Hot & Cold

So this past weekend was really, really fun! We went to the circus that was visiting from Moscow, we went to a nice mall that some super rich guy decided to build just because he could, and we went to banya (it’s a Russian sauna).

So the circus was pretty cool. There was this ridiculously human like bear that did some crazy stuff, a leopard, some horses with their stuntmen, and some too flexible/strong people. There were also clowns that did some juggling and Philip could definitely do all the juggling they did, so if nothing else works out, Philip can be a circus clown. Comforting thought.

Oilianna, Philip, & I at the circus

So the mall we went to this time was also ridiculously nice. It was 6 stories tall, 2 floors of parking garages and 4 stories of stores. It had some really cool fountains and elevators. There were several couples taking pictures at the mall who had just gotten married. The mall had a nice food court with Baskin Robbins, Sbarro, and Subway. Philip and I ate at this crepe place that they had and it was divine. So very yummy. We went into a lot of the stores to look around. It was interesting to see the fashions and to see what was more expensive/less expensive/similar prices to what it is in America. They have super cute beanies and scarves that were really inexpensive compared to in the U.S. and American movies were really cheap too. Prince of Persia was being sold for the equivalent of $4 and Despicable Me was being sold for the equivalent of $6. I guess that Disney is just happy that anyone in Russia would buy the movies, so they sell them for super cheap. I wish I could find movies for those prices in the U.S.! The mall was neat to visit, and is probably the nicest mall I have ever seen.

Us at the mall

So the banya. This was definitely the best part of the whole weekend and also the most cool and most fun thing we have done since being in Russia. It was definitely a unique experience and one we would never have in the U.S. So in Russia going to the banya is a super common and super popular thing. The banya is basically an extremely humid sauna. So there is this really rich business man (he has the contract for building Hilton hotels in Russia) that takes English classes from the coordinator of the school here in Voronezh, and he loves Americans. So he invited all of us teachers with ILP to go to a private banya with him and his wife. We were all kind of if-y about the idea at first, but we all ended up going and thank heavens we did! So Philip and I, along with 2 other ILP teachers, drove to the banya with a friend of the rich guy’s in a 4-wheel drive car. It was freezing cold outside because there was a strong wind coming from the north and it was snowing a lot as well. To make a long story short, we ended up driving on this super snowy road and towing 2 different cars who had been stuck before getting stuck ourselves. The driver got a little over zealous and tried to drive through snow that was as high as the bumpers of the car. Not such a great idea. And the other 4 wheel drive vehicle that was driving with us was stuck too. So we sat in the car for an hour and a half waiting for help. A tractor with a plow finally did come and save us. The first time the tractor hooked up to our car the tow line broke. So the boys got out to help and to decrease the weight inside the car and let me tell you, they looked so cold standing outside. The wind and snow was swirling all around them and they were standing in some deep snow too. I was happy to stay inside the warm car. Another one of those times that I was so grateful to be a girl. =) So after being stuck in the snow for so long we were not sure if we would still go to the banya because we would be getting there 2 hours later than planned and because the road we would drive on to get there would be snow covered and un-drive-able again within 20 minutes. Well we ended up finding out that there was another road we could leave the banya from that stayed well plowed so we still ended up going. Oh, and I should mention that the only reason I know that all of this is what was going on is because Philip translated for us. Oh, and at one point when the driver guy got out of the car to hook up a tow rope Philip told us the following conversation occurred (shortened version): Philip says, “I speak Russian because I used to be a missionary.” Driver guy says, “Huh, I used to be a sniper.” HAHAHA hilarious. Oh Russia. (Hopefully I will have pictures of the snow to put up soon. It was CRAZY!!!!!!)

So we finally did get to the banya and we hurried inside because it was freezing outside. The building was kind of like a little cabin but it had a sauna room with a waiting area and a shower attached to it. So the banya is supposed to happen as follows: you are supposed to go into the sauna for like 10 minutes and begin heating your body up, then you go out for a little while, then you go back in for 10 minutes, then you leave again, then you go back in again and when you leave that time you can go rub snow all over your body or for the brave/insane you can get into a river that is iced over, then you go back in and warm up again. When you are in the sauna they have these leaf bunches that they beat you with to heat up your body even more. Those leafs get really, really hot. To the point that you almost feel like you are getting burned when they hit you. I know that sounds a little violent, but it doesn’t hurt, it actually feels quite nice. They also give you “robes” (which are really like sheets) to wear when you have boys and girls together because Russians don’t wear much when they go to the banya if they even wear anything at all. All of us just wore swim suits.

So now to our banya experience. Oh, it was fun. So when we first stepped into the sauna, the heat was very overwhelming. The air was so thick. You have to immediately adjust your breathing and just convince yourself that you are indeed getting enough oxygen. So at first we all went in together. There were 9 of us there. The rich guy and his wife, Philip and I, and the other 5 ILP teachers (Linsey, Dawn, Amy, Jasmyn, and Nicholas). We all sat there for a while and then when it got a little overwhelming we stepped out to enjoy some herbal tea (to help heat our insides) and snack food Russians eat with tea. After a little while of this, us girls went back in without the boys to lay out and get beaten with the leaves. When we were in there the woman (the rich guys wife whose name I can’t remember) put some mint extract in the water that she poured on the rocks. It was amazing. It cleared our sinus passageways right up and the air was so thick that it almost felt like we were chewing gum. It was cool. So after we were in there for a little bit we went out and ran in the snow and then came back in for a minute. Then the boys kicked us out. We weren’t sure why at first, but later we found out that it was because the rich guy was naked under his wrap. Anyways, us girls were eating snacks in the kitchen when Philip and the rich guy ran by in their wraps and said that they were going to go get in the frozen river. So we all follow them with cameras because they are going to get in a frozen river and so of course we want pictures. Well the river is down this bank that has a flight of stairs going down. So Philip and the rich guy are at the river standing on the ice and the rich guy is using a shovel to break the ice so they can climb down the ladder and get in and all us girls are standing at the top of the bank watching. Then Philip sees us with our cameras and yells at us to put the cameras away and we probably want to look away and as we are all wondering why the rich guy rips of his wrap and our naked Russian count became 1. At least we looked away before he turned around… And then we left because we realized that Philip was probably naked under his wrap too. Which he was. So Philip skinny dipped in a frozen river. Once in a lifetime thing.

So after the boys warmed back up in the sauna us girls were able to finally go back in. So Linsey had decided before we even came that she was going to get in the river. I wasn’t sure, but then after Philip did it I decided that I would do it too. So before you go in the river you have to go in and out of the sauna at least 3 times and be beaten with the leaves a lot to raise your body temperature a lot to the point where you feel the hottest you ever have before in your life. So this is what Linsey and I did (but unlike Philip, we stay clothed) and then we ran for the river. The first time went everyone from our group came to watch with cameras ready. Philip was going to record it on our camera, but he for some reason couldn’t figure out how to so he didn’t. And unbelievably he didn’t really get any pictures of it either…. But some other people did. So Linsey got in the river first and I could just see by the look on her face how cold it must be. After going under 2 times she got out and it was my turn. I didn’t even think about what I was doing or I probably wouldn’t have done it. I just climbed down the ladder and got right in. It didn’t really feel that cold on my skin, but it felt like I couldn’t breathe. I knew I had to breathing though so I just breathed deep and went under three times. After I got out Linsey and I mad dashed it to the cabin. By the time we got there our wraps were frozen stiff and our swimsuits were frozen on our bodies too. It was so much colder after getting out of the river than it was in the river. All within 5 minutes I was the hottest and the coldest I have ever been in my entire life. Crazy. So then Linsey and I sat in the sauna for a while and warmed up. Then Linsey says, “That was so fun, I would do that again. Let’s do it again!” So we started the whole process over and did it again! I figured that for sure Philip would get it on film the second time because I had showed him how to. So Philip started filming it and then as we are running down the stairs I hear him yell, “Insufficient battery?!?!” I know this not having it on film just sounds like excuses, but it really is what happened! Oh, but the next morning I wanted to take a picture of the cat Garfield and I turned on the camera and it said that it had full battery. Anger, grrrrr.Here is some picture proof that I really did do it, and I should have some better ones to put up soon (I might add that the only proof that Philip did it is his word…. Should we believe him? Who knows…….):

Getting out

Right when I got in before I went under, yeah my hair is crazy

So this weekend was a lot of fun!!!

From Russia With Love,

Jenepher & Philip