Re: Hi!

Hey [REDACTED], I wanted to see how the flight went. I hope it was uneventful. :) It was really hard driving by the airport last night knowing that you could be taking off at any minute. I'm going to send you some pictures of me when I get home and would love it if you could send me pictures of you as well. Get some rest, and I hope we can talk soon! [REDACTED]

Hi Jeremy!!!
I'm so glad to hear from you!

My flight was perfectly good, but I was so tired when I came home and was sleeping all the day) Everything is so different here, I'm dreaming about next summer already... I'm waiting for your pictures! It's a pity we have no any photos together. Do you have a lot of pictures on facebook?

My cat is lying near me and says Hello to you!)

It's so rainy here today, and how is your weather? What plans for the weekend?

Hi Jeremy!)

I've forgotten - it's The Labor Day in US tomorrow, wish you to have a fun time!

My family is good, thank you. I'm happy to see my parents, to talk to them after a long time... and home food - oh my God, it's so tasty!!!))...except one thing - I'm eating chocolate ice cream now and it's much worse than... you know what)

It's good at home, but anyway I want back to NY so much!!! You can also join <www.vkontakte.ru> if you want, it's similar to facebook, there some photos of me too. How often do u clean your apartment?) it's not the first time u write me about it, you must be very neat I guess:))

We can talk by skype any evening, what time do you usually come back home? It's 1.10 am in Minsk now, 7 hours later than in NY. I'll go to bed soon, tomorrow I should go for my classes. Have a good time tomorrow! Kiss you...muah muah mmmuaaah! bye...

Hello Karina!!! :) I'm glad to hear from you too and I'm glad that your flight went well.

I slept in late today too, it was nice to get some rest. How is your family? Tell your cat that I say 'hello' back. It really is sad that we didn't get any photographs together. I do have a lot of pictures on facebook. If you do a search for me under the name Jeremy Stiffler, you will see a picture of me on my parents boat looking at the sunset while I'm lying down.

It has been nice today but it started raining a little bit in the evening. I will be singing in my church choir tomorrow and then will come home and try to get my apartment cleaned. It is such a mess. I need a maid!! :)

On Monday we have a National holiday so I don't have to go to work. I'll be playing some soccer with some friends and maybe go to a cancer.. The most important thing is that I get some of my school work done. I've waited too long to get the work done and now I think it is time to get it done.

Can you also send me some pictures? We should also Skype some time. Let me know when you can. By the way, what is the time difference from New York and where you live?

Hello lovely Karina,

Yes, I had a good time. I ate some food at a friends house and then went to the park and played soccer with a group of guys for a couple of hours.

What do you eat when you go home? What's your favorite 'home food'?

Hahaha. I don't clean my apartment enough which is why it has taken me so long. :) I started to clean it before, when we were talking, but I didn't get it all done. Now I'm finished, THANK YOU GOD!! :D

7 hours later than NY, okay, so maybe some morning when you are free and I can stay up late and we can talk on Skype. I usually get home around 5pm, which I think is 12am for you (0:00).

Have fun in your classes! Study hard. I miss you too...hope to skype with you soon!

(nice kisses!!)

Privet Jeremy!)

I usually go to sleep late, still can't adapt to my new schedule, so we may skype after your work some day.

I saw your pictures on facebook, some of its are really funny, especially your fancy-dresses very funny, I like it:))

My favourite home food..hmm...l like soups my mum makes, I like steaks...there are so many things I like, come to me and you'll try it!;) How was your Indian food?)

Hi Karina,

On Sat, Sep 12, 2009 at 12:20 PM, Karina Shuliak kari.shulia@gmail.com wrote:

Hey Jeremy!!! I didn't hear from you all these days...how are you??

Priveeet!

So Jeremy, those burrito was not just not so good, it was really awful I should say!:) How is your family, what town you've been to?

My school is ok, I can't say I'm enjoying my classes so much, cause it's too long and a big part of time going for nothing, but it's only the beginning of the year still, so I hope it would be better soon. But it's supposed to be a lot of holidays this month, soon is one of my friend's wedding, next week we'll make a hen-night for her, and little bit later is my cousin's wedding... And yesterday we celebrated the beginning of the new academic year with my university friends, it was SO funny, I had forgotten already what is our crazy russian dancing!:) It was really funny excluding today's morning lecture;)

How is your research work, how long you need to complete it?
Tell me when you'd be able to skype, ok?
Send your my airkisses…………=.. ************

Hi Karina,

Also, I want to write to you about you and me and where I'd like for our friendship to go. When we met it was great and I have had such a wonderful time getting to know you. But being that we are so far apart and have such a difference in age I know that things will eventually change. You still have a lot of experience to go through and I want to encourage you to go out and have a lot of fun. We will always be friends and I hope we can continue talking but I want you to enjoy University life and all (not that you aren't already!) :) I look forward to hearing from you again and, again, I'm so glad we met and I'm really glad you are my friend.

Talk to you soon,
Jeremy

Hi Jeremy!

I know our situation now probably seems ridiculous, but you are so wrong if you think I'll forget about everything. Yes, we know each other for a short time, but you will always be a man to me, not just a friend, and I know whatever happens I will keep those time in my memory, cause I feel like it was something very special to me. You may say I'm a child still, but I know what I say. Of course, I will have fun being here as well as you will enjoy your time, won't you? And it's ok. I'm gonna come to NY in Jul or Aug and to stay, it probably would be the last chance to do it, cause if I graduate my university I'd hardly be able to come to US, that's why I wanna try it this summer. I don't gonna ask you to wait for me, but Jeremy, I just wanna know, if all this means nothing to you - please, tell me.

I miss you, Jeremy
P.S. a prayer for me...it's so pathetically!)

Ok Jeremy. No more airkisses in my emails, only real kisses in real life!:) I'm kidding, ok - now just friends.
I have to go sleeping already, have a good evening and a good day tomorrow!
so......... bye!:)

I think it is important more for myself. So that I have some closure. We became very close very quickly and saying that helps me to separate myself a bit. It is difficult being far away but I do know that we would still be spending time together if you were here.

Hi Karina, ok, no more airkisses...REAL ones!!! :) I hope you had a good week, mine was great. I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow and playing soccer tomorrow afternoon. Have a great weekend!

Привет, Jeremy!

Yes, my weekend was really great, I've been at my friend's wedding, it was a lot of fun!)) How was yours, sleeping and soccer?) You play soccer so often, I'm afraid your muscles would be as Schwarzenegger's soon!:) or you think it 1=;s too sore still?)

I don't know what to do with my English, last week I began to read one book in English - it's so complicated, there are so many unknown words to me, but what is more difficult that sometimes I know the meaning of each word, but can't translate the whole sentence, cause I don't dig its structure. Gosh, it's so hard! Sometimes when I write you I imagine your reaction like "what's that! what a bull she's writing!" or something like that:) I'm sorry, but I hope it would be better in time. Could you remind me the name of the book you told was your favourite do you remember? I'd like to read it.

Today I found out my cousin from NY is coming to us, tomorrow he'll be here! He told us he was going to come soon, but didn't know for sure when, so it was such a surprise! How is the weather now in NY? I'd like to see Central Park in autumn, it must be so beautiful there now...

Yes, the woman was very surprised and looked a little bit embarrassed...probably because of my terrible accent!!

Wow, that's cold over there. It is getting much cooler here but not nearly that cold!

Yeah, I figured most of the churches out there were similar to my parents. It is a very traditional church. No, I don't think it is wrong at all to go to a catholic church instead of an orthodox church. Is God in one more than the other? I don't think so.

I'm sure you know that I'm very active in my church. I'm usually there twice a week either singing or going to a church service. We have some dance groups here too with ballet and a few choreographed dances. It is a lot of fun. I hope you get a chance to come some day, the people are always very nice.

I'm so sorry to hear about the dental assistant job. School can be tough and take up a lot of time. I know how that is, I just don't let it take up any of my time, which is why I'm not getting my work done!! :

graduate?

So you are coming to the US to find a job then? Is this next year or once you graduate?

My friend's birthday party was great. He was very happy and surprised by it all. I really don't think it is a good thing that I am so tired from all of this going out and spending time (and money) with my friends. I'm so tired and have no more money!! :-/

I need some rest and calmness...very, very badly.

Ahh, Karina. I hope you know that I really enjoy writing to you and I really enjoy reading your messages. I miss spending time with you too!

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy! How are you? How was your weekend, did you finally get some rest?:) Why weekends always pass so quickly...ah, I feel too lazy to wake up early tomorrow and go for studies...:( My cat is lying on me right now and gazing at the screen, I think maybe she wants me to say "hi" from her) "Yeah, Marcy?" I don't know, she says just "phrrrrr"...:)

I remembered about your conversation with the Russian woman at the elevator so I've had one in English a few days ago, but it was a little bit longer than yours:) I had to attend one of my studies I've missed during the 1st week of September, so there were 2 guys there, one from Lebanon and the other one from Syria, and they were talking Arabic language all the time. Then one of them asked me that I must have been tired to listen to them, I said that it's ok, then he asked me if I speak English. They speak Russian good enough, but English was easier for emails, so we began to talk) it was a very nice conversation, it was so long I talked to someone in English...now only

Of course, I'll have to find a job, if I come to the US. It's not an easy decision, cause there is nothing I have there now, but the economic and political situation in our country is not very good, to be honest...it's hard to explain, but here life is completely different. So, if I come it would be this summer I think, because after my graduation it'd be much harder to do it.

Oh, it's 3 am already! I have to go sleeping. Good night Jeremy! Bye...

Hi Karina, so I had a somewhat good and bad experience today. I was training some teachers in upper Manhattan and when I was leaving I drove right past your street and your apartment. I slowed down for a second and had some really good memories go through my mind. It was good memories for sure!

Please tell your cat Privet from Jeremy and then give her a kiss for me. :)

That is great that you are practicing your English some more. Just don't watch too many American shows, that is not very much like America at all. :)

How has your school been going? How are your studies?

Hi old man!;) how you doing?

I've seen your pictures on facebook from your b-day party, you're so funny there, I think you could be not a bad actor, Jeremy!:) How is your preparing for Christmas performance in your church, what character are you gonna play there? I adore theatre, it would be very interesting to see your play, even if I'd get only a half of your words in English I'd like to see it) I'm sorry I'm too far away.

It was so unused to hear your voice when I called you, and it was so funny to hear your confused tone trying to realize who is it:) I just thought you'd guess, that it's me after I sang for you in Russian, but then I thought, that you probably had not realized it was Russian, yes?:) It's a real winter here in Minsk already, it was snowing for the first time yesterday evening, it was very cold and windy, but so beautiful though. But the main theme in our country during last weeks is a flare of the atypical influenza. People are in panic, they wearing masks everywhere, there are huge crowds at the pharmacies and it's really hard to buy any antivirus medicine now, cause everything is already bought!:) So, it's number 1 theme here now! I'm ok, congratulate me Jeremy, cause I've finally gone to the gym) Know it sounds so commonly, but it was so long I couldn't do it and now it's a real event to me) So, soon I'll be very very very STRONG! :)

Studies are normally, nothing special, the one thing that really impressed me was during one of our classes at the criminal medicine chair. We've been at the post-mortem examination there for the first time. After that, it's like something changes in your mind, like as if you look at your own life from the other side and it seems so tiny! And you think 'what are you doing? what are you waiting for?' Sometimes I feel like we live in a cocoon of different stereotypes and prejudices. I even don't know how to explain it. Sorry, it probably sounds too gloomily. It's better to talk about something more optimistic)

How was bowling at your b-day, I hope you've won??:)

Hahaha...Old Man. You are funny! By the way, thank you so much for your call. I apologize for not recognizing your Russian, I'm not used to hearing Russian being sung to me. I have another friend from Norway named Gunn who I thought it might have been since I've known her since I was 15 but then I heard you say 'It is me, Karina' and my jaw almost dropped to the floor. It was so nice of you to call me and it put a smile on my face all day! :)

The Christmas performance is going well. I have very few lines, which is good. I get to start the whole thing off with a funny skit. It would be great if you could see the play, it has a very important message in it too. I also get to be a 'wise man' who travels to Bethlehem to visit the baby Jesus.

Wow, it is really cold there! It is a beautiful 18 degrees C here. Please don't get sick, that would be terrible. Take a lot of vitamins and plenty of water!!

Going to the gym! Sounds good. I need to start doing that too. My muscles are not strong like yours, mine are weak and small. :( I'm sure you could beat me up if you had to. :)

That's amazing that you went to a post-mortem examination. I'll bet it was a bit strange seeing someone there who was no longer living. I'm sure it does make you think about your life and what it all means. I think this is why I believe what I do in Christianity where it isn't about doing good enough to hope I will make it to heaven, but to accept Christ in my heart. Because I believe Jesus died for my sins and he has already taken away any of the guilt or blame in my life when he died on the cross and now I can live a life believing that I will go to heaven not because I've been good enough but because I accept and acknowledge Jesus as the only one who can save me from the other place I could go. It's a happy thought to know I am saved from such a place. It's also why I love being a part of my church and the friends that I have there because they aren't 'trying' to be good, they are just full of love and encouragement because they themselves have been saved. I hope I am making sense. This is the first time in a long time that I have tried to describe my faith.

Hi Jeremy!:)

Yes, I think everything depends on what we feel inside of us, how can we share love, kindness if we don't feel it? But sometimes it's so hard to keep it, sometimes it's hard to find sense... What do you think about it, what is the sense of your life in? Just interesting to know:)

Hi again) Jeremy, I'm sorry for those questions in my previous email, please don't try to answer it, it would be curiously, don't know why, I've just been in a strange mood those days, so don't pay attention:) better tell me how are you, I haven't heard from you quite long already. Can't believe it's the end of this autumn, when I came back from US I thought these months would be endless, but time is passing by so fast, another 3 months - and the spring!

but winter...how to endure it! What is your favorite season? Imagine, one day I've even forgotten why the day changes the night and why the seasons change, only in a few minutes I've remembered it, don't know what happened, but I was shocked of myself! When do you celebrate Christmas, 25th of Dec as Catholics or not?

Hello again!

My favorite season is the Autumn, I love the leaves changing color and the cool air. It is amazing how fast time passes by. I also love to go skiing though. Do you like to ski? Do you like to play any other sports?

We celebrate Christmas on Dec 25th as well. I think all Christian religions do. How do you like the Catholic church there?

J

Hi Jeremy!

I was so glad to chat with you too, as I remember the first time we were chatting, you were very hungry and had a stomachache after eating some Indian food) hope this time you were alright) How're you doing? How is your car? What about your new apartment, have you moved there already?

I like skating in winter, though I should say I do it not very well, but I like it. What about skiing, I did it only with simple ski, but I have never tried mountain skiing, it's completely different of course, I'd like to try it.

You must be a very religious person Jeremy, but what about me I'm even not sure whether I can call myself a real Christian. I believe in God, He is absolute and the world He created is wonderful! And it's really comfortable to know that you can talk to him every moment and to know that you will be heard. But I don't know how to think about what is told in the Bible. You know, probably if I was born in a Moslem family, I would think that everything what is told in the Koran is verily. I know that nobody can tell the true and we have just to believe, but I still doubt and some things the Bible is telling about seem to be strange to me. According to the Gospel I must be convicted because I have put myself in doubt. But that is what I think. Probably, one day I will change my mind.

And there is an eternal dispute about what direction of Christianity is verily. For example, Orthodoxy consider other branches of Christianity to be sectarianism. In Orthodoxy we celebrate Christmas on Jan 7th, when other Christians do it on Dec 25th. Or different traditions and customs, Who has ever it? All this seem to be strange enough.

But what about the sense of our life, I like the words one writer I love to read has told: "People love each other. And that is everything. That is the most inconceivable and the simplest thing in the world... Without love man is not more than a dead person on vocation...But what are we living for than? We can die the same way..." And I agree with him. Our world is perfect, but we are not and never will be. But love is the only feeling that can make us better.

KARINA!! It has been TOO long since we last spoke. How are you doing? Are y=u done with school for the month? I'm good now, no stomach ache. := My car is fine, it cost a lot of money to get it fixed but it runs =ood now. My new apartment is going to be nice I think. It will take some t=me to get used to though. I'm moving there at the end of this week.

I'm not very good at ice skating, there are so many rinks here that.] should get better at it I hope. I love skiing, I hope to go really reall= soon.

I wouldn't say that I am a very religious person. But I =ave a lot of faith in God. I strive to develop a relationship with God, no= to go through the motions because it is what I am 'supposed' to d=.

It is very understandable why you think that if a person is born into a=certain religion that they would believe it to be true. I did for many yea=s. But there is one very important difference between Christianity and all=other religions. See, Christianity doesn't TRY to make people be good.=There are laws, sure, but those laws could never be kept. There are WAY to= many of them and they are all so ridiculous, like 'don't eat pork=#39; or 'be inside before it gets dark before a worship day. Those law= were there to show us how we are not able to be holy as God wants us to b= holy. That is why God sent his son, Jesus, to die on a cross for our sins= He lived a perfect life, one that I try to follow, led by love and by God= Now that I have accepted Jesus into my heart, I have submitted my life to=him and to following the Bible (God's word) and to try to spread what =ove I can. I now don't have to worry about being perfect because Chris= saved me from the sins that I have committed and the ones I will commit (=ot that I want to but because we are all fallen from grace). In the Koran =t talks about working your way to salvation, same thing is Buddhism where =ou have to follow the Shakras to enlightenment and Nirvana. All these othe= religions have requirements that allow others to say 'look at how spi=itual or holy I am', 'you aren't as holy as me'. In =hristianity we are all the same to God; all sinful. None is better than th= other, we are all together, helping each other if we can and serving God =ogether for the common cause of being a light of love to the world. None o= us can boast that one is more spiritual than the other because none of us=are spiritual in the presence of God. We are all dirty.

Whew, I know I've said a lot, but that is what I believe about my f=ith. I am sincere in it and try my best never to judge others. I'm not=going to say it is easy at all but it is important to me and something tha= guides my life. My hope is that you'll look deeper into Christianity,=not Catholicism or Orthodoxy but in what the Bible says and in prayer to G=d. My favorite Chapters of the Bible are James, Proverbs and the Psalms. G=ve them a read and tell me what you think. I think they are beautiful.

When it comes to traditions, we have to look at them for what they are;=simply remembrances of an important event in our form of Christianity to h=lp us remember a significant event. It doesn't matter when it is celeb=ated or how but it is important that we do remember it for what it represe=ts. When churches argue when something occurred or didn't I believe it=just cheapens the importance of the event.

I love your quote, it is right on point. I would have to add one thing =hough; instead of saying just love, add: "love of God", that wou=d be my philosophy. You are a very deep woman. I didn't realize. :)

I really like talking to you about this. You are a very bright and thou=htful woman. Let me know what you think about what I wrote. I'm prayin= for you too. Do you have anything specific I can pray for for you?