smoke cloud.

I am sitting in my window seat and watching a group of young boys smoking and speed racing around this factory parking lot. Every night I have been hear I hear them but now I moved rooms I can watch those crazy kids. I think kids are trying to enjoy their last few days till school, all schools in Russia start the first Monday of September. I have been sitting here thinking about so many things I heard and saw today.

Firstly I would like to announce an accomplishment I made tonight. Lydia and I for the first time were out at night and went from my teachers flat, subway, and home. I will not lie I was defiantly a little nervous because it is very different at night then day. Anyway just wanted to give my self some props.

So tonight me and Lydia went to our teachers flat and had dinner with her roommate and another lady. This lady was working in an orphanage in Romania. She is from Germany and worked in Romania for four years. Now she has just moved to St. Pets. and wants to work with the street kids here. We started talking about the orphans and street kids for awhile after that. My teachers roommate was telling me how about a year or so ago they moved hundreds of kids out of the city. They want the city to be more tourist friendly so they are taking kids out of the city to make it appear that way. I was so sad at hearing this I mean how strange for the kids to not have a home and to be moved away from what they do know. Our teachers roommate told us she could get me and Lydia into an orphanage one day. I am really excited for that but my heart is still heavy for the kids that are on the street and even the ones on the city close to st. pets. Tonight I am just praying for them and just burden by the idea of all the hurting kids.

There was one other thing I noticed today. Lydia and I went to a store today and passed an Orthodox church. When we were passing it I saw a few different people old and young, bow and do the cross thing in front of the church. One lady was like walking on a mission but once in front of the church she stopped. Even saw a little boy, like 4 or 5, stop in front of the church. I was so intrigued by this, I need need to do more research and learning on the church. I was just think all these people give reverence to a church for some kind of peace or joy. But how much more peace and joy would they have if they surrendering to God and receiving the ultimate love he has for them.

Anyway everyday I am here my mind is spinning and I am just thinking about these people and becoming more in love with them and this city.

Please remember to pray for Russia.

and all that jazz.

I keep having to pinch myself. I feel like I am not really living in Russia. I feel so blessed.

It has been a few days since I last posted so as you can imagine much (but not very much) has happened. I will give you a quick recap of my past few days.

Sunday: subway.history teachers church. English and Russia sermon. long. subway. groceries. lunch. cleaning. rest. dinner.bed.

Monday:1st day of school. Russian Language. 2 hours. brain fried. Russian History. lunch. homework. dinner. movie. bed.

Tuesday:2nd day of school. Russian Language. 2 hours. brain exploded. lunch. homework. subway. downtown. boat canal tour. picture. awe of city. picture. subway. groceries. dinner. tv shows. bed.

Wednesday: School. Russian History. dancing break. lunch. youtube. laughing. Russian Art. 3 HOURS. sleepy. homework. tv shows. homework. dinner. blog......

I am using my blog a lot as a diary so I can remember all that happens and let out my thoughts. So if you do not like the way I write sorry, like I said this is how my brain works.

When I went to my teachers church on Sunday it was so cool to see a church with so many people of all different ages worshiping the Lord. I was just reminded about how God is here in Russia and ready to touch these people. Something I thought was interesting was we came to this church styled building and we went inside and you saw sanctuary in front of you and stair on the right. Our teacher told us that   it was a Lutheran church and then we went up a stair case and saw another church and she said it was a pentecostal church. Then we got to the top floor and it was the church we were going to. We were told lots of churches meet in the same building. I was thinking it was so interesting being so close but still divided.

I have been just thinking this first week here just about the people in Russia. I just have been praying for them. I see so many people everywhere I look and just see what God can do here and through this great country. I feel incredible blessed to be in such and amazing city and just see what God is doing here. I am hoping to get connected with a ministry/church and help out just cause I am starting to really feel a love and burden for the Russian people.

Please pray that Lydia and I will be able to get the information in our classes and start to remember it. Also tomorrow I am moving rooms and will no longer be rooming with Lydia but a Russian student. The students are coming in the next few days and Lydia and I both super excited to meet new people.

Yep, I am American.

It is funny when you come to a different country or culture ,or at least I do, you like to pretend you are part of these people. Think I am just like them nothing is really different. But the truth is, is we are each different. I came to Russia being like I will be like the Russians in no time. And they will just see me as one of them. Well in the past few days Lydia(other international student) and I get looks all the time. We do not talk or laugh in public like everyone here. We do not wear anything flashy or different. We walk down the stairs, escalators, and get on subways the same as everyone else. We walk with a purpose and know exactly where we need to go. So why do they see us as different? This is not really a huge deal just was thinking about this a lot, still trying to figure out why it bothers me.

Today was a nice day Lydia and I were able to just relax and ate breakfast. We then took the subway for the first time alone, to our history teachers flat. We then talked about the last few things we need to know before school starts and made soup. After lunch we took the subway back and went to the grocery store again. Then went back to school put everything away and saw it was nice outside. So we went to a park that is across the street. There were statues all over (there are statues everywhere here). We walked around and saw you could rent boats for the little lake. Then saw this kids area with all these rides and this creepy music playing. But the trees and grass were growing all over them, and no kids were there but the music still played. Then we walked back to the school and heard drums and found a worship team practicing in one of the building for church. Now I have just been relaxing and just enjoy this time to not have to WALK miles, like the other days.

So yesterday, Lydia and I went to many places all over st. pets. but one place that was interesting was the blockade museum. This is a museum honoring and showing the pain/loss and strength Russia had during World War 2. It was a somber area. The moment you walk up this sad sound music is playing and there was touches lite all around this big open area. There was a statue in the middle showing the sadness and weakness of the Russians during this time. When you walk in the whole place is lite with these little torches, 1000s of them. We were told each one represents a person who died. We watched a short video about the effect of the war. Inside there was a clicking sound playing and was told this would play on people radios and they would be comforted because it meant the Germans have not taken there city. Outside the museum was many other statues of them just trying to move on and keep going. After going through this museum I look at Russians a little different. They have such a deep history of pain and loss. They are a strong people but have been torn apart many times. When I ride the subway and see people not smiling and when I walk to streets of a city of about 5 million and hear only a little sound, I feel the pain. This country needs God to pour out on them, they are hurting. I just would ask if you read this to just remember these people not as the villains in movies or the mafia. But a hurting people that needs the Lord.

So remember to pray for these people.

hello---->здравствуйте

I am going to attempt to blog. I am not and incredible writer and I have a scattered mind. So bear with me if I jump from topic to topic. 

Here I am in St. Petersburg, Russia. As I sit here in my room I think of what a dream I am living. I feel like I have been thinking of coming here for so long. I am overwhelmed by this opportunity that God has given me. 

I have been here for a little more then two days and am trying to take everything in but I am starting to feel like my brain may explode. From the moment I landed I started to notice that everything was different from what I am accustom to. Then just as I was absorbing in the surroundings I hear someone speak. I feel like I don't understand even one word people say even after being exposed to it some for about a year. I just stand there when people talk and have to shrug my shoulders because I have no idea. I feel extremely frustrated and stupid because I want to know. 

My first few hours in Russia I went to about 4 different grocery stores, went on the subway, visited my history teachers flat, went out for dinner, and went to a ATM for some money. I felt like 1000 things were coming to my mind. I was also a bit sleep deprived from about 20 hours of traveling so my mind was spinning. My second day here in Russia I was a bit more alert and learned much more. I took a Russia language crash course and all day was asked to figure out what things meant. My mind once again was spinning. Anyway we learned much more that day. And today was able to go to the blockade museum and learn some history or Russia. Then go see some of downtown st. pets. 

I want to tell you how the stores work here. So you first walk in and have to lock your purse and other belonging in lockers. You take out your wallet or money and lock everything in, taking the key with you. Then you walk into the store and look around and get what you want. Stores here only sell certain things like there is simple grocery stores with limited selection but then there are stores to buy nuts, honey, or stores for any other item. So needless to say you have to go to many stores to get what you need. 

I am quite tired of writing today. So I will try to write about the subway and blockade museum next time. If you have read this far, good job. haha

Downtown  St. Pets today.