Bonya II

We went to the Bonya again Sunday for Racheals birthday. Racheal is a past volunteer from Minnesota who is just here visiting friends. She has volunteered twice for a total of two months. Anyway her, Andy and I were the only Americans so this one was a little different. Nadia set it up and coordinated buying all the food, (we grilled out--thanks Ilya)and we were joined by her daughter Liza, her friend Tanya and Tanya's daughter Katya, Dasha (one of our interperters who appears in many previous pictures) and her boyfriend Ilya. It was super. Everyone I have met here has been so nice and friendly and this was no exception. We spent about three hours there and I left feeling very relaxed and ready to take on the week.
But wait...we forgot about the watermelon we carried all the way to Yaroslavl. So suprise...Nadia invited us all over to her apartment ( I say apartment but she owns it) to eat the watermelon. Anytime someone in Russia invites you into their home, or at least this is what I read, it is a real honor. I was honored. The place was fanatastic. Nadia has lived there since she was 12 and she has redone most of it. It was so cool and we had a blast. We laughed, ate watermelon, laughed, sang karoke, laughed, drank tea, laughed.....you get the idea. A great Sunday.
This week is different since it is only Andy , Harry and me. We are doing the deaf Kindergarden every morning and the Shelter and the City Camp in the afternoons. And Friday we get a big treat. It is the first day of school (a big deal in Russia) and Nadia has arranged for us to attend the ceremonies at Liza's school. One of the traditions is that the graduating seniors each take one first formers (graders) and walks them around the school and shows them around. A sort of a passing of the torch. More of the first day of school this weekend.
It is very quite with everyone gone. Like a new trip.
And I finally figured out how to sign my name..until next time
ьорис