Hi Everyone
Hi Everyone,
I moved to my flat, No. 28 on Monday (10/1/07). Until then I had been moving my things in one bag at a time, and with so many bags it has taken me sometime to accomplish it! I took some pictures so you could see the place. In Russia, if someone asks you how many rooms you have that means the total number of rooms. I remember back to my first time in Russia I was asked that question. I told them two rooms because I was thinking that we were talking about bedrooms. The look of suprise on their faces told me everything; I didn’t understand them! I have since learned how to answer that question. My flat has three rooms, two bedrooms and one living/dining room, which is really large. I will be able to have many people over without any problems. My bedroom is a good size and can hold all of my things. I am not using the second room, mostly because I have put the owner’s things in that room. I am renting the flat from a family friend of my host family. The grandmom moved to Moscow because she is sick and her daughter can better care for her better in Moscow! I do have room for people to come see me if you feel like it J I had changed a couple of things in the house to make it my home. I am happy to have the room for my teaching supplies and to have meetings!
I have learned that all of my paperwork has gone through and everything is approved. I was having some trouble with it at first because the Government has changed its rules on how long a person can be here on a Religions Visa, but it has all come together.
The people I have worked with are changing. Helen asks me more questions and Olga wants me to get started. I know the women in the Bible study enjoy meeting and I think that having someone here will help them do it each week! The youth have called me to meet again!
Today, I was visiting with high school students. Those students are going to learn English and be teachers in college. They asked many great questions about being a teacher and how it makes me feel! A group of students that i am working with in English from Helen's high school would like to join the Youth Group. The girls walked around with me for some time today asking even more questions about American youth, what it’s like and when could we meet again. It was good to talk with so many students, to share about how my faith has me here in Smolensk. One student, Nastya, was at SunRise English Camp two summers ago and was very happy to see me. We talked about the camp and how it made her want to learn English. Nastya said everyone cared so much about her and she wanted to do the same for children! It was great to hear that because God had us do SunRise it made her want to be able to help others!
More news to come! The weather is still nice here, in the upper 60’s, today. I didn’t even have on a jacket as I walked around town! Helen told me most of the time the weather will start to turn cold around October 20th. I am hoping for a little longer until it is winter! In the winter, it will start getting dark at 3:00 pm and it will not get light until 9 or 10am. It will take some time to get use to such little light! With the warm weather I have been taking walks and being outside as much as I can! Have a good week! <>< Julie
Thursday, 04-10-07 06:47
Sounds like things are really coming together. Keep us posted on how things are going.