Sunday, August 2, 2009

Swan Song....

Honestly, I've been dreading this post. Our time in Kazan' has come to an end. It's been 14 days since I last posted, which, I know, is a long time. However, these past two weeks have been filled with such a sense of urgency that I can barely think right now. I've tried to spend my time here as wisely as possible. I've learned so much. My Russian has progressed immensely. I've seen and called home a unique part of the world in which eastern and western cultures coexist harmoniously and, in turn, create a cultural dynamic that is like nothing I've ever encountered. I've lived a way of life that at first was absolutely foreign. And yet, over the course of the past 70 days, this life has crept into my bones and dare I say into my soul, snatching them piece by piece and transforming me, in the end, into a cultural-hybrid, a griffin.

I look back at my time spent here and my heart is heavy. The people. The people I've come to know in this place have taken a piece of me as well. Words cannot express the gratitude I feel to all those who made my time here what it was. My professors, my colleagues, KGU administration, those affiliated with the US State Department and Bureau of Education, etc. I know that without them, this adventure wouldn't have been what it was. My hozyaika. My hozyaika is awesome. Having lived together these past months in a small apartment on Avaizovskova street, we've become family. I'm thankful that I have a place to call home in this city. Irina has worked very hard to make this my home and for that I am indebted. She and Sasha have been so hospitable. My dear friends from Kazan', Masha, Natasha, Natasha(2), Rustam and Aigul...thank you. Because of you all, Kazan' will always be a shining star in my not-so-distant past and I will always have a yearning to return. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. The help, the hospitality, the friendship, the planning, the answers to questions, the finding me when I'm lost, the correcting grammar mistakes with a smile, the care, the understanding, the fun, the Cuba Libre, the teploxod, the walks along Bauman, the Alla Nash, the banya, the late nights at the dacha, the listening to me play guitar, the listening to me in general, the beach, the Tinkoff, the ice-skating, the vecherinkas, the Russian songs, the Russian movies, the excursions, the Tatar culture, the Meat House, the dancing, the sun-burns, the long talks about religion, the long talks about politics, the long talks about the extraordinary histories of our cities and our countries, the long talks about the past, the long talks about the future, the all too short talks about our job prospects, the linguistics arguments, the Esperanto, the patience, the patience, the patience, the camping trip, the long bus rides, feminism, the getting rained on, the Volga, that long walk into the forest and that long walk out, together. You see, the most valuable gift I've been given, one that is far too big to fit in a suitcase, and yet easily transported across oceans, continents and even time, has been the gift of your friendship. Without it, I'm sure I'd have an easier time leaving, and yet, under all of my sadness, I can appreciate the difficulty endured in walking away. Without a doubt, this has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I take my leave with the friendship of the best people in the world.

I spent my last night in Kazan' exactly the way I should have...sitting at the dacha, under the stars, singing songs and playing my guitar with my friends. It really just doesn't get any better. Thanks.

PS: I'm not signing off just yet. We still have three days in Petersburg with all the State Department people. I'll be posting on that adventure, as well as on anything I've overlooked here.