I left Vladimir this morning just after 5 am on a bus with the students for the airport. I don’t know if it’s because I know I’ll be back to Russia, or because I’ve already spent so much time here, or if it’s because I’ve had such an emotional two weeks, but I don’t really feel anything when I think about leaving. On the one hand, it’s a nice town: small, but interesting, with enough going on to keep you busy but not so much that you feel bad for not doing something every day. On the other hand, I didn’t really develop any relationships with anyone in particular here. I really enjoyed the people I worked with, and do hope I can come back to this job next summer. But I didn’t have a host family, nor did I make any new Russian friends. Also, my time in Vladimir was work, not study or relaxation. Maybe it’s just that I’ve been ruined by Moscow, which is now my favorite place in Russia. Even St. Petersburg isn’t all that interesting any more.

The last week was pretty relaxing compared to the one before.
By Sunday afternoon, seven students had left to escape the smoke. The weather had improved, and a wind was blowing in the right direction to clear the city, so I didn’t have to put anyone in hotels anymore. I caught up on my sleep with a four hour nap on Sunday. On Monday, I participated in a special promotion at the grocery store: I bought three bottles of a new brand of yogurt drink, and got a free glass! I love it when things like that happen in Russia. I also saw a manager at Mr. Hamburger talking to a customer to do some market research. By Tuesday, I had half of a lecture prepared for my linguistics class. I am kicking myself for not bringing my Mac to the institute to work on other things all summer. But since I never knew if I’d have a moment of rest, it was a pain to carry it around all day for possibly no reason. I spent my evenings crocheting brooches for the teachers as gifts.

Finally, on Friday it was time to start packing. Somehow the first 15 minutes of packing are very successful and give rise to great optimism: oh, I really don’t have that much stuff. This is going to be so easy! Then the last 10% of packing takes an hour of stuffing souvenirs into shoes, remembering about extra toiletries. I didn’t use as much of my toiletries or medicine as I’d hoped, so that’s going to take up weight. I also have some stacks of papers for work that I’m bringing back. And, as always, I wait until the last minute to buy souvenirs and then decide that every single person I know needs a little something. Don’t worry, I’ve reconsidered and did not buy 100 pins showing the coat of arms of Vladimir. Or maybe sorry if you really wanted that. I figure it’s just going to be the sort of thing people will find 10 years later, not be able to read it, and feel bad throwing it out. I also feel bad for not buying myself more souvenirs. One day I’ll have enough room in my luggage… But then again, I no longer feel the urge to stuff all of Russia and my experiences into a suitcase to take home.

Actually, the plan had been to buy a lot of souvenirs when Jordan came to visit. Unfortunately, his trip had to be cancelled. Jordan’s grandmother passed away last week, and the funeral is taking place the same day that his flight was scheduled for. He wouldn’t have made it until 3 days later, which would have limited the trip to 4½ days and 6 nights, which isn’t enough time to see both Moscow and St. Petersburg, and we wouldn’t want to miss either. My visa expires too soon for us to extend the trip, plus we have an unfurnished apartment waiting for us in New Jersey. So instead I am coming home a week early.

Now I have two days in Moscow by myself. I found a hostel on Arbat, right across the street from Starbucks. Ah, coffee. I’ve left my large suitcase at the airport for the low cost of $7/day to store it. And I even made it to the hostel by taking a minitaxi rather than the express train (so I spent $3 instead of $12). I’m splurging on a single room, so I don’t have to deal with tourists coming and going at all hours. I plan on working on a manuscript I’d all but forgotten about, and touching up my linguistics lectures, and maybe buying a few more souvenirs. If you’re dying for a matryoshka (Russian nesting doll), now is your chance to speak up!

It turns out I am here on the 20th anniversary of Viktor Tsoi's death. He was a rock star in the 80s in the Soviet Union, and his music is still really popular. There are tons of people out on the street around the wall with graffiti dedicated to him. It was actually a little scary because there were just SO many drunk people, including people passed out on the street. Luckily it was a happy mob, shouting "Цой жив!" ("Tsoi lives!"). They even had a cover band performing on the street. Pictures soon!