Way to Russia Talk Lounge

mr. barley · Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 5:02 am Post subject: Our Russian visitors

Last night we had visitors from Russia at our home. We have a Russian friend who is a college student in our town and he graduated yesterday. His mother came from Voronezh to watch him graduate as did his cousin who lives in W. Virginia.We had them over for supper and had a few toasts from a bottle I brought back from Russia when my wife and I were there for our international adoption.

Today we had his graduation party at my in-laws home and a few of Pter's Russian friends who live in town.I was happy to meet them and we had some interesting conversations.Now that I know them I'm sure we'll get together again. Again there were many vodka toasts during the meal.Last I heard Pter was fast asleep on the sofa.He's intitled, it was his party.

Pter and his mother will be staying at my in-laws for the next 3 weeks so we'll be doing alot of visiting before his mother goes home and Pter starts his teaching job in Michigan.

cyndy22 · Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 11:05 pm Post subject:

A good way to stay feeling connected to Russia I think is having Russian friends, spending time with them, learning more Russian language and practicing with them. I think it's great that you have Russian friends near by. I also have Russian friends and most of them do not really associate on a social level with Americans. I think the friendsahip exchange is so good and mutually beneficial. I have Russian friends coming tomorrow for lunch and then I am taking the ladies shopping to a fantastic yarn store. I know most men don't like shopping or get excited about yarn. But this store is like a museum and attracts people from all over the world. I plan on bringing skeins of fine yarn to Russia and Estonia as gifts for some of my women friends. I bought tickets today also for a Russian festival sponsored by Amherst High School Russian Club. This public school has a great Russian teacher and club. Each each they put on a wonderful Russian festival of food, music, dance etc. It will be our 1st time attending. pERHAPS SOME OF THE COLLEGES OR HIGH SCHOOLS IN YOUR AREA HAVE rUSSIAN DEPARTMENTS AND DO SIMILAR EVENTS?

mr. barley · Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 5:09 am Post subject:

Not really.We live in a small town (14,000) that's very German. All we get around here is German stuff.German this and German that until you're ready to puke. In some ways we're more German than Germany.I know of just 2 Russian couples in town and about 6 or 7 adopted Russian children.We hope to get to know the 2 families in the near future. With Pter leaving for his teaching job we are losing our tightest Russian connection. He's been a part of our family for 5 years now. He will be living with my in-laws until July when he starts his job.I hope he'll come to visit us on Thanksgiving this year. He will be returning to Russia over Christmas this year.As a school teacher he'll get lots of holiday time off.

Pter's mother will be in town for 2 more weeks so we'll get to visit with her for a while. This is her first time out of Russia and I think she's a little blown over by our country. Not much like home.It's been unseasonably warm here since she arrived and she's told us she's cold a few times. I never thought I'd here a Russian complain of cold in Minnesota.She didn't believe us when we were in Moscow in January and told her we were hot all the time.Our climates are very similar except they get more clouds and moisture.There is only about a 5 degree farenheit difference from our town to Moscow's temperature on average.