Well, this morning I officially said goodbye to Russia. My really sweet new Russian friend Katya stayed up all night with me and rode with me in the taxi at 4am to the airport.

It was a completely bittersweet moment when it hit me that soon I get to see everyone I’ve missed so dearly these past 4 months, but at the same time, I have to leave the place that’s been my entire life for these same past 4 months.

I’m sure you know I’m not an emotional person, but there has been so much running through me this past week. One of the weirdest things was saying goodbye to all my friends here – most of who I met at my church, but who have been like family to me in a really weird way. It was kind of unreal saying goodbye and knowing that I’ll most likely never see a lot of them again. Like, my mind kept thinking it was all a joke – (but this is kind of a usual response for me in new-ish situations). But then at the same time, I don’t know how to say goodbye like that. I mean, how do you? It’s just plain strange.

Anyway… there’s SOOOO much I’m gonna miss about this place. Even the things that people hate, I’m gonna miss. So here’s a little list of a few things I’m gonna miss:

1. Even though my Russian would definitely still be classified at the “pretty bad” level, I’m gonna miss trying to speak it. I’m gonna miss hearing it and doing my best to understand.

2. A public transportation system. I LOVE walking and riding the metro. I am absolutely dreading driving again.

3. The cool weather where you can walk and not be miserable. Yes, I’ve turned… I actually like the cold too. But, moreso, I love the beautiful weather of the spring here – I would say its between 50-75F average here. And I love it. It scares me though, that I’ve been wearing sleeveless shirts here in 65F and been hot when the sun’s out. I seriously am gonna have a heat stroke when I get back.

4. Seeing more tiny dogs wearing bright colored jogging suits and stuffed in a purse of some sort, than just normal dogs.

5. Having change thrown at me from the grocery store across the street because I gave them too big of a bill or didn’t have the exact number of kopeks (kopeks are worth close to nothing so no one carries them … ever)

6. In America, the customer is always right, in Russia, it seems, the customer is always wrong. But, to me at least, it’s quite comical.

7. Milk… not so much the taste, rather the adventure it brings.
A. To begin, milk isn’t sold cold here. It’s in boxes on shelves. I still wonder how that works out, but I’ve learned not to question some things.
B. Sometimes, I’ve gone to pour milk, and it came out in a sticky stream as if it were a thin syrup of some sort. How does milk become stick you might ask… well, there’s several of us still wondering.
C. The ads on the metro for the Finnish brand of milk called Valio (sometimes they say things like “The Finnish like to eat late at night too… thats why our milk is … however much less fat and all that stuff”

8. The people.
Now, this encompasses a lot. But it includes the massive crowds of people, where sometimes, you aren’t in control of where you’re walking because you’re being pushed so much. Also, The complexity of the seemingly cold Russian, who ends up having a really warm soul.

9. The ungodly number of mullets.

Well, I could keep listing forever. But that’s good for now. I’m sitting in the Paris airport waiting for my flight to Egypt! I’m so excited! My friend Chelsea has been studying there for the past year, so finally, I’m getting to go visit her!

Anyway, I’ll be back in less than a week! And even though there’s so much of Russia I’m gonna miss, I must say I’m excited to get some decent food… a good steak for sure.

(posted from laureninrussia.blogspot.com)