26.Oh, to live.

The past couple weeks have been a couple intense ones. However, I don't think any portion of my life will ever be, nor has ever been, boring. Which, I am thankful for - usually. The Lord has given me enough faults that my life will never be boring! That is some optimism that I obtained from lessons my Grandma has taught me. It's an interesting game I play everyday to just keep track of simple belongings, remember where I'm going, or attempt to accomplish small tasks. I feel like everyday that I am out here, I am really learning more than I could ever explain. More than I am ever even conscious of. It is like Saint Petersburg is infusing knowledge into my system without me even knowing sometimes. It is great!

However, I have gained a new perspective on life. Not life in general the the concept of how fragile a human being is as an organism. There are massive icicles on the buildings here that kill people when they fall. I had the realization a couple weeks ago. Almost everyday I have been downtown there is a large section of sidewalk roped off with someone on the roof of the adjacent building breaking them off and large ice chunks accumulating on the walkway. It's loud. Then, when they are done then remove the plastic streamers and we walk through the obstacle. This was taken on Saturday on the way to the Young Single Adult dance. (Which - was a hoot. I got carried across the floor -literally carried- to Six Pence None the Richer's song -kiss me - techno style with a very large Russian man. He apparently thought it qualified as a slow song? We were the only ones dancing and all the other singles were laughing and taking pictures. I didn't know the steps to some waltz he was doing. I was a lost soul.) Anyway..

The fact that we have no control over so many things. This common Earthly process costs human lives. It's stunning.

Also, that illness can occur. I knew this trip wouldn't be the easiest thing I have ever done, but the last thing that I could have forseen happening did. Which is why I think it is so much harder. My best friend/hero/romodel/occasional comedian/confidant/spiritual counselor/Grandma is not well. Not being in America at this time has been harder for me than I ever expected. I'm not homesick, I am just broken that I am not there for someone who has done so much for me. It also solidified the realization of how precious human life is. How truly precious each and every person is.

That we all are like little ants trying to be productive and needing to work together to survive. Some of the metro stops remind me of underground ant farms. Tunnels and all.

Alas, I don't ever know where I'm headed anymore when it comes to big life decisions. My direction was set on blue skies and plowing my way through credits in my cozy townhouse. Six months later I'm on the other side of the planet, white skies, and not in school. No idea what where the Lord is going to direct me next. I'm just learning how to be a slightly more flexible and tentative planner. It's tough.

The only consistency I have is every Sunday. I walk this street to church. Although the street will change and most likely have sidewalk when I return, the destination will be the same and that is really what life is about.

In Peterville they say that the Heather's small heart grew 3 sizes that day and the Heather found the strength of 10 Heathers plus 2.

Oh the randomness.

Tuna fish, potato salad, hot dogs.

Still going strong.

Glad there hasn't been a repeat of the Tuna potato salad yet.

Currently the things on my mind are....I love everything. I am amazed how many time's I've eaten potato salad. Everyone here is great.

Today is going to be a long day.

I wish it was Easter.

I don't know where that came from.

Maybe that I want starbursts and starburst jelly beans.

But now that I think about it..Easter is going to be amazing here and I really am excited for it.

Russian Orthodox standing for a million hours straight then having a feast at Midnight sounds great.

So many things are just so amazing to me. I feel like I'm to the point that I look out the window and fall in love with every snowflake, every part of every dumpy car, every aspect of every unique Russian, every cloud in the sky (when I can see separate clouds of course, otherwise just the embodying overcast large cloud), every weird food I try even though everything tastes the same, every time I just about get run over crossing the street, everything about my host family and that my host mom sang and cuddled with her 10 year old daughter before putting her to bed last night and that my host dad told an exciting story to the kids when my host mom wasn't home the other night before they went to sleep. This man is 66 years old, this woman is 62 years old, their children are 10 and 7, and they have the most wonderful family relationships. What dad in America walks his daughter to school every morning and loves making them breakfast every morning and gets super happy and into the stories that he tells them before they sleep? I don't know. Hopefully many. I love everything about it. All of the families hosting us out here are so hospitable and remarkable people. I love hearing the other teachers stories about interactions with their families. Basically, I love Russia. I love everything I get to be a part of everyday. I love getting to know the other teachers out here and love the opportunities I have had to get to know the missionaries here, and the mission. I've attended 2 baptisms and I love the happiness. I love happiness. I am really happy here. I am loving learning how to be, and how it feels to be really happy. I hope all of you back at home are happy in all of your situations as different as they all are. I love you all.

Cherish everyone you meet.

The art of everyday.

Reason #1 why Saint Petersburg is a perfect little place for Heather. Fantastic. They are on the exterior of so many random buildings in the city.#2. Modern on the left, old on the right. It's a past and present connection. Actually connected, yes.
#3. One of my favorite ceilings thus far, in my new favorite building thus far. Saint Isaac's. The seemingly life-size, central, made of silver, white dove has about a wingspan that is about 3 meters long wingspan.. The cathedral has more than 7500 square feet of mosaics. 48 pillars that weigh 112 tons - EACH. Those are my favorite part. Plus the process of construction. I'll post more about the trusses they used later. I love it.
Lovely lucky little random things are everywhere..they get rubbed until they are gold and shiny with people making wishes.
For my Dad. Remember when someone attempted to explain this in an interesting way? Well, we discussed the history of flight in my level 7 class (14/15 year olds). It was great.
How often do you drive your car? (Taken from the view out my window.)

Perspective based perception.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

All whom I love dearly,

I am still alive.

Learning life lessons at such a rapid rate, if I paused to take note of them all I would miss the next opportunity for a life lesson. My goal before I came out was to learn patience. That characteristic is definitely being learned and obtained. Next goal, gain self-discipline to where I really do ALL of the little things that I know I need to - when I need to. We'll see how that goal comes along.

For the sake of attempting to accomplish that next goal, I will be brief with this post and just list only some of the interesting differences I've noticed about our two great nations.

*Napkins, tissues, paper towels, and toilet paper are like cardboard here.

*Public restrooms are the nastiest places.

*No one has their own house - besides the super duper loaded people that have "summer houses".

*Families are much smaller.

*Children are much more valued than Americans, I think, value children. This however, leads to much spoiling, which continues to lead to interesting attitudes of the children. ha.

*They eat ketchup/mayonnaise on everything. Even pasta. I recently got the the point where I was almost enjoying it - that's when I decided I need to stop participating in that cultural activity.

*Most people don't look happy in public.

*Everyone wears fur. I decided today that the style is very New York - ish, plus fur. And the necessities of stiletto boots.

*It is polite to always say Bonne Appetite (in Russian, of course) everytime you walk in a room that people are eating in.

*American brands of clothing are the coolest thing...I've never seen so much Nike in my life.

*American music is everywhere. They all say, "Russian music isn't good compared to American music." Why can't they have their own hit Russian artists that make songs with lyrics they can actually understand? Our music doesn't really seem that hard to replicate..

*Everyone always slippers inside. If you have company over than you give them a pair of slippers to wear.

*Everyone wears hats outside. If it is a cold day and you aren't wearing a hat - expect to be reprimanded by a little, but tough, old woman. I've seen it happen.

*It's amazing the things I will eat here that I never eat at home..It's almost as if I have lost my identity when it comes to cuisine. I choked down tuna fish with minimal difficulty. Only gagged once. It was amazing. I've eaten things similar to hot dogs multiple times with potatoes. I've eaten at least 8 different kinds of potato salad-breakfast and dinner for 3 weeks. 3 things that I never - never never- eat. I don't remember the last time I had any of them. I do know for a fact I haven't had tuna fish for at least 10 years. Also, that you can leave food out for a few days and just warm it up and you're good to go. Also, yogurt is not refrigerated at the store. It's on a shelf. Americans are just paranoid about food poisoning.

*When we first got here I thought it was so weird that you have to buy water all the time. Now, I find it lame. It will be weird to fill up a glass of clean water straight from the faucet and not have my shower water smell funny.

*Light switches are more user friendly here. Big plastic things.

*There is wallpaper everywhere. I feel like people in America don't wallpaper much any more..

*They think you are completely crazy if you dip your bread in your soup. You eat the soup, then have a bite of bread. ha.

*There are NEON flashing lights on every business..even the pharmacy..

*The road draining system is terrible. Needless to say that puddles get beyond massive. It is amazing.

Huge similarities. I will list those next time. Most importantly - the church is true no matter where you are. I was the first to teach our *new* English Sunday School class. Topic: Birthright Blessings; Marriage in the Covenant. Such important info and something I avoid discussing, with semi-just cause. It went pretty well I think. I was a mess but I had a great crowd. That makes anything go at least pretty well. They had some great insights and I really learned a lot more than I think they did. Preparing info for talks and lessons always gives me such a bigger lesson than when I'm on the other end.

There are many more things I could discuss, but here is a glimpse of few random observations. Life is good in Russia. Not as good as America, but still good.