Happy Halloween!!!

Saturday, Melissa and I went and checked out Victory Park. It had a huge monument dedicated to the second world war. It was really impressive. We wished we got to go inside the museum to see this room that had this ceiling covered in crystals. They look like tear drops and each chandelier piece represented 10,000 people who died in the war - we're going to try another time. As we were walking, I could hear music and we decided to go check it out. We stumbled upon an abandoned carnival park... you guys, it was the CREEPIEST thing ever; all the lights were on and this eerie music was playing but there were seriously NO people. Me and Melissa were laughing...so creepy. We thought it would be funny if we rode one of the rides but FREAKING RUSSIA!!! It was like $8 for bumper cars...are you kidding me!!!!!?!

That night, I was coming out of my room mate's room and Sasha and his friend were right outside the door. It scared me and I was like, "Oh hello!" Sasha handed me a chocolate bar and the friend said, "We sorry for..." and he tried using his hands to motion backwards. I think they were trying to apologize for the few weekends ago when they were drunk; singing and knocking on my door at 1 in the morning. I laughed cause seriously it was just really funny. I replied, "Oh really, don't worry about it." I tried getting around them, but they had something else to say, "Can you sing with us Hotel California?" uhhhhhh-ohhhhh...I could smell the booze off their breathe - well, I knew they wouldn't leave me alone so I did. I joined them as they played the piano and I sang it with them, hahahha. That night was just filled with other little random moments: 1.) Sasha handed me plum jam 2.) Sasha brought out his pet hamster and cracked open the other girls' room and let it loose in their dorm 3.) I thought I was finally going to get some rest, but then I heard a knock on my door and "Nuuuuuusly....Chelseaaaaaa...." - before we could go to bed, Sasha and his friend insisted on singing a song to us. They played the guitar and piano and sang to us a traditional Russian folk song while me and Chelsea swayed back and forth. Awesome.

Yup, so those are my neighbors!

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In church, guess who I got to teach???! THE SUNBEAMS!!!! (the little 4 year olds!) Last Sunday, Sister Snow came up to me and Melissa and asked us if we would teach for her since she as going to be out of town. Okay, well, I LOVED it! I hope she asks me again!

Me: "Whose example do we follow?"

Little Keegan: "Jesus!"

Me: What can we pray for?"

Little James: "Water!"

Little Christopher: "The people who are sick."

Me: "What can we do to be like Jesus?"

Little Anna: "Plant flowers!"

Little Avvie: "Play with others."

Little Christopher *while praying*: "Thank you for letting us all be friends"

So simple, but so true. I mean, am I right? :)

On my way home from the metro, me and an elderly man were staring at each other. I gave him thee CHEESIEST smile ever and he continued frowning and he shook his head. I said, "What? No? No smiling?" and I widened my smile even more (...if that was possible) and he continued shaking his head. Basically I have staring contests with the Russians on the metros. I always win.

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Here is a little Halloween for you guys: In Russia, they don't celebrate Halloween...such a bummer man because Halloween is AWESOME. My group decided we were going to have our own party (SOOO FUNNNN...I just wish I could put it into words for you guys!!!) but Sasha caught on what we were celebrating. I come out and I see this (picture to your left) and he goes "BOOOOOO!!!", scared the CRAP out of Hailey, but hahahha, this is where I lost it: I followed Sasha because I knew he was going to go scare the Russian teachers that lived on our floor. Once he got up to their door, he busted it open and he scared them BADDDD...curling screams I tell ya! One teacher had a knife in her hand and it looked like she was about to kill him.

We also played truth or dare and we made Selina dress up as a ghost and go get Hailey's laundry from the other side of the school building. She had to wail like a ghost the entire way. The guard was laughing so hard and clapping...we feel successful when we bring a smile to a Russian's face :)

Now off to Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and back to St. Petersburg for the next two weeks! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! YEAH BABY!