Pushkin and Pushkin

So, the other day Karoliina and I decided that we wanted to go the Pushkin museum of fine arts. It houses some of the most famous paintings in the world, such as Degas "Blue Dancers" and Piacasso's Acrabat. So, we left campus, got onto the metro, and off at the right exit. We followed the signs that said Pushkin museum. We found the building went inside, checked our coats and began walking around. At first everything was fine....but then it started to feel wrong. There were no paintings....just books and sketches and manuscripts. Dummies modeling clothing and tables set up with cards and writing stationary. Then it hit us. We were in the wrong museum! We went to the Pushkin Museum...a museum dedicated to life and works of Alexander Pushkin. We felt like such idiots wandering around asking people where the art was. About an hour after we got there we left. We walked for a bit and finally found the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts. Life was much better once we got to the right place, but we thought it was funny story to share. Here's some pictures from the day. The first is inside the Pushkin Museum, the next is the Christ Savior Cathedral and the last is out front of the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts.

Fried Snickers!!!

Yes, the title of my post is completely correct. Last night Jim, Karoliina, Tim, Hilda, Johann, Alex, Lyn, Camillo and I made friend Mars and Snickers bars in one of our kitchens. I think it's the most fun I've had since I've been here. Everyone was just completely oblivious as to how we should make these things. It was an experiment all its own. I'm sure the wine and beer that was drunk didn't help the situation at all. Regardless we had SOOO much fun. We made a HUGE mess and the little babyshka on the floor even came in a couple times and told us to be quiet or open the window because smoke was filling the halls. Snickers of course let to frying other thing...such as grapes (not bad actually), gum (that was Tim's idea and I wouldn't suggest it) and cupcakes (brilliant!! and that was my idea too). It took the 9 of us an hour to clean the kitchen afterwards but it was totally worth it to spend 3 hours with these people being totally stupid but having good and harmless fun in the kitchen. Who knew all you needed to have a good night was candy bars, flour, eggs, milk, oil and a stove? Haha.

Another Day

So, Samantha and I went for a picnic today near the university right by the Moscow River. It was fun. The weather was beautiful and we ate lots of snacks and just talked about what we've been doing and how much we both hate and yet love Denner for sending us here. We're not really sure how we got sucked into this major...it's like Denner just forces you into it while making you think it's your own decsion when really it wasn't. These are the things Sam and I talked about while sitting on the river. A perfect end to the weekend if I say so myself. On the way home I went picture happy with the yellowing leaves. Enjoy the photos. I'll update soon.

Where I Live

So, I don't think most people comprehend how HUGE this building is that I live in. Sometimes I don't even think I know how big it is. At night when I come home and it's all lit up I just stare and I think to myself "Holy crap. This is my house!" So, I decided that I would post some pictures of the outside of MGU so maybe you might have an idea of what I'm surrounded by everyday.

Pictures

So, people have been complaning that I haven't been putting up enough pictures and that the ones I do put up of buildings should have me in them. So, today after class (cause I finished at 12:20 today) Karoliina and I just decided that we didn't want to be inside the campus or anything and so we left. We went to Tverskaiya Ulitsia and just walked around took pictures. We stopped by a coffee house where we were able to pick up a copy of the Moscow Times which is an English newspaper and we had dinner had an Italian resturant on one of the little side streets. Then we walked down to Red Square and took pictures there for awhile and now we're home. The pictures in this post and the post before are from today. Some are from the University Metro station, Pushkin Square, Red Square, St. Basil's, Lennin's Mausoleum, places like that. All in all, it was a great day. Now I'm headed back to my room to do my homework and relax. I've been busy the last couple of days. :) :)

Saturday Night

Saturday night Karoliina, Anders and I went to a club called Propaganda. The night was very interesting. The club itself is actually really nice. It's kind of small which makes the atmosphere really cozy, you're able to actually GET to the bar (which is sometimes nearly impossible in the US) and yet the place was packed. The music was interesting. I'm not use to Techno music and people dancing. The three of us danced all night from like midnight till 4. I met a couple of English guys (one of whom was dancing with me and trying to make out with me without even knowing my name cause he was so drunk). It was actually kind of funny because his other friend was like 'Ok buddy, time to back away and go to the bar.' When the guys first started talking to me they were speaking in Russian and I asked where they came from and they said England (in Russian of course) and I told them I was from America and I don't think they quite understood because the one guy started saying in Russian how he was tired of dealing with Russians and it was nice to meet another foreigner and then I said in English "You know you can speak in English. I will understand, being from America and all" and his eyes just lit up with this "Holy shit another English speaking person." Needless to say the night was interesting. We all danced until 4 and then Anders found the 3 of us a cab and we came back to the university and then I got up early to go to the football game. Life is good in Russia right now.