Moscow! Moscow!

Well, dear readers, it has been a heck of a last month and so far I haven't written anything. But there's a good reason for that. I left home for Russia August 30th, almost a full month ago, and I just got here... today! Why did it take so long? Check out the following chronology:

Aug 30 Left Alaska for DC
Aug 30-Sept 4 Lived with Rauf in Adams-Morgan
Sept 4-Sept 8 Took a bus to Kenyon to wrap up the Buryatia trip with Matt
Sept 9-Sept 15 Lived with Allison and Prabhat as they spent their first few nights in swanky post-Kenyon apartment
Sept 15 Got hit by a car!!
Sept 16 Hospital
Sept 17-24 Living with relatives in Bethesda
Sept 24 Recovered... plane to Moscow

future plans:
September 27 Fly to Tuva!!! URA!!!!

Anyways, the journey already started for me a month ago, and I feel more ready to do this thing than ever. But... even considering the delays and injuries, the last month was not a waste. In fact, I think this was a good month for my brain and the thought process therein. First of all, patience became my discipline. Most of the delays were either bureaucratic or silly and all of them were out of my control. Yet, absolutely the only way through the situation was waiting it out, and once I let go of anxiety about missing the start of the school year, it was actually pretty fun to see friends in DC in their new lives and explore our capital. Waiting also meant that I built up a huge excitement and momentum to getting on the airplane yesterday. It's good to know that I really do want to be in Russia this year, more than I want to do anything else that I could do.

I also read about Siberia and Russia, and learned a darn lot at the public library. Some of my favorite books were collections of photos from Tsarist Russia. Reading and seeing pictures brought some historical characters to life in my head, and I hope that I see them all year, wandering the streets of Russia.

In addition (and on a serious note) the car crash made me think about death, with positive consequences. Now I know that probably sounds a little bizarre, but I don't think I previously took death seriously in my life, which is strange because it is one of the major passages that all humans experience. Well, losing my consciousness and having a fuzzy head after the accident made me think, and I came to a conclusion that life and living is great, and felt strongly that I want to pour everything I have into life, right up to when the clock stops ticking. Also, I think I realized that the moment when the clock stops ticking might not be so scary after all.

...not to go too far into the philosophical netherregions! But, I guess I had to mention those things in the blog, if I hope for it to be at all comprehensive and useful. So, ups and downs and everything considered, it was a pretty good month...

Stay tuned--next update comes from Tuva!

Love,
Riley