Retreat Pix

With Natasha... posing, posing...


Joni, one of our American guests




David Broersma, leading our small group


We had a group of American guests from Richmond, Virginia on the retreat. And that was great. Because I am already so used to speaking English and seeing smiling faces around.






Promoting retreat shirts...haha...posing is what we all do well...


Our huge team-game. We had to accomplish different interesting tasks in it and it was all about having fun which is my favorite thing to do!




EVIL girls!




Fall Season'07 session






Aziza, my ex-classmate

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RACU Retreat begins!

Well, I am back... Back home so to speak. Even though I don't feel like home about Moscow.
I spent 1 day at my university on Wednesday, my classmates were excited about me back, and we spent all 2,5 hours of my English-class listening to my impressions about American trip. Next Wednesday I am doing a presentation with pictures in my class. So that will probably take another 2,5 hours...My classmates should be grateful...haha...
Well, I didn't stay in Moscow too long. Thursday morning I left again - to a 3-days retreat with my previously attended university. I am glad I had an opportunity to rest more before continuing my Moscow routine. Retreat is a great time to breathe some fresh air, spend good time with my ex-classmates and friends and just get more fun.
Oh...I am so used to having fun all the time...


On the way to retreat

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The end of The Best Summer

So...I am still sitting in the airport. Internet is too slow. It takes my pictures up to 3 mintues to be uploaded.
This collage was especially long. I had to try several times. Well, I worked some time on it, trying to put the best pictures, ones that I like the most, so the size of the picture is big. But it reflects what was most important for me.
My summer was GREAT...after all...in the beginning there were some things I didn't really enjoy...but if now someone asks me how it was, I can sure say it was so far the best summer in my life.
So many impressions. Exploring new culture...haha...it turned out to be somehow new for me...I was sure before that I know American nature...
Visiting new great places. I especially loved Denver trip. It is the city I love. Next summer I hope I'll come to America again (especially that now my program will be way cheaper, as I will be the second-time student!)...and who knows...maybe Denver will be my destination.
And one of the things that was the best...meeting new friend Daniel. Without him everything would be totally different, and it's really thanks to him, last 1,5 months were so great. Hopefully we'll meet again some time!
Plus, I feel like I am coming back from vacation. Even though I will maybe look a little exhausted on Tuesday evening, still it's just because of long hours in the airport.
I didn't work much these last 1,5 months and was really enjoying life. So it was great rest time.
As for coming back to Moscow...during my last 2 weeks in the gift-shop a lot of customers were asking if I felt anxious about going back. And every other day my answer was "no", and every time it was more and more confirmative.



My American trip taught me a lot. I became more mature and more independent. Plus, I learnt some of my traits, like that I get used to some close people around too easy and then it is so hard to leave. I will somehow work on it in the future. Maybe, try to be less emotional.
It was COOL!
How do I feel now?...I am not sure...but what I know for sure is that I...CAN'T WAIT TILL NEXT SUMMER...

As for this summer season, I can officially declare it be closed. I think nature agrees with me. Time to change colors a little:





How about this coming week? Well, it promises to be really busy...On Tuesday evening I arrive at Moscow. Then Wednesday I will spend 1 day at university. Then Thursday I am leaving again, to RACU retreat for 3 days.
I actually made this week so busy on purpose. Not to leave much time for "post-American depression".
And still I know...some of it will be there in me...

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20(!) hours in Denver International Airport...

...And it's not because I love airports so much.
Just weird schedule. My plane from Denver is leaving tomorrow at 11:50AM, but I came here today at 1:30PM. And all because Colorado Mountain Express schedule is so inconvenient.



Well, my luggage is really (and I mean it) huge!!!! It was so hard taking it around airport, so I put it all into special luggage storage and paid them 20bucks. I am not sure if it fits the size regulations...haha...i'll see it tomorrow...
Right now I am sitting and updating my blog (I am using someone network, so it is really slow...for using airport network you have to pay with a credit-card).Thank God, there is at least some Internet here...
Well, I also have a bunch of new DVDs that I never watched and a book to read and my laptop, so I am definitely entertained! haha...

As for my ongoing flight plans...everything is pretty well packed there..., tomorrow I leave Denver International at 11:50AM, then arrive at JFK at 5:50PM, then leave from JFK to Zurich at 9:10PM (only 3 hours layover!!), and then in Zurich I will be at 12:10PM on Tuesday, and then around 6PM in Moscow.
I hope, I'm gonna do it!
The only question is...ARE YOU READY?!

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Our last breakfast

Today I had to wake up at 5:40AM. To do some last final preparation before leaving and still have enough time to have breakfast with Daniel. I felt sad. It was our last meal together.
And I ended up eating nothing out of what I ordered. Wrong mood. Plus, I am not that used to eating in the morning.






It was raining outside. I love rains...But this time it was reflecting how I felt.

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Going Away Dinner

Today is Saturday...Which means that tomorrow at 9:30AM I am heading back to Moscow. Makes me sad. It is always a weird feeling to leave some place where you spent some part of your life. Especially that I have to say bye to my friend Daniel. I don't know why it always happens with me this way, but every time I become a good friend with someone I have to say bye at some point. A real goodbye...
I will sure miss Daniel. He is a great man. And my good friend. He made my time here much more exciting and enjoyable. Thank you, my friend!
Today we had our last, "going away" dinner together, but hopefully tomorrow we will have one more breakfast. And it was so strange to say him "see you tomorrow" for the last time...
Oh...by the way, today Daniel introduced me to a cool Internet program. It's called Google Earth.
(free download! at www.earth.google.com)
I never heard about it before. But it's great. You can see all the cities (with all the houses and buildings!!!) using the special satellite channel, and it has some real pictures provided with it. You can virtually visit some cities before actually visiting them. So we watched Denver again today. Brought me some good memories of our vacation.

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Exploring wild nature?...Dangerous...

Well, today I made a small mistake. Or a big mistake? Anyway, I prefer to think of it as a small one.
It was evening and I went up to the mountains all by myself... To make some pictures and probably watch the sunset.
I was making my way on a lonely road through the mountain forest and taking pictures of things around. Then at some distance I noticed a black silhouette moving pretty fast behind the trees. I thought it was some fox or dog? So I was continuing my way up the mountain.
Well, after quite a while the car was passing by and it stopped, and the old lady inside started asking me if I was lost in the mountains. So I go like "no, why do you ask?" and then her answer is like "you have to be careful here, there are a lot of mountain bears around and they are dangerous for people".
So as she is driving away I kind of stop to realize that it is already twilight, I am on the middle height of the mountain, and I have no idea of how to behave in case you meet a bear. Then I remembered that moving black creature, and so I started making my way down really fast. That was pretty scary... I put off my music, so that I could pay more attention to the sounds around in case a bear will be near. The sounds of night forest, especially when no one is around, are kind of frightening.
Didn't take me too long though to get down, as soon as when you feel scared, you try to move faster...haha...

So this is how it was around me:




Some other pictures I made. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I didn't manage to take a picture of a real bear...

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SUPERBAD...not that bad at all!

Hah...It's been 3 months since I am in US and I haven't yet been to a movietheatre here.
At first my excuse was that I was full with job, but it's been like a month now since I am not really working hard any more. And I like to watch different movies (especially if they are new) so much...I was buying some on DVDs, but in America DVDs are something you don't want to buy too often as they are always around 20$ a piece.
So tonight we drove to Carbondale movie complex(which is like 10 miles from Glenwood Springs) to watch the SUPERBAD. Some of my friends had told me they didn't like it much, but I think it's just because they are being conservative sometimes.
Well, as for me, I liked it much. Sounded like Daniel liked it too. I got my good portion of laugh. I like this type of stories about guys who are going totally nuts, like American Pie, etc. And plus to that, good laugh-time is definitely something everyone has to have from time to time.

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Later on...

After hiking I felt tired...But in the best sense of this word. And hungry...So we headed to the Italian restaurant, where I got home-made Italian soup, lasagnya and spaghetti. I also tried some of Daniel's lobsters. Everything was perfectly tasty this time!



Later on...posing for Ghetto Man series:








Later that evening we went to the Sunlight Mountain skiing resort:

On the way


Sunlight Mountain resort at night




Our night road

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