Oh, I’m finally home! It feels amazing to come back home after the first semester in Surrey. Everyone is so happy to finally see their parents and friends back home, so get ready to spend your evenings updating your relatives on your student’s life. And of course, we get to celebrate Christmas and the New Year’s with our beloved ones. Today, I will share my trip back home and how I’ve celebrated my New Year’s.
Trip back to Moscow
Oh, my heart is pounding… I’m back home! “Hello Moscow, I’ve missed you!” -those were my first words when I’ve landed at Sheremetyevo airport. My journey at Moscow is starting right now, I have to prepare my checklist of all the things I have to do, who I have to meet and etc. So, first things first you have to see your family- they’ve missed you and to be honest, you’ve missed them, so prepare yourself for endless hugs. Secondly, (and this is a must) you have to see Moscow and how beautiful it is. And of course, you have to catch up with your friends and try out all the new coffee shops.
In Russia, we don’t celebrate Catholic Christmas, but we still send the “Merry Christmas” messages to our friends back in the U.K. Even though we don’t celebrate Catholic Christmas, we celebrate New Year’s eve, this holiday is very important for Russians and so we prepare for it weeks or even months ahead! You have to buy a lot of gifts for all of your friends and family, you have to prepare a very special dinner menu (if you are celebrating at home) or if you are going out on the 31 of December you have to prepare your best outfit. Oh, I almost forgot you have to decorate your Christmas tree, or as we call it новогодняя елка.
Now look at how Moscow is beautifully decorated, there are dozens of Christmas trees all over the centre of Moscow, Christmas lights are around every building and any corner. Every street has its own decorated theme, there are numerous Santa Clauses or as we call him Дедушка Мороз walking around and giving gifts to children. Christmas songs and festive music is playing everywhere, in the stores and on the streets. This just created such a festive atmosphere around the whole city, that it truly felt magical and that New Year is just around the corner.
Was it snowing….? Unfortunately no:(
Those decorations and songs compensated the lack of snow.. unfortunately it wasn’t snowing in Moscow on the New Year’s eve, which was sad, but beautiful decorations, festive songs, food and overall festive atmosphere made me happy.
Even though we don’t celebrate Catholic Christmas, we celebrate Orthodox Christmas which was on the 7th of January. It is usually celebrated with your family over dinner.
Christmas break is a great time to catch up with your friends and family and share your first-semester experience. Personally, I’ve loved my Christmas break, I finally ate a proper home-cooked meal, relaxed, travelled all around Moscow, saw my friends and family. And now I’m ready to come back to Surrey for my revision week and then its exams, exams and exams!
Я поздравляю всех с Новым 2020 годом! И думаю, что вы хорошо провели свои каникулы, и готовы к новому учебному семестру. Я желаю вам удачи в 2020 году и, надеюсь, что все ваши мечты сбудуться!
-Margarita.
