1 week down!

I can't believe that this time last week, I was in Red square straining to keep my eyes open. While I thought Russia was awesome. I kept asking myself why I was here in Russia, what on earth possessed me to come half way around the world. And in just a week, my whole perspective has changed.

Now I feel like I have lived here forever, this feels like home. Now don't get me wrong I do still miss my family and friends back home, and water! I miss my bed and normal food. But everything here is great and a new experience.

Now this week, the only way we have been culturized to Russian culture is by the food. Everyday a new thing, while it is different it is also very good. Also they feed you a ton at meals. Also school food is gross in America, while in Russia, it is pretty good. Some of it is weird but it's good.

Now as far as lesson planning and teaching goes. It is extremely exhausting! But it will all be worth it in the end, my kids are soo cute and smart, but full of energy just as every kid is. I think it will be a great learning experience for me to learn how to teach these russian kids english.

I truly am having a good time, and I could not ask for a better group. We have soo much fun together. Even when the tiny elevator opens instead of the big one and we all squish in just for the fun of it!

Making it to Russia

It all began at 6:30 a.m. when I arrived to the salt lake city airport. I checked in my luggage, went through security and waited. Then finally we boarded the crowded plane and was scheduled to depart at 8:35 but people were still getting seated, and then our plane had to be de-iced. It was cool to watch! Then finally it was time to take off to New York. we got there about 4 hours later, That flight was not bad. then when we landed we had an hour layover, we had to go a long way through this airport to our next gate, my arms were tired and numb by the time we got there and then almost immediately we began boarding for our next flight. That plane was less crowded, but holy cow it was a long flight. I had a window seat and both flights. I couldn't sleep so occasionally I would open the window "blinds" and look out. Every time I looked out there was a light and I could not figure out what it was. then the girl next to me, Tianna woke up and I showed her, and she didn't know either. I said it doesn't really look like the sun or the moon, then we decided it was a giant night light. then we noticed a red flashing light coming from like above. Then Tianna made the connection and the mysterious light was on the wing on the plane. We thought it was hillarious! Then the rest of the flight was long and uneventful.

We arrived in Moscow at 10 am on friday. We took a taxi bus to our host families. I live right next to my head teacher and her husband. My host family is way nice the mom and dad were there to greet me as well as Masha their daughter who is 21, just like me. But Masha is the only one living here. The rest of the family lives in a country home. holy cow it is cold here! Yesterday they said it was a warm day. That means I'm in big trouble because I thought it was cold! Anyway I have been a lot of places in these past 2 days here in Russia, and I am way tired, and I'm still dizzy from the plane ride, yikes! but it's fun here so far!

It's coming!

My departure to the land of Moscow Russia is quickly approaching!!! Ahhh!!! My mind is going a million miles an hour trying to think of and remember all the things I need to take to Russia! It will be good though. I'm sure I will love it once I get past the first few days. I am to start my journey at 10:38 a.m. on Thursday January 28, 2010 when I will fly from salt lake city to Chicago. Then I will board another plane taking me to Dusseldorf, Germany. Then onto a 3rd and final plane to Moscow Russia. I will arrive there on January 29, 2010 at approximately 8:30 a.m. Then will begin my adventure.

Now if I can just stop those dreams of forgetting something or missing my fllight that would be just great! If not it's ok! Things will be good!

Once upon a time...

there was a girl who decided to go to Moscow Russia with ILP. Supposedly her adventure was to begin on Janary 29th 2010. Now after calculating this, this means this was to begin in just 18 days! That's right 18 days! But.... there was one dilemma, the program had not purchased the tickets to go to Russia yet! Did they not realize I was to quit my life in just 18 days and not even have a seat on a plane to Russia! It sort of stressed her out. She had waited patiently daily!!

Then it dawned on her that her fellow classmates were beginning a new semester, and you may think that watching boys meet world all day sounds a lot better than going to college!! But actually it's not! There is no feeling of accomplishment, no meaning to life. Why am I not joining my classmates at school today! I belong there! I don't want to go to Russia anymore! The thought makes me nervous, and stressed especially since currently I don't even have a way to Russia!!!

Ok, I feel better now, I just had to get that out, but I still miss school, even though I thought I would never say it.

2009... a year in review!

Well, 2009 has come and gone. Quickly too I might add so right now is as good as any to reflect upon this year and think about what has happened and what I have accomplished in this year of 2009. So here goes it

JANUARY

• I started my 4th semester of college
• Barrack Obama became president
• spent an hour one day trying to get my car door to shut after I opened it

FEBRUARY

• The Steelers won the superbowl (not that I really care)
• I participated in a spelling Bee on campus (I didn't win)
• my sister had jaw surgery
• I built mouses out of owl pellets in my living with wildlife class
• I went to a meeting about ILP, which first started my thoughts of going to Ukraine
• I went to my 1st and only USU hockey game, it was against the "U" and we creamed them

MARCH

• had spring break
• went to the draper temple open house
• saw a play musical spoof on high school musical in salt lake
• it was my parents 30th anniversary
• cleaned the sink at Angie's with my living with wildlife professor and some kids in my class
• trained for self-checkout at Maceys
• Attended hunters safety
• Attended draper temple dedication via satellite

APRIL

• I finished my CIL's
• my little brother got in a car accident but was fine

MAY

• Finished the semester of school
• Moved out of old farm D1 and into Old Farm O3
• got a raise at work
• went to Johnny's farewell and he left on his mission
• Took sign language online
• I became FHE coordinator for the summer
• went to CJ's farewell

JUNE

• locked myself out of my apartment
• CJ left on his mission
• went to Jackson Hole with the fam
• Troy got his mission call to the Phillipines
• Michael Jackson died
• I broke my camera

JULY

• Brooke and Jennie got their mission calls
• I met Elder Perry at Macey's
• went to the Oquirrh Mountain temple open house
• went to the midnight showing of Harry Potter 6
• got a new phone
• got family pictures
• applied to the ILP program
• got accepted into the ELED program

AUGUST

• Stayed up for over 24 hours the first time ever
• moved home for a few days only to
• move into continental
• attended the oquirrh mountain temple dedication via sattellite
• started my 3rd year 5th semester of college
• helped catch a moth in the middle of the night

SEPTEMBER

• bought a new laptop
• Troy left on his mission
• Jennie left on her mission
• Brooke left on her mission
• had the first snowfall of the season

OCTOBER

• got deathly sick for like a week
• Grant got home from his mission
• was a gangster for halloween

NOVEMBER

• blew out 2 tires on my car by hitting a curb
• turned 21
• Noah Joseph Jasperson was born
• kasi porter got married
• found out I was going to Russia instead of Ukraine

DECEMBER

• finished out the semester at college
• moved back home
• Maddie came home from China
• had my ILP training
• started working at the clearfield maceys
• enjoyed christmas with my family and talked to Troy

Anyway so how do I remember all of that, actually most of it I didn't but luckily I write in my journal often so I could remember

And why did I spend soo much time writing this post? Mainly because I'm bored

well now it's time to see what 2010 will bring us. Happy New Year

I've waited my whole life and finally I've found....

...my prince charming! yes, that is right, this christmas Santa finally brought me what every girl dreams of there whole entire life, and I woke up only to find my prince charming waiting for me. One could only imagine the excitement and joy to find that their quest to find their prince charming had finally been put to an end, now I must admit my prince charming did not look much like a prince at first, he was actually disguised as a.....

Frog

But the best part was that (now I know what you are thinking but it did not happen) I did not have to lose my VL. That is right I did not even have to kiss a frog for him to become a prince. However, I did have to put in effort for his transition into a prince. I had to add a bit of water, and then patiently wait for 72 hours, for him to be a full grown

prince

So I know that you can't tell how handsome this prince is from the picture, but that might be partly because he is not fully grown, he still has another 17 hourss until it has been the full 72 hours, but the point is, my prince charming is finally here!

I'm a survivor!

That's right! I did it! I lived through the fall 2009 semester at Utah State University! I also did pretty well... I think! I only have 2 known grades which are A-'s! Woohoo! Now the rest of my grades I will wait... and wait... and wait.... patiently for the results. Anyway I was proud of myself for making it through this semester! At times it was a real challenge! No worries though I came out of this semester being able to:
give first aid
be a pro at editing papers and any grammar important things
teach children physical education
teach children music
guide children
and tell some great stories!
or at least those were the things I was supposed to learn.

Now... I will not have to endure another painful final week for a whole year being as I will not be attending school next semester and opting for a crazy excursion to Russia! It will be soo fun to go teach english to children!! but... no worries Utah State and Logan, I will make an appearance once more in August to finish up my last 3 semesters of college! I feel some exciting things coming up in my life and I feel so relieved right now as well!