My Trans-Siberian Journey: My, My Telephone! My American Halloween in Germany

At first I was a little depressed to think that I would miss one of my favorite holidays ever just because I got this wander lust during the Fall. Halloween is definitely the time when I can show the world I have a shred of domestic skills by making amazing costumes. This year, the road to success was steep; I wanted to be the famous American Pop/R&B superstar known as Beyoncé Knowles. Sure, I could have just worn a black leotard and some big hair and gotten the point across, but I chose a much more difficult outfit to recreate: I wanted to be Beyoncé from Lady Gaga's Telephone music video. I just loved the colors, jewels and of course, the hair.

I knew it would be difficult, but if there is one thing that my time as a Swing choreographer and sorority girl extrordinaire taught me is that where there is a will (and of course some needle and thread) there is away. I looked long and hard for the materials all over ever neighborhood we could think of to piece together all the parts of this flamboyant outfit. I even had to find a hair dresser willing to cut my bangs in such a ridiculously short fashion. I just had to keep arguing that its all the rage in Ukraine, where I would be heading off in a few days. I am so glad that I went through the effort, because this creation I made for my Halloween in Hamburg is by far my greatest work.

Posing next to the Telephone poster

Our night began at my good friend from Santa Rosa, Katryna's, place. to get ready for the party. Our group consisted of Katryna and her boyfriend, Nerkez who are both studying in the Peace and Conflict Negotiations program at the university in Hamburg, and my good friend James. After parting was in Moscow, James traveled to Estonia, Slovenia, Austria, and finally ended in Hamburg. He came all the way to Hamburg so we could celebrate Halloween together! How cool is that? At Katryna's place, we had some wine, I styled everyone's hair and began the photo shoot. James was an obsessed with American culture and fashion Soviet youth from the movie Stilyagi. Nerkez went as James Dean, the rebel without a cause, and Katryna was an iPhone. Our group was fantanstic. Some of the highlights of the night include:

trying to get the cab driver to take a swig of wine while on our way to the bar; he politely declined.
Borat in his sun bathing suit (picture not included because I would rather not turn the "explicit material" function on my blog. hah)
Finding the Saudia Arabians
All the people who kept poking Katryna's applications