I have been called crazy to leave at such a time, especially being a girl born and raised in Southern California where the sun shines and the weather is beautiful basically ALL the time but I know it is for a good reason that I go to Russia.
Mine and my roommate's apartment had been sent a letter from a program called the International Language Program (ILP). I kind of looked it over and tossed the letter aside thinking it would be a cool thing to do and that I would maybe look into it. Then I felt very impressed to read the letter fully. As I was doing so I felt so good about the program that I knew it was something that I had to do and I couldn't let this opportunity pass me by. Ever since I can remember I knew that I wanted to travel the world. Now I had a way to fulfill that dream! After I participated in a meeting for the program I decided that it was something that I had to do and so I started doing everything that I could to make it possible for me to go. The question was where to go.
I mulled over the different countries where ILP operates for several days. As I was going down the list I couldn't get Russia off of my mind. It kind of felt like the name was being seared into my soul, it sounds dramatic but I just COULDN'T get that country off my mind. I really wanted to go to Thailand at first but then with Russia being seared into my brain I decided that would be where I needed to be. It wouldn't go away no matter how much I tried.
Now, I am so grateful to even have the AMAZING opportunity to even go to such an incredible country. I am already in love with Russia and I haven't even left! Ever since I decided to go to Russia, anything that included this country I honed in on and read about. I am awed by how deep and rich the culture and history was and is. I can't get enough of it.
So, what happened when I broke it to my parents? I finally decided to tell them two weeks after I had made the decision to go to Russia, so I guess it was time to tell my parents. I kind of took charge of my own decision and said to my parent's "that I had to go and they couldn't do anything about it". Yep, that went over well. Haha just kidding, not kidding about what I said but I broke it to them first by telling them what had happened and then preceded with that quote. They took it pretty well. I was so nervous to tell them, I was sweating (I really was). I don't know why, I never get nervous to tell my parents anything so why this? I didn't know what they would say. I thought that they would say no because it is Russia. Being the wonderful parents that they are, they supported my decision but, of course, were veeerrry nervous about me and my safety.
What will I be doing in Russia is teaching English to Russian children for about 5 months. I can't wait!!
Now I have only 5 full days left! I leave waaaay early in the morning on Thursday the 26th to head to D.C., so I can meet with the other teachers before we go international (thank goodness because i would be totally lost in the Russian airport), then we fly straight to Moscow after that.
I still can't believe this is actually happening. It has always been something that I was going to be doing in the future and now that future is becoming the present!
