Pa-Pa-Ruski: Маселницa и вех/Maselnitza iy vech/Maselnitsa and Milestones

The past week (Sunday to Sunday) was a Russian holiday called Maselnitze. It is a festival to celebrate the end of winter, and I think it also had some distant relationship with lent/fat tuesday before the soviet union came along and removed religion from the picture. If you were wondering about religion, most people here are Christian (eastern orthodox) but not very religious, or at least most people I've met.

On last Friday we got let out early from school, and all stood outside while these elderly men and women sang folksy songs about winter ending. There was lots of dancing and jumping. Then we played carnival sort of games in the snow, and afterwards everyone gathered around in a giant circle around a doll, and set it on fire. I'm not sure what the signifigance of that was, but it was a treat to watch.

On last Tuesday, I think it was, I came home to find that my host mom was making блины (blini), these extremely thin, extremely buttery pankakes that you can eat plain, with jelly, or with something called sweet milk, and tastes a little like caramel sauce but not really. I'm totally adding them to the list of things I need to learn how to make before leaving.

Another festivity was on last Sunday I went to a park in my city with a few friends from my class and there they also had a celebration of maselnitze. There was folk music, pop music, and lots of doll burning. It was quite the celebration, though the 20 foot tall slide made entirely out of ice made me question whether winter is actually ending.

IF YOU EVER GO TO RUSSIA: Do not eat sharma (middle eastern meat burrito type thing). I made this mistake on sunday, only to find out by way of my host mother yelling at me when I got home, that the meat used is 70% of the time from a dog. Is that disgusting and horrible? To Americans, yes. To Russians, also yes. Its one of those things that, for better or worse, society convinces us of because we have dogs as pets and therefore love them, and therefore do not want to eat them. Dasha was joking around with me afterwards and said that I ate Richi (our dog)'s brother, upon which Laura made a face and proceeded not to talk to me for a few hours. Gotta love my host family.

Milestones

1) Today was the first day that the temperature was above freezing. I can't believe I'm saying this, but seeing puddles in the streets kind of made me sad. I feel like it won't be Russia without the snow.

2) It's officially not dark outside when school starts, I mean, it's still dark when I wake up, but progress is progress.

3) My Russian is coming along. I'm now at a point where I understand about 70% of what I hear (this varies however with context, I understand a whole lot more when people are talking about what they did yesterday as opposed to politics or algebra). As for my speaking, I'd probably say I know enough Russian to get by, and then some, but I'm by no means fluent.

Another interesting note: In Russia, the 23rd of Febuary is a holiday: День защитника Отечества. This translates to something like Protector of the Homeland day. It used to be called Soviet Army day, but that sort of had to change back in January, 1992. To commemorate this special day, you give boys of all ages (reguardless of whether or not they protect the homeland) presents and cards.