My trip to Russia, May 2006 (Recap: Part III)

My trip to Russia in May of 2006 had great impact on me. It raised my conciousness of my internal disconnect and lack of a complete identity. I also remembered what it is like to be in a country where I do not speak or understand the language. All of my travels in the past ten years have been within Latin America and the Caribbean; to countries whose languages I speak. My level of fluency in Spanish is such that I can switch back and forth between English and Spanish effortlessly. It requires no thought or translation for me to use the Spanish language. In addition, I am extremely comfortable in the cultures which I have recently spent time in. I feel totally at ease and at home in Mexico and the Dominican Republic. I had forgotten what it is like to really feel like a foreigner. Despite (obviously) my awareness that in Russia, I would not know the language, upon arrival, I was taken aback by the realization that I really did not understand. (My mother was born and rasied in Russia and we were visiting family... who I could not communicate with)

This experience with language compounded by all of the people I met and places I visited, made me acutely aware of the importance of learning the language and garnering a greater understanding of the culture(s) of that part of the world.

a summary up to now part II

To make a long story short.. well not short.. less long rather... due to my building's eh, uncomfortable.. unhealthy.. conditions, I had to move. I was unprepared to move back in with my mother at that point, so I decided to get out of New York for a while. My wonderful friend Cynara, who lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana offered her home to me. Also my father was getting ready to settle (for the moment) in Sun Valley, Idaho (a mountain resort community). I seriously considered both options but I had some instict that Louisiana would not be right for me at that moment. Despite the fact that if you had ever told me that I would move to Idaho at the age of 20 and celebrate my 21st birthday there, I would have thought you were crazy, I decided that Sun Valley was the best place for me. The same week that I flew West, Hurricaine Katrina hit. In any case, the beautiful natural surroundings, tranquility, fresh mountain air and time spent flying down the slopes did me well. I matured, became reenergized and re-focused. So, in mid April of 2006, I packed all my belongings in my trusty Jeep and Angel (my cat) and I hit the road and headed home to the Big Apple. The drive was great. I loved being on the open road, seeing America, alone with my thoughts, my music, and ofcourse plenty of coffee and cigarettes. I drove 2,500 miles in three driving days, plus a three day stop-over in Chi-town to visit my homegirl Michelle (who I met at UPR). Once I got home, I relaxed, oh for about a day, and then got right down to business. Even though I left for Russia just 10 days after I arrived, in that time I got everything set up to return to Hunter and got a job lined up for myself for my return from Europe in late May.

2007

It has been a while since I have been able to update. I have been busy with my brother Jordi and his wife Katerin and daughters Micaela and new baby Kyara visiting from Bolivia, my brother Marc visiting from Barcelona and my father from Boise, ID... and ofcourse the holidays and my 22nd birthday on Jan 2nd. Marc is still here but i am back at work in my regular routine.