6/13 and 6/14 Pavlovsck! <-- I'm pretty sure I change the spelling of this place every time I write it

An interesting weekend!

I went to Pavlovsck Saturday with Irina and her boyfriend, Gyrag, to celebrate Irina's birthday. IT WAS AMAZING. Honestly, one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. Such condensed beauty had to be appreciated, and I put pictures online of our little trip. So far Gyrag and I haven't really hit it off. I think most of it has to do with the language barrier, but there is just something about him... 

Regardless of what our relationship was like before, this trip mended any strangeness between us. Irina would often leave to go take pictures of ducks, fish, or trees and Gyrag and I would just stand there. He likes to yell English words and then see what my reaction is like. He yelled "BEAUTIFUL MEN RIGHT?!", which I think was his attempt to find out if beautiful was the correct word to use to describe something you liked. I laughed and told him usually men aren't beautiful...they're handsome. He giggled...I giggled. It was a giggly kind of day!

We stayed and walked around for close to 3 hours, and finally made our way back to the train. It was even sunny all day, so i got a bit of a tan...AHA! I finished The New Revelations on the train ride home and felt content getting back to the house.

Then...I got homesick again? Maybe it's seeing Irina and her boyfriend together and so happy, or maybe it's having difficulty communicating with people here, or maybe it's the lack of hugs. This place has the ability to break my heart and then mend it all in the same day. 

I was really wanting to get online Sunday and talk to my family. I just needed to hear their voice via skype or chat with a friend. I got to McDonalds and was harassed by a drunk man for 40 minutes, until he finally left. I had to yell at him, the woman cleaning tables yelled at him multiple times, and a couple of ladies yelled at him. So much yelling at such an early time. The two women even yelled at me for tearing up and told me it wouldn't do anything. Repressed Russia at its finest right there.

Luckily two of my best friends were up late and online. AJ and Tricia...I love you both so much and am so thankful you were there. I was feeling pretty beaten. 

The morning was pretty rough, and eventually got a little better. I talked to my dad later in the day which always helps. I know it's hard for others to understand the emotions a person goes through when they're pretty withdrawn from their home, family, friends, and really anything that was ever familiar. Hopefully as I become more vocal, home will reach out as I am trying to, and things will brighten up here.