хорошо.

so. as you may have guessed, i. loved. moscow.

generally when the plane touches tarmac back in nyc after a far away trip, i am so happy to be back. for the first time, when i got back from russia, i was sad. i didn't want to be home. which is funny, because in the weeks leading up to my adventure, i was almost just wanting to get it over with. with everything i read about the racism and overall coldness, i just wanted to experience it to say that i had.

but despite the fact that i was looked at like a circus freak show wherever i went, i didn't speak the language, and most of the food made me nauseous, i still loved it.

...this may have a lot to do with the people i met, with whom i am still in touch with via e-mail, russian facebook (yes, i joined russian facebook), regular facebook, and skype... they are amazing and i can't wait to see them again soon, either here, or back there (i would like to go to back, adding st. petersburg to the itinerary, the beginning of next year).

but people aside, i still really loved it. the architecture... the energy (which was unlike any i have encountered in any city, and difficult to describe)... the little russian cars...

i loved that i made a routine for myself while i was there... in the mornings i would get up and use the hotel gym, in which most of the time i was the only one... then i would go down and eat the best breakfast on this earth... the breakfast at the hotel was totally awesome. every morning i was stoked to get down with some fried mushrooms, fried zucchini, buckwheat, and whatever else my breakfast heart desired... grape tea...

and this may sound silly, but the mirrors at the hotel were the same as the mirrors in my apartment... so i always felt a little bit like i was at home as i was getting ready each day... which resulted in my feeling comfortable with my appearance in a way i don't usually when traveling.

i loved that i started to get a handle on the cyrillic alphabet and it's sounds, and that i learned a few key words and phrases. i would like to take a class, or get a tutor, or something, so that i can go back with some language under my belt. i think that would heighten the travel experience.

anyway. i just really loved it there. and i can't wait to go back.

i am so happy i dove in with this trip... i am so glad didn't give up on the visa... and i am so thankful i got the opportunity to go.

when i first arrived i wrote this post in which i said that my goals were to prove that the russian visa is worth the trouble, and to prove that russians can be nice, even to black girls like me...

mission accomplished.