Merry Christmas!

Dear Rachel,

Wishing you many moments of love, peace and all the joy Christmas can bring.

Lots of love,

                     Dasha

Happy Thanksgiving day!

Dear Joe!

May the good things of life be yours in abundance not only at Thanksgiving but throughout the coming year! Best wishes!

Lots of love,

                     Dasha

Philadelphia city

To start with, I have a dream. It is to visit America. But i couldn't decide what city to choose. I haven't mind to visit Philadelphia, because I have heard about this city, when i had played The Monopoly and when I was in sushi bar and heard about Sushi with the name Philadelphia. But now, I have read about this city, and think about my trip to Philadelphia. Once the original capital of America , Philadelphia has a history enriched with culture, history and symbolism. The city is a melting pot of races, traditions and immigrant cultures and also possesses amenities that only the city's own heritage can provide. It is the home to the Liberty Bell and the Declaration of Independence, both tributes to the city's revolution.

Widely known as Philly, but formerly known as the City of Philadelphia , it is the largest city in the state of Pennsylvania . It is also called the City of Brotherly Love '. It holds the following statistics, it is the sixth most populous city in the US , the fifth largest city area by population in the US , the US 's fourth largest consumer media market and ranks 49 th as the most populous city in the world. There are nearly 1.5 million people in the city alone. What about history, the first Europeans to settle in the area that is now Philadelphia were mainly Swedes. English influence began in 1681 with the granting of the Charter of Pennsylvania by Charles II. William Penn, a Quaker, first landed in 1682 in New Castle, Delaware. He is credited with the founding and planning of Philadelphia. William Penn granted a charter to the City of Philadelphia in 1701. In 1854 Philadelphia was expanded to encompass all of the land of Philadelphia Country.In 1876, the first World's Fair in United States was held in Philadelphia to celebrate the Centennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Now, Philadelphia is a vibrant and rich center for arts and culture. Philadelphia offers museums, the performing arts, and more.

Philadelphia is also home to numerous events and festivals, including: the Independence Day Ceremony/Philadelphia Liberty Medal Presentation, Sunoco Welcome America!, which is one of the nation's largest outdoor festivals focusing on July 4th; the Philadelphia Marathon and Rothman Institute 8 K Race; the Philadelphia Holiday Festival and City Hall Tree Lighting; and more.

Here are some links about Philadelphia for you:

http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/pennsylvania/philadelphia

http://www.inventpa.com/

Facts from Pennsylvania geography

To tell the truth, geography - is not my favourite lesson. But I have read the geography of Penn state from the beginning till the end. And now I can tell it to you, if you're interested in it.

Here are the general information about its geographilac position:

Pennsylvania is one of the eastern states of the United States. It is bordered by New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Ohaio. Pennsylvania is the 33rd largest state. It has an area of 46,058 square miles (119,291 km 2), of which 1,239 square miles (3,208 km 2)are inland water. The state's greatest length (east-west) is about 310 miles (500 km); its maximum width (north-south), 170 miles (270 km).

Here are a kind of slideshow about geography of Pennsylvania:

http://www.slideshare.net/mist73lee/geography-of-pennsylvania

Here are the full information about geography ( about every region of Pennsylvania independently)

http://www.evolpub.com/Americandialects/PennaDialMap.html

Benjamin Franklin

To be sincere, before getting this task, I have never heard, that Benjamin Franklin is from Pensylvania. I heard a lot about him, and I have often seen his portrait on the 100 dollars banknote as well.
Here are some facts fron his biography: 
Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He was the tenth son of soap maker, Josiah Franklin. Benjamin's mother was Abiah Folger, the second wife of Josiah. In all, Josiah would father 17 children.

Josiah intended for Benjamin to enter into the clergy. However, Josiah could only afford to send his son to school for one year and clergymen needed years of schooling. But, as young Benjamin loved to read he had him apprenticed to his brother James, who was a printer. After helping James compose pamphlets and set type which was grueling work, 12-year-old Benjamin would sell their products in the streets.

http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/info/index.htm

History of Pennsylvania

When I got the task to discover the history af Penn state, I was really impressed, because I have never heard about this state, a fortiori about its history.The most interesting was that this state was named after William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania. "Sylvania" comes from the Latin word for woods or forest.

Now, I want to tell you about Pennsylvania in the eve of of colonization.

When first discovered by Europeans, Pennsylvania, like the rest of the continent, was inhabited by groups of American Indians, people of Mongoloid ancestry unaware of European culture. The life of the Indians reflected Stone Age backgrounds, especially in material arts and crafts. Tools, weapons and household equipment were made from stone, wood, and bark. Transportation was on foot or by canoe. Houses were made of bark, clothing from the skins of animals. The rudiments of a more complex civilization were at hand in the arts of weaving, pottery, and agriculture, although hunting and food gathering prevailed. Some Indians formed confederacies such as the League of the Five Nations, which was made up of certain New York-Pennsylvania groups of Iroquoian speech. The other large linguistic group in Pennsylvania was the Algonkian, represented by the Delawares, Shawnees, and other tribes.

The rise of nation-states in Europe coincided with the age of discovery and brought a desire for territorial gains beyond the seas, first by Spain and Portugal and later by England, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Wars in southern Germany caused many Germans to migrate eventually to Pennsylvania. The struggle in England between the Crown and Parliament also had a pronounced effect on migration to America. The Reformation led to religious ferment and division, and minorities of various faiths sought refuge in America. Such an impulse brought Quakers, Puritans, and Catholics from England, German Pietists from the Rhineland, Scotch Calvinists via Ireland, and Huguenots from France. Also, great economic changes took place in Europe in the 17th century. The old manorial system was breaking down, creating a large class of landless men ready to seek new homes. An increase in commerce and trade led to an accumulation of capital available for colonial ventures. The Swedish and Dutch colonies were financed in this way, and William Penn's colony was also a business enterprise.

If you want to know more, you can visit this links:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/wu01/vc/visitor_info/pa_history/pa_history.htm

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108264.html

http://www.ushistory.org/pennsylvania/pennsylvania.html