Things we have been up to:

As you are aware, we arrived in Moscow later on Wednesday night than planned. All we did that evening after visiting McDonald's for the WiFi was buy some SIM Cards for phones and snacks from a kiosk for breakfast, and then pass out from exhaustion.

The next morning, Thursday, bright and early at 8am -- except not bright because it doesn't get light out in Moscow in the winter until at least 9:30am or so -- we departed for Yaroslavl, a smaller city about four hours outside of Moscow in the "Golden Ring." We were in the city by noon where we met up with Christy, a Wellesley junior who is spending a year living in Yaroslavl doing the Middlebury program there. We started off right away with a city tour, conducted by our excellent guide who Jess cannot praise highly enough.








After we saw all the major sights of the city, we had free time for the rest of our evening in Yaroslavl. There was showering, resting, eating, and Christy took three of us out with her to meet some of her Russian and British friends. We mostly sat in two different cafes, keeping warm while it snowed heavily outside, but there was also a little dancing at the local club "Joy Party." All and all, a good night out in Yaroslavl.

The next morning, after my brief "alive in Yaroslavl" update, we set off to see the Tolga Nunnery, not that far outside of Yaroslavl. I saw my fair share of churches and monasteries in my time in St. Petersburg last year, but I don't think I saw one as beautiful as the Tolga Nunnery. Maybe it was the fresh, white snow that contributed to it, but it was such a calming, quiet, peaceful place that even I briefly thought about becoming a nun.




After the nunnery, we drove in the bus almost all the way back to Moscow, but we stopped in Sergiev Posad to see the museum of matroshka dolls and traditional Russian toys. We were treated to a master class on how to paint matroshka dolls in the traditional style. Our teacher showed us how to paint flowers with five dots and three brush strokes, and how the matroshka lips are made up of three dots, and how to rub the red paint down to make the most realistic blush for the matroshka's cheeks.

It is said that the matroshka doll takes on the characteristics of the artist who painted her -- can you guess who painted each of these dolls? The answer is below in white text, highlight the area with your mouse to see if you were right!

After all of that, we got back to Moscow by 10pm, when some less-exhausted souls ventured out to the produkti for some groceries while others fell asleep very early.

Next on the agenda for today -- a city tour of Moscow! We finally get to see the place in daylight hours. Then we have free time from this afternoon until our classes start on Monday. More updates on our shenanigans to follow!

-- E.B.

ANSWERS (left to right): Alla L'vovna's friend, Alla L'vovna, Galina, Aisling, E.B., Jess, Emmy