Lovely Laziness

I was catching up with a friend whilst Stateside and he asked me what I'd been up to that day.

My answer: "I've been building an igloo."

(Exhibit of said artistry. My brother-in-law asked when we were planning on finishing it. I don't know what he's talking about.)

Friend's response: "Wow. You've been really busy, huh?"

His sarcasm was perfectly appropriate. My days home were filled with blissful laziness. And it was SO refreshing! I am NOT the expert at unwinding and the majority of my travels are work-related (with the fabulously glaring exception of the 2012 Cruise Edition aka "My New Life"), so I efficiently pack sight-seeing and vacationing into any free time on the schedule. Which sounds far lamer than it is. Promise.

This being the case, however, my prime place for relaxation: Home.

Here's this holiday's combination for relaxation:

Younger siblings who allow me to revert to childlike behaviors and only mildly complain. Likely due to the fact that they exhibit similar tendencies. Example: Sister working the shrimp platter.

Said sister was my igloo accomplice.

The cutest nieces and nephews on the planet. Let's not fight about this. No need for internet strife when you're already wrong.

An amazing mom who keeps food in the cupboard (we all know how I feel about grocery shopping) AND on the table. I return the favor my making her homemade tea and ill simultaneously...oops. But seriously, Mom knows everything that makes my world a brighter place and makes it happen while I'm home.

My Daddy (that's right, one of those girls...and always will be!) backs me up in my running habits and each summer that I can squeeze it in, whisks us away to my favorite spot on earth and my personal therapist, Lake Powell.

Stunning views. This one is my personal joy.

Though the backyard's not bad either.

Stocking up for a Russian winter. With only essentials, clearly.

And last, but not least, TIME. To sleep, to play, to do NOTHING. It's glorious!!!

Hope your holidays were/are relaxation filled! And if you happen to be a Russian reader, then Merry Christmas or С Рождеством!!! I can totally support two Christmases within 2 weeks.

С Рождеством!!!

It's here!!! This morning, at approximately 7:30 am, I indulged in the final chocolate from my advent calendar! She looked lovely, and tasted equally fabulous.

I then lugged my suitcase across the frozen tundras of Moscow to the marshrut, through the metro at peak hour, and made it to my last Russian class only slightly the worse for wear.

In said suitcase: 1 running shirt, and 1 running jacket. Snow or not, temperatures at home are warmer than Moscow's offerings, and I will be hitting the pavement! Everything else? Christmas fun! I'm effectively playing Santa and taking back Christmas goodies to America for the families of several of my expat friends here in Moscow. And I did a little Christmas shopping myself...finally!

I don't know what stores you hit up this year, but here's where I made my one-stop shopping trip:

Izmailovsky Market. The temple of all Russian souvenir shopping in Moscow.

But then, why are the streets almost completely void of people?! ANSWER: It. Was. SO. COOOLLLDDD!!!! Literally, I cannot recall a colder moment of my existence. Which actually made it all the more memorable.

Trouble finding the perfect gift for that hard-to-buy-for person? Or for anyone, for that matter? We have enough matryoshkas to go around! It's what that special someone has secretly been longing for.

If a matryoshka's not really your thing...first of all, who ARE you?!? But moving along. A close second for consideration: the fur hat. Rock it. Gift it. It's big. It's bold. And most importantly, it's warm. I have yet to buy fur here people. But the thought has crossed my mind many a chilly moment. I've never really understood the fur fashion. I do know. And it's called survival, NOT fashion.

Post-shopping, the only preparation left for the big day was relaxation and taking in a hefty dose of Christmas spirit. And what better way to do so than play in a Christmas concert? I think my hands were almost warm by the time we finished...

Pictured post-concert with my friend Nastya, also known as my Russian sister. She's one of my girls here in Moscow, and we've heard that we look like sisters more times than I can count at this point. Your opinion?

So there you have it! I've shopped. I'm packed. I'm Christmas-spirited up! And now I'm going to celebrate the LONGEST Christmas Day I have ever known!

36 hours spread across 11 time zones and 3 of my favorite cities: Moscow, Paris, and Alpine, Utah!!! A 5 am taxi, 5:30 am train, 8:20 am flight, 16 hours in the air, and at the end of the day, I arrive HOME right around 2 pm. That, my friends, is the beauty of time travel!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season!

In Other's Words...

Utah State University Today: 

From Russia with Love: Music Alum Stephanie Rhodes Receives Fulbright Award

If you ever ask me about my education, it will take you about two seconds to find out that I went to the University of Michigan and that I LOVE Michigan football.  Missing my weekly Saturday games this fall was slightly heartbreaking. When they didn't play in the middle of the night, I read play-by-play updates since watching the games was impossible. Not quite the same as being in the Big House or watching with a chapter of the Alumni club, but a girl has to make do.  But my love leads me to digress...paragraph point: I had a great experience in Ann Arbor.

I might not talk as passionately about my undergraduate days.  My time at Utah State was exactly what I needed. And there were so many great and rewarding moments along the way...though none of them had anything to do with our football team.  (Luckily they've represented themselves a bit better in recent years, but in my day it wasn't difficult to pass up a game for some quality practice time).  But despite life lessons learned, lasting relationships formed, and a handful of fantastic memories, the four years of my undergraduate education were some of the most personally difficult of my life. And I still haven't quite sorted through them. This summer, I set foot on campus for the first time in ages and, almost 7 years after graduation, my heart rate still quickened to an abnormal pace. Luckily, I had a dose of Aggie Ice Cream to keep things under control. Like I said, life lessons learned in undergrad.

Albeit that I now publish some of my feelings on the internet, I generally tend to be rather closed when it comes to personal difficulties...I play the role of support system quite effectively so it's what I stick to.  Seriously. It's my job. And if you knew me at USU, odds were you wouldn't have guessed that things were rough, although you may have sensed my dependence on ice cream. And then I graduated and moved on in life and, rather than deal with the emotions that I had successfully repressed for 4 years, I scarcely looked back.  And in forgetting about my undergrad, I seemed they forgot about me as well.  So when my brother-in-law and one of my dearest friends who saw me through said 4 years emailed me the link to this article published in the USU newsletter, it meant a lot.

Hard times aside, I love Utah State and I'm proud of the education I received there. And that being the case, I've always hoped to make the people who invested in me at USU proud as well.  That's a work in progress. But so is their football team. And that's life. (Meaning work and progress...and not merely football, though I am not excluding it from said statement).

Speaking of which...the advent calendar is winding down! And if you're not seeing the relationship between football and an advent calendar, don't worry. It's me, not you.  But know this:  my chocolate calendar is counting down to more than Christmas.  And while I've missed watching many a game this season, I'll be happily cheering on my Wolverines come January 1st...Stateside! Go BLUE!!!

Moscow Mondays: Живописный мост

Happy Monday! What joys has your Monday brought? Mine thus far has included:

• My coldest day in Moscow yet: -20 Celsius / -4 Fahrenheit.
• Despite the awful temperatures, today I saw sunshine!!! We're down to about 7 hours of daylight and those tend to fall while I'm in the catacombs of the opera. Sunlight, even when doing nothing for the temperature, is a beautiful thing. 
• A final exam. Oh, Russian grammar...how thou dost try my patience. To help us channel our Russian energy, the university shut off the heaters for the morning. Okay, not really. But they were definitely broken. And it made me doubly thrilled to finish the exam. 
• When it's -20 out, every step outdoors must be calculated. Post-university I decided to grab some delicious döner kebab, as it just so happens that the BEST place for it in Moscow is relatively near my university. When I say "relatively near" that means about 10-15 minutes on foot. In the elements. It was a risky decision, but oh so tasty!

• This advertisement seen today in the metro = my personal life motto. "It's cold outside!" "In your soul it's warm!" Chocolate: "Optimism in your hands." Made. My. Day.

Today's original Moscow Monday game plan was a trip to an icon museum. But since I had only seen it on a map and couldn't accurately gauge how many minutes it would take to walk from metro to museum, it was out. So instead, I bring you:

Живописный Мост

I pass by it every day on my way into the center and I've been meaning to photograph it since Day 1. Today's sunshine made it irresistible, so instead of spending 15-20 minutes outdoors hunting for an icon museum, I spent about 40 minutes forgetting my frozen feet and snapping shots of what could be called my "hood."

While the red of the bridge is much more vivid in autumn or summer sunlight (I believe summer sunlight exists in Moscow, though I'll have to see it to be convinced), I love seeing the river iced over. Rumor has it that people walk across it comfortably in the winter months. Hasn't made it onto my to-do list...my calculations suggest that would be too long spent out of doors...but we'll see.

I found this blog that has some stunning pictures of the bridge in warmer days. Weather AND photo jealousy ensued and I'm determined to devote more time to learning to coax beauty from my camera.

While not my immediate neighborhood...this is my neighboring civilization.

But there's no place like Home Sweet Home.

This Moscow Monday was yet another reminder of the stunning beauty this city has to offer. And the two blankets, hot lemon water, and fresh pair of thick socks that awaited upon my arrival at my cabin? Equally gorgeous! 

Снег!!!

There's something about the first magical snowfall. We've seen snow in Moscow already this year, but not the beautiful, sticking kind. I'd call it more of a muddy slush. There was a light snow falling when I left home this morning, with a thin coat on the ground, but it continued as the day wore on. And by the time I left work, Moscow was a new city, blanketed in a lovely, soft layer of white.

I could have happily wandered around the center all evening...something about this type of snow makes me feel 5 years old again. Skipping wouldn't have been out of the question, were I not aging and wary of losing my balance. Joking...maybe? After a bit of roaming, though, I decided the best way to appreciate the snow was at home. With a blanket, book, and hot chocolate.

Snuggled up in my cabin in the middle of the Silver Wood as the snow falls. (With functioning internet, as a side note.) I love this version of Moscow!

Dear America: An Election-Day Letter from Moscow

Dear America,

While I may be thousands of miles away, my heart's with you today. You're far from flawless, but you're a part of who I am, and I love you.

Tonight I've had my eyes on a map, painted with your familiar Red and Blue. And it's beautiful. It's voices. It's passion. It's individuals. It's democracy.

But I have to say: I've been wishing for a little more white. Remember, that other random color that helps make up our Stars and Stripes? I don't believe we need passivity, but maybe a slightly larger dose of amity. Politics will never be associated with purity, but as I sit here in my beauty pageant crown contemplating world peace...(not really friends)...I'd like to blissfully believe that things could be a bit cleaner. Not just from the candidates. Or even the media. I'm not that crazy.

But maybe from "We the People."

I'm under a different Red, White, and Blue flag at the moment. And it's not one that's renowned for its upbeat relations with Old Glory. But it too holds a special place in my heart. I often find myself contemplating the differences between my two current homes and, while said differences clearly exist, more often than not I'm struck by the similarities which surface. But how can two countries with different national languages, political structures, occasionally conflicting agendas and sometimes strained relations possibly be similar? It's simple.

We are People.

I can't help but believe that around the world, at the core of our beings we are united by a common thread of humanity. And here in Moscow, exploring the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of an ever-so-foreign country, I've managed to see myself in those surrounding me. And somewhere (maybe deep, deep, deep down) I like to think they can find a part of themselves reflected in me as well.

I believe we can all own our Red or Blue with passion. Maybe pieces of both. And I believe we can do so without degrading others for differences of race, religion, political persuasion, sexual orientation, language, culture, country...the list that describes humanity is unending. Honoring ourselves and others with the basic respect and civility that all People warrant.

So---from one set of Red, White, and Blue to another---here's to America on Election Day! When the votes are cast and the results determined, I hope we can find it in ourselves to celebrate our individual Reds and Blues while standing on the middle-ground of White.

R.I.P. iPhone and Ambivalence

GLOSSARY for today's post:

iPhone: Portal to my alternate universe, aka America. Internet vehicle. Dictionary. Translator. Accountant. Mirror. Camera. Best friend...getting a bit carried away. But you follow.

Ambivalence:

1A. uncertainty or fluctuation, especially when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things.

1B. The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person, object, or idea.

The ambivalence that will be discussed herein is most effectively understood when these definitions are combined.

End of GLOSSARY.

***20.10.12 - 27.10.12***

As the week began I was glowing, distributing Ghirardelli's chocolate goodness, and smiling (seemingly illegally) in the metro. After a sharp drop in temperature on Monday, and the exhaustion which ensued post International week-day getaway, said smile may have been waning.

Then Tuesday hit with a vengeance. I was sandwiched in the morning metro madness, headed to morning Russian class. And when I exited the metro car onto the platform, I heard something fall from my bag. Strange, I thought to myself (hence the italics) when I saw my Bolshoi ID card on the ground. And I picked it up, going quasi-merrily on my way. Only once I had settled into class, tired and getting frustrated that I couldn't remember the Russian word for curtains (a. it's шторы and b. this is totally a relevant word in my life, given the asiatic language that is printed all over mine) did I reach for my dictionary. Otherwise known as the iPhone. Only to realize why I had heard my ID card fall to the floor. Someone had stolen my child. Along with it's Russian stepsister---I purchased her for about $10 when I was in Moscow 2 years ago.

I have known loss before.

But in that moment, any previously mentioned glow was eliminated. And replaced with flames of rage and disdain for my new big-city home. My poor Russian teacher...she kindly suggested I should relax and go to a museum I had once mentioned in passing. Not really my method for coping with frustration. I decided instead to take my anger out on genitive case studies. Not to be confused with gender case studies.

Phone-less. iPhone-less. Internet-less (this was the week that it would not be functioning at home ALL week). Tired. Cold. Hungry. Homeless. Bereft. Forlorn. Alright...definitely being over-dramatic. First-world problems, I know. Here's the thing: you take my technology, you take away the half of my life that exists somewhere on the other side of the world. And while I am well aware that that life goes on without me, I need to witness it. Because it's still mine. However far away I may be.

Benefit of technological isolation? Adequate time for reflection. Moscow, meet AMBIVALENCE. Do I have mixed feelings about living here? Check. Love/Hate relationship with the language, city, etc.? Check. And might some of this fluctuation and uncertainty be owed to my inability to make a decision? BINGO!

I realized that while I'm living in Moscow, I've actually been putting life on hold. I've gotten into the habit of not really settling in...this could stem from last season's "A Move a Month" game. And since I haven't decided what's next, it seemed impossible to decide what's now. No more!

The iPhone may be gone, but I'm sending ambivalence right along with it. I don't expect mixed emotions to vanish immediately, but that won't be due to my indecisiveness any longer. While I don't believe in buying happiness (at least not entirely), I did purchase a few items today to reconstruct the version of life that makes me feel at home. Most who know me will recognize the joy invoked by...

...a juice extractor!!! That's right people. I'll be drinking pure, unadulterated green goodness. Or red, given the abundance of beets...

Also purchased today, this yoga mat. I seriously regret looking it up online, as I now know what I should have to pay for it in normal life. But this is Moscow. So I'll simply swallow and make certain that I get enough downward dog action to make it not seem quite so exorbitant.

And, after avoiding opening them all week, thinking that it was best to save them for a truly rainy day, I indulged in these as a celebration of my new purchases, my new attitude, and life in general. PB: Pure. Bliss.

San Francisco Soundtrack

You may think you know San Francisco. Or have at least experienced it. But until you have seen the following video, I would venture to say...you are wrong.

You're welcome. This treasure quickly became the theme song for my few glorious days stateside (I can't leave the Russian behind!), as the two opera singers I was traveling/performing with would spontaneously break out the chorus at least 4 times a day. Often accompanied with an impromptu dance routine. The talent of my colleagues never ceases to amaze me. "Это Сан-Франциско - город в стиле диско..."

The last-minute nature of this trip/concert, and the fact that it was on the other side of the world, made my life feel slightly glamorous. For about two seconds. What was not glamorous? The fact that I did not have a passport in my possession and had NOT had one for SIX weeks, when I agreed to go. Talk about a leap of faith my friends. My university was extending my visa...and simultaneously taking a year off of my life...and claimed it wasn't ready. They still claimed this on Monday morning when I was in their office begging them to help me leave the country. After informing me that they did not have my passport, the coordinator was good enough to look through her database (aka notebook) and locate my record. She couldn't find it...I have a complicated name over here as it turns out...but I saw it on her list. Crossed off. Claiming that my passport had already been returned. Needless to say, we broke out the binder of all the passports she had gotten back and fished through the American ones. She opened each one to check the picture, and every time she did I had a mini heart attack. Not mine. Not mine. NOT MINE!!! Until the last one rolled around. I have never been so happy to see my face staring back at me.

Also not glamorous? Almost missing me flight on Tuesday morning due to the obscene Moscow traffic. I don't want to talk about it.

What was absolutely glorious:

Making calls from a fully functional cell phone.

Staying in the gorgeous Fairmont hotel.

The view from my room:

Catching up with friends. In person!

An early morning run, complete with sunrise, stunning weather, bay and bridge.

Representing Russia. And America. And myself.

Food!!! Burgers, Deep-fried French toast, eggs benedict, SALAD!, and a Ghirardelli's sundae, of course. The only food I will knock is the Thai which gave me food poisoning and kept me in bed and delirious the entire day of our concert.

Amazing. Colleagues. Almost everything that made this trip unforgettable is owed to them!

Last, but not least, the haul of American goodness back to Russia! Reese's PB cups, beef jerky, canned pumpkin for Thanksgiving feasting, choc chips...I have a handful of things I'm already wishing I'd picked up, but unfortunately my only grocery shopping opportunity fell on the day of disease and delirium. So if you're headed this way, I'm happy to pass on a list!

All in all, this rendition of San Francisco was a success. After performing in the National Archives and now SF City Hall, I can safely say I've had enough of domed acoustics, but I was happy to pass a few days in America, albeit mostly in Russian!

Это Сан-Франциско...

An Expat Vacation

On occasion it happens that you get a call from your company. Asking if you would like to fly to San Francisco (Translate: AMERICA!) for a few days to play a concert. And on occasion it happens that you ECSTATICALLY agree. And head to the airport less that 48 hours later.

Here's to light packing for an international flight, unexpected access to chocolate chips and Thanksgiving feast supplies, and hunting down a piano in San Fran ASAP. This girl's got to learn some music.

I'll send you all a postcard!

Xoxo,

SR

Home Is Where the Suitcase Is

After giving someone directions, providing restaurant recommendations, and acting as a self-proclaimed tour guide for the Bolshoi Theater (the tourists were happy to get in the doors so mis-information and little historical expertise was irrelevant), it's official: I'm home. And I have to say, settling in for an extended stay has its benefits.

Said benefits?

I live in a forest. Quite literally. This provides some beautiful scenery, fresh air, and a good laugh now and again. Because I live in Moscow. In a forest.

Check out my backyard.

In case you couldn't see the forest through the trees, here's my front yard.

And driveway. More appropriately dubbed a walkway for my purposes.

As for the apartment itself, I like to refer to it as my cabin. Because when you can't get enough of the woods outdoors, you might as well bring them inside.

Indoor highlights include my spacious shower. Every day in here is a bit of an adventure, given the handheld shower nozzle. I can multi-task, but in the past I haven't been able to effectively employ that skill when washing my hair. Or needed to. But thank goodness for a challenge!

Another highlight? The mocking curtains at the foot of my bed. "You think Russian's hard??? Just try translating THIS when you wake up first thing in the morning!" Nothing like a slap of humility to start off the day.

Last, but definitely not least, I would like to introduce you to my second door, which deceptively looks very much like a window. Those of you who recall my first incidence of imprisonment have been, I'm sure, waiting with baited breath to know if there was a resolution to the 2nd Cold War: Stephanie vs. Russian Locks.

10 days, my friends. 10 days. From first report to repair, this was a lengthier battle than I would have liked. I climbed out AND in of said window in pencil skirt and heels on more than one occasion, no small feat given the height of the window and relative instability of the small ledge on the way out. (The lock ceased to function from the exterior as well). I originally started keeping tally of my window exits, but abandoned doing so when it became an embarrassingly large number. Clearly the lock was winning. The day they decided to fix it? Also the day I had to move apartments. So who really won here? I'll let you decide.

I, personally, refuse to consider myself ousted by a lock.