Is anyone else planning on coming next year?

I can't believe this trip is almost over.  It feels like it just started!  At the same time though, I'm almost ready to head back to the States.  I'm coming back next summer, for sure, and I think Heather and Eric were planning on it too.  It has been a wild and crazy experience for everyone and I hope everyone has gotten lifelong memories out of it.

I can't believe that this trip is almost over. I've had so much fun here and met great people. Hopefully I'll be able to make a trip like this again.

Today was an amazing day. I saw an outrageous cathedral of spilled blood and a mass grave memorial site where over 500,000 people were lain to rest. It was intense going from one kind of peaceful and holy place to different, and yet, equally chilling peaceful feeling. The cathedral was so spiritual and up lifting with all the creative murals and mosaics on the walls. The building has seemed to stand the constant tests of time including the great siege. It's amazing how something like this is still around today for observation. Then, the Memorial... speechless. The eternal flame cast directly in line with mother Russia... beautiful.  The Lake... calm, and the mounds peaceful. It was weird to see the death and destruction from the other side of the world. A people, a nation... Devastated by the War but pulled through. Americans say "our victory" but how can one say such a travesty as an ally lays wounded and dying on the battleground. This is starting to make me angry. Being there... no words. 

The First Week

While i have been here i have got to greatly improve my Russian language skills. However i understand that many people here are just now beginning to develop that interest. This must be a completely different way of viewing the trip and i would love to know how everyone has liked the first week. I think that it has been filled with a lot of culture shock. From Richard getting snapped at on the metro to the Russian girls coming to our lobby and hanging out. This first week has been a great insight into Russian culture.

Chechen/Georgian War

Lucas and I had dinner with Tatiana and Maria in a little diner the other day. We asked them about the Chechen War and the Georgian-Russo War. They told us that they couldn't believe either side's propaganda because they were be so extreme. I thought that it was really interesting that these Russians admitted that Russia's propaganda could be false.

Wow. удивительный опыт

Today a few of us got the chance to go to a museum. While wrapping things up we talked with our guide and tutors about the way things were in soviet times and how the effects still remain. It was so interesting and eye-opening to see how free we really are, and how restricted they used to be. Afterwards, we went to lunch with them as well and we talked more about the differences, stereotypes and views of Americans vs Russians. A lot of things make more since as to why they are the way they are. For an example, people not smiling, wearing bright colors or showing emotions were all results from the years of suppression through the soviet times. One of the tutors asked us what it meant to us to be an American. I had never even considered or thought about it, I guess it was always a give in.. I was free. After having to come up with an answer I found that my country actually made a difference to who I am and where I am today. When we asked what it meant for them to be Russian, I saw such a difference in the two countries. It was, needless to say, a fascinating and mind changing day today. I really enjoyed it.