two months to go...

Hey guys! Ваня Кенгуруевич is on vacation, so I'm filling in for him as myself. ;) I thought I'd spend a few minutes reflecting on the two and a half years I've spent in this crazy strana known as Russia. It scares me a little bit to think that despite all the hardship, despite the dark times when I was afraid of being sacked coupled with the abandonment I'd been feeling at that point, I may not be coming back to this amazing place where I've grown in my faith as a Christian, where I rediscovered my dormant skills at bowling, where I've become super obsessed with Russian grammar (most recently, punctuation and syntax).

I can recall the many hours I spent watching soccer with my host dad back in St. Pete, the countless days and evenings walking in solitude along the Neva and Moskva rivers, day trips to various and sundry towns outside of Moscow. Four years ago on this day I successfully defended my first "nauchnuyu rabotu" in Russian, a research paper on Shostakovich and his opera "Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District." Just last week I sang "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" as part of a trio during Offeratory and last semester I sang a solo in "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." I recall with gladness the classes I taught in which students were motivated to do the work, asked great questions about phrasal verbs and helped each other. I didn't even mind that I taught on Saturdays because I had a great group of beginners. Many fond memories remain of my days at the Link in the Pru. And then there was the shashlik party. Words cannot express the awesomeness and craziness of that afternoon and evening.

What else do I remember? Yes, I'm in one of those nostalgic moods, today...Let's see. I remember rushing around for hours trying to find a bowtie for my choir concert last semester, only to discover that Corinne had a whole bunch of extra bowties at the ready. Needless to say, I was slightly humbled. 0:) I remember learning how to play Durak (a popular Russian card game) and picking it up pretty quickly (this was on our forty hour train ride to Sochi), only to never play it again, lol. I remember the awkwardness I felt starting choir rehearsal being the only tenor for what seemed like ages. (Luckily I can read music well enough, and we didn't start with "Take a Chance" so it wasn't a polny' koshmar - a complete nightmare.)

I remember my 21st birthday spent in the company of my HC friends, drinking apple juice through a straw (yes, that was my passage into manhood, hahahah....can you tell I need a woman? :p), and then the images of what was in Kunstkamera....they shall terrify me for the rest of my life...

On the theme of unforgettable birthdays, I should probably recall again what happened just a couple of weeks ago. After a lovely birthday lunch, in which Julian certainly had a good laugh at my expense, I went to a bar for drinks with some friends from Language Link, and then began the craziest 5 hours ever spent in human company. Again, I'll just leave you hanging with all the details, but suffice to say, that yes, I woke up and was one of the first in the choir to make it on church ready to sing God's praises.

All this talk of nostalgia aside, I cannot deny being both excited and scared about what awaits me back in the states: a final summer of near-idyllic (would be idyllic except for the whole thesis thing) life at Middlebury (maybe the sun will come out two days in a row this year), one HELL of a graduation party, and then, gradual transition back into the workforce. It will, however, be nice to be back at home for a few weeks to relax and plan my next move. What a wonderful thing uncertainty is. It's easy to be scared by it and get stressed out, but it's so much more enticing and (in my opinion) worthwile to think of all the possibilities instead of being dragged down by the fear of closed doors which may not in fact be closed. With God on my side, I may trip, I may fall into a prairie dog hole (well, probably not, you'd have to be a real moron to do that, not that I know anybody who's ever had the experience...;)), but I WILL NOT FAIL. And that alone is enough to give me confidence. The fact that I am not alone as I take steps towards the next part of my journey towards finding myself and my place in this world also gives me hope. My friends in Moscow have been absolutely incredible, and I will forever be grateful for their friendship and hope that they will remember me as I will them. Geographical differences can easily be overcome, as we discovered on Sunday, worshiping with the Methodist Church in Salermo, Italy via Skype. We are all one family under God. We are all brothers and sisters.

That all being said, there's still two months of new adventures. There's the fact that I have THREE choir concerts next month. It'll be good to see some of my friends. First concert is May 6 at 7 pm at the Conservatory (Rachmaninov Hall). It's a Thursday, so if you can't make it, our other concerts will be at St. Andrew's Anglican Church (metro Biblioteka im. Lenia, Oxotny Ryad, Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya) on May 14 and 21 at 7.30 (both Fridays) Come by and hear some great folk songs, sacred Russian music, John Rutter and of course, Mamma Mia! There's exams to study for, opportunities to step up my bowling game, chances to assert myself as the official Bog-Korol' of Russian grammar (Mike, you've been demoted to assistant but you can reclaim your position in due time :)) It's going to be an incredible couple of months, and as excited as I am to be going home, I have every intention of making the most of the remaining time I have in this incredible city of Moscow.

Further reflections to come, but for now, this is Comrade Jon, signing off. Have a lovely day!