Arbitrary Lines

Ecuadorian Census

2010-11-28T21:39:00.000-05:00

Today was the national census and I'll try to post some pics later on today but basically, everyone in Quito had to stay home from 7AM to 5PM for the Census. The streest were completely empty and it was eerily quiet in our neighborhood. All businesses were shut and no domestic flights took off or landed during those times. Here's the Embassy warden message that explains the basics of the Census

Fall update

2010-10-14T13:43:00.002-05:00

Autumn has come to the US but the weather seems about the same here in Quito, although slightly warmer and more sunny of late. October is supposed to be the start of the rainy season but I think climate change has messed with that pattern. We love our house but like most houses here, it doesn't have central heating and is cold on the rainy/cloudy days. So, what have we been up to? We've been

Tanquila Manana

2010-10-01T11:09:00.000-05:00

The buses are running again this morning and life is returning to normal. While we were watching the President being rescued (see previous video posting), the garbage men came by for Thursday pick-up so it seems life is returning to a regular routine. Betty told me things seemed normal this morning but that there were no visible military or police presence on the streets. I skipped my Friday

Rescate Presidente del Ecuador Rafael Correa de la Insurgencia

2010-10-01T10:46:00.000-05:00

Civil Unrest---Police Protests

2010-09-30T22:00:00.000-05:00

Quite a day for Ecuador. I'm watching the President address crowds in the Centro Historico after being rescued from the Police Hospital where he was stuck all day after the police tear gassed him this morning. The police are on strike against a change in the law regarding their salaries and benefits. Ecuador has a national police force and when they go on strike things kinda go to hell. Buses

Police on Strike

2010-09-30T11:34:00.000-05:00

Warden Message – U.S. Embassy, Quito, Ecuador URGENT - Nationwide Police Strike Closes Ecuador Airports, Highways September 30, 2010 The U.S. Embassy in Quito would like to inform U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Ecuador that a large, nationwide strike by all levels of police, including military police, is developing at this time. As a result, airports in Guayaquil, Quito and other major

Rolling! 6/16/2010

2010-09-09T16:22:00.000-05:00

I caught Lillian in slow-mo with my camera-phone demonstrating her new rolling skills. For a while, I would turn my back and she would flip over by the time I turned around. This was the first time on camera--of course, she's dressed in UW gear! June 16, 2010. Here I go! I did it, Mom!

Lillian and Hillary Clinton

2010-09-09T15:56:00.000-05:00

Here's a few pics from the June 8th visit of Secretary Clinton. These are from the Meet 'n Greet that she did with the Embassy staff. Parents weren't allowed for the official picture with her and the children but Lillian's in there if you can find her! Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Hodges Lillian cried through the whole thing. (Our friend Travis is behind Tristan) I got my

Pico y Placa & La Secretaria

2010-06-07T14:13:00.002-05:00

While our family's medical adventures have taken up most of May, there's been other things going on here in our little part of the equator. The most interesting has been the transition to Pico y Placa, also known as Quito's attempt at controlling the increasingly bad traffic. If you've ever spent some time in central London, you will understand the general attempt. The amusement is that this is

Medical May

2010-06-03T14:30:00.005-05:00

It's June 1st and frankly I'm happy to see May in the rear view mirror. It was filled with more trips to the doctor and hospital than I am comfortable with in a year. At the end of April, I signed up the take the hospital tour sponsored by the Health Unit. We saw the two approved hospitals--Hospital de los Valles in Cumbaya and Hospital Metropolitanto in Quito. Both good facilities that I felt

Reaching

2010-06-03T10:04:00.002-05:00

Hacienda near Otavalo.Reaching--April 11, 2010

Lillian update

2010-04-28T07:55:00.026-05:00

We've been back in Quito with Lillian for over two months now. It's nice to be settled in our house but I do admit to missing Seattle. Traveling with a baby is certainly different than just the two of us. The question of where the heck am I going to change her diaper crosses my mind more often than it should. The car seems to be a good, reliable place so far, but I've started not worrying about

First visitors--Mom and Dad come to Ecuador!

2010-04-21T17:12:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been a little while since I've been able to write. A little catch up--my parents came to vist so I've included a few pictures here. Lillian hit a few more milestones and a few roadblocks that I'll write more about later. The house repairs continue but are hopefully tapering off. I've started back with Spanish lessons and the nice thing is my Spanish teacher will come to the house for a

The gardner is crazy

2010-04-08T16:55:00.000-05:00

I'm standing on the balacony. Quite a drop--good thing the neighbors didn't complain.

Easter and Fanesca

2010-03-31T16:09:00.000-05:00

Day One Prep--Peeling and chopping. Our introduction to Ecuadorian cooking continues through our nanny Anita who is a pretty good cook. This week I asked her to make Fanesca which is a Santa Semana or Holy Week tradition. Squash, beans, peas cabbage, salted cod and lots of other ingredients makes up this yummy treat. The twelve beans or grains are supposed to represent the 12 disciples but Anita

Back in the Saddle

2010-03-17T16:06:00.003-05:00

Well, we've been back in Quito for just over three weeks. Sleep deprivation makes cultural adjustment feel more extreme than it probably is. I am spending my days at home with Lillian learning how to manage household staff and remember how to speak Spanish after 10 weeks off. Lillian is doing great--she's only really had one bad night when she woke up every 45 minutes due to altitude adjustment

Embassy Quito Babies

2010-03-13T17:42:00.001-05:00

It's an Embassy Quito tradition to take an annual picture with all the babies born to officers while assigned to Quito. Quito is a medium sized post and as you can see a popular post to have a baby. Lillian is the youngest baby at post and we're standing next to Ambassador Hodges. Miraculously, no one cried during the picture! (click on the images to see larger versions) Lillian slept through

Garden Tour

2010-03-07T17:19:00.000-05:00

We didn't accomplish much on the unpacking but we did take time to smell the roses with Lillian! Tristan shows Lillian the Hibiscus. She doesn't look so interested. Trying to get the fire started for grill night in the lower garden.

Empanadas

2010-03-07T17:11:00.001-05:00

I've been having our afternoon empleada cook since I'm not ready to hand over the baby. She made empanadas the other week. It seems every culture has some kind of version of filling (meat or sweet) wrapped in dough. These were the meat ones which had ground beef, carrots, onions, peppers and raisins on the inside. Not exactly healthy but they were delicious! Here are a few pics! Anita

Lillian is growing fast--1st international trip

2010-03-01T17:22:00.000-05:00

Ready for her first trip to the Embassy--Feb 24 First flight--she did great! She's grown fast--first walk on Greenlake--Jan 5 For comparison--1st trip out. Unfortunately, back to the hospital on 12/26/09

More Lillian pics

2010-01-29T15:24:00.000-05:00

Lillian's already 5 weeks old and gaining weight like a champ! Taking a snooze with Mom We've had lots of visitors. Enjoying some time with Heather MacAleer. Eyes open! Getting to know Grandpa Spiceland And my cousin Yue Zhen all the way from London! Snuggle time with Dad Meeting my NAPAD church family. Dr. and Mrs Yu Reading the Sunday NY Times with Dad. My Mom got this to take her home

Welcome Baby Lillian

2010-01-16T14:32:00.000-05:00

Lillian Mei Spiceland made her appearance a month early on December 21, 2009 at 9:38pm, 5 lbs, 1 oz. Healthy and happy we're home in Seattle catching sleep between feeding and diaper changes. Here's a few photos from the last week or so.

New Quito Pics--Marine ball and more

2009-11-09T17:31:00.002-05:00

Here's a few pics from the past week. We went to the Marine Ball on Saturday to celebrate the 234th Birthday of the Marine Corps. It's an Embassy tradition as the Marines guard the mission and make sure we're safe. I wasn't feeling great as I was starting a bout of South American belly, but we had a good time. Happy Birthday, Marines! Presentation of the cake Presentation of the colors

First thoughts, Ecuador

2009-11-04T16:48:00.000-05:00

Over ten years ago when I was promoting Illinois Programs Abroad in Ecuador, I never thought I would actually live here. I had merely hoped to visit Quito and see what the city had to offer. Back then, it was a great place to send students on study abroad--fairly safe for a major South American city, good language instruction and universities, and a unique city and country that was easy to travel

Quito Market

2009-11-04T13:51:00.012-05:00

One of the great things about travelling is visiting local markets and tasting what is fresh and local. Ecuador is really fascinating because it has three distinct climates and can grow just about all fruits and vegetables. Coastal, mountains and jungle. I've been feasting on fresh tropical fruits and luckily there's a fruit and vegetable market every Friday just across the street from our hotel.

First pics of Quito

2009-11-04T11:23:00.003-05:00

Here's a few pics from our house hunting expeditions in Quito. I think in the end I looked at about 12-15 condos or houses. We're putting in for an inspection on the first house this week so fingers crossed everything continues to moved forward smoothly!http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2504037&id=10734476&l=2c195f8696

Yekat Ice Sculpture Festival--January 2009

2009-10-22T10:40:00.004-05:00

I think I posted these to FB but didn't put them up on the blog. I walked from our apartment up to the main square where the annual Ice Festival was in full swing. It's a Siberian tradition with artists coming from across the region to celebrate the winter. It was -8F and I lasted about 2 hours outside with several layers on to keep me warm. The festival theme was China to honor the Shanghai

Kyrgyzstan 2007

2009-10-22T03:22:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it's already been two years since we took this amazing trip to Kyrgyzstan to visit our FIUTS Friendship Connection, Timur. We are so grateful to Timur and his family for their incredible hospitality. It truly was an amazing trip and they were incredibly gracious hosts. We will remember it as a trip of a lifetime.

Grand Canyon--Home Leave 2009

2009-05-04T18:47:00.002-05:00

Moscow street musicians

2009-03-13T14:19:00.007-05:00

Well, our days are numbered in Russia and we are bidding farewell to friends, colleagues and our home for the past two years. In the coming days, I'll be posting bits and pieces that I have failed to do over the past two years, either due to crappy internet connections or my own laziness.Here's a short video clip from these guys who used to sing in the perehod, underground walkway, near my

New First Family

2009-01-22T16:54:00.004-05:00

A Portrait of ChangeNew York TimesJanuary 21, 2009Nation’s Many Faces in Extended First FamilyBy JODI KANTORPublished: January 21, 2009The new president was sworn in while surrounded by a clan that redrew the image of the first family.

Yekaterinburg Ice Sculpture Festival

2009-01-13T07:24:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day to see the annual Ice Sculpture Festival on the main square. This is one of the best parts about living in Siberia/Urals. I lasted about 2 hours in the cold; it was -7C or 19F. Click on the slide show to see larger versions of the pictures.

Obama Names Disciples of Christ GMP Watkins to lead National Prayer Breakfast!

2009-01-11T12:59:00.002-05:00

I'm so proud of Sharon and the Disciples of Christ and take some pride in being part of the search committee that selected her!U.S. / PoliticsObama Names Minister to Lead Prayer ServiceBy LAURIE GOODSTEINPublished: January 11, 2009Barack Obama has selected the Rev. Sharon E. Watkins to deliver the sermon at the national prayer service that is held the day after the inauguration.Ms. Watkins, the

Happy Holidays

2008-12-27T13:52:00.022-05:00

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! Dear Friends,We’re writing to wish everyone Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Our adventures continue in Russia, struggling to understand the language and culture. We’ve been blessed along the road by meeting interesting people, happiness and continued good health. In lieu of a formal Christmas card, here’s a short update on our lives over the past year…We rang

Opposition in Russia

2008-12-24T01:02:00.001-05:00

Kremlin Rules Russia’s Liberal Opposition Loses Its Voice By CLIFFORD J. LEVY Published: December 24, 2008 Tired of being hounded, a prominent Russian opposition leader decided to accept a job with the Kremlin.

Death of a Patriarch

2008-12-05T15:11:00.003-05:00

Patriarch Aleksy, Russia's equivalent to the pope, died today. I actually got to see him preside over Saturday service during Easter week last year at Christ the Savior. Aleksei has been a pivotal figure in the revival of the church here in Russia which has gone from persecuted relic to a now cozy relationship with the current government. In rural areas, the sense of belief is strong while I

St Petersburg

2008-11-24T00:11:00.004-05:00

My friend Karen had folks from DC in town last May, and I was in Moscow from Yekaterinburg for a Fulbright committee meeting. We went to St. Petersburg over the weekend in late May about a month before the Summer Solstice. The pics in the middle are from our midnight cruise. The light was incredible at 1AM.We also took a fantastic walking tour around St Pete's with Peter's. I highly recommend

More Pelmeni Pictures

2008-11-21T12:18:00.007-05:00

Kseniya teaches Tristan and I how to make homemade pelmeni! Rolling out the dough. Tristan makes Olivie, traditional Russian potato salad.

Election reflections

2008-11-05T19:39:00.002-05:00

The wheels of my plane finally touched down around 11:15PM in Seattle after a weather diversion to Portland and a long flight from Moscow to Atlanta. Despite mix ups at the car rental company and the hotel, I was still really, really happy to be here. Here to experience what it means to be American. Here to vote (or at least drop our ballots off). After watching what really was a fake election in

Pelmeni lessons and fall adventures

2008-10-14T13:38:00.004-05:00

I've been back in Yekat for about a month now. Fall has come and gone in that short time. We made a day trip out to Aleni Ruchi (Deer Stream) Park for a day hike and enjoyed the changing leaves. Life here is very slow and sometimes a bit lonely for me. Most of my days are home alone since there's not a huge community to hang out with. The American Center is closing this week for remodel so I

Leaders in Nonprofits!

2008-09-08T14:30:00.002-05:00

Check this out--my boss just got listed in the top 50 next generation of nonprofit leaders you should know!Congratulations, Laura!Nonprofit Leadership 601

Fast Catch up & a few opinions

2008-09-05T21:40:00.004-05:00

Well, summer is just about gone. Labor Day has past. I've spent a good junk of the summer in the states soaking up time with friends, family and good food. I think I may have finally trained my body to not be overwhelmed by jet lag which is a good accomplishment for this lifestyle.While I missed pretty much all of the Olympics which I used to enjoy with great fascination as a child, I have

Water Woes

2008-06-30T03:39:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting at home hoping that the water will come back on. Water outages are not uncommon here in Russia. It's one of those reminders that while the facade of many things here is of a developed country--Versace, Dolce & Gabana and Nike grace the windows of shops in major Russian cities--the bones are more of a developing nation.In our old apartment building in Moscow, the djshorna (apartment

Tomsk and Yekat!

2008-06-25T13:39:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone!It's been a while since I've posted. Our internet is slow here Yekaterinburg and then Utel did an upgrade which threw the whole thing off. I was blaming my problems on Russian internet connections, but thanks to our neighbor and some testing and head scratching, I finally tried replacing the Ethernet cables on the whole system and that seems to have solved a large part of our

Love Shashlik in the Park!

2008-05-14T11:39:00.005-05:00

YUM!This is the before shot. Ksenia took these with her phone--pretty cool!

Signs of Spring

2008-04-29T11:10:00.006-05:00

Spring is a welcome relief in Russia. The winters, even with global warming, are long, cold and dark, and the first signs of spring brighten even the gruff characters of Russians. The first rumblings for me seem to come around Women's Day or March 8th. Flowers are purchased for the women in your life and those bright bunches are tucked under many a passerby's arm. Spring is also for planting.

Easter Bells in Yekaterinburg

2008-04-27T11:46:00.002-05:00

Happy Easter from Yekaterinburg!

2008-04-27T01:37:00.010-05:00

Today, Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate the coming of Christ. Easter in Russia also means the coming of Spring, a welcome relief from the long winter. As I write this, I'm listening to the Easter bells of the church next to our new home in Yekaterinburg. Poised on the continental divide, Yekaterinburg is in the Ural Oblast or region and is home to former President Yeltsin.We arrived

Obama and the Multiracial debate

2008-03-31T07:31:00.003-05:00

There's an interesting piece in today's New York Times on how Obama's speech in Philadelphia has sparked discussion on multi-racial identity. Being mixed, this is not a new conversation, but one that is now taking center stage in US politics.U.S. / PoliticsWho Are We? New Dialogue on Mixed RaceBy MIREYA NAVARROPublished: March 31, 2008Many multiracial Americans say Barack Obama’s speech about

Trans Siberian

2008-03-22T14:17:00.002-05:00

This video was made by friend's of ours who served in Moscow. Hopefully, we'll find some time to do this in the next year.Happy Spring!

Glad I am a telecommuter!

2008-03-14T14:18:00.001-05:00

I laughed so hard, I cried! Thanks for Mei for the forward!glumbert - Bad Day at the Office

Upcoming Russian Holidays

2008-03-03T05:58:00.001-05:00

Reprinted from Fun Stuff News.International Women’s Day (“Международный женский день,” pronounced “Myezhdoonarodnee zhenskee dyen”) is celebrated on March 8th. Some say that the origins of this holiday can be traced back to the Socialist Party in the United States. At the beginning of the 20th century, socialist in the US were promoting equal rights for women and motivated socialist in other

Does lack of sun put you in danger?

2008-02-14T03:18:00.002-05:00

Here's a funny piece from the Seattle Times. Quite appropriate for those of us living in Moscow. The sun is actually out this morning, and I am enjoying some blue sky while sitting at my desk. We're off to Thailand on Sunday to soak up some vitamins (and maybe some really fantastic food!) Does our lack of sun put your health in danger? The Northwest's dreary winters are infamous for inducing

Voting from Abroad

2008-02-04T13:35:00.001-05:00

Tristan and I filled out our ballots tonight for the Washington State Presidential Primary. Even from far away, we are getting exciting, holding our breath for something different, hoping that a new President will change and influence our reputation abroad. It's an exciting moment. In the Foreign Service Community, we are often quiet about our political viewpoints which is a new position for me.

Thank you, Wallis!

2007-12-27T12:31:00.001-05:00

Thank you, Wallis for the pretty candles!Looks like Wallis is enjoying her stay!Merry Christmas, everyone!!!

And they voted . . . well sort of

2007-12-03T02:02:00.000-05:00

Russia held Duma (like Congressional) elections yesterday. The city seemed quiet when we took an afternoon walk (it was freezing cold) during which I received a text message reminding me to vote "Vazhna dlya strani". It's important for the country. Well, as we all expected, Putin's party came out with a significant majority. Russian friends said they weren't voting when asked because it didn't

New Louisiana Governor

2007-10-22T08:29:00.001-05:00

Well, Fall is here and I am still behind on blogging. Partly because our wireless has been down for months and I used to enjoy drinking coffee, writing and watching CNN in the morning. Now, I am chained to the desk in order to write. My summer truly was wonderful and it's hard to put into words such powerful and amazing experiences.I'm off to Vienna or BEHA as it is written in Russian on

For you K-dawg! The safety of Russian airlines!

2007-09-27T12:49:00.000-05:00

Well, I have received my first official complaint that I am a terrible blogger! I know, it's true!This summer has been crazy--lots of traveling, adjusting and readjusting to life in Moscow and elsewhere. Sooooo, I haven't had the mental space to write like I have wanted. There are lots of drafts in the post section, but not much actually here!Since I have been so absent, here's a funny story from

The struggle continues

2007-09-18T14:07:00.000-05:00

EducationAlabama Plan Brings Out Cry of ResegregationBy SAM DILLONPublished: September 17, 2007After white parents complained about school crowding, authorities drew up a rezoning plan. The results: almost all of the students required to move this fall were black.Full text of article

Summer in the US: Chicago to Texas:

2007-08-24T09:12:00.001-05:00

I love summers! Summers in Seattle are magical and probably one of my favorite things in the entire world. This summer was one of reunions with old friends, General Assembly craziness, and an amazing week in Seattle.Here's the first installment of my pictures. I landed in Chicago on July 10 after a long delay in Atlanta. The flight from Moscow was fine--10 hours of chatting on and off in Russian

A bad Russia day

2007-08-24T07:04:00.000-05:00

Cultural adjustment means there will be good days and bad days. I've been back in Moscow for 2 and a half weeks. This is about the time I usually hit a slump--the realities of life in Moscow hit me, the charm wears off, and no one asks anymore how your trip was. My friend Anita and I were chatting at lunch about Russian service. When we travel outside of Russia, you are shocked when people are

Patriotic Conceptions: Time off to Procreate

2007-08-15T08:33:00.000-05:00

I'm back in Moscow and on the same time clock, finally! I have lots to write about from my trip to the US, but first here's a funny bit from our English language paper. Wednesday, August 15, 2007. Issue 3721. Page 4.Region Aims for Patriotic ConceptionsBy Liza KuznetsovaThe Associated Press The Kartuzovs driving away from the hospital in the SUV they won after being chosen from among 78 other

General Assembly Highlights!

2007-07-23T23:38:00.001-05:00

Putin's Youth Leagues

2007-07-08T06:37:00.000-05:00

Youth Groups Created by Kremlin Serve Putin’s CauseNew York TimesBy STEVEN LEE MYERSPublished: July 8, 2007A youth movement seeks the ideological cultivation, some say indoctrination, of the first generation to come of age in post-Soviet Russia.

Sochi and the New Turkmen Persona

2007-07-05T11:22:00.000-05:00

It's a fascinating time to be in Russia. Sochi just won the bid for Winter Games which baffled many of us. Putin's presentation to the Olympic Committee was the first time I had ever heard him speak English. I do hope this will push Russia to deal with issues of environmental degradation and it's role in the world (maybe it will even improve customer service) as the games approach. There's much

Kyiv, Ukraine

2007-06-30T07:57:00.000-05:00

Ukraine May-June 2007Tristan has been in Kyiv for the past 5 weeks and finally comes back to Moscow just in time for me to leave for the states. I went for the first 2 weeks and really enjoyed Kyiv. It's more European, smaller, and slower paced than Moscow which can feel so big and overwhelming. People were a bit more friendly and patient with my language. It's Moscow-lite. Charming buildings and

Secretary Rice Visit: May 16, 2007

2007-06-30T05:55:00.000-05:00

I'm finally catching up on posting old photos. These are from Secretary Rice's visit in May 2007. Relations between the US and Russia have been difficult in recent times, and she came bearing the message that we are not in a new cold war. While I (Carolyn) don't agree with many foreign policy choices of this administration, my neighbor reminded me that it's important to support strong women. Dr.

Wallis the Kitty

2007-06-17T14:19:00.000-05:00

I'm cat sitting for my friend who is doing language training in Tver. Her cat is really cute.

New Jerusalem Trip & Russia Day

2007-06-14T15:20:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday June 12th, Russia Day is celebrated. Also known as Independence Day, Russian parliament formally declared its sovereignty on this day in 1990. I took a trip to Istra with some folks from the Embassy. Istra is known for the New Jerusalem Monastery, which was founded by Patriarch Nikon in 1656. It was wonderful to be out of the city and enjoy Russia Day festivities. New Jerusalem Trip 12

Wanderlust

2007-06-04T08:38:00.000-05:00

Thanks to FIUTS member Kim Chan for this laugh!

Things that make us chuckle!

2007-05-31T03:21:00.000-05:00

We're in Kyiv, Ukraine for a few weeks. Tristan is on temporary duty for 6 weeks and I am here for 2 to see Kyiv and visit with friends Jennifer and Shawn from Russian language training. You can check out their Blog on life in Kyiv (www.greatdiversions.com). I can't load pictures because I am on a USAID computer, but we've been working on a list of things we find amusing about living in

Asian American Heritage Month

2007-05-24T06:43:00.001-05:00

Thanks to the Asia Society for this:

Line too long, just crack open a beer--a trip to the Kyrgyz Embassy

2007-05-21T14:40:00.000-05:00

Well it's been a busy week. Our HHE or Household Effects arrived and we've been swimming in boxes. Secretary Rice was here (more details and pictures later) with the message that we're not in a new cold war with Russia. And, Tristan and I had a little adventure to the Kyrgyz Embassy.Tristan had an Admin Day to unpack our stuff (which takes forever!). We worked all weekend so we could try to

Take a ride on the Metro

2007-05-14T15:47:00.000-05:00

Watch the last guy get on the train . . . a day in our life!by alexweb on youtube

Thank you Mr. Waterman, I think

2007-05-11T05:55:00.000-05:00

Well, I made it back safely. For the 2 of you who I know pop on regularly to this blog, you know it's been a bit quiet lately as I've been in the states. 3 weeks at home were busy, but fun--thanks to Rachel & Dave, Kevin & Alison, Mom & Dad, one long week at the Radisson Indy, Patti & Lori, Jessica & Laura, Amy, & back to home base at Kevin & Alison's. Phew! I think that was 7 different beds with

Eastern Market Fire

2007-05-04T10:33:00.000-05:00

I am still in the states and return to Moscow on the 9th. I'll be in DC Monday and probably would have stopped by Eastern Market. It's one of my favorite places in the city.To read about the fire: click here.

School visit

2007-04-22T18:49:00.000-05:00

I had the unique opportunity to visit a proper Russian School in the south suburb of Scherbinka with EducationUSA which promotes higher education in the US. I talked (in English) with a high school English class. It was heaps of fun and a great chance to get out of the city. Here are some photos from the visit:Scherbinka School VisitI am in the states for three weeks, but have some postings to

Protests in Moscow

2007-04-15T15:16:00.000-05:00

Saturday was the first large-scale political protests in the city since we arrived. It's a difficult time for Democratic organizers in Russia who face constant oppression from the current government.Here's the NYTimes article from today's paperFormer Chess Champion Is Detained at March in MoscowBy ANDREW E. KRAMER and MICHAEL SCHWIRTZPublished: April 15, 2007Garry Kasparov, the former chess

Easter Vigil

2007-04-11T10:36:00.000-05:00

It was midnight when we finally left our apartment to walk over to Danilovsky Monastery for Easter Vigil service. Fireworks were going off in the distance marking the city's welcome of Easter. The streets were quiet, relatively empty of people which seemed so strange for Moscow.We entered the gates of the Monastery, a 10 minute walk from our house, after passing through a non-working metal

Easter Call

2007-04-11T10:32:00.000-05:00

Faith in the resurrectionmust come from real glimpsesof our abilityto make wholeour suffering world.For the work ofChristian graceand love is now,not just later.Rita Nakashima BrockDisciples Theologian

Something Strange from Armenia

2007-04-11T10:30:00.000-05:00

This Blogger is also Foreign Service. Good to know the strange and absurd is everywhere!Divine Underground

Clean Thursday

2007-04-06T01:11:00.000-05:00

Today is Clean Thursday, a day in the Russian Orthodox tradition where one cleans the house in preparation for the Easter Feast and burns junipur branches to clean out the stuffy winter air from your house. It's also the first day when Kulich(es) appear in the bakeries. A tall pastry much like pannetone, this brioche style bread takes 3-4 days to make and is a treasured Easter treat. I asked my

First Month Pics

2007-04-02T04:57:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures from our first month in Moscow. Enjoy! The weather has been unusually warm and we haven't seen snow since we first arrived.Cheers,CarolynMoscow Arrival March 2007

Democracy & Russia

2007-03-26T07:38:00.000-05:00

NY Times Article: March 26, 2007

Only in Moscow

2007-03-23T08:58:00.000-05:00

Something tragic, absurd, and only found in Moscow.http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=21083The Zoo is just down the road from the US Embassy and we pass it everyday on the way to the Metro.

Racial Tensions

2007-03-21T14:39:00.000-05:00

It doesn’t take long in a new place to figure out the pecking order of life. Here in Russia, there has been well-publicized removals of Georgians just a few months ago portrayed as the result of tensions between the two governments. Many complained that it would be the end of decent food and wine in the city. Moreover, it has ushered in a broader scale Russification of the country where people

Tristan's Thoughts

2007-03-18T12:47:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone. We've been here in Moscow for two weeks now, and I've gotten a little settled. Before coming here, my only experience of the former Soviet Union was Turkmenistan and the other Central Asian countries (except Tajikistan) that I traveled through as a Peace Corps volunteer from 1996-98. It's quite amazing how different Moscow is from those places at that time. For one thing, things

Don’t leave home without your diplomatic potatoes.

2007-03-09T00:05:00.000-05:00

Well, we have arrived safely and with all our maxed out luggage. It’s amazing what you can stuff in 200+ pounds of luggage. Thank god everything has wheels. Our apartment is just south of the Garden Ring which encompasses the inner part of Moscow. At first impression, it’s an amazing city. We haven’t waited longer than 3 minutes for the