Happy New years!

so as the title says, its the new years in Russia and all around the world. and my new years resolution, is to become pretty good in this language and see if people can tell if im foreign or not... either that, or finally learn how to trill my R's in Russian.. but i can vibrate my tounge up against my teeth.. which nobody can do here apparently.. "th" sound wroks english!
so as for whats been happening in Russia, i recently went to see a ochestra by a russian symphony.. while there, my host sister told me the people in front of me spoke english. i take a minute to hear them, and soon realize its not english.. so i waited and soon found out that they did actually speak english (what a coincidence) it was a dutch (NOT GERMAN!) family who work here and works to help sakhalin 2. it was kinda weird, as they havent seen their glorious windmills in the country side like I have. sakhalin 2 brings so many foreigners in from different nations.. its kinda neat. also, along the christmas time, i became guests at some rotarians friends house. so i actually got to live in the city for a while. and it surely was great to be able to wake up, call friends up and say "lets stroll" new great feeling. its also where i say my first hockey game in Russia. i didnt stay for it all, but i think we won. the entire time i was with my friend who was the son of the rotarians friends. he was totally awesome. so for the last day of school, our school had a comedy club. which i thought i would be in, as people from the 9th grade asked me to take a couple photos pretending to be Obama... but it was never used. but the show was fun, i understood much of it. out class came in 2nd out of 3. losing to the 10th grade.. i really wish i brought my camera to the event. after the comedy club. our class had a tradition of buying gifts for the rest of the class. roxane got eevryone cups, and i bought them all small shoeshiner... hahaha.. the lady at the cash register said i must of really loved them. which is a better thought then what i thought "hes gonna get high off of shoeshiner". after that, a dance was held. but i had to leave then in order to go hme. as for now, a neighboorin rotary club, Karsakov, has taken me in or the holidays. i am really grateful to be down here. i get to see one of my brazilians i barley get to see :) lilian! and im staying in a family thats seems to perfect. moither a grammer teacher, father defense attorney, son was a student to amrica, and last yar they hosted a japanese girl whom i know. how cool is that. so as for new years, it was really different, it is the most important holiday in russia, as for me, its just time square and a ball drop. this year is the year of the rabbit/bunny/hare.. whichever. and i got to see a man in a bunny and santa clause and his assistant shegurishka. only here santa is called ded moroz (grandfather frost). when the clock struck midnight, the russian anthem played. and i became a christmas tree somehow.. the conversation was "who wants to be a tree?" "ohh him, hes american!" and soon i found myself with the brazlian flag around my waist, holding a shampaigne bottle amd salt and pepper shakers in my hands with an orange in my mouth... i think i won that one.
so as for som new news.. its time for some info on the stuff ive been eating in Russia
ive eaten liver 3 times... only twice ever knowing about it. at home, my family loves to eat korean meals and salad called "chimcha" or comething.. i feel so bad for you manuela perez.. youll gain a lot of respect.. and lose a lot of weight. when i was a guest in yuzhno around christmas, we went to a japanese restaurant, a sushi bar."whats this?" "its rice and octopus" "umm... surprisingly tas......" ">.<" GAHHH what was that! only to look at the next one and see that my old friend wasabe had come back for a visit.. so im 0-2 against wasabi sauce>.>.. the next meal was a japanese stir fry, well i dip my spoon into it and come up with some soup, cabbage, a mushroom, meat and rice. well i decided, ok ill just suckaround the mushroom. so i go and take a bite and when i look down at my spoon afterwords.. guess whats thew only food i see missing.... the mushroom >.> which surprisngly tasted good actually..
so something new id like to put up is called "alpha dog of the week"
one timewhen i went into russian post. i needed to show my passport to get my package. so i always kept a copy on me so if i was ever pulled over my the cops.. i could be identified. well when i show this to her, she tells me, "wheres your real passport" "just look at the picture and then at my face" "you arrived into russian from the US without documents!?" "thats like going to north korea.. who would be that stupid?" so i had to wait a day before i could get my package from them.. but for not taking 2 seconds to look at mypassport copy, and them my face, and then assucing me of illegally hoping into russian borders from the US. you, russian post, are my alpha dog of the week!
you know what they say, weather never sleeps.. that means its always watching us! weather report!
so yuzhno finally decided to want to get cold. the temperature is -8 celcius. and there seem to be snow falling every 3 secnds. probably because of the mountains close by. but after break we will start skiing in school! as for karsakov now.. should of been a snow storm as they say, but theres only been mild snow. the temp is only -4.. some siberian winter..
as for language, coming along better. since the english presentations have stopped and people are finally understanding that when i ask "whats this called"... i want to know.. "whats this called" ironic.
my english score average has went from a 4.. to a 3.. is it british.. or just me forgetting how to spell?
karsakov host family got me a sack of candy for new years... i thnk i might barf soon.. just wish they told me i would be coming down here not the day of me coming down here.
i can actually say i know a caadian now.. only when speaking with fellow americans.. i must duck after saying so.. taught by jeff davis!
first game is in less than 3 weeks.. compared to how ive seen russian sports be played.. the scores will be kept by kids, thered be no reffs, and no audiance.. but i just wanna play now.
here in Russia, december 25th was nothing.. but for me and the french girl. it was good. we exchanged presents.. her present to me.. was a bunny... my present to her was... also a bunny.. despite all these set backs ive been encountering.. i still consider myself to be onfire here in Russia.. probably because i think im getting sick again... dont judge me. happy new years america! you might not be the best but you are pretty dang close!