Final impressions

In my final days, I'm trying to pack as many activities into my schedule as possible. Packing my bags, however, is not part of these fun activities.

I went to a local museum--just to see an exhibition from the Peter and Paul Fortress from St. Petersburg. Then, I went to Lenin's house where he actually (gasp) lived before going to Kazan for university. I also held off from going to museums because I needed my Russian to be good enough to understand what's going on. Artifacts tell a story, but the words keep you from mistaking a guillotine with a deli slicer. (Cultural Note: For anything written in English, multiply by 100 to get the word count in Russian.)

Where Lenin slept and studied before leaving Samara for Kazan University. Compared to the rest of the house and to his family members' rooms, his room was the least decorated.

How to put a man in his place. A medieval torture device on display in the Alabin Museum in Samara. This exhibit was taken from the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg.

A few days ago, I was invited to tour a public hospital in Samara alongside a Spanish professor and Macedonian students. I am glad that I received this tour at the end of my stay because it could have tainted my view of Russia completely. As grateful as I am that I got an insider's view of a hospital, I'm still in utter shock of what I saw. Maybe those who complain (residents, citizens, and foreigners alike) about the quality US healthcare will shut their mouths if they see what I saw.

Seeing Diego in over-sized scrubs kept my mood bright despite the dreary atmosphere. Enjoy the demeaning photo before he discovers that I've posted it and makes me take it down. In hospitals, the typical uniform is not that much different from US hospitals, but they wear sandals and chef-like caps.

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I'm going home. The time is right to leave and I haven't become jaded yet. In Tolstoy's "War and Peace," a character named Pierre discovers that he lost a great fortune but feels richer after a life-changing experience. If you know the story, then it's obvious that I didn't have the same experiences as Pierre (he was in prison, and I'm not comparing Russia to a prison). How Tolstoy translates to me: It sucks that I'm going home because it feels like I'm leaving a lot behind, but I feel richer and 'fuller' after being here.

This isn't a good bye, of course. I'm only changing my location.