I've been bumming around this old town for way too long
My time in Russia is coming to an end here in a few days, and i think it would be a good time to look back and reflect on what this experience has been to me. I have to say that its taken me a FULL 4 months to understand and appriciate the Russian culture. Let me just say that if I never smile and give you blank stares all the time when I get back, don't take it personal.
So, We finished teaching on Wednesday and our Spectacle was on Thursday. All in all things went pretty smooth. Although, I'm now sitting in my apartment wondering why they waited 5 full days after teaching ended to send us home...I'm just want to be home if I'm not teaching because although Russia is fun, I see no purpose in being here if I don't get to teach. I've seen everything I want to see in St. Pete and now I'm in a waiting period. Although, i did find out that there is a TOPSHOP (Megan will be so excited to hear this) like 10 minutes away. I was flabbergasted because I didn't even think russia believed in TOPSHOPs.
The best part about this "waiting period" is that everyday someone has to say "Seriously you guys, we only have 3 days left...weird!" and I say "Yes we do have 3 days left...wow" and then the next day " seriously you guys,....." you get the picture...i'm going to give a dirty look to the next person who states the obvious and then pretends that they're sad about it considering people have been saying this for the last month! Words of the week: WEIRD and SERIOUSLY
Anyway, today was our last sunday in our ward and it was sad. We' have a couple close friends in the ward and it wasn't so fun saying goodbye. If I've learned one thing this year is that goodbyes are just a part of life, and they are never fun. I'm a better person from knowing the members in the St. Petersburg ward and will never forget all the things we've experienced together. HAHA also half the missionaries in our ward are going home within the next 6 months so in case I don't make any friends at utah state...I will have a heap of returned missionaries to hang out with. YAHOO...
What else did I do this week...Oh, I went to the Banya again! Randi and Amanda needed an experienced patron to be their escourt, so of course I volunteered. It is so funny. This time there were two factors that made it even better...1. Anya (sveta brought her and she was so funny) 2. HONEY ( We rubbed it on our faces and arms and it was awesome). We also went our last excursion with our dearest Sveta this weekend. She brought us to the real blockade museum ( Randi and I went to the wrong one) and then to the largest cemetary in the world. This was one of the things that made Russians in general make more sense to me. It was a really cool day.
Well, I think this may be the last blog i will be posting becasue after I go home....unfortunately my traveling days will have to be over for a while(Unless anyone is willing to make an anonomus deposit into my banking account) . Thank you to all who actaully read my humble little blog.
Baca!

RUSSIAN BANYA CRAZINESS
Oh my goodness, I had a true Russian experience last night called the Russian Banya. It all begins with you walking into a normal Sauna. Just a hot room that makes you sweat and that was it. Then sveta led us to "the balcony" which was just a room with open windows that cooled you off. Then back into the Sauna we went to sweat our brains out. Little did we know that we had just experienced the lightest of the whole Banya experience. After a few times in the sauna and out on the balcony we are led into this large wooden room that is very hot and humid and there are nude russians everywhere. Us frightened little Americans are holding tightly to our sheets that are wrapped around us and are slightly disturbed. Although the Russians did not appriciate our modesty they accepted us and even beat a few of us.
In a russian banya you get a bundle of birch branches, dip them in cold water and wip your friend. It's supposed to cleanse you of all the impurities in your body and refresh you. It actually felt kind of good. Then after our first session in the banya I come out and this unclothed russian forces me to jump in this pool of FREEZING cold water and jump around for a minute. After that my heartrate went up and stayed up for about 45 minutes. It was a little intense. Then we would go back in the banya and beat each other. I can truely say that I have experienced Russia in full now, and i will definatly never forget that little experience.

Novgorod

gggggggg
So, we took another little road trip to "the oldest city in Russia" which happens to be about 3 hours outside of St. Pete. Obviously this town is called Novgorod which actually means "new city" in Russian, so that doesn't make much sense does it? Ok so we went with some friends from the ward and it was a party. I don't think everyone else appriciated it as much as I did. I am a sucker for a really old church with awesome domes, and there were like 80 in this little town. So many awesome pictures. We walked around the town for a while and then we went to a monastery and a monk hated us girls because he thought we were trying to break into the monk quarters and "NO FEMALES ARE ALLOWED". Then we visited an outdoor museum of wooden churches...Kizhi was way better but it was ok. So that's pretty much it. Other then that, this week has been registering for classes, getting used to russian time again, thinking about how we only have 5 more teaching days ;( , and just seeing the city more. Randi and I went to the Russian museum and Peter and Paul Fortress so we have been busy heeding the wise words of Lev. Oh, and we went to the Hermitage again today. We have a busy one week and 6 days left here in Russia and although I am excited to go home and sleep in my bed again, I can see myself thinking back on this time and saying "If only life could be like it was when I lived in Russia". So I'm trying to make the most of the little time I have left here.