Here are some more pictures:

This says "I love Vladimir." The city, not a person.

One of the streets I walk down on my way to school.

The Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. 

A monastery in Moscow.

The sign translates to read: "President Dmitriy Medvedev is watching you."

During breaks in class, we usually sleep. On this day Kelsey was scratching Madelyn's back.

I finally watch some Russian television news and all I really learn is that today marked Barbie's 50th birthday? I swear this story was running all day. That and something about a pastor getting shot. 

We spent the night in Moscow. I guess the highlights were a puppet theater performance of Gulliver's Travels, lunch in a Georgian restaurant and a visit to that huge cemetery. It was all nice. I was really happy to stay in a hostel again. I forgot how nice they are, and we heard a lot of Americans, which was thrilling for me. I miss the sound of Americans speaking English. That's what I miss the most. Which I wouldn't have expected. It's just the sound of me belonging, fitting in, I guess. I kind of miss that.

On Sunday morning I left the hostel early to buy my friends some flowers for International Women's Day. In Vladimir and Moscow, you can find tiny 24-hour flower stores or kiosks on every block. It's extremely common throughout the year. Somehow giving flowers is either more common or important in Russia than the US. On this day, men are practically required to buy flowers for the women in their lives, whether they be girlfriends or mothers or teachers. I approached a kiosk to buy the flowers, and there was a young boy, maybe about 17, also there to buy something. He looked giddy, excited, full of energy, smiling. After buying his flowers, he wished the women working there a happy holiday, turned to me and did the same, then immediately set off running down the street. It was really sweet. The holiday definitely trumps Valentine's Day, it's a much bigger deal though both are celebrated in Russia. 

Alla lectured me the other day because she said I go to Madelyn's apartment too often. It was the most tense moment of our relationship and it annoyed me a great deal, actually. She has many good, legitimate points but overall, in truth, I'm not her real daughter and I should be allowed to spend my time where I want to. Madelyn's host mom (and Madelyn) has invited me over and seems fine with my spending time there. I shouldn't eat her food, though, I admit it's right that I eat at home, but otherwise, I don't know. I think Alla wishes I spent more time at home in general, and it bothers her that I'm spending it in someone else's. She refuses to call my cell phone when she worries about me cause she says she doesn't want to bother or control me. But still I feel a little restricted in her home. Of course I knew, more or less, what I was getting into when agreeing to live with a host family. But still, part of the reason I came to Russia was to be more independent and sometimes I don't feel that living with Alla. This is why I want to stay in Russia longer, but maybe not with a host family again. And as comfortable as I feel living in Alla's home, and as much as I like Alla, I wouldn't want to live with her another semester. But I'll definitely visit.