Again, it has been too long for us to meet again. I am still alive!Also, I feel as though I have only been here for two weeks when I think about how soon I am leaving. Time is running away from me again and we all know how there is no hope of me chasing it down.
Pictures aren't uploading for some reason..so.........those will be secret until next time, unfortunately. I have taken some epic ones the past few weeks.
I haven’t told the family yet besides my mom -so here it is for the world. Considering my mom has probably already told the world. :) Love you madre. A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to travel through Tallinn, Estonia and Riga, Latvia for a few days. The week prior I had started having some pretty severe chest pains around my heart, central area and difficulty breathing. Being in Russia, without knowledge of credible doctors or access - and a word of advice from my Finnish friend Marja to avoid going to the doctor in Russia at all costs I tried to just ignore the pain. Teaching was difficult, moving was difficult, laughing was a terrible idea, and each breath became less and less deep because of the pain of expanding my lungs. I got on the bus to Tallinn and hoped I could survive the trip and downplayed the symptoms to my 3 traveling companions. However, after a few hours of being in Tallinn off the bus the pain was extreme. I retired to our hostel room early and let the other three go out to eat and such. Any movement was unbearable and I thought the problem could potentially be fatal. I couldn’t even fight the pain enough to lay on my side, or to hold my scriptures up to read them that night. I was quite a frustrated soul. However, we had to get on a bus in the morning for Riga. Morning came and we checked out of the hostel and ventured to the bus station. I cried as I tried to breathe at all. It was quite embarrassing but I just wished I didn't have to breathe at all. Just as we were walking up to the station I saw a little group of young adult men, well-groomed in suits. I said, “Please tell me those are the missionaries”. With a chuckle-ish. Still trying to make a joke out of the situation. Low and -behold- It was! Tender mercy. I felt a peacefulness overcome me and knew that it would be alright. I asked if they would give me a blessing. They had just gotten off of a bus to come to zone conference and were meeting up to take taxi’s together. One companionship hung behind, we hurried to a side street where there was a lowered driveway to a business that was closed (Saturday morning), I sat on one of our bags, and they gave me a blessing. We all knew that it would be okay. We didn’t know how, but we knew that, as the Elder said, “the Lord wants you to get better.” It was so comforting. Although the pain wasn’t erased, I was so thankful to be a witness to their dedicated spirits. They were great elders and I was so glad. We then boarded our bus and were on our way to Riga ten minutes later. The next day was a long one that involved getting ripped off by a taxi driver, wandering, closed doctor’s offices, confusing locations of hospital buildings, a irish pub bartender that was the most helpful guy ever, being in a Latvian ambulance that didn’t take me seriously, a surprise visit from the Head of all emergency affairs in Latvia from the US Embassy and phone calls to the CFO and CEO of the largest doctor’s group in Albuquerque, NM to diagnose me. In the end - I am okay. I am healed and I am thankful. It wasn’t super serious and I’m back to well now! I have always known the Lord won’t let my life be boring, but I was definitely taken to a new limit of interesting.
I think my life would make a great adventure movie.
As for all the other aspects of the trip - Tallinn is incredible and absolutely fantasitic! Riga was also, but for apparent reasons, I missed most of the trip there. I loved Tallinn. I loved the Estonian culture and atmosphere. It was hilarious, educational, and completely enjoyable. Skype is from Estonia, they have free wi-fi nationally, even in caves. So great. Their parliament building is pink but our tour guide said that if you tell one of the representatives it is pink they will get frustrated with you and say, "It is not pink. It is salmon. It is a very masculine color." Our tour guide was quite the character..she finished that stop by telling us that all of the representatives know her and run away from her now. haha. Estonia only has less than 1.4 million people. It gained it's independence through singing the occupation out and their crest has three panthers on it but they say they are lions because they can't draw very well. Hilarious. So great. Like Estonian Disneyland of culture inside of a midevil city wall. Also, I shot a bow and arrow and had the full get up on. CAPE, LEATHER ARM STRAP, HAND LEATHER FINGER THING. It was fantastic. I was so excited. Granted, I could barely lift my arms or hold the bow up because of the pain but it was worth every second. I wish the pictures would upload. Next time, you will meet Robin Heather. Oo-de-lally. Minus the drinking and running from the sherrif. Well, currently Russian militsia. ha. Who are everywhere. It's really ridiculous. Sometimes sad, I've seen a couple boys that could not be more than 12 years old in full uniform. Crazy Russians. They all make up for me never being drunk - a trillion times over.
Teaching has been great. It has it's down days and up days for sure. Some funny things from classes recently - We asked our level 7 (they're 13/14 years old) to describe something using all five senses. Danye wrote, "meet smell like cow after it is baked." We had them read them out loud to the class and Kara and I laughed so hard about that one later. Mostly it was just so funny how absolutely serious he was when he read it. plus his fantastic little Russian accent and the fact that he looks like a mini version of my friend Jon. We have some great times in that class. Last night I had to teach by myself for the first hour and a half because Kara had to teach at parent night at her kindergarten - I thought they were going to eat me. They don't respect us very much, well, at all most of the time, and they call me Brittney Spears. I survived, with minimal damage. I also did not shave my head yesterday - during class, like they suggested.
My kindergartners are the sweetest, most trouble making little darling things. I love them. Yesterday in one of my classes 4 of my students attacked me to get the bag of crayons, two sat and laughed, one watched, until she became impatient because she wanted to do the activity so she chewed them out in Russian and they all sat down and were quiet. I was in shock. I also couldn't help but laugh and pretend like I didn't hear her to tell her rule #1 - No Russian. ha. Considering she was breaking all the rules when she came into class and hit herself in the head with a hard, blown-up, plastic golf club when she tried to keep it away from me to put it away five minutes earlier. Oh to be 4 years old. As my host mom always says in her great Russian accent after Dima jumps off a couch or Anya sings all morning, "Crazy Russian children." Also, the little critters are so cuddly. If any of us sit down in our opening exercises they immediately climb into our laps and give us hugs when we walk in. That is of course when they aren't , kicking, punching, slapping, yelling at, hiding from, running away from, pinching, or biting me. They're adorable.
Time is going too quickly. I've got most things in order for my return to campus. I feel like the clock has sped up. This weekend we have our long vacation; off to Finland, Sweden, and Denmark then back for Victory Day. I'm incharge of planning Finland for the group so we will see what I can pull together. It looks like its going to be a great trip. We're going to do baptisms as well! I haven't seen a temple for many months too long. I got a new recommend on Sunday. Let's just say that interview will be one I will always remember. The District Leader Elder Haggard translated. It was great. The Branch President interviewed me as though I was getting a recommend to get my endowment recommend for the first time. About a 40 min interview, intense, but great. I love our church. Also, it has been humbling to realize how much members around the world wish they could attend BYU but don't have the financial means to do so. I am blessed.
Well, life is good. I love Russia. I am planning on minoring in Russian once I return. Oh, to return.. to the US of A. I even took dear Franklin out, started a new budget file, and have started pulling my life back together slowly. I am excited for the adventures I will have in America (Oh, just got elected to VP over Service and Outreach for the Society of Women Engineers! Super duper excited) but will miss my dear unique friend Russia. It's going to be so weird to be able to know and effectively communicate with more than 8 people, in a city of 4.6 million people, considering that's twice as many people as live in UT. Heavens to Betsy.
Love you all.
Hope your lives are lovely.
Our Gospel is true.
Tell everyone.
Also, go outside without a jacket on for me.
Outside Catherine's Palace. Under appreciated.
One of the infamous "salad"s. Want to eat it for a couple months 2x a day?
In the Church of Spilled Blood.
Roma. Future Engineer.
Some joys. Picture day at the kindergarten. They were all dressed up like little cupcakes.
Sums up their personalities so well.
Remarkable.
A day of remembrance for the blockade.
Adorable. Turned out arts and crafts ballerina into a hat.
Current examples of three national currencies simultaneously in my wallet.
Tiki man with a sweet hat. Spring is here my friends.
A favorite from the beach.
These boots. They have stepped on some great lands.
Love this.
