Fashion

I used to wear my watch all the time until I got my own cell phone and started working as a barrister (getting my hands wet several times a day)
My cell phone never "stops" and shows the correct time- perfect.
But, I love watch. And I am very picky when it comes to choosing which one to buy. I get confused in what exactly I want: do I want a  classy and expensive one (say, some famous brand) or do I want colorful, cheap but cool one, or do I want some geeky watch or girly and jewelry-like - it drives me crazy and that's why I haven't owned one since 2004.
However, I like to browse internet and choose something that I might like. Like this and this - simple, modern, will go with everything plus have a "zest" about them

Colors

When living in the States, I met a girl who was making jewelry. She is a very talented and creative person and she inspired me to try jewelry making myself.
I am just a novice at it and I feel like I don't have enough imagination or expertise to make something I will instantly love- I always have doubts about my pieces.
I find these earrings to be very inspiring in color and design. They are so modern, young, stylish - these should be the guidelines in making my pieces

New nest

I've been browsing etsy for cute ideas and found this place and this book that seems to have many ideas

And then, on Amazon, I found that Lotta Jansdotter has another cool book "Lotta Jansdotter's Handmade Living: A Fresh Take on Scandinavian Style". I need to go to Barnes&Noble to see these books in person NOW! 

Sexy legs

Just watched Russian program where they conducted experiment and found that guys pay more attention to long nice legs than breasts or pretty face.
While living here- I got used to wearing more skirts than jeans/pants and with skirts come thigh-highs or panty hose. Fortunately, our office is next to the biggest  market in the region with a big assortment of hosiery. I bought some bright blue panty hose there, and wore them with a black mini dress to work once.....good times
Before I left my job I went to the market to stock up, but they were out of cool design hosiery because the season was over, sad face.
So, I put these in my wishlist. I also read somewhere, that you can make this effect if you draw something on your leg with a sharpie before putting on nude panty hose.

I'm in love with this song

How it started (part II)

Read about part I here

There are about 500 of us from all of the countries of former Soviet Union. We have introduction seminars in DC. We live in dorms, have cultural programs, have fun and try to stay awake during the seminars after yet another sleepless night. We are divided into teams and I make friends with Russian, Ukrainian, Kazakh and many other students.- we are Purple. After a week or so we all fly out to our Universities.

I find out that together with me there will be two guys who will study at UAH- Kirill (from Kirgyzstan) and Yura (from Ukrain). We become really good friends and help each other as much as we can.  We stay in touch to this day. I flew to India in 2010, to attend Kirill’s wedding, and I hope I can visit Ukrain and meet Yura’s wife and kid one day.

The USA is not what we imagined- it is so much more. Everything is so different- the weather, trees, people, air, roads, classes, teacher-student relationships.  Plus, there is this American English that is very hard to understand - I don’t know the colloquial speech because we learnt “proper  (book) English”. In 3-4 months I will know what “cool, awesome, what are you up to?” mean, but at first it was really difficult to communicate with fellow American students. I am having a cultural shock during the first 2 months.

There are many cultural events for freshmen at the University and I sign up to read Russian poetry at one of them.  About an hour before the event I change my mind and go to the organizers to tell them I will not participate in the program. That is when I meet Him. He asks me about my smoothies and guesses right about the flavor (raspberry), he looks at my book and asks some  random questions.  I end up reading a little bit of Pushkin’s “Ruslan and Lyudmila” and managing to give Him my phone number in the end of the event.

I really want to be with this guy. This is the first time I have these warm fuzzy feelings towards anyone. In about a month we start dating.

In the back of my mind I know that in May, after my finals, I will go home and probably will never see this guy again. But right now I am here, in the States and I am enjoying my time.

The year flies buy. Although my school is so-so, I get to see New York, Virginia, Florida, California and Tennessee. I meet lots of great people and make good friends.

Our program coordinators tell us that we can stay another fortnight in the States if we find a place to live because the dorms will be closed.  He proposes to stay at his apartment- I agree.  Since he is working in Birmingham, I spend most of the evenings with his roommate, who is a pretty cool guy. My boyfriend tries to come home every evening, which means he has to wake up super early and drive back to Birmingham.    

Our last night together is very sad. We sleep in each other’s arms. The moment I step into the corridor to the plane, I start crying. In Frankfurt airport- our transit stop- I see Him in every guy. I have a naïve hope that may be he flew after me and we will meet for the last time here, in Frankfurt.  I cry the whole flight back home – I can’t believe I will not see him again.

Back home everything has changed.  My house, trees, smells, roads – are not how I remember them to be. I have a common re-entry culture shock.  I rarely go out and only with people who have been to the States like me.

My relatives come to my house to visit me and I get a call from Him. I come out with red eyes and go straight into the kitchen to help dad. My dad understands me, he says I will always remember my first love.

 I get a job at the local tour-operating firm as a marketing assistant.

We keep in touch, He calls me, and we email each other.  One day he asks me if I want to come back to finish school there.  After the bureaucratic paperwork, He mails me the necessary documents and I go to the U.S. Embassy and get my visa. My 2YHRR (Two year home residence requirement) allows me to apply for a non-immigrant visa, like F-1 student visa.  I buy the ticket the same day, and within two days I am boarding my plane back to the States. 

He meets me in Nashville and helps out at the beginning; He’s still working in Birmingham.

I move in with a friend of mine- our apartment is close to UAH; I see Him only on weekends. In a year, I learn to drive and buy my first car and move in with Him.

HAIRS!

Having long black hair is such a luxury :)
I love these ideas of hair accessories - simple, romantic and giiiiirrrrrrrrrrrly
from dreamsbythesea

How it started (part I)

Fall 2002. I am a sophomore at the Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages, majoring in English Linguistics with French minor- I have a full state scholarship and my education is not only free- I get monthly stipend depending on the quality of my grades (GPA: 3.89).  In addition to 6-8 classes per semester, I take extra English and French classes four times a week. I live with my dad and brother and life is very busy but sweet.

I am applying for this exchange program for the third time.  I write 3 essays, attach 2 recommendations in closed envelopes and submit my grades; I pray, as this is the last time I can apply for this.

In about 2 months I get a reply that I passed this “1^st round” and I am invited for an interview and a preliminary TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

In another month, they call me to invite me to the real TOEFL test – I have passed “2^nd round”

Around late spring, I know that my TOEFL results were good – I passed the “3^rd round” and I am going to Huntsville, AL. For the whole academic year I will study in the University of Alabama in Huntsville. I will receive money for books and monthly stipend. My dorm, food and classes are paid by the US State Department.

I am one of the 3 girls from my city, and one of the 13 students from Uzbekistan who will participate in this program in 2003-2004. It’s mind blowing for a geeky girl like me who never lived away from her parents.

Right before we say good-bye to our parents who come to see us off  – we are asked to sign this paper- just a formality. It has 2pages- and it has our name and how much money will be spent on each of us. In also has a box ‘subject to two-year residence requirement based on – Government funding’

 We are asked to read it thru and everyone notices this passage on the back about our physical presence in our country of origin after the program completion. We cannot apply for an immigrant visa until we spend 2 years in our home country, even if we get married to a US citizen or give birth to a US citizen.

I easily sign this form- I am not planning on staying in the USA – it’s just a year full of fun, where everything (or mostly everything) is paid for. After the completion of the program I plan to come back to my home University and get my B.S. degree in English Philology 

Poem

I don't remember where I got this poem. I just copied and saved it on my desktop. Upon google search, I found the original poem, written by Mary Elizabeth Frye in 1932. 
 I like this version more

A THOUSAND WINDS

 Do not stand at my grave and weep,

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow;

I am the diamond glints on snow,

I am the sunlight on ripened grain;

I am the gentle autumn's rain.

When you awake in the morning bush,

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet in circled flight.

I am the soft star that shines at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry.

I am not there; I did not die.

May 14

It's Saturday evening and my men went to a party. I made myself zucchini salad and  sat down watching a stupid movie on TV. In about 3 weeks, on a Saturday evening, I will be with my Man (hopefully eating sushi).

I will miss being around my dad and brother, watching them come home from work, take shower and ask me to iron their fancy shirts; spray good smelling stuff and tell me they will not be long.

To cheer myself up, I am browsing cute websites and dream about decorating our future new home.

 I hope we can have something cute like this (from ShaNickers on etsy)

Curtains may be?

I just found this beautiful fabric and immediately thought about cute curtains or crafty squares on the walls
I love, love, love the design. Wish I could sew

 TheNeedleShop