The hardest words in the English language are "I am sorry" and "Good-bye". Fortunately I only had to use one of those phrases this past Saturday, July 23. It is a pity that I had to use it at all, though.
Friday the 22nd was our real last night together as a group, 16 Americans and just as many Russian students all cramped into a little place called Alma Mater, fed copious amounts and of beer and meat. We were given these lovely laminated certificates of completion.
Friday the 22nd was our real last night together as a group, 16 Americans and just as many Russian students all cramped into a little place called Alma Mater, fed copious amounts and of beer and meat. We were given these lovely laminated certificates of completion.
The St. Petersburg students gave all 16 of us tiny souvenir jars. Inside each was a task. I was first and mine was to speak in 3 different American accents in rapid succession. Patrick from Chicago had to draw all of us and is actually quite the artist. Heather from Iowa had to give a random task to Jeff from Utah and he gave us an impressive rendition of the classic song "Milkshake".
After dinner we said those terrible words to each other, hugged each other, wished each other well (even the people we did not like). It hurts. Even here and now in this moment days later at a 7-11 in Stockholm it still stings to know that all these incredible people in Russia behind a wall of money and visa paperwork and a language barrier.
The greatest skill you can ever learn, ever cultivate, is an ability to make new friends. I am glad that I have tried and successfully made some friends that I will never ever forget. Two of them will be in America studying next year and I will hopefully see them in Florida. There is also email and skype and Facebook and Kontakte and postcards from around the world and the United Stastes. I will make it back there eventually. I need to.
The pain of missing them is worth the joy I had being around them. We should all be so lucky to have such experiences in this life, no matter how fleeting they may be.
This is my last blog post for now. If you have any questions about Russia or would like more information, feel free to email me at abarr033@fiu.edu. So if you are reading this and you have not gone but you have the chance to do so, go to Russia. Seriously. It is amazing. Can I go back next year? PLEASE, Professor Brill? Pretty please?
-Alexander Barrio
