Orphanage visit #2

First off, let me apolgize for not posting in a while, after we went to the orphanage, it was sleep, then travel. Sorry!
    Anyway, orphanage visit #2 was amazing! I want to adopt them all! Of course, I'm not old enough to adopt, so, I've just been begging my mom! There's just so many sweet kids! I love all of them! I'll post pictures later. I ended up walking to the "Magazeena" at least four times, buying candy and ice cream for all of them. I want to find them all homes! 
     I spent most of my time there running around with at least 13 kids following me. I felt like a celebrity! I find each and every one of them special and amazing.  I would go to the bathroom, and come out to see 10 kids waiting for me to come out.
     When I got the chance to sit down on one of the couches, I was immedeadtly seated with  9 kids! 
     The swing in the back yard is beyond broken, its just two poles with "Foot holders" on the bottom, but they continue to use it! Their playground is the most depressing thing I have  ever seen! The slide has spilnters all over it, and the soccer field has no grass on it, just hard, packed in dirt. Oh my!
      When we got back from the orphanage, to Kemerovo, we fell right asleep, for we needed to get up early for the plane. It was 42 hours of no sleep, in a plane or an airport, just waiting for the sad reality of going home to hit us.
     But now that we are home, it feels good, unlimited toilet paper, hot showers, a comfy bed for myself. Milk that's cold and drinkable,water that you can drink from the tap. You don't realize how much you have, until it's taken away. Thats another post for another day, differences from Russia to America. Oh! And I get to tell you about the $12 cokes!
     When we were at the Shermat'evo airport, in Moscow, We saw an italian restaurant, and we were craving it! We went and when we got the check, we discovered they had charged is $32 for four cokes! Thats $12 each! Their excuse "You ordered the big ones, and they have 3 cokes in each one, its not our fault!", But they never told us that we were going to pay that much! Oh, Russia, what are we going to do with you!
     And to all of you who donated... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! You don't know how much I  appreciate every single one of your donations, whether it be by thought, or by money. What matters is I got there and I couldn't have done it without you guys!!!! You sent me to the orphanage and back again, and it's the best thing that ever happened to me! All of you have enormous hearts and they will never go to waste! Everyone at the orphanage was elated when I got there, and you guys made that happen! Thank you!!!!

Orphanage visit #1!

      Yesterday was just a roller coaster ride. Horrible at some parts, amazing at others, but in the end, you just want to do it again. The three hour car ride was like a real roller coaster too, up down up down bounce bounce swerve...lol. Since we got back to the "Gasteenitza" yesterday at 7pm, My mom heard nothing but "Please please please!!!! She needs a home! I know she's my sister! How can you just leave her in an orphanage? PLEASE!". Of course, I was referring to this little girlie:
    I love her! And another G and P and S and A and Y and S.  I can't write their names here, but they all need homes with lots of love! Sadly, we didn't get to take too many pictures because it was against the rules of the chaperone, but we snuck a few. 

     I simply cannot wait to go back to the orphanage. Poor G (the other one), when we were handing out bags, the one we packed for her had pierced earrings and hair bands. Her hair isn't long enough for the hair bands, and she doesn't have pierced ears! The poor girl! And K (a teen) got earrings, but she wasn't going to let them go to waste! She pierced her own ears! Oh my!
     

Bridget and the very bad no good horrible very bad day..

     Today we woke up very flustered. Today was the day we found out if we were going to the orphanage tomorrow. It was great news when Svetlana called and said we had permission to go to the orphanage tomorrow at 7am! We were all so excited to see them and to spend the day!
      Then, the devastating phone call came. They're only allowing us to stay there for 3 hours. We traveled halfway around the world for these kids, paying thousands of dollars, carrying 7 duffel bags stuffed with toys, and their letting us stay for only three hours, on one day?!?!?! (We hope they will change their mind - and let us return on Friday and Saturday like we planned) Keri and I were in tears. Nastia was sad, and my mom was speechless. We just cried and stayed shocked for over an hour, right before we were about to go to our favorite restaurant, "Shokolodnitsa" (House of chocolate). But, plans were delayed until we calmed down. I hated it. If you know me, I never show any bit of crying unless I'm at home with no one there. I just ran into the bedroom, jumped up onto the window sill, and sobbed. Didn't let anyone in. I was devastated!
     Once we finally got to 'Shokoladnitsa", we calmed down a bit, mostly because we were out of energy. But the pain didn't subside. It was like someone ripped my heart in two pieces. Anya called, and said she was on her way, but we didn't exactly believe her, because she's on "Anya time", which "I'm on my way" means "I'll be there in two hours". But, She showed up! She bright and cheery. Giggly and excited. Happy and adorable.
     After lunch, we went to the "Mall" and got her an outfit from Adidas. On the way there, my mom took a pretty bad fall on the trolley tracks. Ouch! Her camera cracked, but not really broke, which would have made the day even worse, and just when I think this country is so backward, I realize it's memorial day back at home. It's the one time I actually appreciated the US. But, all was well and I got a hand full of Anya hand, proof is in the picture! Well, we've got to get up at 6, and its already 12:30, so, good night!

Me and Anya walking down a street (i forget the name)

Me, Anya and Nastia on the couch, watching her play the fake piano on the ipad.... so sweet

My Russian Adventure: Day 3 and 4

Well, where should I begin? How about when we saw the "Dead Guy" (Lenin). It was so gross!!!! But, after that, we went to the Russian Museum and saw some stuff from the ice age. Me and Nastia got so bored that we decided to speak gibberish to each other to see if anyone noticed. Our conversation went something like "Hoostreekiex ronflre eekee oo mansee!"

     Back to the apartment to pack up. We hauled all 7 bags of donations, plus our personal stuff up and down the stairs and on the creepiest creakiest elevator you have ever seen! I was always the last one on, and the first one off.

     After the sweaty two hour ride to the airport, the people at the luggage check were being extra annoying, just for us! We were stuck waiting to see if we could get the fees waived because they were for an orphanage. They didn't do it. Oh well.

A lock with two newly weds names, to lock in their love forever.

    When we got to Kemerovo, we slept for a loooong time. And when we woke up we got a happy little girl named Anya waiting in the living room! She's such a sweetheart! When she left last night, she gave me a big hug and said with her thick accent "I love you". I love you too, Anya.
     We went to the school that Keri taught at this fall, and when we were coming out of the classroom, some kids heard us speaking english. We were then swarmed by kids wanting "Pictures with a real American" and to email and ask questions. I'm the first American kid they have ever seen! Can you believe it? I'm now talking with a girl named Arina. She emailed me a few minutes ago.
      When we got home from the school, Nast, me and my mom went to the terrifying "Amusment Park" across the street. Those things are going to break any second I swear.
     All in all, we are in Kemerovo safely, all is well, and Good night!
p.s. For more details go here

My Russian Adventure: Day 2

Me and My mom at some church in Moscow, you have to cover your head while in there. I look like a little Baboushka!!!

    Yesterday, well, it was better! We ate blini for breakfast, and we played on the swings behind our apartment. An old lady came and yelled at me and Nastia (in Russian), "Get off those swings! Your butts are too big!" And she left. We continued swinging. Then we got swarmed by pigeons. But, then, moms to the rescue! Off to Red Square.
     We got there, and there was a gigantic sports stadium just set up in the middle of it! We had to go all the way around it, just to get to St. Basils. Which they were filming a movie at.  Okay, fine, we'll just go to Lenin's tomb. Nope, thats closed too. Where to next? The Russian Museum. Too bad that was also closed. We found out this morning, everything is closed on Tuesdays. That was yesterday. 

    So, we headed into the "Goom". It's this huge mall that is one of the easiest places to get lost in. We all decided now was a good time for lunch, so we headed to a little cafe in the mall. I swear, our server looked exactly like Ellie from the movie "Up". She was super nice. 
     After lunch, we headed back to the apartment for a nap! I did'nt feel like I needed one, but, guess what... I did. We lazed around most of the day, then went to another cafe for Dinner. There we saw two boys, who seemed to be homeless were selling newspapers for extra money. 
     At the and of the day, all was well and we slept!!!
    

My Russian Adventure: Day 1

All right, where do I begin? How about in London, when Nastia's name on her passport was'nt spelled right? We were trapped in a "que" waiting for the approval to get on the airplane. When she was able to get on, we had about 10-20 minutes to run through security, and get food, and get on the airplane. 
     The flight to Moscow must have taken at least 4 1/2 hours. At least there was movies!
     We acctualy got off the plane in Russia (Yes!) we went to the van driver, and, boy do they obey the rules of the road! (Not). But after two hours of being scared out of my mind, and not being able to tell the driver...we finally got to the apartment, and pretty much fell asleep. But, First, we went to the "Magazeen" or the store. Then, after a very brief dinner of some bread and jelly, we slept! Thankfully, Jet Lag seemed to have skipped me.
     So, off to red square! More later!

Todays the Day!

Woot!!!!!!!!!! only an hour left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll be there in 10 hours!!!!