P A N G I A: Масленица

Imagine a table filled with stacks upon stacks of freshly made blini (the Russian version of crepes) and every sweet or savory topping possible. I’m talking honey, condensed milk, fruit, nutella, jam, caviar, cheese, ham, tvorog, cream cheese, fish, sour cream. I could keep going. Now imagine that you are required to eat this every day for an entire week in order to be strong for the coming Spring. And at the end of this week of feasting, you culminate your celebrations by heading to the nearest park, playing games that turn into a manly show of strength, dancing to traditional tunes, and, finally, burning a giant chuchila (something like a scarecrow). Let’s be honest, American holidays have got nothing on Russian festivities.

Now don’t misunderstand. There is almost nothing more wonderful than a Margo-Wray celebration including mountains of Raspberry Cloud, intense rounds of Catan and family. But Maslenitsa is officially my new favorite week of the year.

Maslenitsa is an ancient Russian holiday that welcomes the coming of spring and the (supposed) departure of winter. Considering the intensity of Russian winters, its no wonder that Russians need at least a week to celebrate this important transition. Because blini is already a beloved Russian street-food/fast-food, the stalls and shops that line each street encourage the surge in blini consumption by advertising blini by the pound. And trust me, you need at lease a few pounds of blini for any good celebrations.

Natalie and I were lucky enough to be invited to a slew of Maslenitsa celebrations, some hosted by other internationals and some by Russians. While it was a nearly religious experience eating so much delicious blini, the week was really a beautiful picture of the community we have developed here. Being welcomed into the homes of friends and co-workers solidified the truth that this place is our home and these people are something like family.

We must have broken some international record, by managing to eat blini six out of the seven days of Maslenitsa, each day at a different home or celebration. While you might think we would never want blini again, I can assure you I’ve already had it once or twice since. Here are a few highlights from the week, including a feast and games at the HIV kindergarten where we volunteer, EVA celebration at our co-worker, Anya's house, and a festival on Saint Petersburg’s Elagin island.

P.S. Maslenitsa has been over for nearly two weeks at temperatures are still well below freezing. I'm not convinced warm weather is ever coming.