We are still trying to get used to the cultural differences we find here in Russia. Those that we associate with on a regular basis and in other social settings (English Club), we find to be just like anyone else. One English club member has visited the US on a couple of occasions (she is an English teacher) and commented on a grocery clerk who greeted her with friendly conversation (How are you, nice day isn't it, etc.). She was shocked. You pay for your phone either at a machine like an atm or in person behind a desk. This morning I paid a clerk at a desk and she never looked at me. Judy went with a member to a warehouse type store where we could get peanut butter this morning and a fork lift operator told them to get out of his way (the peanut butter was where he needed to be).
On the street and in the stores it reminds you of driving a car where your personality changes as soon as you get behind the wheel. No more mister nice guy. To say there is no common courtesy is an understatement. There are no smiles on the street except those who may be having a conversation together. No one says hello, excuse me, or thank you. If you are obviously going to use a scale, if you don't act fast someone will come up behind you and put their stuff on first. If you don't move quickly enough, someone will speed ahead and jump in line in front of you. "You snooze you lose." There is a lot of pushing through in the grocery aisles. In reality, that is the way things are here and no one is trying to offend and no one takes offense (except us dumb Americans). That is just the culture.
Our Anastasia had a friend from Veronezh come to stay with her for a few days. They called Tuesday and asked if they could come and do some cooking in our kitchen. They wanted to cook a dish for English club that night. It was a fried pastry filled with a potato filling. I don't know what the potato's had in them, it looks like milk, butter and seasoning. They used quite a bit of oil in the process too. Above are the potato's before mashing.
Here is the raised dough before being stretched into shape. Natasha did most of the cooking. What a sweet young lady. She and her mother are the members in their family. Our little branch has about 5 YSA sisters who are just wonderful. Anastasia graduates from university in June and wants to serve a mission but not sure her mother will support her.
The potato is put on the dough and then it is squeezed shut and then fried. YUM!
Here is the finished poduct.
On Wednesday we got another call, and they came over and Natasha made crepes. We took the first creation to English club and today's was taken to family Home Evening. It was quite a night at family home evening. We had two investigators and 18 members in attendance. We had a spiritual thought and played a game following some socializing and some ping pong.
Here Natasha is almost ready to turn the crepe. She would not let us watch her turn them.
Here we are socializing in this weeks Family home evening. Our two new member sisters are standing next to Sister Hoagland.
Sergies, our branch first counselor, is making an investigator have a hearty laugh. We are having an Easter party Saturday evening (Easter is one week later in Russia this year) and we just finished hard boiling 100 eggs. We hope the coloring works out. They do it different here as they do not have vinegar here.
Took this picture from our apartment window. A sign of spring, as the babushkas are able to sit outside and talk. Isn't this how you picture Russian rural life?
Our last district meeting with Elder's Kvasnitsky and Anisaforov. Elder Anisaforov is headed for Kazakhstan and Elder Kvasnitsky is headed for the farthest north city in the mission, Yarolslavl. We will most likely not see Elder Anisaforov again as Kazakhstan will be in a different mission in July.
We took this picture a couple of weeks ago, when we saw the first signs of spring. The bulbs are just starting to come out. The picture below was taken the next day. There is still snow on the ground but the street is ice and snow free. I am not sure I like the road snow and ice free.
I don't know why this is underlined, but I see no where to change it. Two weeks ago at family home evening we had only three people come besides two elders and ourselves. Two young men both the name Roma came for the first time to our building and Sister Hoagland and I talked with them for quite awhile. They were a lot of fun.
Elder Stegeby is having a piano lesson with his investagator. He and his girlfriend went on the baptismal trip last weekend.
This Roma is watching Elder Harris play ping pong the other Roma.
Roma is a big soccer fan. His favorite team is Barcelona, Spain. Someone gave him this shirt. He is a university graduate and works in sales.
Our second to the last district meeting with this group of Elders.
Another sign of spring is the tree that has turned yellow. This was that last day of ice on the playground.
The green and blue house is where the babushka's were talking. Two yards away, in the middle of some much older places is a pretty new "Business Hotel." Access is through electronically controlled gates so I guess you have to let them know you are there. 
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