara style!! "As God as my witness I'll never do that again!"(Since I'm writing this 5 days later I hate to say I have already! I've got to go now and will return after I eat. Love to all

Finally back connected with the world

Hey guys, I'm glad to be back and connected. I've been without internet connections for 5 days now. I've loved were I've been in the Altai mountains very close to Mongolia and China. We have been on a bus for 8 hours and traveled 400km. The funniest story to add to the blog today---Cindy Derosa and I were walking down the hall in our new motel in Academgordok and a Russia girl said, I know you. She was pointing at Cindy. She said Chaplin. Our eyes got big. That was the disco in Barnual!!! She had seen Cindy on the dance floor 9 nights ago and remembered her!!! I'm so proud of my room mate, she is making a name for herself all over Russia. The Russian girl is a post graduate student that is 200km from home for a conference. We laughed so hard!!!!!!!!!

A day in the Siberian Steppe

We left out this morning for a two hour bus ride out from the city. It was an interesting ride seeing the change from city to country and to nothing. We got lost and stopped in a villiage to ask for directions. I mean a villiage, we got some great pictures of people and buildings. We started off again and had to stop because a big wagon was in the middle of the dirt road. The men were over to the side with a big haystack and the old fashioned rakes. It was a picture from back in time. There were geese and cows in the road, but finally we got going in the right direction. I can't tell you about the conditions of the road we were on. Crazy. We finally stopped and got out and took off walking across the endless steppe. We had aour botanist with us from town and she would stop and tell us about the plants we we would see. We started hearing gun fire. We had seen in the distance some sort of military place. As we were leaving we saw the firing range and tanks driving VERY NEAR to where we had been walking. I mean RUSSIAN TANKS had been firing near us. It was a very interesting talk and we got some great pictures for use in our classes. After we returned we were told we had the night off. Lena came down to our room and we sat around and talked aobut all kind of things. She has a 10 year old daughter that is deaf and she was showing us some of her artwork on the computer. I started asking her about her religion and she was telling us about the Russian Orthodox church. She can go to church daily at either 9am or 9pm, their services last 3 hours and they stand up the whole time. The take commuion every time and they must fast before they go. She was telling us about her grandmother and how they did her funeral. At 3 days they got together and ate special food and put her in the ground. at 9 days they get together again, and at 14 days they get together to celebrate her new life with Christ. Her apartment is right next door to her church. We then left and went to a great chinese food place. You know we are less than two hours from China right now. Tomorrow we are headed to the Altai Mountains to more of a tourist place. WE figured today we may have been the first Americans to visit that villiage ever. I may not have internet for a few days, we never know when we get to a new place. Love to all

Preevet

We have been having language lessons and that is what I just can't seem to get, well quickly anyway. Sasha is our language teacher and he does a good job and some are really picking it up, but at less I can read it better know. I hate to disappoint everyone but the disco wasn't quite as crazy last night. We had gone on a Monday night and thought that was what happened every night. What was great is that Darla< our 65 year old member) had never been to a disco and had so much fun dancing. Her feet had been hurting but she just waved her arms. Shelia, who live on a farm outside of Clarksville, had never been before either and she had a blast. It's hard to recreate fun. I've learned to just take it when it comes my way. Monday was more fun, but we shared the experience last night and that was great also. Today we started out with a History lesson of the Altai region. Katyia from the other day brought her father who is also a teacher to tell us about the modern conditions in this area. This is starting to all come together for me now, I'm studied it before but to live makes a big difference. They spoke more openly about Soivet times than any of our other speakers. They spoke about the problems they are facing because young people don't want to go to the technical schools and work in the factories and so production is way down. The kids are also graduating and not liking the career they have been trained for and are not interested in doing a good job in their work. They broke the years down and we learned about the growth of the factories and how the government controlled everything. They are now producing 1/2 the amount that they were during soviet times. He told about all the different kinds of factories and how it was for the people during those times. How secret things were and how they didn't know life could be any different. Katiya filled in with great information about furs and their textile industries. After the 2 hr lecture she took us shopping. We had a great time in the grocery store, she showed us everything that is made right here in the Altai region. We bought honey, chocolates, cheese and vodka. I love the crafts they do with birch wood and that's what I've bought for my family. She took us to the pharmacy and we bought balsam and cedar oil to put in our tea and heal all of our problems. Most people think of Moscow when they think of Russia. We are a 5 hour plane ride and a 3 hour bus ride from Moscow and it is very different here. They don't have many American tourist. Katiya came back and met us tonight and took us to eat and to the internet cafe, she is so happy to be able to practice her English. she is 32 single and has a young son. She teaches 3 hrs a day at the university in town. We also had a language lesson and a geography lesson. WE are headed to the steppe tomorrow, about three hours on a bus. He had us to read the Endless Steppe before we left. This is the largest praire in the world. The book is about a young jewish girl you is moved from Poland to Russia and it takes place in the cities we are in. The next day we are headed to the Altai mountains, which I'm really excited about . Lena showed us lots of pictures today and it looks great. Do bray noche which means bye bye.

the best deal in Russia

I might have taken me almost two weeks but I found the best deal in Russia. It's beauty treatments!!!!!!!!!!! Last night we ran into Lena, our geography professor traveling with us, on her way back from having a massage. She told us she had tanned and gotten a full body massage. The massage was only 200 rubbles or about 6$ in the good ole USA. We said sign us up. The only problem is that Lena told us that Russian massage is really hard to break up fat in stomach. She was already bruising. Manicures are $8. so I'm sign up for all of it.

today we went on another excrusion. we find it interesting that the speakers meet us at the hotel and ride to the place with us. instead of us just meeting them there. We got a good view of the city. we turned down a road that seemed just a trail. we enjoyed this garden tour. again it's a reasearch center for the altai krai region. I took many interesting pictures and will put notes with them. They still seem to use their plants for medical purposes more than we do. Everything seems to be added to tea or vodka to heal something that ails them. there is aplant to make them stop drinking, one for upset stomachs, one that kids eat, one that kids use to make it look like they had burned their skin, so they can get out of work, and there is one called 99 healer. Put it in your tea and it will heal 99 things wrong with you. Beautiful gardens and forrest and the woman would talk and Lena would interpuret for her. We met some masters program university students who were working there. After that we went back to room and Cindy and I went to the store. I haven't told you about my roomate. He picked out a perfect one for me. Her name is cindy derosa, she is in her young 40's, she is married with a 19 and 17 year old girls. In conway she is the esl teacher for 5 schools. She is full of life and fun loving. I feel like I've come on this trip with Missy. We have the best talks everymorning about school and share ideas. It's grat being with all these teachers and just spending time discussing their schools and the way they do things. I bought rasberries on the street for 1.50 us from and old woman and then bought ice cream. Their cream is like frozen cream,,

Wonderful. We went to a regional museum that was interesting and learned about nesting dolls. They really started in Japan, but were an old man, Russian changed them to dolls, they are painted according to the region. I haven't bought any yet but will. We stopped and I bought a platter from Siberia, I won't ever make fun of people who buy things that say Arkansas or Hot Springs again. I had my massage when I returned. Remember how I said they just seem to make things less complicated. I've been lucky to have been given many massages as gifts from friends, so I do have something to compare it to. It was a plain table with a simple sheet. The window was open with street sounds coming in, she got two cell phone calls and someone came in and talked to her, but i got the same effect. total relaxation. Just oil on her hands. No fancy music, no fancy table, no fancy other things. we are headed to the disco and everyone is going, Well not everyone,papa has to stay home. Love to all.

more thoughts while I have time

There are guards at every door. You don't see a lot of children. Their population is old and the death rate is higher than the birth rate. Lena and Sasha were not interested in having more than one child. They say most of their friends are the same way. The government is giving money to try to get the young couples to have more children. We saw a young mom out today walking with her twin 18 mth olds and she had on 3 inch heels. What is the deal with these women. How can they do it. They call trips excrusions. We are close to Kazakhstan. They share info on their pollution levels but they are all talk, they don't do anything about their polluntion. For the first time today the teacher talked about the time of the Soviets in more of a negative light. She talked about how in the 1920's they encouraged people towork extra shifts at their jobs. They are a work and no play kind of people. But that is changing. Itwas horrible to hear about how all the church were destroyed by Stalin. I mean wiped out. I've been trying to get a handle on people and their faith in God. I'm still asking questions.

Night at the Disco

To finish yesterday , after we left theinternet cafe we shopped aswe walked back. This keyboard is sticking so just make your way through this. We went tothe grocery store and it took solong tofigure out what I was going toeat for dinner. I finally ended up with a loaf of bread 6r, pringles 15r, pear 15r, I gotlucky and picked out turkey two slices 42r, cheese 22r, hot coke 32r, and some sort of cookies. It tookme about 10minutes on each decision. when I got back to the hotel I found outI had thrown away an important card and Dr. Brooks told me Imight be teaching in Russia next year because they wouldn't let me out of the country. It all worked out. Then I heard some were headed to the disco. It was so funny trying to dance and finally we said disco and I forgot the universal language of disco and they pointed to a building right by our hotel. It was called Club Chaplin. We got there at 9:30. They said it didn't start till around 11. I was the momofthe group. Cindy 44, Diane 42, Amy31, Chris 30, and Tim 24. They starteddancing right away. I can't keep telling you aboutthe young girls in thiscountry. About 5'10 and all legs. The guys are 5"10 and skinny andnon descript. Young girls kept coming in and were dressed socute and there Iwas in my kakhi capris and black tshirt. At 11:00 this techno music started and we starteddancing Soon about 10 girls had joined us. So our two guyswere having fun dancing with all these girls. Before long the dance floor was full and the place was packed with about500 people. We danced nonstop till12:15 when I said itwas time togo. I might have been 52 but I felt like I was 19 on the floorat Don T's dancing toDonna Summers. They are Russians and keep their space so there was no dirty dancing going on which I like. I think they all enjoyed watching the Americans dance. We were up thismorning and on the way to Polzunov Altai State Technical University at 9:30. We had a great lecture by an English teacher there about the surroounding area. Her name was Katya Nikouova. They are famous for honey and cedar oil in this area. They also are famous for some natural minerals that people rub on themselvesand then go swimming in the river. But they also have nuclear radiation from testing so I don't think I'll be rubbing anything on me. I got Drew some info on their architecture school. This is a technical university so they offer things different from the other school we went to. We had lunch and then a Russian Language lesson. I'm begining to learn to read itmuch better. Ilearned today to say skol ka eta? How much is this? That will come in handy for this shopper. We have off for site seeing on our own for the rest of the day. Tomorrowwe are going to some forrest to explore. Love toall. Sorry for the sticking keyboard.

Trip to Barnnual

I have no idea if I'm spelling the names of the cities I'm going to correctly or not. Today we left at 10:30 on a bus headed south. The trip was uneventful until we stopped at a roadside stand for a bathroom break. I've been trying to take pictures of all the different toilets I've seen but I jsut don't have enought film. I guess I forgot I was going to Asia and I had heard about the way they use it. We had to go to an out house. It was just a hole in the ground with some wooden planks around it. I just couldn't do it. I didn't get a picture because I was sick. I mean I have a cast iron stomach and I couldn't do it. We went on to a place for lunch and we had to pay 10 rubbles which is about 33 cents and it was well worth it. This place didnt' have toilet lids, but did have a rough paper. So I was able to make it the four hour bus ride. We watched a cartoon in russian and russian music videos. This town is about 700,000 people and when we saw our hotel we started jumping for joy. We got to our room and we have air conditioning, a Real bath room. a jug of spring water in the bathroom. Wow we are in heaven. They will even wash our clothes for us. We went walking and stopped at a coffee shop. I asked for hot chocolate. After I took a drink, I looked in the cup and they had put melted chocolate in my cup. Like pure hershey's syrup, just hot. It gave me a buzz. Life is Good. I forgot to mention dealing with the nats. They are swarming around our heads like crazy at times and then they disappear and return whenever. I'm great with the money. I've been helping everyone else figur it all out. You know I have my own system that most can't understand but it works for me. I've got to go for now. Love to all.

2nd day in Moscow

I'm writing this from my journal. I'm just now having time to add to this blog. Our Professor met us and we rode the metro to Moscow State Pedagogical University. It's the oldest women's university in russia. Dr. Roman Dubovistsky who has his PhD. in Human Resource managament was our speaker. He gave us general info on the Moscow Region--he spoke great English. I don't have my notes with me, but what I remember. Moscow isset up on a circle system-not a grid system like US cities. It all starts out of the Krelim. He told about how they have kept poor areas from starting--The build luxe apartments next to low rent ones, so a family can move up and not change neighborhoods. They don't have ethic groups collecting in certain areas. They dispurse them all over the city. The city should hold 8 million and 12 million live there. All high rise apartments, they go on for miles in every direction. They have factories in the middle of town. We tooka break and got a wild experience with the toliets. We couldn't figure out how to use them. Finally a Russian woman showed me how to put our feet up and strattle, squat down--no toliet paper. Weird. He then took us for somecoffee andtea and homemade buns. Some had cream cheese and sugar and others had potatoes and mushrooms. We had a lecture by Dr/ Alexi Yudin. he didn't speak English as well, it was interesting watching him think so hard to call the words. It taught me a lot about learning a language. I thought about how it would be for me to speak Russian before a group. He told us about Moscow Russian history from 1147-till present. we left there and went to Victory park-Huge huge huge plaza celebrating WWII. Sometimes I call Dr. Brooks papa, but today I decided he was the Pied Piper. He takes off and walks so fast, 12 peopletry their hardest to keep up with him. We need to get him a bright green hat. I'm glad he's tall. He walks very straight and fast. I have to run sometimes to keep up with him. Next was Arbat Street-somewhat like the French Quaters aobut a mile long with restraunts and shops. There were singers and artist. We ate at Hard Rock Cafe. My burger had a big yellow bun that tasted like egg., My coke came in a glass the size of a shot glass. That is one thing I've seen we drink way to much in the US. Their glasses hold about 6 oz. I haven't seen vodka yet or had it offered to me. The souvienors and clothes are expensive. Again girls everywhere in 4 in high heels. I had aske dthe night before if we could go to the ballet or circus. something since we were in the big city. Well papa got us tickets to the circus. It goes on everynight. There were about 1,000 people there and we had great seats. Loved it. Bright colors wonderful dancers and acrobats, animals. The ringmaster spoke Russian of course. And the children called out in Russian. Very Fun Everyone loved it and papa saidn to thank me for talking him into it. A 12 hour day. Great. I wish I could add pictures, but don't know how. Will do when I get home.

Day on a boat in the Ob Sea

We got to sleep in for the first time last night. We met at 10:30 and took a bus to our boat. It was dark and cloudy. Our boat looked like a small battle ship. We got on and took off. Before long they brought out beer,of course room temp, we took at long ride. The head of the international studies department, a 26 year old woman who teaches English, a photographer and journalist fr the university and her husband, along with our two traveling professors--one a Dr. of computer science and his wife a Dr. of Geography, along with our captain Dr. Green, and the 12 of us were the guest on a typical Russian day at the lake bar-b-q. It didn't take long and they brought out the food. Bags of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, dill, cheese, two kinds of meats, breads. They had brought a knife and cutting board and one of them just started cutting. Everything is so low key here compared to home. If we had been planning this day we would have taken hours to load the boat with everything we thought we needed for a day on the lake. It did start to rain but we kept going. There was a covered area with a table and benches. We just ate and drank and talked English and Russian(the best we could) with everyone there. We then pulled ashore and they got this long plank and threw it out on the bank, They said come on and I was about the second to try it. I scooted down on my booty. It was scary. They had brought a small grill and they brought out raw charcoal and lit it up. They brought the benches off the boat for us to sit on. They began to make chicken k-bobs. They had brought the chicken in a sauce of mayo, dill, red peppers and yellow peppers, mushrooms. They put it on the grill. cooked it and just handed us the stick to eat. Delicious. After everyone finished they pulled out pork and began to cut and make pork k-bobs. We ate those. In the mean time everyone was just sitting around the shore, some were in the water just relaxing and talking. After awhile he pulls out a watermelon and cuts it for us. I can't tell you how relaxing and simple it was and how great it was. We all kept talking about how complicated we would have made the same outting at home. The foodwas the best we have had the whole trip. Galena the 26 year old and I made friends and had a great time talking about weddings. That's what I'm focusing on. She told me she really enjoyed talking about our cultural differences. We became facebook friends. WE gothome about 5:30 and were given our first free time. We leave for Barnnal tomorrow, which is a 100 miles from here. Oh i forgot to tell you abut another guest. She was an ecology scientist and while we were out there she gave us a lecture on the Sea and fish located there. That is the fun of this, we have lectures in the coolest places. I asked Lena who had planned the day and she laughed and said she did, that if it was up to Dr. Green all we would do is have lectures!!!!

computer problems

Sorry for the crazy blog. Who knows what happened and I sure can't get help. I've done more smiling and pointing than I've done in my life. I can't send pictures, because you saw how they were sideways, because I couldn't read Russian to tell how to edit them. Oh well. I'm about finsihed with my time and I'm back to the room for a birthday party for one of the girls, she is a music teacher and we went to the opera on her birhtday. Bye, till later.

Another post on the same day

We just returned from the city of Novasbisk. We went there this afternoon to go to a Museum of Local History. We had a Russian guide and Lena our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all our professor that is traveling with us interpreted for us. We started with caveman days and went to the present time learning Russian History. Very interesting. We are now in Asia and it's interesting to see the Asian influnce instead of the European influnce we saw in Moscow. We had time for shopping and eating before the opera. I had some sort of curry chicken on a stick and cole slaw and a Pepsi Light( lukewarm of course) We saw some Siberian rappers in the park, lots of artists, flowers for sale( American guys need to learn from the Russians they buy their girls flowers a lot) we then went under the street to cross and found something like Chinatown. Everything for sale!!!! I tried to buy Cally a dress but couldn't get the price I wanted. We then made it to the opera. It was in a beautiful hall started by Lenlin and finished by Stalin. We saw about 15 different sings who each came out and sang one song and then a choir of 50 sang. We had a full orchestra. It was beautiful. An old man next to me offer for me to use his opera glasses. During intermission we talked. He was 76 and a former scientist. He said he had good image because he never smoked or drank. I told him about what I was there for. He asked me about Obama and what I thought of his policies. I thought it quite funny that there I was speaking for America!!! Who would have thought Sharon Short giving her polictical opition to a Russian. They dropped us off right by the internet cafe so I dropped in for a short time. We are going on a boat on the Ob Sea tomorrow. Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. They were amazing. This is where major botany researh is taking place, we got to tour the greenhouses and taken around the grounds, We then did service learning by working pulling weeds for about and hour and 1/2. That afternoon we went to their math and science high school and learned about their program and shared teaching ideas. We then moved on to another school that laid out the red carpet for us. They are a K-11 grade school. People from the Open World Forum were there. They are Russian teachers who have traveled to the U.S. We exchanged ideas for about 2 hrs. Very interesting learning about the way they educate. They had a major lay out of food for us. I was interviewed by a reporter for an internet news site in Russia. It seems everywhere I go I am meeting new people and it is so much fun. I am one lucky girl to have gotten to go on this trip. Fulbright-Hays is an amazing scholorship program. I'm on the go learning all the time. I look forward to sharing my knowledge when I return. Love to all