Visiting Arhangelskoye

Arhangelskoye is the Russian version of France's Versailles. It's a beautiful palace, located just a few kilometers outside of Moscow on a wooded territory.

 Beautiful wild flowers speckle the lawn in bright white and lavender shades. 

       

There are sculptures everywhere!!!!

Some sculptures are better than others...just look at that doggie! 

I want a sculpture of my dog to be placed in my palace!

But one of the most interesting parts that my mom and I stumbled upon was a forgotten soccer field overgrown by dandelions! Although the picture doesn't do it justice, there was an immense amount of flowers patching the entire field - it was an incredible sight!

I love that right outside of a major city like Moscow, there is a natural oasis such as Arhangelskoye. The architecture is beautiful, the territory is peaceful, and the air is clean and fresh. As a little getaway from the rushed city life, Arhangelskoye is a fantastic destination for a more relaxing change of pace. :)

Spring Blooms in Russia

(WARNING: POST ABOUT FLOWERS)

Finally, after the longest winter in the history of winters passes in Russia, spring arrived and was certainly worth the wait, as it gifted the world a multitude of gorgeous blossoms.

As my mom and I strolled though out Moscow and the neighboring town of Krasnogorsk, the sights had to be documented. 

(P.S. Does my mom look like the sculpture lady? I think so!)

"Cheremuha" or European Bird Cherry is the most fragrant of the flowering shrubs, and its scent is the definition of a true spring in Moscow. 

"Anutini Glazki" (literal translation: Anuta's Little Eyes) or Pansies are often used to add bursts of color and line the banks of the Moscow River.

"Podsnezhnik" or Snow Drops - not the ordinary white coloring, but still in the family

If there was a way to enlarge this picture any more, I would because this is my favorite flower that blooms in Russia - "Siren'" or Syringa (from the Lilac family). Not only is the gentle purple color breath-taking, the fragrance is unbeatably delightful, and the multitude of little flowers that make up each 'bunch' are absolutely riveting.

Classic Cherry Blossoms that are prevalent in California are also found in Russia. 

But unlike most of California, Russia is very humid and therefore lush, allowing for the growth of little woodland plants and flowers such as these ones.

This lush forest is adjacent to my Grandmother Lilya's house in Krasnogorsk. That vibrant green color is the true hue of the leaves - it's incredible how much of a difference a humid climate makes to the coloring of the vegetation. 

And these cute little woodland flowers and clovers grow in that forest, which has a path right to my grandmother's house. It's a very peaceful and pleasant walk through the forest, especially since you are immersed in such beauty.

Dacha aka Our Home in the Countryside

Just when you thought my adventures were done, I'm back after a little break and am going to finish up writing about my time in Russia. Still some fun and exciting happenings to write about, and then I'll begin occasionally writing about my life back home in America. 

So, welcome back!

This post is about a trip that took place on May 2nd - around the time of the Russian May holidays, which are dedicated to relaxing, time off, celebrating the beginning of summer, and enjoying the warm weather. 

My mom, grandma, and I took the train to visit our countryside home, just an hour outside of Moscow. 

Turns out that May Day is the single most popular day for people to go to their dachas, because the train was jam-packed and we had to stand for most of the journey. But it was worth it!

Russian dachas are situated in the more rural part of the country, surrounded by fields and forests. 

The train stop for our dacha is called Portnovskaya, and it overlooks a small lake that we used to swim in as kids when we would visit during the summer. 

 This is it! Our Dacha - a cottage of sorts that my grandfather built by hand a near fifty years ago. Though old and squeaky in places, it is wonderfully preserved and holds many childhood memories of past summer visits.

That top open window is the room where my sister and I would sleep!

And we have a small garden and orchard that needs to be taken care of from time to time. So here my mom is hard at work, picking away all the old, rotten apples that fell last year and now have begun decomposing into apple vinegar - a stench that was inescapable in any corner of the dacha. 

Luckily, in May the mosquitoes are not out yet like they are in the summer. (Lots of "great" memories with those nuisances...)










And then, after working hard, we took some time to relax on the hammock!

My grandma enjoyed the hammock very much, too.

 The water hadn't been turned on yet (turn-on day was May 3rd...the following day), so my mom and I went to the well and brought back a bucket of water. 

Look how cute that well is! For those folk who have never used a well before, it works like this:
You open the side door and inside you'll find a bucket hanging on a chain. Crank the handle to lower the bucket into the well until it fills with water and crank back up. Pour that water into your own bucket, and you're good to go - fresh water for you and your family!

And of course, how could I not take pictures of the multitude of flowers growing on our property?

This is the panoramic view of our dacha from the hammock. Notice the campfire on the right, which I took care of myself and even chopped some wood for with a real hatchet! There's an embarrassing video of my (eventually successful) attempts, but I won't include that here...

And finally it was time to leave, since we decided not to stay the night because the house hadn't been cleaned or prepared after the entire winter of idleness.

We walked out of our side gate, which exits into the neighboring forest, and made our way through the field, across the road, past the lake, and to the platform, all accompanied by this breath-taking farewell sunset. 

And the most mystical view of all was the wall of fog/clouds/mist that hung over the tracks and through which the train looked like it had to break through to get to the platform. I had never seen such direct and obvious contact with mist before - it was incredible.

A great May Day trip to the Dacha, and I'm glad that finally after all those years of visiting, it was documented. 





Stay tuned for more posts about Russia, including some discussion-based "looking back" posts. Hope you enjoy!

My Russian Soccer Career

Without soccer, I am not me. So during my four months in Russia, I had to find somewhere to play in order to stay sane. Luckily, I had some connections who put me in touch with a few soccer coaches, and my Russian soccer career launched successfully.

First, I played with МИСИ's indoor women's team. This university is where my mom went to school, and I was able to get in touch with the coach, who let me practice with the team a few times a week. 

                          Moscow State University of Construction

The main difference between sports at Russian universities vs American universities is this: 
     In America, players are student-athletes, meaning that they are half students and half athletes. Both of these halves make up the entire life of the player. (Literally, student-athletes basically have no personal lives...) If a player isn't studying, s/he is at a practice, game, or other mandatory sport-related event. Or sleeping due to exhaustion. 
     In Russia, on the other hand, players are actually students who play a sport for personal pleasure. They are firstly students and secondly people who have a sport as a hobby. Practices are typically two times a week with a game on either the weekend or week day. Little to no conditioning, other mandatory events, or weight lifting sessions. This is why the level of play and skill is so low - due to the lack of emphasis and dedication.
     
Now, there's no right or wrong way and I am not leaning towards one style of approach to sport or another, I'm just stating the facts. Both have pros and cons, and it was really interesting for me to have experienced both and to be able to compare the two countries' styles. 

A little bit ago, my mom flew over to Russia and watched one of our soccer practices, which took place on the same exact field that she played on while she was a student! 

 







     At the beginning of my career...                                 At the end...

Female soccer is not prominent in Russia. If you were to tell a random stranger on the street that you, a girl, play soccer, you would get some interesting reactions: strange looks, outcalls of disagreement, disbelief, and the occasional 'I'm impressed' look. But for the most part, a lot of Russians are a step behind progressive America in regards to the eradication of conservative, historical social roles where women play an inactive part in sports. 

Nonetheless, there are professional women's soccer teams all throughout Russia, and Moscow has many - one of which I got the chance to practice with. Serendipitously, my grandma's neighbor happens to be one coaches of the men's Zorky Krasnorogsk team. The Zorky club also has a women's team, and all of the coaches know one another. Long story short, I was allowed to practice with the women's team, and it was a really interesting experience.

Not going to lie, I wasn't impressed with the level of their play. This is the country's professional team, we're talking about. Like the FC Barcelona of Spain, but the women's version in Russia. And yet after practicing with them, I can safely say that my CSU DI soccer team would most likely beat them. 

 I also didn't understand the way they played. I practiced with them for roughly a month and was unable to "click" with them. Granted, I played Right Defense (a position I never play, so I didn't play well myself), but still the way they played didn't make sense to me. Players were never in the positions in which I was trained to expect them, the assumed runs weren't made, and yet somehow they were able to squeeze the ball past each other and simulate a game. 
As for conditioning, there was nothing but disappointment. At CSU, a university team, we conditioned more and more seriously than we did with the professional Zorky team. You would think that if these players are getting paid, management would want them in tip top shape...not the case here.

The team was comprised of older players - probably an average age of 27. I was the second youngest player, but all the players thought I was much older, which was interesting. Despite our ten year age difference, I made friends with a player from Spain and a player from the Ukraine. We even went to the Pushkin Art Museum together!

(Left: Me, Mary (from Spain), and Vera (from Ukraine) posing in front of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior - Храм Христа Спасителя)


Overall, it was a great experience practicing with the Zorky team and getting to see what professional soccer is like in Russia. They took first place in the Russian league last year and are currently in second place, so they are the real thing! 

This was the first time I got the chance to see Russia from a soccer perspective. Both the university and professional levels differ greatly from the US comparatives, not necessarily in a good or bad way - just different. 
I'm really glad I got to play because I am definitely not me without soccer. 

All in all, successful soccer experience in Russia - it was a career that started and ended quickly, but it was a great one.

Babushka Lilya's First Encounter with REAL Sushi

In February, Babushka Lilya had her first ever food in the form of a sushi roll - a delicious dessert fruit "roll". She was overjoyed with this new experience that I promised her we would go to a real sushi restaurant, and she would try the classic seafood version. Finally, a few days ago, her wish came true and she had her first ever sushi roll. (Very fitting: it was a California roll!)

But first, some Miso Soup!

Personal Caption: "Hey! Don't touch my ginger!"

She even successfully used chopsticks!! Here's the hilarious photo chronology:

That was the tasty desert we ate:

In wonderful company:

My cousin, Anna, and my grandma Lilya

My mom and I

Moral of the outing: it is never too late, and you are never too old to try something new. Be bold and dare! My Grandmother is almost 80 years old - what's your excuse? Who knows, you might actually enjoy it! :)

Russia's Obsession with Zodiac Signs

I was born under a lucky star, or more accurately, constellation. Russians consider Pisces to be the most gentle, kind, good-natured, and all around most quality people. So whenever someone finds out that I am a Pisces (which, surprisingly, happens a lot), they automatically like me. Maybe I should walk around introducing myself as, "Hi, I'm Sasha, and I'm a Pisces." That way I would make a lot of friends...

It seems that the topic of horoscopes has come up in conversation with almost everyone I have I met. And every conversation I have had, has always been a pleasant and informative one because Pisces are rarely criticized - maybe only that they can sometimes be too sensitive. But that isn't nearly as bad of a quality as some of the other signs are thought to embody. 

For example, Taurus, you're in trouble because you're considered to be overall bizarre (and not typically in a good way). Moody, strongly rooted in their personal values, difficult to be friends with, close-minded, hot-tempered, dark and mysterious...these are some of the strange aspects Taurus's are thought to have. 

Leo's are authoritative, controlling, strong willed, haughty, and overbearing. They wear the pants in the relationship. 

But Pisces - looks like there's a general consensus among all Russians - that Pisces are wonderful people. And hey, I'll take it! 

An instance in which I truly saw the effect of my Pisces-ness is when I went over to my grandmother's friend's house for a Russian language class. Eleonora and her son greeted me and as per the Russian custom, we sat down for some tea before beginning the lesson. We started talking, getting to know each other, and of course there was some tension in the air, seeing as we hadn't met each other before. I'm not sure exactly what the question was, but I answered in a way that revealed the recent passing of my birthday. And that's when the veil of discomfort was lifted forever: "Ah! So you're a Pisces then! What a wonderful sign," said Eleonora. From then on, she has been very partial towards me and calls my grandmother to check up on me very often. 

I'm not sure where I stand in my beliefs about horoscopes - whether they are true or not. I think that every horoscope description hits on so many different topics in different manners, that anyone can read any horoscope (be it theirs or not) and can find something that is relatable. 

I also think that in cultures where horoscopes are highly regarded and followed, those preset judgments influence the development and behavior of individuals in such a way that morphs them into the embodiment of the characteristics of their horoscope. Makes sense, if you think about it, that if a child is born as a Pisces and his "Piscean" qualities are emphasized, those are the characteristics that will become more prominent. Having constantly being told that "you're crying because you're a Pisces and you're naturally sensitive", the child will turn into that sensitive person that was always remarked about at an early age. 

However, I don't like to believe that those horoscopes that have many negative attributes at their core are true. To take Taurus's for example, I have many friends who were born within the time frame of April 20th - May 20th, who are absolutely remarkable and quality people. I, personally, don't see those overbearing qualities in them. But then again, that may be the Pisces in me talking... ;)

Overall, zodiac signs are very fun and interesting, however if I could give any advice, I would suggest not to focus too much on them. Don't allow some predetermined beliefs, which may or may not be true in real life, influence the way you treat a person or what you think about them. First and foremost, a person is a human being and then everything else follows. Use horoscopes for entertainment, interesting information, and fun. Who knows, maybe the next Taurus you meet and disregard based on his/her horoscope could have been your next best friend. Don't miss that chance by ignorantly judging before getting to know them. 

Easter F(e)ast

Hello, Friends! Happy Easter!

Today is a wonderful day because all around the world, in all the religions that celebrate Easter, this holiday falls on the same day! I feel so much better knowing that while I am here in Russia, devouring all the delicious Easter food, millions of others around the world are doing the same!!!! Woot! 

Easter Brunch with Babushka Lilya and Galya

Having prepared (and already eaten) so many scrumptious dishes, I got to thinking about good food and what my favorite cuisine is. Immediately, most likely prompted by my recent trip, French cuisine came to mind. So here's a little overview of why I enjoy French food and the culture that surrounds the cuisine. 

Fist off, hands down, France makes the best bread in the entire world. Nothing compares. Baguettes, croissants, bigger loaves, smaller loaves, loaves with olives, Madeline's, pastries, macaroons...everything is quality and delicious.

Secondly, the French culture of specialty shops like boulangeries, patisseries, fromageries, boucheries, and poissoneries is excellent because the quality of the products sold there is exponentially higher than supermarket products, and they're not much more expensive either. Especially in boucheries and patisseries (bread and pastry shops), the products are made by hand in the store. Every morning everything is fresh, and the ingredients are local because the stores are family-run and they do not need enormous quantities since it's just one shop, so the quality is exceptional. 

In general, the way that the French deal with food is definitely a model that I think the rest of the world should learn from. Quality is the most important aspect, meaning that quantity is not focused on because it doesn't need to be. When a person eats great, quality food (in a savory non-overstuffing kind of way), he doesn't need a lot of it because it is very filling in itself. 

Also, the portions are appropriately sized - an important influence of weight gain/loss. 

The 'family' of food that is eaten is also correct. A typical breakfast consists of baguette with jam and some fruit: carbs and glucose to start the day. Lunch lasts about an hour, during which in addition to food like salads or sandwiches (all the food groups plus something savory), there is time for relaxation. And dinner is a small serving of every food group - cheese, meat, vegetables, and bread. 

As for wine, the French once again focus on quality so even the cheap wines are exquisite. One bottle shared among a group of five or so friends over a period of a few hours is all that is needed for a typical French evening. Generally, the French aren't known to drink to get drunk - a lifestyle that is certainly a healthy one.

Overall, the French are master chefs and foodies. That is definitely something that I am going to miss when I am in parts of the world that deal with food differently. Even with the copious amounts of walking that I did every day, the way in which I ate the food that I ate agreed with me very well. 

So I am certainly a big fan of French food...

But for now, since I am in Russia and not in France on Easter [I wonder what the French eat?], I am going to fully enjoy the traditional dishes of kulich, pas'ha, and colored eggs. 

Definitely baked and decorated this myself...no help from the store bakers at all...I'm just this talented

Fun Fact of the Easter Day: 
The XB on the kulich above stands for "Христос Воскрес" - the Russian Easter salutation meaning "Christ has risen" or the non-literal translation: "Bless me, [Father]". And the response is "Воистину воскресе" meaning "Indeed, He has risen" or "God blesses you".
This XB acronym is seen everywhere on Easter - on kulich, pas'ha, napkins, wrapping, bags...everything. 

Hope you liked the post and I didn't make you too hungry :)
Happy Easter! Христос Воскрес!