Sister Hirano

Address

2011-12-27T14:56:00.000-08:00

10675 NE 20th St.
Bellevue, WA 98004

Hi Everyone!

2011-09-21T22:56:00.000-07:00

Hi Mommy plus everyone else!
Things are going pretty well here at the MTC. I will be sending a letter today for all of you. Just keep in mind that the letter may not make any sense! I think I might have gotten the flu so I had to sleep in today on my P day. I'm not going to lie... it felt sooooooooooooooooooo good! I forgot to put my MTC mail address on my blog. It's:

SISTER CARIANNE HOSHIKO HIRANO
MTC Mailbox #197
WA-SEA 1004
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, Utah 84604-1793

Also, a lot of people here use dearelder.com more in the MTC than in the field. All you have to do is go to that website and type in an email what you want to write to me. The email is sent to the MTC fax machine and we are able to get those letters that same day. Cool huh?

I have learned a lot from both of my companions. I am in a trio. Sister Graves is from Missouri and she has already served a trial mission for 3 months prior to coming to the MTC. She is very knowledgeable in the scriptures. She whips them out like nothing! Sister Harty is also such a loving, kind, and patient companion. She is constantly thinking of others before herself. I feel like it is a privilege and a blessing to be with these companions. Now that I am in the MTC I have been learning a lot about teaching. Sometimes I get discouraged when we do discussions because I feel like our teachers teach us to be serious when we teach discussions, which is definitely not who I am. I think that you can teach with power even if you aren't being serious all the time. I just don't want to lose myself while I serve. How is everyone doing? Has everyone pawned off my stuff yet? Did Mandi get her cell phone? I love and miss all of you and keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

I just had a quick thought before I get off my email. Yesterday we had relief society which is a little different as you don't have a teacher teaching but rather it's like a mini sacrament meeting without the sacrament. A sister missionary shared with us her conversion story. In her testimony she shared that she knows that Heavenly Father loves us so much as does his son, Jesus Christ. If you ever feel like either of them are not there remember that Jesus Christ died for you and for me. He never forgets you in times of affliction, trial, lonliness, temptation, or despair. He cannot forget because he's hands and feet are imprinted with the reason why he died for you. I thought that was a great thought.

Anyways, I love all of you so very much. I look forward to seeing all of you all grown up and so much more beautiful when you come pick me up!

Love,
Sister Hirano

See Y'all in 18 months!

2011-09-13T15:38:00.000-07:00

Thank-you so much to everyone who attended my farewell! It was so good to see so many of you there. I can't believe I'm finally old enough to go on a mission, say what? A lot of people came from far away and I can't tell you how much that meant to me. Many people donated money, sent words of encouragement, and lovely gifts. I'm truly blessed to have such wonderful people in my life! Make sure you pray for the missionaries- and not just the elders but the sistas too! I'm going to need all the prayers in the world.

Love,
Sister Hirano

P.S. I also have a missionary site!

www.missionsite.net/sistercariannehirano

Remember this?

2011-08-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

I forgot that I had listed things to do before I died. I'm proud to say I have conquered a lot of them!

Go on a mission!
Learn how to make origami cranes!
Have a good looking blog!
Get a henna tattoo!
Join a folk dancing team!
Join an old ladies soccer team!

I have a few more goals in life...

I really, really, REALLY want to do this!

Washington Seattle Mission

2011-08-28T23:21:00.000-07:00

I recently got called to serve in the Seattle, Washington Mission! My new address will be:

Washington Seattle Mission
10675 NE 20th St.
Bellevue, WA 98004, USA

Write, yeah?

Bridal Showers

2011-01-10T11:49:00.000-08:00

Lately one of my very good friends, Michelle got engaged. I've always wanted to put a bridal shower but have never had the chance to. I told Michelle I would do her bridal shower... I've never done one before but I'm willing to make this the best bridal shower ever. I hope that it will turn out okay. I've been trying to get ideas from various places but if you guys have any ideas let me know! I would love more input.

Weddings

2011-01-10T11:28:00.000-08:00

This weekend I went to Idaho to attend my cousin, Aaron's wedding. The drive was very long. I mostly just listened to my trusty ipod. When we got there I was so happy to see my cousin Jaxon. Jaxon is such a hoot. I love talking to him because he knows just how to make me laugh. His personality is a lot like my sister, Alyssa's. Alyssa couldn't make it to the wedding because she was forced to work. Lame. Anyhow, the wedding ceremony was short. I've probably been to about 3 weddings. Two of the weddings were Buddhist weddings so they took a long time. I've been to more receptions but as far as the actual ceremony goes this was the first time I've been to an LDS ceremony (not in the temple). After the ceremony we headed downstairs to eat. We waited for about an hour before the food came. My uncle shawn was starving so right when they brought the bread he dug in there. Haha. Jax was a little hop-a-long because he had knee surgery. I carried his plate while we were 2nd to last in line. By the time we got our food it was cold. Oh well. It was really good to see this side of the family. Recently my cousins were in a car accident and one of my cousins passed away. It was good to see the family celebrating a joyous occasion. I think Aaron will be a great husband and father. I still remember him at Grandpa's house singing and dancing around without his shirt on to YMCA. He is such a warm, caring guy. I'm glad he found a great girl who will have enough sense for the two of them, haha. After we ate we danced, even my grandparents got out on the dance floor! After we said our goodbye's we headed for home. The drive to Idaho is about 4 hours from our house. On the way back home my dad lost control of the car and we slid off the freeway and into a snowbank. We were stuck for a good hour. My dad, mom, and I all took turns pushing the car. We weren't prepared to go out into the snow. I had on my TOMS which aren't the best shoes for winter weather. After several attempts we prayed that we could get the car out. Finally a car stopped nearby and two guys and a girl got out to help push. It was a lot easier to rock the car but we still weren't getting anywhere. A police officer came and said we could try again and if it didn't work he would call a tow truck. Well tow trucks cost money... so we decided to keep trying. After the police officer talked to us we tried one more time. We finally got the car to swing back onto the road after I turned the wheel and reversed. It was such a good feeling to get back into the warm car. Sometimes we struggle and we want things to be fixed right away... we first need to let Heavenly Father know that we are at least willing to try and then when we can't do it anymore he helps us. Sometimes I hate having to learn lessons like this especially when it means going through painful experiences. It is all for our best interest in the end. We got home safely, so that's good. All the way home though I thought I lost my phone in the snowbank but then I looked one last time in the car and found it this morning. It was on silent. ugh. At least I don't have to pay for a new one!

Hoshiko (Miriam) Otoshi Hirano

2011-01-07T14:19:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been thinking a lot about my grandmother whom I have never met. She died when my father barely turned 15 or 16 so I have never met her. My cousin put a book of her photos, memories, and sweet comments by her 7 sisters, their husbands, and close friends. I feel like even though I never met her we are quite similar. I think she has bits and pieces of her left behind in all of us grandchildren. The legacy she left behind is a constant reminder to me of how devoted she was to her family, volunteer work, and church. She may not have been recognized for her efforts in some spontaneous way but she affected a lot of people more so than she probably thought. Sometimes I wonder am I too like her? What type of legacy would I leave behind? Would people actually care about what I did? It's funny that even though I have never met her and she's not living on the earth today she still influences me for the better. I wish I was better at posting pictures... maybe I'll go back and re-edit this post with a picture later.

Bollywood

2011-01-06T15:23:00.000-08:00

So I have a confession to make... I like to watch Bollywood movies. And when I say like I actually mean love because I don't know... they just make me so happy! My all time favorite Indian movie is called Lagaan. FYI: each Bollywood movie is about 3 hours long and they are musicals... it's just how their format is. So if you ever are dying of boredom then rent a Bollywood movie! Most of the time I see them at a local library or on netflicks. The great thing about Bollywood movies is that they hardly swear, there aren't any sex scenes let alone kissing scenes, and the story lines are so creative. You also learn a lot about India... which is awesome because it's one of the places I want to travel to before I die.

Here is a list of my favorites:
Lagaan
Bride and Prejudice
Magnolia
I Have Found It
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (I watched this one on the air plane ride to Russia)
Bend it Like Beckham (this isn't really Bollywood... but it's about an Indian girl)
Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.
Armaan
I really want to see Partition (again not a Bollywood movie) but it's rated R

There are more but I don't know all of the names... Really they are great movies to watch!

The Second

2010-12-31T11:29:00.000-08:00

The meaning behind my blog name:

My nickname is cariannie because when I was younger my mom used to sing cariannie bo bannie fee fi fo fanny all the time to me, so it just kind of stuck.

The First

2010-12-30T13:57:00.000-08:00

I decided I would do one of those 30 posts in 30 day things. That way it would give me a chance to blog in a structured manner. First post: A recent picture and 15 interesting facts.

1. I am half-Japanese
2. I love to learn languages
3. I taught English in Moscow, Russia for four months
4. I like to volunteer anywhere, anything
5. I've had three jobs all at one time
6. I'm an extremely sensitive person
7. I want to travel the world and help everyone around me
8. I'm going on a LDS mission this upcoming year
9. I love editing pictures and videography
10. I have moved four times in my life
11. I live vicariously through others
12. I'm extremely shy at first; I'm a tough egg to crack
13. I hate shopping
14. I would love to have a different job every year if I could
15. I have an amazing family

Christmas

2010-12-29T10:55:00.000-08:00

This Christmas my mom caved in to my dad's wish and agreed to get a T.V. for Christmas. For about five years we haven't had a T.V. We just watch movies on youtube or my dad's lap-top. The cool thing about this T.V. is that we attached the internet to it so we are able to download netflicks and youtube and stuff on the screen. Part of the package deal is that we get a one month trial to use netflicks. So far I'm loving it! My dad downloaded all the seasons of the Office and tons of other movies and series. I'm actually not a big couch potato... I'd rather focus on spending my time on more important matters. However, I think for at least one month it will be worth it...? I'm so excited to spend time watching things with my family and having more movie quotes for my sister and I's random movie quote game... If you don't see me anywhere in a month this is probably why.

Zoo Lights

2010-12-21T14:10:00.000-08:00

I'm a pretty lucky girl as I am going to this tonight! I'm so excited to see the lights, the animals, and possibly try a deep fried s'more...? A pretty nice guy from my rock climbing class works at the zoo and asked me to go with him. I know this will be a fun night!

Bucket List

2010-12-20T14:29:00.000-08:00

1. Climb this baby, 10-12 hours of my life
2. Go on a mission, 18 months of my life
3. Have a honeymoon like this couple's, 6 months of my life
4. Get married and have a family, eternity
5. Visit all these parks, 2-3 months of my life
6. Vist all of the LDS temples in Utah (at least), 1 month of my life
7. Learn more about photgraphy, editing, html, 3 months of my life
8. Graduate from college, 4 years of my life
9. Graduate instituite, 4 years of my life
10. Head teach in China, 3 months of my life
11. Learn how to make Origami Cranes and make a whole chain of them, 1-2 months of my life
12. Get my sign language certificate, 2 years of my life
13. Work for the Peace Corp, 2-4 years of my life
14. Become fluent in a language, 1-2 years of my life (that is if I practice)
15. Ride an elephant, 15 minutes of my life
16. Travel to India, 1 month of my life
17. Go on a mission with my husband, 3 years of our life
18. Be a temple worker, depends
19. Sing in the MOTAB, depends
20. Try escargot, dog, snake, turtle, and other weird things, 1-2 hours of my life
21. Photograph everything
22. Learn how to write in cursive better, depends
23. Have a miniture pet sea turtle
22. Go to BYU like my parents did
23. Work at the MTC also like my parents did (that's where they met, they were both teachers and assistants in the MTC, after their missions of course)
24. Have a better looking blog
25. Climb Ben Lomond Peak
26. Rock climb and mountain bike in St. George
27. Hold a tarantula
28. Design clothes and make them
29. Make lamenated paper dolls
30. Learn how to cook like Martha Stewart
31. Learn how to drive a stick
32. Learn how to braid cool braids like the waterfall braid
33. Get a henna tattoo
34. Work at an airport
35. Be in a real play
36. Join a professional folk dancing team
37. Learn how to clap dance (like African people do)
38. Join an old ladies soccer team
39. Scuba dive
40. Be in the Guiness Book of World Records

and probably much more... that's just a starting list.

Favorites

2010-12-15T22:47:00.000-08:00

Dick Van Dike, his famous role was Bert on Mary Poppins

The Bill Cosby Show

One of my favorite comedians

Amanda,she's a cracker.

Yeah I used to watch Oprah. Every day. When I was 10. I was a weird kid.

One of my all time favs...I love red heads.

Yeah I was the asian one. Always.
I kind of forgot about this show... I stopped watching it when I saw the episode where the brother turns into a werewolf. It was scary.
Another all time fav. I like magic shows.
I know people in real life who look like each one of these characters.

The list does indeed go on:

Matlock

Dr. Quinn

Smallville (I wish I looked like Lana Lang)

Touched by an Angel

Doug

PepperAnn (yes people sing Carianne instead of PepperAnn)

Proud Family (suga momma! proud, proud family... you and me will always be tight, family every single day and night even when I start actin like a foo...)

Ellen

Fear Factor

Trading Spaces Boys versus Girls

Martha Stewart (this around the same time I watched Oprah... I wanted to be a little adult!)

Sonny With a Chance! (peace out suckas!)

Pushing Daisies (how to kiss with plastic wrap)

The Office

The Big Bang! (it all started with the big bang... yeah!)

Lizzie McGuire

Even Stevens (yeah this was totally filmed where I lived... I've seen Beans)

Pyramid

Little House on the Prarie (we have ALL the seasons)

The Andy Griffith Show (I love little Opie, so cute!)

I Dream of Jeannie

Goosebumps

Mickey Mouse Club

Zoom (recently I've been trying to brush up on my ubbie dubbie, it's kinda hard)

Arthur

Cyberspace (haha, yeah I still like to watch this sometimes)

King of Queens (sometimes)

10 Reasons Why Not to Date My Teenage Daughter

Seinfield

and probably much more... I'm glad we don't have a T.V. anymore. Really.

Cartoon Clothing

2010-12-15T21:46:00.000-08:00

Recently my former head teacher blogged about what she would wear every episode if she were a cartoon character. This sounded fun so I decided to put mine together.

Overbearing Mothers

2010-12-15T21:22:00.000-08:00

1. Realize there are reasons why your mother is overbearing and that you won't ever be able to change her.

2. Work on establishing boundaries immediately. Decide which aspects of your life you won't share with your mother, then remind her when she invades them.

3. Learn this phrase and repeat it often, "I love you, but I don't want to discuss that with you." Then change the subject when your mother begins to meddle.

4. Consider writing your mother a letter, detailing how you would like your relationship to evolve.

5. Thank your mother for her suggestions on how to live your life, then move on to a more stimulating conversation.

6. Strive to seek approval from yourself instead of your mother. When you're self-confident, your mother's controlling tendencies won't get under your skin.

7. Opt for caller ID so you can be prepared for potentially overbearing conversations- or screen the call to measure the importance of the message.

8. Try to call her back within a day; Controlling mothers are fueled by neglect, and you can avoid possible nagging with a prompt call back.

9. Appreciate the fact that someone cares about you that they need to call you before, during, and after every small event in your life.

10. Refrain from any guilt your overbearing mother may try to trip you up with. No one should feel guilty for living their own life.

Note: I do not have an overbearing mother, she is quite the opposite. However, I do notice that this is a common factor here in Utah. Plus it was on my mind. Plus Plus I love BEWITCHED. I used to watch it every day after school when I was in third or fourth grade.

Hollywood

2010-12-02T13:26:00.001-08:00

I know a lot of people have a hard time working things out with friends, family members, and the like when misunderstandings/arguments arise, including myself. I found a solution to this problem. Just ask the person you need to discuss things with to watch a movie with you. Pick out a movie that best describes the situation at hand. Then make them watch it. What a perfect way to resolve your problems! Making them watch what's going on in the relationship as a third party will help them see exactly what you are feeling and what can be done about the situation. Man, I wish relationships weren't so complicated.

TOMS

2010-11-23T17:46:00.000-08:00

I just got my pair of these the other day. Best. Decision. Ever. They are so comfortable and when you buy a pair you are actually purchasing two. The other pair is donated to a child in need. Cool huh? This man is a genius. Maybe I'll work for TOMS.

Sick of it

2010-11-23T17:38:00.000-08:00

My co-worker Kayla introduced me to this awesome Hanes commercial. I occasionally watch it when I'm just sick of it...! Take 32 seconds to laugh your socks off.

Frustrated

2010-11-11T15:46:00.000-08:00

I am having a very difficult time getting the blog together. Whenever I browse through other blogs I'm amazed at the creativity I see. Clean cut, simplified, advertisement-free blogs are out there... so why can't mine look like that? I really want mine to look like this or Julia's other website, picture party. How do they flash those images up in their header?! I think I'm going to take a html class... actually I don't even know the correct term for that type of class. I just want to learn how to do cool stuff on my blog. Ugh.

Alyssa

2010-08-21T20:41:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures that I took of my sister, Alyssa at Williard Bay. If you don't have facebook that's okay this link will still allow you to view them!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=241264&id=637073833&l=673198c74d

Weddings

2010-08-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

So I have been completely oBsEsSeD with wedding/engagement photos. Actually... I have always been obsessed with them. What can I say? I am a hOpElEsS romantic!

Check these out:
http://steepstreet.com/links.html
http://greenweddingshoes.com
http://ariaphotographyonline.com/blog
http://michelletandyphotography.blogspot.com

Also I like looking at this blog:
http://streetsofjapan.tumblr.com

Tough Times

2010-03-06T17:31:00.000-08:00

So recently I applied to be an ambassador for my university. I made three out of four rounds and didn't make the final cut. Receiving the letter SUCKED big time but now that I've had a few days to mourn I realized that there will be something better for me. Heavenly Father has my back and I need to trust him. It's a hard lesson to learn but I think it's something worth learning.

The Halloween Party

2009-11-14T09:42:00.000-08:00

So we hosted a Halloween party for the little kids that we teach. We set up rooms and had rotations. I was in charge of the beanbag and fishing rotation. My level six girls helped me with everything which was nice. I dressed up as a witch, Jules was a cat, Seve was a mad scientist, Courtney was a skeleton, and Melissa was like a mask lady? I don't really know exactly what she was. Haha. It was fun though. Also, Courtney taught the kids how to dance to Thriller. It was really cute to see the kids dance. Also we had pinatas that the kids got to trash and we gave out awards and had a pumpkin contest. It was really fun!

Weeklong Photos

2009-11-14T09:30:00.000-08:00

The weeklong trip

2009-11-14T07:57:00.000-08:00

So this past week we had a week off to explore the countries: Finland, Sweden, Estonia, and Latvia. At first I was not looking forward to packing and hauling around luggage but the sites, people, culture, and experience helped me overcome my premature judgment. We first took a night train to Saint Petersburg. That experience was a lot better than the last one. Then from there we went on a tour bus to leave Russia and pass through the Finnish border. Customs took forever (like 2-3 hours)! I was getting really ansy not to mention car sick as I am always car sick. The police checked our information on the bus and we had about 50 people on the bus with the American teachers. A lot of teachers were amazed to find out that Dr. Pepper is sold in Finland. Haha. I don't really care for either. I'm just content with the delicious juice.
I actually don't drink any of these brands. The first one means, "Yes" juice. Haha. Anyways the juice is soooo good because it doesn't have so much sugar in them. Anyways that was a tangent... After we crossed the border we looked around Finland. Took a cruise over to Sweden. In Sweden (my favorite of all the countries) we stayed in a beautiful hotel. They served a free breakfast with everything you could imagine: Swedish meatballs, eggs, toast, cereal, fruits, vegetables, fish, potatoes, milk, coffee, bagels, donuts.... oh it was so good! Mostly because it was free. Also there was an Ikea right across the street from our hotel. We peeked in there and thought we would never be able to get out of there. It was like a maze to get out. We also went to a children's museum on the Island of Museums. The children's museum was beautiful. It was kind of like a storyland. The children got to pretend to be the main characters in the story as they climbed in and out of little houses castles, rockets, farms, bakeries, shops, and pirate boats. Hopefully one day I can take my children to go see this place because all the children there looked so happy and they actually were learning at the same time. Later that night we made a run to "Panda Express" it actually wasn't really like any American Panda Express. It was a knock off. However the food was great even though it wasn't real Chinese Food. After our time was spent in Sweden, we took another cruise back to Finland. We shopped and looked around. Very touristy. However, Melissa (my roomate) and I got to go to the Finland Temple which was beautiful as always. The temple wasn't surrounded by flowers like I am used to seeing in the states. The Finland Temple was hidden among a little forest. However, it was still very beautiful. From Finland we went on a Ferry to Estonia. Estonia is probably the 2nd country I liked most because it has so much history there. The buildings are beautiful and you feel like someone from the medieval times just strolling down the streets. We actually ate at a medieval restaurant. It was a real medieval restaurant. One of the girls ordered the Neptune's feast not thinking that most of that meal would consist of fish. She got pretty much raw fish. The fish was staring at her so she hid it in her napkin and the waitress took the napkin and found the fish. Haha. There were musicians playing real authentic medieval instruments and the whole restaurant was lit by candlelight. I tried wild boar for the first time. It was actually not that bad. We also used the restrooms. After Estonia we went to Riga, Latvia. There wasn't much to do in Latvia. We just strolled around and looked at the little markets and things. That was pretty much the end of our weeklong trip. It was very fun and I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Gleb

2009-10-27T13:31:00.001-07:00

Finally we got one!

Gleb was student of the month.

2009-10-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

This is why I don't like paper mache. This is my level four's paper mache. The fluffy stuff all over the paper mache is not cotton. It is mold.

The soccer game was chilly but it was okay because we had our Hot Hands!

This is the soccer game we went to recently. It was really scary when we first came to the game because they started playing the song, "We will we will rock you rock you." However instead of saying, "Rock you" everyone said f-u while flipping a birdie. Crazy drunk pot headed Russians!

Paper Mache. Never ever let elementary students attempt at making these. That's why we ended up re-doing them. I hate paper mache.

This is the folk dancing we went to. It was probably one of the best nights ever.

This is one of the metro stops. We are supa fly.

This is in front of Peterholf. I was soooo glad the fountains were still on before it got too chilly. There were so many beautiful fountains. I could just sit there for hours.

This is in front of the Hermitage which is a beautiful art museum.

This is in front of the view of Moscow by the Moscow River. We were waiting for a ballet.

This is me at Sculpture Park. In front of a Chinese Dragon. In Russia.

Me, Courtney, Jules, and Melissa

The Night Train

2009-10-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

So I haven't blogged in a loooong while. The reason why is because my blog is ugly. So I get frustrated with it because I hate looking at it. If I hate looking at it then I know others defintely won't like looking at it so it makes me not want to blog. BUT... I will today because I have to tell the story of my night train experience.

So when I heard I would be needing to get night train tickets to get to Saint Petersburg I was so excited. I imagined the compartments were enclosed and roomy and that there would be a restaurant on the train. Basically I thought this night train would be a mixture between a Harry Potter and White Christmas train. Boy was I wrong.

Gulya (our Russian coordinator) wouldn't let us eat before we left because she insisted that we needed to be there early or someone will steal your seats. We get there like an hour early and we just sat around waiting for our train to let people in. When they did call our train we had to get out our passports and made sure our money belts were tucked deeply into our pants. I found my seat- it was right by the bathroom. I looked at my bed. It was on top of another lady's bed. Directly across was my friend Courtney's bed and below her was another lady's bed. I sat on my seat for a little while but my stomach was just gurgling from skipping out on dinner. I decided I would go to the restaurant with my fellow teachers, Melissa and Emily.

When we finally got to the last section of the train a drunk guy took it upon himself to tell us what to order. The waitress gave me a English menu and a really weird glossy look (her eyes were like bulging out of her sockets). The drunk man pointed to the appetizers, main courses, soups and salads and said none of that was good. When he turned to the alcohol he nodded his drunken droopy head in approval. We scooted over because he was really creepy. Then two younger Russian men come up to us and heard us speaking English. They asked Emily if she would like a drink and where she was from. "Sorry I don't drink... and I'm from Canada." A lot of Russians like to come up to us and ask us how we are doing. Whenever we answer back the conversation ends with I don't understand. Also if we tell them we are from America they talk your ear off for hours. So when we say we are from Canada it ends the conversation quickly. The two Russian men then asked Melissa and then me and they got the same answers.

We left to be seated. When we looked at the menu we just saw how ridiculous the prices were. None of us planned to order anything after that but the waiter was really upset that we messed up the nice napkins and silverware that he kind of forced us to order. So Emily ordered a 7 dollar water bottle and Melissa ordered a 10 dollar 8 ounce juice. We quickly left after he gave us the bill. On our way out we ran into some other teachers from a different school. We talked to them for a while and we were right in front of those two Russians that asked us if we wanted drinks. I was deep in conversation and didn't see one of the Russians reach over and pinch my cheek (the one that's not on your face). When I mean pinched I mean more like he got some and that feeling lingered there for like a good hour. I was mortified! I gave him a dirty look and just stormed off. I was so upset.

By the time I got back to my seat everyone around me wanted to go to sleep. People were pulling out beds and snuggling up. So I decided to do the same. I noticed however that my bed didn't have a footstool and I had no idea how to climb up onto my bed. The lady was sleeping underneath me and I didn't want to step on her nicely made bed. I struggled to get up. I tried climbing onto Courtney's bed and magically fly over to my bed but that didn't work either. People around me were starting to look at me and take pictures. I was out of luck until this nice Russian man took a plastic bed and told me to step onto the table. See not all Russians are bad. Just the ones that are drunk.

Couldn't sleep a wink, but the train ride was a good experience.

Level Six

2009-09-16T02:35:00.000-07:00

From left to right: Sasha, Alexandra (Sasha I), Liza, Anya, and Lena is in the front.

Both Sashas!

Lena and Anya!

My Classroom

2009-09-16T02:30:00.000-07:00

This is my classroom that I teach in. I teach both level six and level four inside this room.

The Siblings

2009-09-16T02:21:00.000-07:00

This is my little brother Mitya... He is so crazy and he knows he is. He loves futbol and Spiderman!

This is my little sister Katya. She is also one of my students in my level four class. She is very smart and loves to play cards.

Moscow!

2009-09-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

In front of a monastary
Courtney, me, and Melissa

Me and Melissa

Emily and her Big and Tasty with only one bun... The burger was bigger than her hand!

McDonald's was like a club... people actually wore their best outfits at the fast food restaurant. Everything was silver and metal looking and it looked so chic. Wow Russia is moving up in the world!

Moscow

2009-09-06T10:35:00.001-07:00

With the World of Knowledge School in the metro station
This is where I sleep!

The view looking through my apartment window

Another view

Melissa and Me on the airplane!

Training

2009-09-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

Today has been mostly planning for school tomorrow... which I am really nervous about! Upon arriving I thought I would be teaching kindergarten. However, I am actually teaching the highest level kids in ILP. They are level four which is about ten year olds and level 6 which is the graduating class (12 year olds). Preparing is a little more frustrating since I didn't plan on teaching older kids but I am going to read and prepare everything tonight so that I can do well tomorrow. Does anyone have any good ideas for these age groups? Activities, books to read? Anything? Ideas would be so great! So far I have a list of good books like Mrs. Piggy Wiggle, Ella Enchanted, Harry Potter, The Boxcar Children, Little House on the Prairie, Series of Unfortunate Events, etc.

I went shopping today and bought a light weight jacket, a pink shirt with a fish on it for pajamas, and another jacket that is navy blue and hot pink... it is actually really cute! I'm also really getting the money system here. I'm doing a lot better than before. I can figure out everything pretty fast and I have learned enough Russian to understand (or maybe enough pantomime) to understand what they are saying.

Yesterday I met Katya, Papa, and Mitya for the first time. They are so adorable! I love them so much. When I first met Vladimir he came up to me and said, "I am Papa." And I was like, "Yes you are!" haha. All last night and this morning the kids wanted to play card games called, Dorchak and Toilet.... haha. They were actually really fun! The kids are also crazy about marshmallows. They chowed down about a whole bag just last night!

We also ate at the school for the first time. We had bread and borsh... it was really good! Then we had boiled chicken, mashed potatoes, and cucumbers. They serve cucumbers with like everything. It is so funny. My sister would really like it here because she can eat cucumbers like none other! I love you Alyssa! Anyways, that's enough for today... I'll see how tomorrow goes! Yikes!

Church

2009-08-30T03:16:00.000-07:00

Church was really cool today. Although it took an hour to get to church... Our branch president is really nice and like knows so many people all over the world. I guess he has a friend in Plain City named Steve Olsen who used to be a bishop but I didn't recognized the name. The members of the branch are native English speakers and most of them are American. Today Elder Pearson of the seventy came and spoke. I guess Moscow had a conference with Uchtdorf presiding and he said that if Moscow can form a stake then a temple will be built in Moscow which will be the first temple in Russia! I thought that was really interesting news! A lot of people in the branch work for the embassy. Tonight we are having palmeni again this time it's stuffed with mashed potatoes. Marina should be back too from the countryside. I'm excited and nervous to see the rest of the family! Tomorrow I hope we can get to the market so that I can barter for some clothes. We will see!

Pictures

2009-08-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of a man in the air I don't know why in Germany

Me in front of the Kremlin

KFC
Smelling flowers in the monastary of the New Savior ChristMe on the boat ride

The gangster banana

Me in front of St. Basil's

This lady looked like Michael Jackson...

GUM the department store

The changing of guards... haha

The eternal flame

The Metro

2009-08-29T09:09:00.001-07:00

Today was my first time riding the metro. It was really neat! Everything looks (I don't know if it really is) ten times cleaner than the subway in New York. I bought a metro ticket for 60 good rides and a metro card so that I can see which way I need to go! Between stops inside the metro are paintings of old men and chandeliers. Classy! Everyone here wear the weirdest outfits... I saw a dress in the store that was half there and half not... a half dress! haha. Also I saw a lady with one pant leg green and the other pant leg was red. Girls are so tall and thin and wear six inch heels. They look like Ja Ja Binks when they walk. I guess Russians have this saying, "If you don't drink and smoke you die healthy." So everyone here smokes or drinks. I have seen the youngest kids smoking and drinking. It makes me really sad. For lunch today we tried to eat Russian food but we couldn't find a cheap restaurant plus all the girls wanted to go to KFC or this Russian-Italian fast food restaurant. KFC is actually really super good in Russia! The whole meal cost about 191,00 rubles which is about four dollars. We also went on a boat ride around Moscow and went to the New Savior Christ monastary. We had to wear an apron and a scarf over our head. Afterwards we went to red square and I saw GUM and St. Basil's. It was very beautiful. I guess a lot of people like to take wedding pictures around red square and all the fountains. The dresses are ridculous! You could take all that fabric and lace they use and make a fire and it will last all day. Also I thought it was really funny to see all the girls pose when they take photos. They pose all modelesqe. High fashion! haha. Alyssa I wish you were here so that we could laugh at all the high fashion models. Marina (my host mom) isn't here today she went to visit her family in the countryside. She gave me instructions on how to use the microwave to warm up my dinner. Hamburger patties and rice and vegetables. I am really tired right now and want to go to bed... tomorrow we are taking the metro to church. I think it's weird that we are doing that because I am used to being in a very spiritual mood before I go to church and now that's not going to happen. I have some pictures that I will try to post on here... also I have my Russian address.

121552 Russia, Moscow
Roublevskoye shosse
g. 109 k. 5 KB. 100
Carianne Hirano

Moscow

2009-08-28T04:48:00.000-07:00

Privet! That is probably not how it is spelled... Anyways I am officially in Moscow right now! I absolutely love the fact that I am in a different country. Yesterday I met my host mom. Her name is Marina. I haven't met her husband (Vladimir) or her two children (Mitya (8) and Katya (10)) they are all in the countryside for vacation before school starts again on Monday. My mom is soooo sweet and so thougthful. She speaks English very well. I still want to learn as much Russian as I can though! For dinner yesterday my mom made me a hotdog and some macaroni but whithout sauce. haha. It was good though! This morning I had corn flakes but the milk is pretty gross. I definitely wouldn't drink it straight. For lunch I had a triple decker sandwhich with bologna, cucumbers, mayo, and cheese melted together. It was actually really good! We also looked around the streets today. We found the metro, my head teacher's apartment, and the store. When we were at the store I didn't know how much money to give the cashier and people were getting upset behind me. I kept saying izveniture (that's not how it is spelled) which means sorry over and over again. haha. Also when we were at the inside mall a guy winked at me and asked me to come with him.... yeah I was pretty scared. At least Gulya was there and my head teacher. He came up and asked me where I was from and what I was doing in Russia. Then he asked my name and my head teacher came up and told him my name was Amy... haha. He was a creepy guy... Anyways I will post another entry soon.

First Official Post

2009-08-19T18:35:00.000-07:00

So I am really new at this and I'm not quite sure if I like blogging yet. I thought I would make a profile so that my friends and family can see my adventures in Russia. I am leaving August 26th and I won't be back until December 17th. I've been preparing this trip for about a year now and I can't believe how time flies by!