And so begins my last month in Vladimir. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to get back to the USA. I'm ready to get back--actually, let me restate that--every fiber of my body is longing to go back home and see the people and places that I love. This has been like a great and very long vacation, and one sign of a successful vacation is being ready to get back to real life by the end of the trip.

But I did get a little pang of emotion when I flipped over the page of my calendar last night. I've been in Russia for quite a while--this is my twentieth month here--and I've gotten pretty used to the pace, rhythm, and customs of life here. I know that a lot of things about America will surprise me when I get back; I'll look at my own culture through a new lens. For example, a group of American college kids came to Vladimir a few weeks ago on an alternative spring break program, and I couldn't help noticing how sloppily they were dressed--baggy jeans, hooded sweatshirts, and beat-up tennis shoes. Vladimir isn't exactly Rome, but people here care about how they dress and always want to put their best foot forward. It will be strange to go back to the land of hoodies and white tennis shoes.

Before I go, though, I have a lot of people I need to say goodbye to. Russians are very keen on gift-giving, dramatic partings, and well-wishing, so I've been making a list of people to visit and gifts to buy. I looks like my April will involve a lot of parties and pictures, and that is definitely the most по-русски way to leave.