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| Here's a whole mess of things from Russia. Translations will be provided upon request.
New Years is on 1 Jan.
Old New Years is on 14 Jan.
Moscow State University started Tatyana's Day (students day) (January 24) by giving out free beer. They no longer do this.
Many traditions were outlawed in Soviet times, so now they're making a comeback.
"Economists run the world." ~ Marx
It is currently colder in Upland, Indiana, than in Nizhnii Novgorod, Russia.
Siberia is where the mineral wealth of Russia is located, but there are still poor people here because every country needs a diversified economy.
Permafrost: the top layer of soil is always frozen.
Someday I'm making a pilgrimage to Kiev to see the Cyril and Methodius monument.
Stalin tried to build the world's tallest building on the cite of the Church of Christ the Saviour, but BOG interveined.
My fortune was told by Russian folk singers: I will have good travels.
I'm not sure if Nikon was right... anyway now Old Believers live in Alaska. Oh Avvakum.
Ukraine means "at the end," so don't ever refer to it as "The Ukraine"
I'm trying to figure out what "patristic," "cataphic," and "conciliar," mean.
In Russia, the Little Engine That Could, probably couldn't.
Relationships are messy.
Friendship is spelled T-I-M-E.
Dress up- go out, dress down- stay in.
Learning to dream again vs. What's the point?
Saving face, privacy, and time. They're different here.
Experiencial freedom from sin. Sin is cancelled, now what?
Salvation is the process of healing.
"If I have to choose between truth and Jesus Christ, I choose Jesus Christ." ~ Fyodor Dostoevsky
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| RUSSIA
603950 Nizhnii Novgorod
23 Gagarin Avenue
University of Nizhnii Novgorod
c/o International Services Office
FOR: AMY LORAINE WOOD
As an added incentive, I have to do a dance everytime I get a piece of mail  | | |
| So where have I been? Where haven't I been? Right now I'm sitting in a room on the all boys floor of Southgate Dorm on the East (freshmen) Campus of Duke University. To my left, my brother is blissfully snoozing and behind me Christine is as well. I, on the other hand chose to go to sleep at the earlier hour of 1am and have been awake, showered, and packed for two hours.
Today I fly to Russia.
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| This morning I'm drinking my coffee black and reflecting on the year. I've done my fair share of traveling, beginning with Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, the US, Italy, and Greece- all in one week. Then second semester began and I learned to not hate myself and accept grace and love. I went to an Orthodox Church on "Forgiveness Sunday-" best thing ever. Summer I started out packing up my house in Alabang and celebrating two decades of life. I coordinated in International Orientation at Taylor and commuted back and forth between Oelwein and Upland. That was a success. My first semester of junior year was... turbulant. I worked hard on all my classes than I ever have (trading emotion for intellect?) and maintained a pretty good GPA. I've made a lot of really good friends this year and there are some people I really miss. I can't think of what else to say about this year, so here's a silly survey I filled out:
1) Was 2006 a good year for you? Overall, yes. There are some pretty annoying things that happened. I feel like I've backslid in too many areas and am at the point where I just need to get out of this country (nothing personal, America, I'd feel this way after staying 3 yrs in any country)
2) What was your favorite moment of the year?
Playing backgammon with Duke the Hotel Tourist receptionist in Thessilonika, Greece. He drove us around in his smart car and dedicated a Bryan Adams song to me  Moments at the MuKappa Spring Retreat were really fun, too.
3) What was your least favorite moment of the year?
I got the mean reds for most of October and cried a lot.
4) Where were you when 2006 began? The Philippines!
5) Who were you with? Shooting off fireworks with my family and the Quinleys
6) Where will you be when 2006 ends? I'm not sure... Culvers? My cousins house probably.
7) Who will you be with when 2006 ends? With my dad's side of the family and Christine
8) Did you keep your new years resolution of 2006? At times. I went down in exercising and doing devotions, but I think I did a pretty good job at staying in touch with my family and making new friends.
9) Do you have a new years resolution for 2007? Maybe. I want to learn Russian. Figure out the meaning of life. Forget myself. Love.
10) Did you breakup with anyone in 2006? Yes.
11) Did you make any new friends in 2006? Yes, all the new freshmen!
12) Who are your favorite new friends? Rebecca, my Asian angel daughters. Technically, I met Josue befoe the Christmas break last year, so I'm not going to include him here.
18) What was your favorite month of 2006? March, I think. I like the Spring.
19) Did you travel outside of the USA in 2006? Cambodia, Thailand, Philippines, Italy, Greece, Vatican City... that's all!
20) How many different states did you travel to in 2006? um...more than 10. Road trips to Florida will do that to you.
21) Did you lose anybody close to you in 2006? Well there was the Taylor van accident in April, but I can't say that I knew anyone very personally. Still, that was a very communal loss.
22) Did you miss anybody in the past year? Oh yes.
23) What was your favorite movie that you saw in 2006? The Fountian was really good, as well as Little Manhattan, and a few others.
24) What was your favorite song from 2006? Hm, see below. Also, Love and Youth, She Moves in Secret Ways, Lovesong (all versions), Homelands, a few songs from the Rent soundtrack.
25) What was your favorite record from 2006? Hm, most listened to was probably the Rent soundtrack, or the new Copeland album. I mainly listened to playlists though.
26) How many concerts did you see in 2006?
Sigur Ros, hm, that might be all... Concerts are overrated, I've concluded.
27) Did you have a favorite concert in 2006? Having said that, Sigur Ros was pretty amazing.
28) Did you drink a lot of alchohol in 2006? LTC says no. And I was good this year I drank in the Philippines a little, which would be a lot compared to the rest of the year, I suppose.
29) Did you do a lot of drugs in 2006? Um... no.
30) How many people did you kiss in 2006? Two.
31) Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year? Yes.
33) What was the worst lie someone told you in 2006? I don't know. Was it a lie?
34) Did you treat somebody badly in 2006? I let my selfishness get in the way a lot and that affected how I treated people.
35) Did somebody treat you badly in 2006? Sure.
36) How much money did you spend in 2006? Hm, I have no clue.
37) What was your proudest moment of 2006? Seeing Jake graduate  Probably at some point in the Orientation, too.
38) What was your most embarrassing moment of 2006? Spilling water on my pants at lunch They made me go get my own ice cream!
39) If you could go back in time to any moment of 2006 and change it what would it be? Dark nights in the woods.
40) What are your plans for 2007? Learn Russian, grow, find truth.
That's all.
I hope you all had a good year and grew and leared to love. I'm skipping the country. Here's to successes and disapointments in 2006:
This is Everthing~ Tegan & Sara
Climbed up on the rainbow
just to see if I’d fall off
I’m a frosted lemon coward
and I don’t know how
No, I don't know how to hold you
without shaking
No I’m not aware of how
I could possibly love you
without aching
Yes I give you everything
Yes I give you anything
I gave you everything
Gotta watch myself
I’ve gotta love myself
and take care
And so keep the light on before
ya hop into bed
Cos, baby, this is the last
honest look I’ll ever give
I saved up all my sunshine
just to see you more clear
I’m a little short on solar
and I haven’t given in
No I’m going to hold you anyway
and I’ll do it without shaking
Yes I’ll love you always
and I’ll do it without aching
Yes I’d give you anything
Yes I’d give you anything
I gave you everything
gotta watch myself
I’ve gotta love myself
and take care
and so keep the light on before
ya hop into bed
Cos, baby, this is the last
honest look I’ll ever give
I give you everything
I give you anything
I gave you everything
gotta watch my self
I’ve gotta love myself
and take care
yeah
gave you
I gave you
I gave you everything
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