I love my Motherland

 My Motherland is a great country and a small village in this country is my Motherland too. Russia is one of the largest countries in the world. It occupies about one-seventh of the world`s total land mass.

In centre of Russia there are such towns as Vladimir, Suzdal. They were the heart of the ancient Russia and they are my native towns nowadays. Vladimir is a modern town now. It is an industrial centre. There are many factories and plants there. Vladimir and Suzdal are culture centres too. There are professional theatres, museums, universities and libraries.

In this town there are many fine buildings, wide streets, green parks, large squares, churches and monuments in Vladimir. It is necessary to mention such famous monument as monument to the great Russia painter Andrey Rublev.  A lot of foreigners from all over the world come to see these monuments, while they are visiting our country.

The most favourite place for me is situated between Vladimir and Suzdal. It is my village. My grand mother lives there. I visit my grandmother several times a year: in winter, summer holidays and on the weekends.

I like New Year`s Day. The 1<sup>st</sup> of January is in the middle of winter. The weather is usually fine and there is a lot of snow everywhere. As the 1<sup>st</sup> of January is a holiday I don`t go to school  and my parents don`t go to work. My mother and my grandmother prepare our New Year`s supper and lay the table. I make a cake.

During my holidays I have a lot of free time. I like to skate and ski, if it is not too cold. My friends and I go to the skating-rink. It is near our house. There are usually a lot of young people there. My parents and I go to the forest to ski. I can ski well and I am found of skiing.

Sometimes my parents and I travel during my holidays.  Last year we visited Suzdal. We went there by bus and it took us 25 minutes to get there. We arrived in Suzdal and lived in a hotel for 3 days. I saw many sights in this old town for example, wooden houses and churches. It was a very impressive trip.

Summer holidays come and I go to the country to see my grandmother. She has got a big old house. There is a lot of work to do.

I water the plants, take care of the hens. There is a big kitchen garden near their house, where she grow different vegetables. The weather is fine and it is hot. I like to swim in the river. I go to the nearest forest to gather mushrooms and pick berries. And all this I call my Motherland, my birthplace.