France: Nos Voyages Extraordinaires

Hello from France-Land! I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and are getting psyched for 2011. Christmas in France was memorable, we have lots of loooooong meals and foods that Sarah doesn't particularly like (Liver pate, duck, salmon, oysters) but I can usually make it through MOST of the 3-5 hour meals... before I have to get up from the table and play with a nearby cat, hold a cute baby, or take a nap.

So I'm just chillin' with my sister and Parents here in Rennes, but MC keeps us real busy. We went to St. Malo twice to visit her boyfriend's family. St Malo is pretty cool, although we were so short for time after all of that eating that we didn't get to spend much time looking around. We made it to the old walled city for a quick tour on the ramparts, and then hightailed it back to the train station. Here are some photos:


Dad and I took a walk in town ad explored St. Anne's, a very beautiful church near the town center in Rennes:


Otherwise we've been doing alot of walking, pastry-eating, and silly-face-making.


Love from the Chaos in France!
Sarah

Farewell to Italia

Well, I’m sorry to say it, but I have already left Italy. I am currently waiting in the very crowded, very confusing, and very cold Paris CDG-Roissy train station. Good news: They have WiFi! Bad news: I can’t pay for it, so I am typing this post in MS Word and will post it once I finally make it to Rennes.

But let’s talk more about Italy, shall we? Well, Laura (my Italian sister) is a party animal, and she showed me the best time imaginable while I was visiting! We spent another day at her house in the mountains, and I got a fancy Italian haircut, went out for “Aperitifs” which, in Italy, consist of going to a restaurant and buying a drink before dinner, and then helping yourself to a free buffet of hor-d’oeuvres. We went out to some of Laura’s favorite places in her area, drank many a cappuccino (SO good), and hung out with the Laura’s family ---- they were SO great, extremely welcoming, hospitable, and nice. This is the view from Laura's bedroom window:

On Wednesday morning we drove back to Milan to have brunch with some of Laura’s friends at the California Bakery --- One of the only places in Italy where you can get bacon and eggs, or so Laura tells me. I’ll just say that it was delicious, and it reminded me of home! We had a pretty low-key day, but at night got dressed up to go out to another one of Laura’s favorite spots, called Rocket. We stopped at her friend’s house beforehand for a lovely traditional meal from her hometown (which I forgot the name of already… rats) and some good conversation. After a few interesting drinks at Rocket (Alcohol-soaked gummy candies? A shot of rum chased with pear juice?) and then decided we should head home a bit early (early = 1am). We walked past the Duomo Cathedral one last time, so I could get some night pictures. One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, I’m so glad we walked through the cold and the rain to see it one last time!

I woke up ridiculously early today to take a taxi to the train station, then took a train to the airport, flew from Milan to Paris, and then walked to the train station in the Paris CDG airport (and, around the same time, discovered that someone had spilled something rather sticky in the overhead compartment of the plane, and it had soaked a corner of my backpack and the clothes inside, yum!) So, anyway, right now I’m watching all of the trains get delayed, but my 15h43 train to Rennes still says it’s on time… Let’s hope it stays that way!

С Рождеством, Buone Feste, Joyeux Noel, and Happy Holidays!

Love from Euro-world,

Sarah

ITALIA!

...One cramped, tearful bus ride and one empty, confusing flight later, and I am in MILAN! My Italian sister Laura picked me up at the airport, and I dove headfirst into Italy. We arrived at her apartment in the evening and got all dressed up to go out. Fratelli La BufalaShe took me to a famous restaurant in Milan" Fratelli La Bufala" for REAL Italian Pizza, just like they make in Naples (the birthplace of Pizza). It was beautiful, and delicious. We sat next to some Italian celebrity, apparently, so that was neat. Then we went out to a well-known club called "Plastic," which was a blast and a half.


We got home late, woke up early, and Laura took me all around Milan, and I took pictures like a mad tourist. Milan is so bautiful, I just fell in love. Other things I have discovered which I now cannot live without: Cappuccino, Prosciutto, Fried tomato-mozzarella pastries called "pazzerotto," and macaroons.


I am currently in Azzone, Laura's hometown in the mountains. We had dinner at her mother's restaurant (also extremely delicious) and I overall I am having a fast-paced amazing time in Italy! Anyway, I am super exhausted --- time for bed.


Ciao!
Sarah

Saying Goodbye... (part 2)

So I officially said Goodbye to Russia on Sunday morning. Lots of tears, but lots of love. It was so hard to leave everyone behind, but I know I will be back someday soon! Here are a couple photos from the morning I left, first with my amazing nephew Dima, and next with my awesome host parents. I cried a lot after each of these pictures was taken... I love my family so much!!!


Russia, I miss you, I love you, and I will remember you forever.

Россия, я по вам скучаю, а вас люблю, и я вас запомню навсегда.

Sarah/Сара

Saying goodbye... (part one)

...Is the hardest thing to do. Unfortunately, it's just part of life. Tonight was my final concert in Novgorod, and I said goodbye to all of my performance friends and my beloved Russian Show-Choir. We won the equivalent of "Best of show," and they gave me my own medal to take home with me! And a HUGE Calender from the University. Check us out: We are some hot, hot ladies.


Just like on my Birthday, we drank champagne, made toasts to how AWESOME Russia is, and they gave me a card. One of the girls wrote me a poem, and another made me a little bunny pin as a gift (next year is the year of the rabbit, everyone in Russia knows the Chinese zodiac pattern). They also brought me a cake (which was basically a giant custard-filled cream puff) which we promptly devoured:


We all gathered backstage and sang Russian songs as our friends played their guitars, but soon the show was over it was time to go. They dedicated one last Russian song to me, and I couldn't help but cry... But in the end we all just belted the chorus and danced around like fools singing "Do Svidaniye, Proshaite!" (Goodbye, farewell!)

I have basically said goodbye to all of the other Oles, we are all spending our last days with our families and friends. On the last day of classes we got our certificates and grades, we said goodbye to our teachers, and they gave us each a Novgorod magnet to remember our time here. After that, we all went to out for our favorite after-school snack: Shawerma. It's like a Gyro, but BETTER.

So tomorrow I will say goodbye to my friends Dima and Ira, who have been so incredibly awesome, I can't believe I have to leave them... as well as to my wonderful family, and my OUTSTANDING mother!!! We try really hard not to talk about my leaving, but tomorrow we are having the official "Good-bye" meal. Goodness gracious, how will I live without my Russkaya Mamochka and her amazing home cookin'???

Sarah

Relationship Status: In a Relationship with Novgorod, Russia and it's Complicated...

...i.e., I am CLINGING to RUSSIA! I only have a week left in this beautiful, beautiful place, and I don't want to say goodbye!!! Unfortunately, we both know that it's going to happen... So in the meantime, Russia and I have been having the BLASTY-BLASTIEST of BLASTY-BLASTS!!! (Translation: a really great time). So how have I been having such a blasty-blasty-blast (can you tell I like saying blasty-blast)? Well, here's some news:

1.) I learned how to Ice-Skate! YEAH! And I'm not that bad! My Russian friends took me out on the ice a couple times, and somehow I managed to stay upright the entire time. SO much FUN! In the second photo, my friends Nadia and Tanya are trying to help me NOT fall down.


2.) Did I tell you all that I saw Harry Potter in Russian? I don't remember if I did, but just so you know, it is SO great in Russian, maybe even better than in English.

3.) Livi's host mom threw us a good-bye party, and let me tell you, she is one awesome lady. Just take a look at this cake: That is all real fruit art, and it had yogurt in the middle. She also made Hachipurri: Bread baked with (Georgian?) cheese all up in its business. Super tasty.


4.) Russian McDonalds Happy Meals have WAY better toys than in America. I went with some friends today, and I got a Hello Kitty tracing set, which included paper, a pink pencils, prints to trace, and a mini light-box to trace them on which doubled as a carrying case. I don't know if we have those in the US right now, but the last time I had a McD toy this cool, the only reason it was so cool was because I was only 6.

5.) I came to the realization a couple weeks ago that I can actually SPEAK RUSSIAN! It's really amazing, being able to simultaneously keep up with AND contribute to a conversation. It's also really awesome to hear my Russian friends tell me how well I can speak now, and that I've made a lot of progress while I've been here. Now I just have to try and retain this level while I'm speaking French in France for a month... eek!

That's all for now, I love you all, and look for one more post from Russia before next week's theme: MILAN!

Sarah

SNOW-vgorod.

Ok, I don't have much to update you all on, except for the fact that Novgorod is B-E-A-utiful right now, what with all the lovely snow. Here are some photoooos! There are more photos of Novgorod in the snow, plus a couple Thanksgiving photos in my "Russia: Part Two" album. All of the albums are now linked on the right side of the blog.

Above: This is Rachmaninoff Park, where they play Rachmaninoff over the loudspeakers all day long!

Below: This is part of Yaroslav's court, otherwise known as Old Novgorod.

Last night Livi and I had a sleepover at my house, but first we spent some time at Andrew's place hanging out and wearing suits. You know, blazers, sport-coats, slacks... It was classy.

Today I saw my Friend Ira: She took me to her Volleyball practice, and later she showed me the Catholic Church nearby. It was a very new church, i.e. post-Vatican II boring. But hey, now I know where it is, in case I decide to go to Mass before I leave Novgorod... Not likely, because it's about an hour-long trip to get there from my house.

Oh, what an exciting life I lead, here in Russia!

I Love and Miss you all,
Sarah