Saying goodbye to Russia...

We were stuck over in our side of town for the entire weekend. For those who haven't heard, Russia held their presidential elections a couple of Sundays ago. Vladimir Putin had won and apparently, there had been some rigging and frauds in the election. There was a protest the day right after the election that resulted hundreds being arrested. Last Saturday, we were going to go out to a sauna, but that very morning, we were instructed by our director that we couldn't travel until further notice. In Moscow, there was a protest of 30,000+ people (but there has been reports that it was even bigger than that) and Putin accused "America for encouraging the protests", so it wasn't safe for us to travel. We are now "Canadians", in case anyone asks ;) hahahha. BUT if I had to be stuck at home for a weekend, okay... at least it was a "COOL" reason...am I right? I can now say, "Yeah, when I was in Russia, there were protests going on!!!" - everything was fine. The protests were reported to have gone down "peacefully" with no violence. Also, we had a good weekend! We went on a walk near the kindergarten buildings we teach at and we saw people RUNNING ACROSS THE LAKE!!! IT WAS FROZZZEN!!! Oh... NO WAY!!!!! We went and ran across it, "ice skating" and sliding on our knees, and there were dozens of people ice fishing. I have always wanted to go ice fishing and I touched some of the people's fish that they caught, hahaha.

WHAT A CRAZY WEEK... the way I love them :)
I walked out into our hallway and I wanted to puke. It smelled....AWFUL.  To me, it was a combination of fish and vomit. Hailey and Selina asked the cleaning lady what that smell was....oh, don't worry - it was just a rotting fish. I think one of the students put it there, hah.

Goofy Nastya :)

Big Kindergarten...story of the week: So Hailey was making an arts and crafts with the kiddos making Christmas trees. They were about to put on the star and she joked (or at least I hope, hahaha jk), "Okay kids! Instead of using glue, lets put our fingers up our noses and get out a sticky booger!" AND ONE OF THE KID DID IT!!!!!!! I DIED! died. died!!!!! Also because it was NASTYA who did it! She's like the "princess" of the class! HAHAHHHA!!!

Little Kindergarten - I spend most of my time at Little K because of the craziness of these little 3-4 year olds. Misha *sigh*...that child, he had his ups and downs. After receiving a prize that one day, the next day he was being so bad, so no prize. I went up the stairs to check on my teacher and her lesson and Misha came up to me and hit me. I was like, "HEY!" - what the heck, I'm not even your teacher! He was pretty upset that he didn't get a prize that day, so he took it out on me! Haha. We think he has a crush on me, hahaaha. Yesterday, he lined himself up for class and Selina asked him, "Misha, you want to come to my class today?" He shook his head no. She asked, "Oh, are you going to go with Teacher Laura?" and he shook his head no. I exclaimed, "Mish, do you want to go with ME?!" and he nodded his head and got a little sly smile on his face, hahahahha!! I laughed so hard when I heard all the English he would say at home was, "SIT DOWN! SIT DOWN!" - maybe because thats what we're always saying to these kids, hahahhahah!!!!

Vova ....oh Vova :)

That same day, Velizar came up to me and he was whimpering and by the way he was dancing about, I could tell he needed to go to the bathroom. So I told him, "Yeah, go right ahead" (I don't even know why he was asking;  they usually get up and leave the class themselves!), but Velizar was still pleading with me still and I was like, "Go Velizar! Go dude! It's okay!" and he just started crying his eyes out and going to the bathroom right then and there...and then there is Vova. Looking over at him and of course he isn't sitting in his chair, but instead he is dragging his TONGUE across the CARPET.

Yesterday, they were convinced there was a "monstro" (monster) in the closet and Kirill pretended to be a zombie while Misha was fighting him off.

Oh Little Kindergarten is my favorite :)

Yesterday was the last day of teaching. We leave on Tuesday morning for America. When I walked up the stairs at Little K and saw all craziness, I couldn't help but smile. As psycho as these kids were, I loved them... you never had a boring day there. All the kids that we teach, they seriously know how to put an instant smile on your face and you are reminded how the past 4 months were worth it. I went over to Big K and sat in Chelsea's class. Nastya was hugging Hailey and when she looked at me, I saw her little eyes filled up with tears. I couldn't help but tear up myself. Nastya came over to me and jumped unto my lap. As I cradled her back and forth, I couldn't help but start crying. Nastya looked at me and asked, "Why sad?". She wiped my tears away with her little fingers continually since they kept flowing from my eyes. I couldn't help it. She asked, "May I go to the toilet?" and when she returned, she gave all of us tissues.

Nastya couldn't stop crying and neither could I. It was sad because only 6 kids were there that day. Usually we have 25 kids, but attendance has been low for the past couple of weeks due to an outbreak of the chicken pox... it makes me so sad knowing that I never had a chance to say goodbye to the others...

I love the Russian people. I am going to miss them. The Russians that I am friends with, they are the kindest! You really just have to get to know them and once you do, they are so loving back! Once you enter a Russian's heart, you stay there always. You know, I am so grateful for the time I had with the Russian people for these 4 months. There are many stereotypes about people in this world. When my friends found out that I was coming here, they would say to me, "Ohhh...Russians never smile. They're bitter and mean people. They're depressing," - but now I know..Russians are DELIGHTS and when a Russian smiles, they smile with most of sincerity :) It's never easy saying goodbye to people you love. Your heart will always be with them. I am so lucky to get to meet all these people from around the world that I'll reunite with as a big family in the next life. Time is strange. The days can feel like weeks and the weeks can feel like days. It goes by in a flash and you won't be able to believe it when it passes.... especially when you find yourself saying goodbye to your dear friends or family for a time... people are so precious and its of no wonder why souls are great, glorious, and beautiful in God's eyes. They are in mine too.

D&C 18:10: "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God"