Of Letters and Concerts

I decided I had better try and update before a week has gone by again. I took me forever to do that last update!

First off I want to thank my wonderful friends and family. I have recived several pieces of mail the last couple of days and it has been so exciting! I recived a really sweet letter from Leah yesterday (mailed the day I left) and then today Irina brought me a letter from the Duffey's and then a letter from Mum which also included some really sweet notes from the Ack family. Thank you guys so much! It really brightened my day. Oh, and tell Nathan no worries, I tried it once and didn't really like it. And tell Matthew I haven't even seen caviar once, I'm doing my best to stay away from it. Hugs to you all.

Okay, lets see, today is Tuesday and I updated last on Monday right?
Well Monday night we went out to a traditional Ukranie restaurant. I must say, I wish I hadn't. Russian restaurants do not seem to know how to handle large crowds, our food took two hours to come, no ones food came at the same time, and it was expensive. Lets us just say only a few people came away from that meal actually happy.

Tuesday morning was class. It was the day for our presentations, so that means I gave mine on Annie Leibovitz. I wish I'd had a few more pictures, especially the ones for Sarejavo, but oh well. I still think it went really well. Then, because that was the night for the concert, I came back after lunch did some e-mail and laundry and then took a nap. Which was a good thing because I was tired!

We left here for the concert at 6 and made it down to the arena a bit before 7:30. Russia is very different concert wise. The doors to let people into the arena didn't even open until half an hour before the show stared. (Unlike places such as Phillips Arena when they would have opened two hours early). Plus, people didn't really show up until 8:30. One good thing though, the opening band started at exactly 8pm and Evanesance came out at exactly 9pm. Yay for good timing!

The group of April, Stephanie, Justin, myself and one of the tutors (Masha) had some really good seats. Not the best, but we were looking right at the stage.

The opening band was good, they were a Russian band that had a bit of a sound like Evanesance. I would have liked one of their CDs, but I don't know the name of the band or if they were selling their music at the arena. They finished playing at 8:30 and then they cleared the stage for Evanesance. At 9 they came out!!! The concert was amazing. They played several of my favorite songs, which was awesome. They played a lot from the second CD that I don't really know as well, so that was a bummer. But hey, it was still great music! April and I are huge fans so all the songs from the first album that the sang, we also sang. And of course would scream at each other whenever they played something we knew really well.

Amy Lee, the lead singer, said that we were one of the best crowds on the tour so far. And they'd already been a lot of places!! This was also their very first time in Russia!
Here is us after the concert... with the t-shirts we bought. Stephanie is pointing to the St. Pete tour on the back of the shirt (how awesome is it that I saw them in Russia during their European tour??)


Jeff told me I didn't have to go on the all night field trip last night so I didn't have to miss the end of the concert. Yay! But I still have to make it up, so some of us are going to try and go out on Saturday because Sunday is a free day and we can sleep in.

Today Stephanie and I went to a little souvenir market outside of Spilt Blood. I bought a several little items and I think I'm close to being done with my souvie shopping!

Tonight, a group of us are all going to Banya, a bit like sauna, except Russian style. The only bummer is we are going from 11pm to 1am and I have class in the morning. I'm not sure why Irina scheduled us for them, but I think we have the whole place to ourselves.

Love to all..