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Travels in Russia

KLM Rocks Across Europe!
Santa Claus in Moscow
Television Is a Time Suck
The Reality of Irrelevance
Salute Mayor Luzhkov
Impeachment Happens
I Am Not The Only One...
I'm Back! Did Ya Miss Me?
Chechnya Burning
Weddings in Winter
The Jews Are Here!
Gailyn Goes to Town
Is There a Central Bank?
Santa Barbara is Real
Nick's Thanksgiving in Russia
Den' Rozhdeniya = Birthdays
Those Crazy Expats
It's Just a Few Drops of Vodka...
Elections Are Always Rigged
The Blind Leading the Blind
Good Russian Grooms
You Say 'Boris Berezovskiy' Fast
Too Cold to Care!
Russian Oil Towns
Sneaky Siberian Tigers
Which Way is St Peterburg?
Where am I again? Oh, yeah...
I Love Me Some Vodka
It's a Gosorg Halloween
Hunger Comes to Us All
Why Don't They Just Learn English?!
Post-Crisis, Life Goes On
Is Yeltsin 'The Man'?
Murmansk - Brrrr!
Taganka Hides Her Secrects
These are Communists
It's a Power Vaccum
The Commies are Back
Propaganda is Good for You
You Better Buy Russian!
Sex Ed Soviet Style
Party over, oops outta time!
Russian Healthcare in Moscow
What Russian Financial Crisis?
YE Prices in Russia
The Hungry Duck
Russian Caviar Mafia
Magical Mushrooms
Shhhh! We're Bear Hunting
Soviet Street Scams
Bez Dollarov
A Koshka Konspiracy
On The Dacha
The Banking Implosion
Surviving Army Life
Shashleek is Steak on Steroids
Dacha Thinking
Beach Weekend
Hello from Vladivostok
Equality Means Only She Works
Jogging is an Extreme Sport
Russians Have Reunions Too
My Folks in Massive Moscow
Better than Fireworks
Miners Are Real Men
The Russian Mafia is the Roof
No One Smiles in the CIS
One Year Anniversary
Russian Brides Rock
Laura is My St Pete Connection
Change is in the Wind
Chuck Norris' Beverly Hills Casino
The Expat Woman's Predicament
Street Food is Yummy!
Spring Flowers Make June Leavers
The Provinces Are Provincial
Ever Take an Elektrichka?
The English Invasion
Nuttin Like New Money
Rules Are Made to Break
All Black is Russian Fashion
Easter Memories = Easter Dinner
Politics, Russian Style
Theresa Tries to Russify
I Go to Gay Clubs Worldwide
I Hide on Women's Day
New & Shiny: Nizhny Novgorod
Psst! Wanna job in Moscow?
Fili Park Has All the Bootlegs
Web Page Reactions
Take a Break at Dom Odaha
Expat Living in Moscow is Swank
Why Are You Remonting?
They Look Like Telephones...
In Need of a Decent Hairstylist
Smashing Bottles in Red Square

Readership

Russia, July 27, 1998

Dos Vedanya

Even though I travel all the time, I ain't good at saying goodbye

Mr Bird sacrificing one of the workers at his leaving party
Kill him, Mr. Bird!
Last weekend, I went to a going-away party for a friend of mine. I'm never sure how to act at these kinds of parties; should I be sad she is leaving, or happy for her new adventure? I always feel so bittersweet when its time for me to toast. I want to salute our friendship, yet spank her for leaving me. When I left DC, my ex-girlfriend said she felt like I was abandoning her. At the time, I was confused as to what she meant, but now I understand.

I might be a bit of a vagabond (three cities in seven years), and I am used to people coming and going in my life, but Russia seems to be even more transient than University life or DC. Maybe this year is abnormal, with a big hiring drive two years ago creating a mass PW exodus now that their contracts are over. Maybe, after surviving a winter, or two, people are tired of Russian weather and want to go somewhere warm. Maybe the current state of the Russian economy is not stable or as rosy as they would like. Whatever the reason, I seem to be saying goodbye a little too often!

In December, I said goodbye to many of the Peace Corps friends I had developed over the previous six months, not because they were leaving the country, but we were definitely gonna be in different Russian orbits. Nuttin much happened until the spring, when love filled the air and tore at my heart. I had to say goodbye to good friends, one after another.

The summer doldrums are here, with hot air and short nights. I am trying to make new friends. Friends that will hopefully stay through the winter, while I wonder what the old friends are doing now.

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