Cabantui- A Tartar Holiday

Today, the we were invited to teach some kids how to play baseball at this school. It was a Tartar holiday called Cabantui, which is sort of a field day. It celebrates health and all that. Before the children began playing sports, there was a presentation, which included the Mayor of Ivanovo and some other important people. These are a few of the many pics I took during the presentation:

these girls are in a traditional dress. they are sharing a traditional food with the audience that included a bread and what looked me like a Kix/Lucky charms/ marshmallow treat (which I KNOW that it wasn't... I didn't get any of it, so I don't know!).

these girls are performing a tradional dance... i LOVED this part!

the guys and the girls doing the dance...

these little girls were definitely little performers! there voices were AMAZING for their ages! they were harmonizing and everything!

I enjoyed attending this event... I love these little tradional things! :)

Springtime in the Country... Russian Style!

Our team decided to take a one-day mini-retreat to the dacha! Though it was a little chilly, the day COULD NOT have been more beautiful!

the dacha... i just noticed that place where there used to be a door... interesting...

the yard behind the backyard fence... all those dandilions that you see are no longer there... i mowed them down ;)

the pond... there are so many cat-tails in it... how serene is this! kind of reminds me of home...

jill said these were some kind of flowers... some kind of pansies... so cute! i think i mowed them down, too... oops! ;)

After living in the city for a year, constantly hearing cars outside my window and never seeing the stars at night, I have come to appreciate the sereness, the beauty, and the nature of the countryside... until it's HOT anyway ;)

Spravka... A Medical Scavenger Hunt

Upon our arrival back to Ivanovo, we (Sarah, Tracy, Lesa, and myself) began working on our medical exams needed in order to receive a work visa. Two weeks, 4 clinics, 3 takings of blood, 2 urine tests, many hours of waiting in lines, and approximately a billion stamps later, we are finished! :) The last time that I gave blood, I passed out. Then they ended up taking the blood from my hand... that's the pic above with the gauze around my hand... The one with Tracy and I holding a jar (that's not Mt. Dew, people!) was our 2nd time to give urine! And yes, we had to parade it around with us! GROSS!!!! And the other pic is one of some hospital equipment... TINA (This is not America, folks!)! But, it was a GREAT time for team bonding :)