Hello again!
Hi St. Peter’s
It’s another week here in Smolensk and things are looking better for me. I have been getting things for my flat like glasses, rugs, cutting boards, knifes, some cleaning things for the kitchen and bathroom. It has been had because I can’t read so I have to look at pictures and hope I am getting something good. Helen has been a big help with all the cleaning. She told me, she would do it because she knows how to do it here in Russia! She had the youth come over on Saturday to surprise me with small gifts for the house and some sweets! It was great to see them and just be around people. We talked about the summer with the youth team, what we should do this year and next summer!
As for my homesickness, it’s much better! I have been talking with many friends/family, which have made me feel better about it all. My sister Kelley told me that I needed to keep myself moving and with people, which has helped. I also have a friend who is a missionary and she told me it’s ok to be sad/miss people. I should call/email the people than tell myself to Buck Up this is what you wonted to do! It’s so true and it was something I needed to hear, I think lots of people told me but I guess she was the only one I was listening to!
I have been going to different high school and college classrooms to talk with them about the USA and for them to hear someone speak English. Most of the student’s have never meet someone from the USA which surprised me very much! I have been able to get a couple of students that I will work with one-on-one to make a little money on the side! I will get $4 for one hour of working with them which is a lot of money, it’s 100rubs! Teachers here in Russia are now making $80 a month for 6 days of work each week. The students go to school on Saturdays, which is one reasons why it has taken longer to start teaching at the umc in Smolensk because the students have classes on Saturday until 1 or 2. I need to find time to work with them.
I have been blessed with great people here in Smolensk. I really can’t tell you how my friend Sasha’s family has just taking care of me so well! His mom will come to cook for me the first couple of days and meets with me to see if I’m doing well! Sasha comes over to just be with me and talk and help with different things. Helen has been cleaning and looking for things for me to do and helping with my paperwork/ teaching/ meeting with people/ the church and so on. The youth have been calling and going on walks with me! God has blessed me with so many great people here in Smolensk!
I hope to write more often as things are coming together here. Today is Sunday which is hard for me because I do not have a church so I have been reading and listening to music. I do miss not having church on Sundays but I hope to be able to join the UMC in Smolensk or have the women’s group on Sunday’s. I may also start to teach some of the children that would be joining the UMC in the center of town! My friend Olga has given me the idea and feels it would be helpful to everyone coming from America to have more people understanding English!
Talk with you all soon and have a great week! The weather is very nice outside this week in the 60’s most of the time and I have been able to enjoy it each day! Feel free to email me any time, I enjoy knowing what is going on with everyone. I talk with some of the youth each day after school, which is so great to still be part of their lives! I do miss you all very much! Talk soon! It’s tea time… <>< JulieJ