Novinka Hotel Kazan

... The people enjoy it more and get into it.  It is a community activity so it was cool to see it in that way anyway.  The next day, Hope, Kristen and I went to the Kremlin for the last time. It was getting dark because we went after class, but we wanted some pictures of the mosque with evening lights on.  It was really beautiful.  Not many people were around, so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. Have you noticed that you can be in the same ...

... a long train ride as it split up the trip too evenly. Nizhniy Novgorod I didn't even consider, since I haven't heard anything special about it. There awere probably also some other alternatives, such as Kirov or Perm, but to me, they didn't sound any more interesting than Nizhniy Novgorod... Kazan, with its population of 1.1 million, is the capital of Tatarstan, which is said to be one of the most nationalistic Republics inside the Russian Federation ...

... eat bacon and pancakes and nothing with cabbage in it but the other half of me loves being in Russia and experiencing new things.  I suppose as time goes on the two halves split more and more; I grow more homesick and also better at understanding and thriving in a Russian culture.  I am willing to wager that it is the same with the rest of the Troops. Anyway Do Svidaniya friends and family of Julie!     Love, Liz

... come over.  "Well," he said," it is odd to hear an English voice. Where are you guys from and why are you here in Kazan?" We told him that we were students and he knew the University that we are attending.  He was amazingly sweet and I liked him quite a bit.  He then took a pic with Hope and signed our programs.  While we were talking, he told us that he liked Kazan okay but, "it isn't home."  I knew what he was saying.  I feel the same way ...

... at college, Obama giving speeches wherever.  You would think that he is the only one running and Iilka is in the thick of it.  She has been coming in our room lately and telling us about how great Obama is and we should be so lucky to have him as President.  This from the lady who didn't like Stalin so much but Brezhnev (have no clue how to spell his name) was "Ochen Harasho" (very good).  I say this because this is the perfect example ...

So the Sat. that Stanford came was the weekend of my birthday.  I have to say that I often don't celebrate that occasion and I am pretty sure that both my parents forgot about it last year.  (Sorry mom, but it's true.) So I was just trying to keep my head down and pretend that I wasn't turning another year older.  However, my friends wouldn't have it.  My birthday was on that Sunday and on Friday we went out to the bar which is not like a bar at home, just so you know ...

... Finally, we bit the bullet and yelled over (at least Hope yelled over) and asked if they were Americans.  I have to say that the number of Americans in Kazan probably equate to the number of students from UNCG plus the three others that we know from other universities, so the idea of seeing any other Americans here blows our minds.  Sure enough, this group of about 7 was from the States and they were Stanford students.  Apparently, they ...

... too shocked.) Not once have a seen a Russian girl show up to class in her PJ's and I'm sure that Hell would freeze over a hundred times before that would happen here.              They are all stunning, but I have to say (and I am just writing what I have observed personally) that they are very vain.  At least the one's that are at our university.  Granted the women that go to university are probably privileged and have families that can provide them with every want and ...

... paper is optional but not really an option.             Also I think that we finally have traveling this way down.  The first time we went on a train that was more than 20 hours, we had no food, no toilet paper, and no sense of self worth so we didn't fight for fairness.  (meaning we let the other passenger have all the space and we had nowhere to even sit for 20+ hours.) This time we definitely had it down.  I mean we were prepared... We brought food to eat ...

... proceeds to take out his computer, go onto the website for his bank and says,"Now, can I please borrow someone's phone?" What a koshmar. (nightmare) He did later tell about his experience at the police station. I have to admit that it rivals my hospital stay. "so," he says," I just spent five hours at the police station and they assigned six militiamen to my case." "what are you talking about? Six militiamen?" I asked. "yep," he says," they ...