minats_zone

Hey there it was my B-day yesterday and I spent this day in a routine way - home classes then online coordination 4 CIU, but in the evening we had a glass  of champaign with Slava and I enjoyed my presents and online greetings (mostly Facebook ones). On the following day we got an e-mail from Olia with my Green Card attached, so it arrived exactly on Feb. 27, my B-Day. Another biggest present! Now we won't have problems with visas etc:)) I am really happy to finally get it! Hugs and love to all of you...have a look at the cropped card..

Hey there, I've been adapting to Moscow  time for quite a while as it's much more difficult than when you fly to the West. Now I'm fine and the problem is that I feel the lack of my HSE students and I really miss my classes. Now I have only FCE and PET classes at school 1359, but it's a big difference, they are kids...Anyway, I need to accept this situation:((. Meanwhile, the weather iin Moscow is absolutely warm and it feels like spring in the late March. Bye for now and remember me...

Hey there, Here I am, in Moscow and now at dacha. We arrived on Feb 8 and went straight to our Moscow flat. There we stayed for the rest of the week and then I got to dacha. The weather in unbelievably warm here,  it's +5C now. Snow is melting and it's like spring in March! The climate has changed a lot both in Russia and America, where there is draught in California and frosty and snowy winter in NYC. We haven't received Green cards yet but hope they arrive soon to Olia. No pics now as surroundings are so bleak that we only entertain ourselves by watching Olympiad in Sochi and supporting our sportspeople! Hugs and love to all of you:))

Hey there, our stay in SF has come to an end. Tomorrow we're flying back to LA and then to Moscow. Long way but we've already done it so I hope it'll go fine. Olympiad in Moscow is starting in 2 hours so it's another hotly discussed (on Twitter and in the news topic) as they keep complaining about Russian corruption in Sochi. I want to support my country anyway and will do so during the games. I climbed to San Bruno mountains yesterday and it was as usual impressive, though without rain the hills look bare and not as good as in normal conditions. Looking back to our visit, I can say that it was very warm, homely and memorable thanks to little Yanocka, Olia, Andy, Jim, Sue and other good people. Now we're looking forward to our Green cards and skype sessions with Olia and Yana. Many hugs to all my nearest and dearest:)

It was so great to enjoy symphony orchestra with Stravinsky, Sibelius and Rachmaninoff''s Rhapsody on the theme of Paganini Opus 43 at SF Symphony. The Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov coupled our pleasure playing brilliantly on the stage. He's from NNovgorod and now works on contract in the USA. There were so many elderly and disabled people there. Buses drove them to the concert hall. Great to be happy at the old age! Love and hugs to you;))

Hey there, We've just got back from Morgan hotel near Cambria, San Simeon beach with elephant seals. They are amazing, stay there for 3 months without food for mating, birthing and molting. And they stay unhurmed as people around just watch them on the beach. There are many sea gulls that eat what is left after young seals are born. So the place is really fabulous and worth visiting. Another attraction - Hearst Castle was interesting but after seals it was less impressive. Yanik behaved herself well and was really good girl both while driving and visiting places. Have a look at some pics. Love and hugs:))

Hey there. Today is probably the happiest day in my life as I witnessed my granddaughter Yana being baptized in the main SF church named after the Virgin 'All Sufferers Joy' on the Geary street. It was a really hard day for all of us, especially for little Yana and the others. We arrived at the place at 2:30pm but had to wait because the church was busy - services there and people collecting Holy water from the church, as today is the All Orthodox Christians day - Baptizing of the Christ by John Baptist in the river Jordan. So Yana's big day was exactly on this great religious holiday both in Russia and other countries. Andy's parents, Jim and Sue, arrived to take part in this occasion. Have a look at all of us in front of the church. God, please save Ioanna (Yana) and bess her life!

Hey there, here I am in SF CA. We arrived on Friday, 10 and spent 3 hours at the Immigration  office at the LA airport. There we were given a paper confirmation of our immigration status - IR-5, family reunion. After that we flew to SF and Olia met us at the airport. We first saw Yana on Jan 11 and she is great! Cute, smiling and tiny girl of 0 6 years. She is quite well-balanced a child who sleeps well and eats well too. The week before we celebrated Kliment's birthday on Jan 7. It was really nice to see Klimka, Stas, Katya and their family alltogether. They are really good and warm people. God save my nearest and dearest!!! Love and hugs to all of you:))

Our stay here is coming to an end. Though it was pretty cold and cloudy, we managed to see the historic centre, the Katakombs and even to see Traviata at the Opera House. We loved all the sights and want to come here again but in warm season. The trees will be blooming and the city will come over in a new way. Have a look at some pics here. Love and hugs to you and Happy new year ahead to all!

It was really nice and homely atmosphere at the New Year party with typically Odessa's jokes and food and people. They were mostly from Odessa and the fun they had was local and warm too. So we liked both the fun and the food, which was also local - stuffed fish, sardines, duck and salads. We made some pics there, have a look. Love and hugs to all of you:))

Hey there, here we are in Odessa, Ukraine, and New year is coming very soon. We arrived on Dec 29 and have been living in Fontain 11 area, but still within the city. It's a beautiful city with many historic sights dating back to 17th century. Though it's cold here, about 0C and windy, we swim in the pool and went sightseeing. Have a look at some pics we made here. My very best wishes to all my friends and relation, we remember you and love you:)) PS Dear Lin Michel from Hainan, we love you, our Chinese daughter and hope you'll come and stay with us in Moscow. Drop us a line, thanks for New year greetings:))

Hey, here I am, alive and kicking dispite some bad things that have occured in my life since December 13, Friday. On this day Marina and I went together to Yaroslawl to collect Nun Anna'a annual pension for 2013. Quite a lot of money. We stayed at Ibis hotel, just in the centre, as in 2012. In the morning we went to Sberbank and got the money with no problems. After that we dropped in 'Rostov Fenift' shoip on Kirova street and I bought New year gifts for Olia and myself. Then we decided to go to Tolgsky monastery near Yaroslawl and took a taxi to drive there. It was very nice there, we walked, observed, took pics. Then in the evening we got back to Moscow by train and I reached Preobrazhenskaya metro at 11:20pm. I was walking very fast from metro to my house when I was attacked from behind by someone who hit me on the head and started to stifle me on the neck. I fainted and when I got back - no iPhone, no bag with all the money and docs, nothing... The rest of this story I...

Hey there, yesterday I had my last class at 1359, Zhylebino region of Moscow with CAE Ss who have already done FCE. I'll keep my fingers crossed for them and hope they'll do well on the Big Day! Love all of them as we've spent almost 3 years together...:((