City of Dolls

For the past 4 days, I've been hanging out in St. Petersburg, Russia!  I visited the Hermitage Museum (the world's largest art gallery from what I've been told) and the Winter Palace, saw the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood (the most beautiful church I've ever seen), checked out a famous monument (of which I can't remember the name), ate in a couple Russian cafes, walked in a Russian park, visited a local grocery store, and shopped at a small market.  With that being said, before arriving in Russia, I had no idea what to expect.  But after 4 days of walking, observing, and exploring Russia, I think I've learned quite a bit about the culture of St. Petersburg.  

1) The city is FULL of Russian nesting dolls.  There are HUNDREDS of these dolls at every street stand and every gift shop in St. Petersburg.  I don't know if Russians think all tourists want to buy one or if they simply like them because they brighten up a store, but they are literally everywhere.  Not only are they everywhere, they're expensive too!  Most of the dolls I saw were going for $35-80!  You've been warned.

2) Russian culture is very different from American culture.  In Russia, people don't smile often.  For example, when you check out of a store in Russia, the clerk does not smile at you.  And if you smile at clerks or strangers, they look almost uncomfortable!  I've heard multiple different explanations for this, so I'm not going to try and speculate why this is.  But, all in all, Russia is not a very "warm" country. 

3) But Russia IS a beautiful country.  No matter where you look, there are beautiful, pastel colored buildings.  There are beautiful, ornate churches all around St. Petersburg too, including the churches that are not tourist sites.  I don't know why, but Russia is just a much more aesthetic country than the United States. 

4) The Russian military is everywhere.  I feel like I saw military personnel every single time I walked around the city.   At first, it was such a shock because the only time I see the American military in the United States is when the troops are traveling home.  But eventually, I got used to seeing the military every day and it seems like their presence is just part of Russian daily culture. 

5) The family dynamic in St. Petersburg seems to be different than in America.  For example, when I saw children here in Russia, they were almost always with their mothers or the elderly.  I almost never saw children with their fathers.  I don't know if this was just a coincidence, but I thought it was worth noting.

6) Couples don't hold hands in St. Petersburg (or at least I didn't see any that did).  However, it's a very common thing for females (friends or family members) to hold hands or to link elbows while walking.  Even though this isn't a huge cultural difference from America, it was still pretty cool to observe. 

7) It's true; Russia has a cold climate.  Even though it's still summer here, it was still too cold to wear shorts and a t-shirt!  I was a little disappointed. 

8) Religion is a big part of Russian culture, specifically Christian Orthodox.  My last day in Russia was on a Sunday, and I'm pretty sure I saw almost every resident who lives near the port make their way to church.   I also noticed that whenever females entered an orthodox church, they had to put on a head scarf to cover their head and hair.  I wish I had brought a bigger scarf with me while walking around on a Sunday morning because I would have loved to attend a church service, but I didn't.  However, I am still glad I got to observe the part that religion plays in the Russian culture. 

9) Russians have a strong opinion or perception of Americans.  In a Russian cafe, I was reading the English menu pages.  Under each food item, the menu would describe what the food was in English.  All the food items had a typical description except for the french fries.   The description for French Fries read, "This you know well."  I feel like that sums up pretty well how Russians view Americans!

So after finishing this post, I've realized that I still have many questions about the things I've "learned" while in Russia!  However, in the 3 days of classes I have before arriving in Germany, we will be discussing our experiences in Russia, so hopefully I will get answers to some of my questions!  But overall, I really enjoyed the time I spent exploring St. Petersburg, Russia!  

 

Strength

I know, I haven't written a blog post in a while. This is partly
because I haven't had time and partly because being on the ship is...
difficult. To be honest with you all, ship life is really hard. I'm
not going to go into details right now because I've made a promise to
myself and God that I'm only going to focus on the good things for the
next couple weeks, but I would really appreciate it if you all kept me
in your prayers. Living on the MV Explorer is going to take a LONG
period of adjustment, but I know that I can make it through with God's
strength. Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me." Even though I've gone through rough times before
now, I can honestly say that studying abroad on Semester at Sea is the
hardest thing I have ever gone through. This is the first time I've had
to actually make an effort to believe in the promise that I can do
anything with the help and strength of Christ. But I'm there. God had
a reason for putting me on this ship and in this study abroad program.
Even though I may not understand His purpose for having me here yet, I'm
strengthened by the fact that He does have a purpose for me being on
Semester at Sea. And as soon as I figure out that reason, you'll be
some of the first to know! But until that time, stay tuned for a blog
post about my experiences in Russia! It was pretty cool.

P.S. I'd like to thank my parents, Nick, Gale, Jody, Carrie, Sumi, and
my grandpa for helping me through these last couple of days. I
wouldn't have reached the feeling of peace being on the ship without all
your help. So, thank you all for being willing to help me through my
rough patch. I couldn't have done it without you.

A Crazy Beginning

Well, my semester abroad through Semester at Sea has begun!  I arrived in London mid afternoon on August 22nd and explored the city with Nicole and Tommy, two other students in my program.  To be honest, I am not a fan of London.  It's extremely similar to the United States, boring to walk around, and just plain expensive!  One British pound is equal to $1.54, so the exchange rate was pretty bad.  However, I was able to ride on the tube (which is like a subway in NYC), see Big Ben, get the classic tourist photo with a red telephone booth, visit Buckingham Palace, and take a stroll through St. James Park.  However, while all of that may sound cool to you (I hope at least one person is reading this!), my favorite part of London was the Patisserie Valerie.   The Patisserie Valerie is this super cute patisserie and sandwich shop, and their food was the best!  I got a sandwich that was covered in melted cheese with ham in between.  AND, people from London make their french fries differently!  In London, the salt is mixed with some kind of spice that makes the fries taste AMAZING!   Or maybe I just thought they were better because I don't have french fries very frequently.  After exploring, we then headed back to the hotel to crash for the night.




       

The next morning, I had to get up pretty early to catch the shuttle that would take myself and 26 other work study students to the ship a day early.  I loved being able to get on the ship early because I was able to unpack and pick a side before my roommates came the next day.  My room is like a quad, meaning there are two rooms connected to each other by a door.  Our bathroom is in one room and the large desk is in the other.  I chose the room without the bathroom because the inside room has more closet space, and you can't here the shower or toilet in it!  I was also able to explore the ship before everyone else arrived!  It is SO nice.  There are 7 decks on the MV Explorer, which notably includes a swimming pool, workout room, spa, campus stores, and about 4 dining areas counting the outside tables.  It's huge!  I still haven't figured out how to get around!  Once I was done working the parent reception for the parents of students attending, I had the rest of the night free.  Most of the work study students headed out to a bar/club, but since I'm not into that, I hung around the ship talking to a few girls, finished unpacking, and then headed to bed since I was still pretty jet lagged.   The next morning was embarkation day, and my job was to welcome all the new students to the ship and explain the check-in process.  It was really cool because I got

to meet pretty much everyone on the ship, even if I still can't remember most people's names!  But once embarkation finished and the boat sailed away from our port, the whole student body went to convocation to be "inspired" by a guest speaker who works with the government.  After that was over, pretty much everyone went to sleep.  And yesterday was literally orientation after orientation for like 8 hours.  It was exhausting!  Oh, and to top it all off, I got REALLY sea sick so I missed some of the orientation.  I mean, my options were to lay down in my cabin or get sick in the middle of orientation.  Needless to say, I chose to rest on my bed, where I put on my sea sickness patch and fell asleep for like 5 hours.  However, that evening was the activity/club fair, so I woke up to sign up for the extended family program, a service/volunteering club, passport to leadership, SAS money savers, a women's Bible study, and a co-ed worship/Bible study.  I'm excited to find out how I can participate in all of those clubs!  But until then, I'll just have to wait... just like you all are going to have to wait for another post about my first day of classes and work!   So until that time, here's to hoping I don't get sea sick anymore!  Prayers are definitely appreciated! 

 

Fun Fact: There are no stop signs in London. Weird.

Ready, Set, Go

This is it. I leave TODAY to study abroad on Semester at Sea for 4 months!  To say I'm nervous is definitely an understatement, however, I would be lying if I didn't say I keep getting more and more excited by the hour, which started with the packing process. Yesterday, I desperately tried to figure out how I was going to fit everything I needed for 4 months into 1 suitcase, 1 backpack, and 1 laptop case.  After 6 hours, I caved.  So, I am now bringing 2 large suitcases, 1 backpack, and 1 laptop case with me to the MV Explorer, the ship that will become my home for the fall semester.  Here's my packing list:

Clothes
o   3 jeans
o   1 pant
o   5 capris
o   6 shorts
o   5 lounge pants
o   2 sweatshirts
o   2 PJ Pants
o   3 PJ Shorts
o   4 PJ Shirts
o   5 Regular Tshirts
o   5 “Dressier” Tshirts
o   5 tank tops
o   3 cardigans
o   8 dresses
o   2 skirts
o   1 belt
o   4 scarfs
o   All underwear
o   Bras
o   1 pair of flip flops
o   3 sandals
o   1 pair of boots
o   1 pair of sneakers
o   1 pair walking shoes
o   1 formal dress

Toiletries/Medicine

 

o   Shampoo

o   Conditioner

o   Shower Soap (2?)

o   Loofa

o   Razor/Razor Blades

o   Hairbrushes (2)

o   Hair Ties

o   Bobby Pins
o   Toothbrushes (2)
o   Toothpaste (2)

o   Floss
o   Retainers o   Deodorant (2)  o   Foundation/Brush (2?)

o   Mascara (2)

o   Blush/Brush

 o   Eye Shadow/Brush

o   Powder Cover Up/Brush

o   Tweezers

o   Nail Clippers

o   Chapstick (2)

o   Contacts

o   Contact Solution

o   Contact Drops

o   Contact Mirror

o   Glasses
o   Pads/Tampons
o   Baby Wipes (2)
o   Hand Sanitizero   Nail Polish (1 or 2)

o   Q Tips

o   Sunscreen

o   Bug Spray

o   Bandaids

o   Tylenol

o   Malaria Medicine

o   Pepto Bismo or Ginger Chews

o   Sea Bands

o   Z Packs (Sea Sickness)

o   Zithromax

 

School Supplies (Because SAS is not a cruise!)

o   Textbooks

o   1 Subject Notebooks

o   Folders

o   Pens

o   Pencils

o   Highlighter (Pink)

o   Post It Notes

o   Calculator

 

Electronics

o   Laptop/Charger/Mouse

o   Backup CD/External Hard-drive? 

o   Camera/Charger/Memory Cards (2)

o   Memory Card Connection Cord

o   Flash Drive

o   Headphones

o   Outlet Adaptors

o   Movies?

o   Ipod/Charger

o   Phone/Charger

 

Documents

o   Passport

o   Copies of Passport

o   SAS Paperwork (Voyage Ticket)

o   Argentina Reciprocity Fee

o   Driver’s License

o   Copies of Driver’s License

o   Yellow Fever Certificate

o   Copies of Yellow Fever Certificate

o   Student ID

o   Copies of Student ID

o   Plane Tickets (Brazil, Home)  

o   Hostel Bookings (Brazil)

o   List of Family/Friends Email Addresses/Addresses

 

Miscellaneous

o   Bible/Devotional Journal

o   Travel Journal/Nick's Journal

o   Magnets

o   Pictures

o   World Map

o   Blanket

o   Flash Drive

o   Bed Sheet

o   Laundry Detergent

o   Travel Toiletry Containers

o   Gum/Granola Bars

o   Water Bottle

o   Cross Body/Day Bag

o   Hair Dryer

o   Hair Straightener with Automatic Shut-Off Proof

o   Sunglasses

o   Mosquito Net

o   Umbrella

o   Laundry Mesh Bag

o   Home Stay/Kid Gifts

So, that's it.  This is what I will be living with for the next 4 months.  It's almost scary, having my life reduced to a couple suitcases.  But, I know it's going to be worth it! While I alone may not feel ready or set, I do know that God will go with me wherever I travel to while on Semester at Sea.  And with that, I can say: 15 countries.  17 cities.  115 days.  Ready, Set, Go. 

 

P.S. If you missed my itinerary, check out my other post titled, "Say What" to see where I am going first! 

 

 

 

 

Speedos, Water Wings, and K-Love

As my summer is coming to a close, I realize how blessed I've been to have a job as a lifeguard on campus.  It's allowed me to live in an apartment for free, spend time with family and friends, and have my nights and weekends free from work...all while still earning money!  However, after spending an entire summer lifeguarding, I've learned just a few things about the pool, swimmers, and life in general.   And please note all statements are made in good fun and some may have slight exaggerations.


1) If you are a male and over the age of 25, you should not wear a speedo.  Actually on second thought, NO guy should EVER wear a speedo. I don't care how young or in shape you look.  It's uncomfortable to look at and since my job is to watch you, don't do it.  Just don't.

2) K-Love, Rochester's Christian radio station, has a playlist that is played on repeat every single day.  If you don't believe me, try listening to it nonstop 1:45pm-5pm, Monday-Friday.  You'll soon see my point.

3) Pool noodles were made for children.  They were not designed to be used as a workout tool.  If you try to use a pool noodle to workout, you aren't going to get a good workout.  You just aren't. 

4) There should be a rule stating that all children must demonstrate they can successfully retrieve just ONE diving ring from the bottom of the pool before being able to throw in the entire pool's supply.  Somehow, I'm always the one having to retrieve 20+ diving rings at the end of my shift. 

His smile won't last long.

5) Water wings are not a safe flotation device for children. I repeat, water wings are not a safe flotation device for children. The 3 year old who lost her water wings while being thrown in the air would agree with me.
 
6) Swimmers take advantage of every single second the pool is open.  If tell swimmers at 8:29pm that the pool is closed, they will proceed to tell me that they have another minute to swim since the pool closes at 8:30pm.  My mistake.

7) But some people waste their time in the pool.  So many "swimmers" come in, swim one lap, and then just stand in the water for another hour.  Whatever they're mulling over, they should save me the agony and awkwardness of having to stare at them just standing in one place and go stand in their bathtub instead. 

8) There is no power in having a lifeguard whistle.  No matter how many times I use it to let kids know that under no circumstances is "dunking" allowed, they always do it again in less than 5 minutes. 

9) Parents think lifeguards are babysitters.  My job is to maintain constant surveillance of swimmers and to provide emergency care in the event of an actual emergency.  My job is not to yell at kids when they refuse to get out of the pool or solve an argument between siblings. 

10) Kickboards are meant to be used to practice kicking, not to jump on.  Therefore, no matter what technique you use, if you jump on a kickboard, it will backfire and hit you in the face.   There's just no avoiding it.