thanksgiving, finals and goodbyes

I got super homesick the week of thanksgiving. knowing all my fam was going to be together and I was MIA made me a little sad. but we celebrated with many baked goods and some hearty chicken. guess Turkeys dont live in Russia. we watched a movie and had us a good old time. definitely didnt feel like Thanksgiving.

Finals were this week. So glad to be done! Russian Language Final was super easy. Couldn't believe it. Then I had a huge research paper due. And then went out with a literal bang, more like a bomb going off. Had my final exam in my Russian Lecture class. That was doomed to failure from the beginning. it was sooo difficult. let's hope the essay saves me. but I dont have a good feeling about it. Just happy to be done. whew.

Our closing ceremony and final party were today. We thanked our teachers and gave them presents. Then we had our party tonight. It was chaotic at the start but eventually slowed down. I sang a song in Russian with my Russian friend Katya. Despite the technical difficulties (aka crappy microphone stands), it went pretty good. American and Russian students performed various things. All our host families were there. And then of course there was dancing. Russians love to dance.

I sat there tonight thinking how crazy it was that almost 3 months ago we arrived in Nizhnii and had our welcome party in this same exact room. Now after making friendships with many of these students and getting to know our teachers and director in the International office, we're up and taking off. It really does go by fast. It's cliche but its true. I mean, it started off SOOOOO slow but it picked up and now time is just zooming by.

Tonight was rough. Katya, my Russian friend, cried when we said our goodbyes. I can remember the first time I met her. It was at the welcome party. She came up to me and a couple others and asked if we wanted to get some fresh air. That's when it didnt look like Siberia outside. We chatted and made converstaion. Eventually she visited us in the Profilac and we went on walks together to see the sunset. She in her heels. Crazy Russian women. The weekly run-ins in the International office during our chai break, sliding down the Kremlin hill in the snow and then practicing our russian song. Her playing guitar and me attempting to sing and speak russian at the same time. hard task. Now...its over. What a hard thing to have someone come in and out of your life in such a short amount of time. I dont know how she does it every semester.

We head out on the train Sunday night for Moscow. Spend over a week there and then I'm homeward bound. I feel like this trip has definitely been more about self discovery than anything else. I know way more about Russia than I ever thought I would but I also learned more about myself than I ever thought I would, espeically in Russia of all places. God's funny like that.

In case I dont get to post a final farewell....DASVADANYA!! Thanks for tuning in to my crazy life and wild Russian adventure.