Happy Women's Day!

*Disclaimer: This may turn out to be a rather long post. If you stick around for the duration, may I recommend acquiring yourself a snack first?

Today, March 8, is International Women's Day. It is a major holiday in Ukraine, and I LOVE it! I wasn't able to fully appreciate it last year, because I was extremely sick with the flu. This year, however, I've gotten to participate and am a very big fan.

Women's Day is prominent in Central and Eastern European countries, especially, because it was created as a Socialist Party holiday within the Soviet bloc countries. It has become an international holiday since then. In Ukraine, it's celebrated as a mix of Mother's Day and Valentine's Day, the difference being that you do not have to be a mother or in a romantic relationship in order to fully benefit from it. ALL women are celebrated simply for being women. How great is that?? To read basic information about Women's Day, click here.

My Women's Day celebrating began Friday night. I lead an English club on Friday nights (for more info, click here), and three of my students brought me a tulip as a Women's Day gift. It was beautiful! Following English club, two of my friends, Victoria and Natalie (those of you who read this regularly probably feel like you know these girls), brought me a present of pomegranate-scented body wash.

First gifts! Tulip and body wash.

Yesterday, though, was the real celebration. The men at church made a very good job of celebrating us women. The sermon was an instructive, encouraging message for women, taught from 1 Peter 3:1-7. While many women can find things to begrudge and dislike in this passage, Nicolai Romanovich taught more about how women have significant power to influence and that we must be wise and use our influence in a holy, God-honoring way. Then, they gave every woman there a bar of chocolate. Good plan? Why, yes, I agree!

That evening, the young men of the church invited us young women (of which I'm one of the oldest) to a Masquerade. We each had to wear a mask (which I borrowed), and when we arrived, we found that the boys had done a fantastic job of planning! Before we even entered the building, we had a short show of flame throwing and fire breathing (one of the guys is a part of a Cossack guard that ceremonially guards the local monastery; he has a lot of cool training)! All of the boys were wearing masks and most were dressed as if they were from "Phantom of the Opera."

The evening included baked, sugared apples and chocolate; poems; songs; one rap; videos; dramas; a sword fight; prayers; and encouragement. I loved watching the boys demonstrate to the "sisters" how much they appreciate and value us. It was just lovely and extremely thoughtful. I'm sorry that some of my pictures are blurry; many of them were taken in the dark.

Ira and her "pretty-in-pink" get-up.

Some of the men: Vova, Zhenya, and Pasha. Zhenya was slightly frightening...

Dasha in her beautifully-made mask.

Brother and Sister: Vitaly and Olya. I had thought about wearing sunglasses, and everyone had laughed at it when I suggested it. However, they all loved it in this case. Geez...discrimination.

Artyome, Zhenya (the girl version), and Vaideem. Don't the guys look impressive?

Tanya and her friend, Ira.

Pretty Nastia.

The chief and me. Chief = Maya

Nastia, Pushkin, and me. I can't decide if he looks like Captain Hook or a Musketeer. Which do you think?

My friend, Olya. I love her because she never makes fun of my Russian and is very encouraging.

For your edification:

1. For more information on Women's Day, click here.

2. Some girls I know from college have a blog (along with some other women), wherein they think and write about what it means to be truly feminine females in a world that tends to think of it as a weakness. To check it out, click here.

3. In a similar vein, for the gentlemen out there, click here for a website created for you!

Today, I encourage you to think about the women in your life who have influenced and encouraged you. Here is an EXTREMELY short list of some of those women in my life: my mamichka, Susu, Mrs. Romine, Mrs. Linda, Mrs. Twila, Mrs. Tidwell, my auntie, my grandmothers, my friend Kat, my friend Karen, all of the roommates I had throughout college, Ira, Nastia, Mama Mac, Wendy, and my favorite sister Amiee (don't think I'm rude...I only have one, but she is my FAVORITE!). There are many others. I'm so thankful for you all. Happy Women's Day!