Six days left...

In Moscow, a Russian-speaking, non-Moscovite man asked me for directions and I responded accordingly without hesitation. I am not a Moscovite nor am I Russian. That felt good. In my hometown in New York, travelers have asked me for directions, but I'm afraid I was only right 50% of the time. That's a bit embarrassing.

This weekend, I had the pleasure of hosting CouchSurfers (CS) for a few nights. This was my first real interaction with the CS network and it couldn't have been better. Before making judgments or getting nervous, it's credible and I've known others who have had great experiences with it. Now I am vouching for it.

We hosted a pair of young travelers--one from Moscow and the other from Chelyabinsk--who were just extremely pleasant and great cooks. The great thing about traveling is that you are constantly learning, even if it's not a goal. Maybe it was ironic that they were Russian CSers hosted by a foreigner, but we taught each other a lot. I'm not surprised that sometimes I learn more about something in a few days worth of conversation compared to a textbook.

From the left is Marina from Chelyabinsk (CS), Diego from Spain (hidden), Roma from Samara, Stass from Samara, and Sergei from Moscow (CS). Marina made sushi rolls and Sergei was making apple pierozhki.

Couchsurfers or not, I now have extremely high expectations for my guests.

It was a blessing to have new eyes see the city because it refreshed my feelings about Samara. It's a good thing.