A great trip with a bittersweet end--that's how my family's visit to Russia just finished. They were here in Russia for ten days, and we saw a lot. From the hustle and bustle of Moscow to the tsarist grandeur of St. Petersburg to the ancient, bucolic town of Suzdal, we had a varied look at Russia. Their opinions and observations on the country I've been calling home sharpened my own understanding of Russia and the Russian way of life. I think they really enjoyed their trip, and I know they learned a tremendous amount. I can't wait to see their photos and hear their reflections on the trip. 

I took them to the airport this morning. There were some tears as we stood on the threshold of customs control, they heading to their gate and the plane back home; I remaining behind. I already miss them. 

Sentimentality aside, it was a wonderful trip.  Though it's not the temporal mid-point of my stay here in Russia (that was in June I think), this trip stands out as the logical halfway point: I finished one year of teaching in Vladimir, and I have one more school year to go. I'm excited to get back to teaching, and it will be great to meet my new co-workers, who arrive on August 8. I feel refreshed and ready to take on the new year, and that's more than just the Starbucks coffee talking (Starbucks is my tradition when going through Moscow--it's the only decent coffee I can find). 

I'll post pictures from the trip in the coming days.