Explanations and Excuses...

August 26th - Author's Note

Here I am, 9:02 PM, DC time; sitting on the plane, about to get cracking on my much-delayed journals from the end of my first semester in Moscow.

It's odd to think, this was only three months ago, and yet… It feels like an eternity has passed. Life during the summer program was full of… Well, Life, and its experiences!

I didn't keep a journal during the summer for a number of reasons… First and foremost, I suppose, because, as Oscar Wilde once said, all of life seemed to come crowding into a single hour… Every hour, of every day!! I knew that some great friends were going to be leaving Moscow before the summer was out, and I wanted to focus on spending time with them, and just enjoying the memories as we made them together. Secondly, some of the experiences Life was throwing at me, I didn't feel the need to document, and throw online for everyone to see. I do believe that some things should just be kept private. Thirdly, it was slightly enjoyable to not have to worry, "Oh, I have to get home and do my journal!!!" everyday. I was able to enjoy Moscow's endless days of summer, with amazing friends, for what they were.

Fear not, my beloved readers -- I will go back to faithfully keeping a journal now. And that starts with finally, finally, finally, posting the last week of my time in Moscow, in May.

If you're lucky, I may post the notes I did of the first three days I was back in Moscow, in June; and maybe I'll toss some highlights up. It was a historic summer, after all, given the record temperatures, and the terrible fires that surrounded Moscow. I'll certainly never forget that heat or the smoke!

Here's to the future -- the next six months I have in Moscow. It won't be the same with some of my Boys gone -- but I have faith that I can't even imagine some of the great things, and amazing people I have yet to come across.

Much love,

Moscow Kitty; 9:10 PM, DC Time

=^__^=

Yes, I'm actually alive!

My Muse got a bit of a kick tonight, when I stepped out of the Metro. Hope you all enjoy. It's still rough. Only an hour and a half old.

Love,

Moscow Kitty

Night

In the City

Summer breeze

Hits sweat-glazed skin

(Hot)

The Moon

Hangs over,

Orange like the street-lights

Not as bright

Still… More beautiful

The dull roar of cars,

The soft rustle of leaves

Everything blowing in the breeze.

… I'm still surprised I can hear them

It's quiet here

[Actually]

Night

In the City

Journal 115

Journal 115

5-11-10

It should be said, up front, that I'm writing this journal on May 12 -- mostly because the HUGE bouquet of flowers, in-vase, on my desk, was in my computer's normal spot; and yesterday, I was too tired to figure out how to Tetris my desk around to get my laptop onto it in order to type.

Also, I'm so tired, and my schedule is getting so crazy, that I've taken to looking at my calendar again just to figure out, "Okay, what did I do on this day again??" Ha ha ha.

*****

It's slightly odd to be back to school again -- not that we hadn't been last week; but that was only two days, and then we had another holiday! I suppose it's more that, it's weird to think that we are getting into our last few classes. It's for sure that I am SO happy I will be coming back for another year, because I am nowhere near ready to leave Moscow. Then again, after another year, I may be even more "not ready" to leave. Who knows what the future will bring?

The brightest side of classes this week is that we have Lilia Leonidovna, and Grammatika all week!!! (3 days) I just adore her. And we haven't seen each other since before we left for Sochi!!

She took one look at me today, and launched *right* into how good it was to see me, "Maya prelest' ;" "Maya lapochka," etc., etc., etc.!! (Remember those words? =^_~= -- If no, they're just all really affectionate words that say I'm pretty, and lovely, and charming, and a joy. =^///^= '' It's good to be loved!) We shared a big hug, and bisous (a kiss on the cheek; here, it's either 1, or 3!) -- "No one else is here yet, so we can kiss!" she said, laughing. I cannot *wait* to work with her when the fall comes around again!!

*****

After school, I thought I'd look up flight prices, still trying to figure out if I could get myself to Florida, to see my Nana and my cousin; and also to see how much flights to NYC were running, if the invitation there were to work out.

I suppose I should explain, that as far as Florida is concerned -- where my Nana lives? That's my Heaven on Earth. Hands down. No contest. It is also "Home." When I am in the airplane, and look out the window and see Tampa Bay, or the Gulf; the give-away colors of the houses; the pools in almost every back yard; and those special shades of green reserved for palm trees and pines -- a feeling of calm and contentedness washes over me, and I know, from the inside out, "I'm home."

That said, for me, it'd be worth it to hop on a plane, even just to have lunch, and to have to turn around again! Unfortunately, my pockets, they aren't quite so deep as my jet-setting attitude yet!! *laughs*

Luckily for me, there was a certain deal going on that made flying into a closer airport not *quite* so prohibitively expensive as it usually is; and concerning NYC, I found a good bus company that will let me get between Washington DC and NYC for about $35 USD, round trip!! Hooray for not breaking the bank!!

Once I'd found the deals, and considering that I didn't need much arm twisting to decide to fly to Florida in the first place, I only needed to find the time in my schedule, find when the absolutely cheapest dates were, and to call my Nana, just to double check that I could still come down, and that the dates would be fine.

Of course, the one day that I NEED to get a hold of my Nana -- she was out golfing. … I think they told me later I called 20-some-odd times within two hours…!!! Ha ha ha -- oh, Nana, how I adore you!!

[I even actually said, on one of my voicemails, "You had better be playing golf right now, because I think that's the only way I can forgive you for not picking up, when I am trying to buy airline tickets!!!" -- Jokingly of course; but I did really hope she was playing golf!!]

In the end, I bought the tickets, going off of my Nana's previously given, general permission. I couldn't afford for the tickets to get more expensive or for the flights to fill up.

I'm also incredibly loved, because one of my good friends down there is going to come pick me up at the Airport, so that Nana and Charlie don't have to drive at that hour to come get me. [He also happens to be one of the only people I know in the States who speaks Russian! Ha ha -- I won't go three weeks without using it!] And the fact that he will pick me up allows Nana and Charlie to spoil me rotten by having one of our family's famous Apple Pies (and vanilla bean ice cream!) ready for me when I walk in the door!!!!!!!!!

I don't see how it gets any better than that. =^____^=

[Okay, I'm a terrible person -- I asked if they could make me a pie, to be ready when I get there… But who could resist one of our family's apple pies? I ALWAYS make one with Nana when I'm there -- been doing it since I was old enough to help -- so, normally it would be my job to do it; but goodness knows, having just arrived back in the States not even a week before, I think I should be allowed to ask for one to be made for me, just this once. … C'mon, it's Apple Pie, and the United States! What more appropriate, "Welcome Home!" could there be?? =^_~= ]

*****

This now means that the longest amount of time I will continuously be in any one city or State during my 3 weeks in the US will be 4 days.

Ha ha ha, gotta love it.

And, if my old ballroom partner's mum and sister have their way (and he agrees), then I'll go visit all of them - which will mean that the longest I'll be anywhere, continuously, will be 4 days!!

… Shoot, I should probably start making any appointments I actually need!!!!

**********

I spent so long at school that I realized I didn't have time to go home and drop my things off, and grab my dance shoes, to go to the hustle lesson -- so I just went straight there!! Maxim and Olga were happy to see me again.

The lessons went ok -- there was another girl there helping to teach, so I didn't really do much during the first lesson; and as there was only one girl there for the advanced lesson, I certainly wasn't doing anything then. I took advantage of that to run home and get my dance shoes for the hustle party and drop my school things off.

*****

I certainly got quite the "welcome-back!" at the party!! All the regulars, or people I normally dance with were thrilled to see me again, and welcomed me back warmly; telling me how happy they were to see me again!! I was almost overwhelmed!!! =^__^=

They, of course, weren't happy to hear I'll be in the US for three weeks soon; but the fact that I'll be able to make it to one last hustle party before I go appeased them some. I might be late to that, however; because our "good-bye" dinner with our teachers is next Tuesday; and who knows how long that might turn out to be…

Regardless, I'll get there for some length of time!!

**********

I had a nice chat with Nicole today -- it was so good to talk to her again, even though it was only for a little while!! Can't wait to see you again sugar!!

I also had a lovely chat with Cameron, too!

Of course, because I called them both only after I'd returned home, and eaten; I was exhausted by the time I got off the phone, and went to bed, around 2 AM, without having done any homework…. Whoops…. (It's ok -- as it turned out, I didn't have too much; and finished what I did have during a class break.)

**********

In news that doesn't really have a place; I was right about Alexei, from the militsia -- he certainly does seem to be quite interested. He was asking me again, to hang out this weekend, and didn't seem pleased at all when I informed him that I already had plans, and would probably not be able to hang out until I get back from the States.

He also asked whether or not I had a boyfriend. … I was really hoping he wouldn't ask that. That makes things very tricky.

And no, I can't just say, "Yes," because that would be lying. I never lie unless I absolutely have to. : \

So, right now, I'm stalling.

Journal 114

Journal 114

5-10-10; 11:00 PM

Somehow, it seems like a weird date to see written. … I suppose, thinking on it now, that it will be extra odd in October, when the date will be, "10-10-10" - And just think how people will get excited when it is 10:10 AM and 10 seconds. XD Oh, boy.

Neways

I got up around 11 -- Alexei texted -- seems he was serious about hanging out. I stalled, on the grounds of waiting to hear back from Nastëna and I had to finish the Fulbright Article!!

I got inspired, thanks to writer's block on the piece about the Rehearsal Parade, as well as Ryan's Sci-Fi story, to do a chronology of the events leading up to, and including, Den' Pobedy. and to write it "Captain's Log" style.

Almost four hours and 12 pages later, the Behemoth was practically finished. I went off to Coffee House to put the finishing touches on it, and get it sent out.

While there, I was chatting with friends -- and I talked with Angelo's mum -- she said that I should come dance with him, when I said I was afraid of being without dance for three weeks.

When I'd finished with the internet, I made good on my promise to get back to Alexei.

We did wind up hanging out for about an hour or so -- where I learned that it is apparently rather frustrating to a Russian man if you tell him, "You don't need to buy that for me!!" -- No less than 3, "You're killin' me, Smalls!" looks later, I wound up coming home having been fed, and with a bouquet of Spider Mums (my favorite flower), as well as a tub of strawberries. Which were pretty damned delicious, I must say.

=@///@= '' Goodness. -- I feel bad, because I already have never been able to handle people buying things for me well; which is to say, I love getting presents, but then I feel like the person who got me said present has wasted their money. But on top of that, I'm more than sure he's interested in becoming a boyfriend, and I don't return that same feeling...

After all that, it was a quiet night -- I'm really exhausted. I should probably be getting to my homework. It's very odd that I'm going to be back in the US so soon… I'm excited to see people, but I'm still no less terrified about not dancing… I suppose I'll find a way.

In the meantime, now I'm worried about trying to see if I can afford a trip to see my Nana, and Sasha still wants me to come to NYC -- where I still want to go -- but I don't know if my pockets are quite that deep… I'm going to be very, very busy, methinks…

Ahh, where there is a will, there will be a way.

Much love,

Moscow Kitty

=^__^= / =@_@=

Journal 113

Journal 113

5-9-10

Den' Pobedy!!! -- Victory (In Europe) Day!

Check out the 3rd Fulbright Article on the "Pages" part of the website to read about this day.

It was certainly one of the craziest days I've ever had in Moscow!!

Journal 112

Journal 112

5-8-10

Today was a REALLY lazy day. In fact, I spent quite a bit of it in bed -- I was so tired…

I started reading the Count of Monte Cristo. I needed a change from Oscar Wilde.

*****

I tried to go to practice, but the hall was closed. And on the way out, I had another adventure with, "Random Russian People Come Up To Me And Start Conversations That I'm Not Allowed To Escape From."

I passed by the guard -- who was a new one today -- and he asked me if there was anyone left in the hall. I told him that there was no one there, and that it was ok to close the hall. As usual, however, the manner in which I say things tends to give it away that I am not, in fact, Russian. This surprised the guard, however, because he had assumed that I was actually a Russian girl. This led him to ask where I was from, and when I told him that I was from the USA, he got very excited -- he'd never met an American before! From there, things went either downhill or uphill, depending on how you want to look at it.

The Uphill Side: It's always fun to make new friends, and have random conversations.

The Downhill Side:

1. I was *trying* to get out early, so that I could go to dinner with Mulzoff and some of the other guys -- hopefully at the Hard Rock Café! (Goodness knows, I still haven't been there yet!)

2. When the place that someone you don't know wants to take you -- an older man, especially -- is located behind an area that is barred off, and you can see the padlocks for… Well, it tends to put you off a bit!

Funny thing is, Slava (as I got his name) saw my apprehension about following him back into an area that could be locked off behind me, and waved it off [do all Russians do this?] saying, "Oh, don't worry! We're just going to chat!"

And chat we did -- for the next half hour!

In the middle of all that, he treated me with the typical Russian hospitality -- which is to say, that even though I kept saying that I was trying to get to dinner with my friends, Slava kept trying to feed me and give me something to drink!!

*****

By the time I got out of Slava's and called Mulzoff again, they were almost finished with dinner -- and wouldn't you know that they had gone to the Hard Rock!!! No luck for me today… The timing worked out though, in that they finished dinner and got home just before I arrived from the Metro.

We finished out the night with some more Firefly, and then I was off for home.

Journal 111

Journal 111

5-7-10

Went off to class today, and spent the day looking forward to my dance lesson.

*****

Once there, I heard probably the best thing I'd heard so far in my lessons from Vitaly:

"I'm happy -- In this moment, I am happy."

-- Yeah, not for long, you aren't. XD Immediately after he said that, I did something so horrendously wrong, his face just fell, and I definitely got the, "What the Hell was that??" look. Oh, brother.

He asked what was wrong with me tonight, and I shared with him about how I was worried about being in the States for 3 weeks, and not dancing. But worrying isn't helping, obviously, I said. (I did not, however, share that I was still unnerved by some of the things Alëna had said…)

*****

I ran off to the Embassy afterwards, trying to relax, and forget about the tough night. A whole bunch of the guys were just relaxing, having a beer. I met Gunny for the first time!!

They all found out I do hand massages. That was pretty funny… Someone jumped line, and then I had to stop, because, as he said, "I'm married!"

After that, Mulzoff and I watched some more Firefly, and then it was time to go home.