As The East Is From The West

As The East Is From The West http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html The day before Christmas, in Izhevsk Trainmates This group of elementary schoolers was on their way back from a holiday trip to Moscow http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#0 3521e192-3535-4571-b1ba-80b69244ec59 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0322/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0322/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Trainmates<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">This group of elementary schoolers was on their way back from a holiday trip to Moscow</p></div></div> Izhevsk It was somewhere between -15 and -20 C this morning, but with the sunlight it was just beautiful http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#1 6c4e3f32-7957-4997-abeb-e8dee00fd8b2 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0324/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0324/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Izhevsk<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">It was somewhere between -15 and -20 C this morning, but with the sunlight it was just beautiful</p></div></div> Tram http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#2 fad96010-a2e7-407e-befa-51709ca16468 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0325_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0325_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Tram</p></div></div> Party setup Our first party was in Hannah’s department with other teachers of professional foreign languages http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#3 46f6a4ba-ae74-4b73-b83d-4e7c9bfc4513 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0328_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0328_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Party setup<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">Our first party was in Hannah’s department with other teachers of professional foreign languages</p></div></div> Predictions It was a New Years, Christmas Eve, Belated Birthday, Driver’s License party. One of the New Years events was to draw from a pile of magazine clippings. http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#4 3a805741-927d-473c-8d06-1cd61e0f4e2c http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0332_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0332_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Predictions<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">It was a New Years, Christmas Eve, Belated Birthday, Driver’s License party. One of the New Years events was to draw from a pile of magazine clippings.</p></div></div> Gorgeous and glossy Hannah’s magazine clipping. These are supposed to predict your coming year, I think. http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#5 760ba6d9-60eb-47d4-8a09-f2b1804fc192 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0337_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0337_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Gorgeous and glossy<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">Hannah’s magazine clipping. These are supposed to predict your coming year, I think.</p></div></div> Napkin toss We were aiming for this cup. I can’t remember why, but it had to do with the New Year. http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#6 d3958e4f-55bd-4c33-b246-c8ce1fc6d116 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0339_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0339_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Napkin toss<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">We were aiming for this cup. I can’t remember why, but it had to do with the New Year.</p></div></div> Decorations http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#7 bca2cf0d-afbc-4034-8c65-bdff08f5aec4 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0352_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0352_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Decorations</p></div></div> Decorations http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#8 5da82ccc-0c78-4bdc-b8ed-7343e5a83df5 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0355_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0355_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Decorations</p></div></div> Cake Cakes here often have a layer of jello on top. I am not sure why. http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#9 434da411-4a29-4c0c-b774-e56c379295fc http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0380_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0380_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Cake<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">Cakes here often have a layer of jello on top. I am not sure why.</p></div></div> Hannah, as Snegorochka Snegorachka is a Santa’s-little-helper character, only technically it would be Grandfather Frost here. http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#10 2e8be9b8-993a-4c5d-8f19-4e623bcb989f http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0384_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0384_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Hannah, as Snegorochka<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">Snegorachka is a Santa’s-little-helper character, only technically it would be Grandfather Frost here.</p></div></div> Party #2 Our second party was in the American Center. We didn’t even have time to sit down and digest in between. http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#11 83b1b743-b21b-4dd5-8cd3-ecab033f6cf1 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0385_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0385_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Party #2<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">Our second party was in the American Center. We didn’t even have time to sit down and digest in between.</p></div></div> Matroshka chocolate http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#12 4595d82c-2041-4310-b2f4-67796583ee9b http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0387_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0387_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Matroshka chocolate</p></div></div> Year of the Bull It’s the year of the bull, so we were given these cut little figurines by one of the students. http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#13 000dfd81-e1a1-4e5b-a06f-48eaff47115e http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0391_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0391_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Year of the Bull<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">It’s the year of the bull, so we were given these cut little figurines by one of the students.</p></div></div> Cake This is the director of the American Center’s favorite cake. http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#14 93fbc5a8-400c-440e-be9a-61c3ef76ef8e http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0392_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0392_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Cake<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">This is the director of the American Center’s favorite cake.</p></div></div> Monk wine Hannah and I gave this to Meredith (the scholar Hannah lived with fall semester) for Christmas. Note that it came equipped with a rosary. http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#15 5d76d2d6-bf34-4bb6-8812-b25af75513f5 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0396_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0396_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Monk wine<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">Hannah and I gave this to Meredith (the scholar Hannah lived with fall semester) for Christmas. Note that it came equipped with a rosary.</p></div></div> Party #3 The Christmas Eve party in Hannah’s dorm http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#16 6499cd7e-1522-4e4b-af1d-815e2f39e229 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0397_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0397_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Hannah and I</p></div></div> Hannah, Meredith, and I http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#18 79e8fca9-bb5c-4080-ab7d-db974bc0d629 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_2419_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_2419_2/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Hannah, Meredith, and I</p></div></div> Christmas Eve party Many of the people on Hannah’s floor are from Germany and Venezuela where Christmas Eve is more of an event than Christmas, so we shared in a family meal. http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#19 225ad93f-6731-498b-87b9-4eda70584e05 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0402/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0402/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Christmas Eve party<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">Many of the people on Hannah’s floor are from Germany and Venezuela where Christmas Eve is more of an event than Christmas, so we shared in a family meal.</p></div></div> Kitchen Most of the people living here probably have no idea how nice their kitchen is. It’s at least four times the size of ours and serves about the same number of people. http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#20 a5afd180-9473-42c1-a5ed-6fef73756f45 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0403/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0403/micro.jpg

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<div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Kitchen<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">Most of the people living here probably have no idea how nice their kitchen is. It’s at least four times the size of ours and serves about the same number of people.</p></div></div> Milk and cookies Hannah getting ready for Santa. http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve.html#21 ea39db58-17b7-4e14-a766-d3b3828fb279 http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0405_2/thumb.jpg http://www.m-y-r-a.com/Photos/Pages/Izhevsk_Christmas_Eve_files/Media/IMG_0405_2/micro.jpg

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