It seems I've got just enough time to sneak in my one and only blog post of 2019, so I'll try my best to sum up the key moments from this year. Let's go!
I started the new year off surrounded by my closest friends and family, since I went home to CT for the first time since moving to Moscow. It was perfect, and I couldn't have asked for a better start to the year. But then...
...I got sick just as vacation ended, and on the first working day of the year, found myself packing a quick bag for my evening flight to Karaganda, Kazakhstan (side note: this was actually Attempt #2. The first try was in December, when our flight got diverted to Astana due to ice storms, we slept and had a conference call in a capsule hotel upon realizing we were not getting to our destination, entered and exited and entered and exited the country once more without leaving the actual airport, and then barely got ourselves on a flight back to Moscow 15 hours later). We arrived at 5am, slept for a couple of hours before our meeting after a struggle to locate our taxi, and left early the next morning. It was -35, but I got a little walk in, and saw the university. Exciting beginning.
The next big event was in March, when my dear old dad came to visit Moscow for the first time! I had him walking until our feet were sore, but he saw just about everything in the 6 days he was here: Red Square; inside the Kremlin, GUM, and St. Basil's; Patriarch's Ponds; the zoo; my apartment and office; New and Old Arbat; Tsarytsino; Aviapark; Moscow City; Moscow River cruise; Swan Lake at RAMT; VDNX; the botanical garden at Prospekt Mira; Komsomolskaya station. He tried Russian, Ukrainian, and Georgian food. I got to take him to some of my favorite cafes, and to some posher places as well. In all, it was the best visit ever - and coincided with our birthday!
Fast forward to August and September, which I spent travelling for work. The first half of August, I led an alternative program at a youth forum in the Northern Caucasian town of Pyatigorsk for 2 weeks, followed by 2 weeks in Anapa working with kids from Arctic, Siberian, and Far Easter regions of Russia. Both were challenging and rewarding in different ways, and called for a lot of creativity while I was preparing the programs.
After living in summer camps for a month and getting some sort of virus/food poisoning in Anapa, I finally got to take a break and head home in September. I had the honor of being at my cousin and first best friend's wedding! It was Game of Thrones themed, and we all wore costumes, had sword fights, and slept in cabins. I also got to see my friend's new guinea pigs and titi's new house for the first time.
There were other events sprinkled throughout the year as well. I planned my first webinar series. I had my 1 year anniversary of kickboxing. I got a new roommate. I visited Tver, Tula, and Chekhov on road trips with friends. 2019 was full of challenges and surprises. And most importantly, as it comes to an end, I'm happy, healthy, and surrounded by love. Here's to 2020!
