Varya's family

One of the added bonuses about my trip to Yakutsk was the opportunity to visit Varya's family. Varya is one of our good friends, a Sakha student. (See the shashlik day on September 15th.)

It turns out that Vera, Varya's oldest sister is a Christian. This took me by surprise because Varya had never told us this. Vera came and picked me up Sunday morning and took me to church.

Later in the afternoon we went to the family home. Vera is in her first year of marriage and pregnant. Varya and Vera's mum is Anastasia and their dad Gregory.

 Gregory and his son Andrei built this new house. It's quite large, much larger than city apartments.

This is the old family house, now getting delapidated and much smaller.

The dining-living room. We had a mea at that table, while the tv was running (standard in many Russian homes). I was given five shots of cognac, but managed to keep my head above the water. I insisted that the fifth shot would be my last. Andrei made a point of explaining that they are a Shamanist family and that they worship the many spirits. It must be a point of contention in their family that Vera is a Christian now.

Anastasia in her kitchen.

 Anastasia in her sewing room.

Gregory in his workshop.