Thanksgiving

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Wow, where did November go to? I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I had an excelletn time with Jetta and her family in Berlin. We also had our little Christmas together and I got some wonderful home made things to take back with me, which are proudly displayed around the flat and/or my office. Just think, in just a few short weeks, it will be Christmas in the States. For Russia, Christmas is not much of a Holiday and it is celebrated as part of the New Year so a lot of the country takes the first 10 days of January off for New Years and Christmas. I plan to stay here for Western Christmas, but take the day off out of respect for the Holiday. Then for Russian Christmas, I am going to Zurich to go skiing for at least a day and some site seeing. I want to see Europe while I am here so I am going to take advantage of the Holidays to do so. You would think four weeks of vacation would be enough to do that, but most of you know me well enough to know I am not going to let the grass grow under my feet...lol

Initially I had second thoughts about continuing my Russian lessons, but then after further consideration, I decided to continue. It is so slow and I am a terrible student in that I do not do my homework, but it is my money and time that I am wasting by not doing so. In any event, I want to be able to read menus and order as well as ask directions, questions, etc. so I decide to continue.

I was invited to a couple's vacation home for a party outside of the city last night, but I did not feel comfortable going. I have met them several times and they have been to my flat to drink and if it were here in town, I would have gone, but not speaking Russian and if I was not comfortable at the party, I was not sure how to tell the taxi company where to come get me. I spoke with them today and they were not happy; I think I may have offended them which is exactly what Michael siad I would do if I did not go. I am not sure how to make it up. I want to meet people, but I do not want to do it at the risk of my personal safety. Something just did not seem right about it, which is the main reason I did not go and I never accepted their invitation. I just told them I would think about it and get back to them, which I did do.

As for work, if I have too many days like I did on Friday, I know I will not be staying after my year contract. It was so frustrating on Friday and no one is being held accountable for anything and instead of taking action for those that are not doing their work, I just get more added to my plate. As if I do not have enough to do, but I guess it is all part of the job. It was definitely a Jack night last night. I did get a massage to help relax and did feel better. Today, I worked for a few hours in the morning to work on my goals then came home and took a long winter's nap before getting up and cleaning. The apartment needed cleaning bad so I did not mind. It looks and smells so much better now. I also put a meatloaf in the oven while I was napping so when I woke up, I had a nice hot meatloaf for lunch/dinner. It was just like I like it and I ate the hole thing! I am feeling the onions now because of it, but it was well worth it.

I guess that is all I have for now, but I wanted to let everyone know I was still alive and well here. I hope you enjoy the pictures from Berlin.

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Photos

Kids and Vince
I took this myself of us. Jetta said, "I can take your picture if you want me to so you do not have to reach out so far and hope you get all of you in the frame."

The Kaune's
We were all at the metro (subway) stop near the hotel on the way to dinner or something.

Jetta and the Kids
Jetta, Piage and Liam in the Congress Building.

Brother and Sister
Piage's hand at taking a picture of us (Jetta and Vince) in the Congress Building.

Tubing Hill
The kids had a blast on the tubing hill in the middle of the city at one of the Christmas markets.

Mom and Kids
The kids had a blast on the tubing hill in the middle of the city at one of the Christmas markets.

Cool Picture/Building
Just a cool looking building/picture at night that I took.

Christmas Market
If you have never experienced a German Christmas Market, you really need to go. They are a lot of fun.

Christmas
Liam with his Russian military hat and pins on, which he loved.

Christmas Paige
Paige trying to figure out how many dolls were in her stackable doll I got here (15).

Their "Congress" Building
It was amazing to see the old and the new building next to each other.

Modern Building
It was amazing to see the old and the new building next to each other.

Old and New Together
It was amazing to see the old and the new building next to each other.

Checkpoint Charley
Jetta taking our picture at Checkpoint Charley. It is amazing to go and see!

Checkpoint Charley1
Jetta taking our picture at Checkpoint Charley. It is amazing to go and see!

The Berlin Wall
Here is what remains of the Berlin Wall. It is amazing knowing this was during our time and came down!

Where the Wall Was
It is neat, they left the base of where the wall use to run through the city (see the bricks in the road).

Memorial for Trying to Cross the Wall
This was a memorial area dedicated to those that were killed trying to cross the wall.

Part of the Camp
I am not sure what this represented but this was at the street right before you get to the Camp.

Concentration Camp4
I decide to head north out of the city to see one of the concentration camps near Berlin. It was not as emotional as I thought it was going to be. I think that was because they "sterlized" a lot of the information for obvious reasons. The Germans are not proud of this part of their past and do not like discussing it, but realize people want to know/see some of the history so I was just glad to have experienced.

Layout of the Camp
I decide to head north out of the city to see one of the concentration camps near Berlin. It was not as emotional as I thought it was going to be. I think that was because they \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"sterlized\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" a lot of the information for obvious reasons. The Germans are not proud of this part of their past and do not like discussing it, but realize people want to know/see some of the history so I was just glad to have experienced.

Comments

[Gale]

Wow, such wonderful pictures of interesting places. Just think, in a few years when you're back home you'll have all these great stories to tell and wonderful places to talk about! Stay strong at work and don't let them pile it all on your shoulders. I know you're strong but you can't do it all by yourself. Glad you're doing good though. Enjoy your holidays and your vacation. I'll be in Georgia the whole week before Christmas to see family and friends. Love and miss ya.

[Margaret]

Which concentration camp
Which concentration camp did you visit? I went to Dacau in Germany and it didn't look anything like this place. It was dark, gray, had razor wire everywhere and displayed skulls of some of the executed people. It was definately sobering. This place looks more like a hospital. I'll try to dig up some old pictures to show you.

[vkramer515]

Concentration Camp
The way they displayed it, they told a little bit about the many horrid stories we have all heard, but talked up how positives a lot. It is is the town called Sachsenhausen. I am not sure if that is what it is called or if it is called Gedenkstatte as my brochure is all in German, which is all they had when I was there, but I still wanted it for the map of the camp.