Forever an Explorer

     There is so much out there that we don't know about, places we haven't seen, and people we haven't met.  But what about where we are now?  If we can't go to those places and meet those people, what are we supposed to do then?

      After traveling to Russia, I have had a change of perspective on things.  Being an outsider in another country made me have more compassion for people who are lost or feel out of place. It was an amazing thing to be able to experience what it's like on the other side of the world.  I learned so much while I was over there and I met some pretty incredible people that I will never forget. But I've been home for 7 months now....The transition coming home was bitter-sweet.  I was finally able to embrace all of my family and friends that I missed so much!  But as the excitement of new change dwindled, I found myself missing Russia.  Everything about it I missed- my kids, the culture, and the excitement of exploring new things... I even missed the smell (which if you've smelled a sewer,then you have an idea of what Russia smells like).  I was torn between being with my family and wanting to explore new places.  I didn't want to be sad I was home, because I had definitely missed it, but the feeling of being in challenging situations was something that I now enjoyed. Home didn't give me that thrill; it was something I was already used to.  I felt like I didn't have a purpose here at home, like nobody needed me.   I served every day in Russia and faced new things; it was a constant change.  But now? here at home life slowed down and, surprisingly, it was uncomfortable for me.

    My goal when I came home was to visit a new place every month.  I knew that the travel bug would stick with me- I loved learning new things and discovering unique places.  My friends and family all laughed a little every time I would tell them about a new place I wanted to visit.  I was desperately searching for places to go, new scenes to indulge in, new cultures to experience.  I wanted to go on road trips, fly across the ocean, visit new countries, but nobody seemed to have the same desire.  I was stuck.  I was constantly thinking "What now?"

I'm stubborn and often believe that there is only one option or one way to do something.. and when it came to exploring, for me the only option was traveling to other countries. I came home thinking "I am back in the same culture I grew up in, I live with the family that raised me... I am now surrounded by that which is familiar to me. Is there even a possibility to discover new places anymore or do I just have to say sayonara to being an explorer?" But, when I took a step back and looked at all of the people around me, I realized that there were still places that needed exploring!  It's still an amazing place here at home.  There are still places I have never seen and cities I've never been to.  So no, I don't have to go to another country to see how other people live and survive, but I do have to step outside of my comfort zone and put myself in situations where I can see new things; and sometimes that's just a few miles away.

     I was given the amazing opportunity to explore and serve in Russia, it truly felt like a dream! Although it was fun and beyond amazing, there were sacrifices I had to make to get me there.  Of course money is a huge part of it, without it, it wouldn't have been possible.  Not only that, but I didn't have an income while I was in Russia, it was entirely service, I quit my job before leaving, yet I still had to eat and I went on vacations to other countries which all costed money.  Another sacrifice I had to make was my family.  They say things like this cost an arm and a leg... well, this one costed my family.  Okay, no I'm totally kidding, I didn't have to give them away!! (thank goodness!) I did however, give away the time I got to spend with them.  Sure, I was able to Facetime, e-mail, and Facebook them, but physically being with them is different and something I wasn't able to do considering I was half way across the world.  I also sacrificed a semester of school.  I knew that if I wanted to fully enjoy the experience of being in another country, assignments, studying,  and tests were something I didn't want to have to worry about.

         Most people my age are in school, getting started with their careers, finding eternal companions, or starting families... and maybe you fall into this category.  And being this age comes with a lot of responsibilities.... we're becoming adults!! (what!?!)  yep, the time is here.  Maybe you don't have the money to travel the world or maybe you don't want to take a semester off of school!  If you aren't able, for whatever reason, to travel to the other side of the world, does that mean you have to be deprived of the experiences I had in Russia?  Absolutely not!! After a month or so... maybe three, of sulking about how I can't go back to Russia and how I'm stuck, and poor me... I decided to get myself out of that rut and look at it from another angel.  And I realized something, I realized that I can change just as much here as I did in Russia.  And maybe I won't have such an extreme culture shock or even learn another language, but that doesn't mean I can't go out and help people or even experience different cultures!  I just have to apply myself!  It's amazing the differences you will find  just going from city to city!

     So for those who aren't content with where they are, but have some factor where they are limited to only staying local, I say LOOK.  Find new places, do a little research, step out of that little bubble you live in and be an EXPLORER!  Leave for work just 10 minutes earlier than normal and take the time to observe your surroundings, it might surprise you what new things you will notice!  Meet new people!  You never know what amazing stories 'ordinary' people carry with them! Take a new route! Maybe there is a different way to the grocery store, it might be longer, but you also might find or see something you really like! Think like an explorer!  Be curious and question things, take pictures and don't take anything for granted!

     Despite the sacrifices I had to make, the withdrawals I experienced, and the goodbyes I had to say, Russia will forever hold a place in my heart.   I have traveled many places people have only dreamed of, but sometimes it's not about the miles you've traveled, but about the change you see within yourself. And although I may not be able to afford to travel to some crazy place in this world, I will still seek to find new places. I will travel no matter where I am. I am forever an explorer.




Here are only but a few of the many wonderful things I have been able to do locally!

        Cornbellys corn maze! Not only did I get lost in a field of corn, but my insides were all shaken up by the terrifying monsters that hid deep inside the corn! This is a picture of a bunch of my friends on a hay ride to calm our nerves a little! (:

One of my favorite summer activities is going to the hot air balloon festival!! It's a fun way to start your Saturday morning by just relaxing as you watch a dozen balloons fly up into the air!

A new thing I tried was shooting! It was terrifying holding a machine so powerful, but it was also very fun being a 'hunter' for a day!

 

NOM. NOM. NOM. Nothing but Russian Food!!

So, news flash.... I'm in Russia!! So naturally, my belly gets fed Russian food!! Weird how that works, right?? (; A huge distinction of each country is the food! So, I figured I would dedicate an entire post to what it's like being in a Russian kitchen. 

Just so I'm not responsible for anything...there are a few precautionary measures that should be taken:

There are lots of pictures of food. Delicious food. It would not be surprising if you find your mouth watering, hear a growling tummy, or suddenly have the desire to eat Russian food.

You can't say I didn't warn you.

With that, let the inside scoop of The Russian Kitchen be revealed...

I will start with answering one of the first questions you Americans ask me: "What does McDonald's taste like in Russia?" THE SAME. They do however, have a few different, customary options on their menu such as pear milkshakes, cheese sauce for your fries, and cherry pies (which are different than their apple pies in America). I'm not a huge McDonald fan, but I wouldn't be a true American if I didn't at least try it while I was here! So, I can say that I have tasted the McDonald burger and fries in Russia, and they taste the exact same!

Lets leap from cliche to every day meals...  During the week, we eat lunch with our kids. Below is a picture of what a typical meal looks like.  We have soup with bread, a side dish, and compote.  Russians eat soup like it's going out of style! I have had so many variations of soup here, it's crazy!  Of course soup wouldn't be complete without some fresh, soft bread! I've never had such squishy, delicious carbs! Anyway, moving on to the rest of our meal... at our school, we either get mashed potatoes with fish and pickles, buckwheat with 'beef' and cucumbers, or noodles with chicken.  Now, I say 'beef' because Russian meat is a little... eh (sketchy).  You don't question what you put in your mouth, you just eat it.  Even if that means you get a few fish bones mixed in there... (yes, I am speaking from experience.) 

To add a little bit of sweetness to the meal, they give us what is called compote.  Compote is their version of juice, but of course homemade!  They just boil a bunch of fruits together in a pot and pour it into cups and serve it warm! 

This is a picture of my favorite soup! I call it 'Wednesday Soup' because it's what we used to get every Wednesday, sometimes being the only thing keeping me going Wednesday mornings. It's creamy and has shredded carrots, potatoes, pickles, shredded chicken, and corn!! Mmm.. (:

                                               

While we're on soups... there is a Russian soup called borsch. One word: amazing!  This soup has shredded chicken, potatoes, beets, carrots, dill, cabbage, tomatoes, and onions.  I have eaten it about four times already... yea, it's that good!

The biggest meal here is their lunch, which they call 'dinner'.  So, skipping what we call dinner, and straight to the best part- DESSERT!!! Desserts here are endless! Yea, it's quite a dangerous thing.  I've never craved sugar so much in my life! Russia has got it all!! They love pastries here so plenty of those to go around, they have ice cream that comes in lots of fresh fruit flavors, and pies like nobody's business!

On the left are blinis.  This is Russia's version of a pancake.  These ones are miniature apple blinis, so normally they do look different. They look like a thick crepe.  You can put anything your belly so desires on top.  Russians absolutely love sweet and condensed milk, and that is what is in that little blue can.

On the right is an apple 'pie'.  It was more of a dense cake, but either way it was delicious!! Sveta, our Russian mom, made both of these for us, so yes, it is entirely Russian!!

Okay, so these sweet tarts aren't Russian, nevertheless, they were so rich and sweet! And hey, they even had a dash of healthy fruit on them so we didn't have to feel too guilty... (;

All these are made of is a pie crust, fresh fruit, and a yummy pudding-like filling that is under all of the fruit!

 Back to Russian food.. These are two different pies.  On the left is a lemon pie and on the right is an Italian pie.  The lemon pie  has, well, lemons... it was actually super tart though and tasted almost as if they had plopped full lemons in the filling- peel and all.  The Italian is mozzarella cheese and tomatoes.  My sweet tooth didn't win this time, I'd have to say the Italian was my favorite of the two!

Russian meals.

Homemade pelmini (пельмени). 

Pelmini are pretty much like raviolis.  You can fill them with whatever you want, but this batch we filled them with beef!  This is kind of a long process when cooking them from scratch, but it is worth it when you pop one in your mouth after hard labor! 

 This is what they look like after you have filled the centers and cut them out before plopping them into boiling water to cook!

After making these, those who helped were deemed 'True Russians' by our Russian mom, Sveta.  What a proud moment for all who were involved (: 

 I know, this isn't Russian. I put this up purely for bragging rights.  I shared some Mexican love and made homemade tortillas for the girls! And, of course, we needed toppings for them! Viola! A Mexican dinner was thus made! 

Switching gears to the BAKERY!

This is an everyday temptation.  If your mouth hasn't watered yet, it's no secret that it is about to...Walls of pastries and sweet goodness. From to the ceiling to the floor, I'd say it's pretty safe to say this stuff is nearly impossible to say "no" to.  I'm pretty good at holding back (for how much there is) but, I mean, c'mon... I'm only in Russia once!!

On the left is an apple bread that is frosted at the end.  I call it an apple cake drumstick.

On the right would be a breaded hot dog, or as we like to call it in America, a pig in a blanket! And next to it is a delicious, sweet muffin!

Of course this post wouldn't be complete without a generously frosted cinnamon roll!! 

(cue the glands to water)

 My friend Bre and I made a lemon-blueberry pie. On pie day.  This was before we put this little guy in the oven. Much love and artistic talent was put into the making. And with a scoop of ice cream on top, my belly definitely approved!

 The top shelves were little mini cakes and on the bottom were the big pretty ones!

Birthdays are taken very seriously here. Cakes are made and decorating is nothing less than top-notch, detailed work. 

Sweets, sweets, and more SUGAR!

 Here is something new and fun! Candied fruit! On a stick! A sweet fruit kabob! 

This is a box of chocolates.  But not just any box of chocolates.  First off, they were a gift to me.  I received these a while back for a Russian holiday called Women's Day!  They celebrate women, girls, moms, sisters, aunts, grandmas...! Second, chocolate here is... GOOD!!! What?? If you know me, you know darn well that chocolate is not something that I enjoy.  But Russia has done it yet again! It's a sweet, so of course it's good here! 

 Hard candy. In piles. 

Let me just freak out for a second...!!! Yea, this little guy is definitely coming home with me! He is made of white chocolate. Russian white chocolate. Eating him is still under consideration, I'll probably give him a name and keep him as my pet. AHH (:

Can you say sweet?? Holy.. This looks like a s'more, yes? Well, it tasted exactly like a s'more! It had a crumbly bottom, marshmallow center, and a thin chocolate top! All that was missing was a warm campfire! 

 I found 3 meter long licorice!! Russia knows how to do this whole *sweets* thing.. Good or bad? I haven't decided yet.

 Another thing Russia has really got down, is their vodka.  Apparently it's a big deal...? But you would never know because it's not like every store's shelves are stocked like they are expecting some kind of famine or anything... ;P

 They have an abundance of wine too..

Enough about Russian's addictions... Mine would be good-lookin' men! I mean.. err. ICE CREAM! (:

 However, a good ice cream break wouldn't be complete without a good view... (;

You could say I am pretty well fed... my belly is always full and satisfied! 

I couldn't post a blog solely on food without a group picture of us all at one of our favorite fast food places here, called Teremok.  

I hope I did a good job at making your belly grumble. I now have lots of recipes to add to my list of things I can make! Now, excuse me while I go and make myself some Russian grub. (:

Moscow Deets

This whole blogging thing hasn't been going very well, seeing that this is only my second post in the month and a half I have been here...But it's better than nothing, right? 

    Well, I can assure you I love it here.  My kids are adorable, all of us girls get along surprisingly well, and we get to travel!! We recently went to Moscow to see St. Basil's, Red Square, and  the Kremlin.  
     We traveled by train and that was just an adventure in itself..!  Sleeping on a train isn't the most clean transportation I've taken... or the most comfortable.  Sleeper trains are organized into "rooms" with four beds (two on top two on bottom).  So basically I slept with strangers!  I was on the top bunk, which basically means I had to scrunch into a little ball and stay there. In the same position. All night. But, it was fun trying to play card games with the other girls across the way.  We also had an interesting encounter with two Russian boys on the train.  One of them gave chocolate to one of our girls, Hannah.  It was delicious, but the Russian boy? Not so much...

Me and my friend Bre on the top bunks in the train!!

   

     We arrived in Moscow at the butt crack of dawn and had to wait in the train station until the Metros started running. We ate breakfast in the most adorable cafe that had HUGE cups of hot chocolate and pastries that looked like death stars!

     Once we got going, we went to a convent that had legit nuns, so that was pretty cool!  It was like The Sound of Music! Then, we went to the Love Lock bridge. It's a bridge that has metal trees down the middle of it. Couples go there to put a lock on a tree branch that symbolizes locking their love together and then they throw the key over the edge. It's cool because when the trees are all filled up, they take them to parks and use them as art! I'd say it's pretty darn cute!

    After walking around all day with all of my belongings in my backpack, I got the opportunity to spend time at "The Little America".  One of the girl's cousins lives in Moscow, so four of us girls stayed with them.  They were SO nice and welcomed us with open arms- they definitely made us feel at home.  We called it Little America because they made American dinners for us and fed us American food! It doesn't seem like a big deal, but when all you have had is Russian food, you really start to miss the little things like cereal, Twizzlers, apple crisp, Oreos, and PEANUT BUTTER.  Okay, so I have never had much of a love for peanut butter.. until now.  I don't know if it's my lack of protein or what, but that peanut butter was a little bit of heaven. 
   So their family does the cutest family ritual at night- they watch an episode of Cosby, read their scriptures, watch Studio C, and then say their prayers.  It's such a fun way to calm down and get ready for bed!  Anyways, their family is super sweet and it was so nice of them to let us  stay there and intrude for a few days.

     Our second day we went to St. Basil's cathedral, Red Square, and the Kremlin.  We saw Lenin's preserved body which was super creepy.  And I'm still questioning whether or not it was real... honestly it just looked like a bunch of wax in a body form.  But talk about serious people... You walk into this marble building and it is just pure darkness. There are guards around every corner that just glare at you as you are struggling not to run into walls or trip over the ground. You have to keep your hands straight by your side, and if you put them in your pockets, you get yelled at.  You walk into this big, open room that has a 'casket' right in the middle, walk up like four stairs, walk in a half square, and walk out.. going through more dark hallways that lead to outside.  Lenin's body is in a big, glass box.  It's looks like a huge, wax doll just sleeping there.  You can see his fingernails rotting and his hair is still on his face and head.  It was actually a really cool experience, but dead people just freak me out...so the fact that he looked so real, but died forever ago, gives me the heeby-geebys!

Me in front of Lenin's tomb

   St. Basil's is usually what people think of when they think "Russia".  It is a beautiful, colorful cathedral inside and out!!  I would say my favorite part about it was the secret, winding staircases and the small, secret passage ways all throughout the cathedral! (:

Me in front of St. Basil's!

I was a part of history!! I signed the guest book for St. Basil's!!

     We went to a mall on Red Square called GUM.  It is this huge, multi-level department store with high-end stores, sky light ceilings, and restaurants! Naturally, we got ice cream and then went to this cute Candy store that was filled with all sorts of goodies (for both kids and adults)!! It was harder for me to walk through the candy store than it was for me to walk through their clothing stores!  Walls were lined with all sorts of chocolates, pastries, ice cream, vodkas, wines... you name it!  Talk about wanting to buy everything..!!!

(Daddy, this picture is for you)
This is one of the many walls that was lined with Russian Vodka
(The adult candy store section)

    We went to the armory in the Kremlin which was SO cool!!! They had dresses, carriages, horse harnesses, weapons, crowns, jewelry and thrones that belonged to royals way back when!  Upstairs were household items such as cribs, dishes, basins, beakers, etc that belonged to Tsars- most of which were gifts from kings!  It was interesting to learn about all of the different items and see all of the phenomenal details in each display!!  Technically cameras were prohibited, but.... I was able to sneak a few pictures (;

We got yelled at in Russian for taking this picture...hehe

But the size of this carriage wheel was almost as tall as I was! It was huge! Hence my face..

     Well, we ended our vacation with a nice stroll down Arbot street.  It was a cute, hidden street that reminded me much of San Fran!! There were artists lined down the street, street performers, and old European buildings!! Not to mention the cute little cafes, stores, and restaurants that felt so cozy.

My trip to Moscow was fantastic!!! I saw SO much and was able to be engulfed by the Russian culture, while still having a little piece of America!  It has finally hit me that I am here, but it definitely feels like my home! (:

Taking on Russia Butt Naked!

Russia?? This is weird.  I'm here and it's happening!!

Well, my travels went smoothly!  Our first flight to Chicago was a little rough, the plane was so hot all of us were sweating!! And it was small (two seats to a row), so that didn't help! BUT our 8 hour flight to Germany was luxurious!!! We were fed two full meals and the drinks just kept a comin'!

 Umm so those German boys.... oh dangy.  They smell delightful and are the sweetest things!!! (Our flight attendants were German)  They were so happy and helpful! And their accents were pretty cute too (;  It was funny because after each meal, they came around with warm moist towelettes and they handed them to us with tweezer-lookin' things.  I'm not kidding, this was by far the best flight I've ever been on! We pretty much had the whole back section to ourselves between us 8 girls! So we were able to lay down and watch movies and get comfy! Oh! and the sunset of course... while we were flying it was GORGEOUS!! I took pictures, but they don't do it justice.

 I've been to Germany!! Okay, just the airport, but i have walked on their ground.  We had to trek a long long ways from our terminals.  We had to take the train and a bus from the terminal we landed in and the terminal we had to fly out of.  But we drove under and around the planes which was pretty cool; we got an up-close look at them!


 So, it's day number 3 being here and boy is it freezing!! No, but really, like -21 degrees.... this is going to take some getting used to. Or not.  But without a coat, it's quite cold. When I first walked out of the airport in St. Pete my neck, face and hands froze instantly.  I was smart and left my coats back at home... and living in -21 degree weather without a coat is.. well, and adventure! I might as well not be wearing any clothes. But luckily we found a coat here at our apartment, so I've been wearing that until I go buy one!

 The girls here are wonderful! It's so fun just sitting and talking and then having those "You like that too?!" moments where we all just connect with one another in little ways. We all get along which was the biggest thing I was worried about, so we shouldn't have any problems!! Except for when we get grumpy.... but that is just entertaining! (;

 We start teaching on Monday!!! It has been pretty stressful trying to figure out the details of it all, but we have visited 4 out of the 6 schools and it has made me even more excited!! I am teaching at two different schools and one is a private school. It looks like it came out of an IKEA catalog- it's so adorable!!  The kids are so cute and the teachers and principals are very nice!

This is just the beginning of a wonderful adventure and I can't wait to spend the next four months here!!! (: