February: Russia’s best month yet…

Here are the highlights from this grand month:

• Successfully mailing an international package by myself, after trying and failing at three different post offices! The man in line with me was amazing—he told me everything I would need on my forms, and helped me through the whole process (although I did the transaction entirely by myself…)
• Buying a train ticket to St. Petersburg, also by myself, which was more difficult than it sounds! It took me three tries here too…I went to the first cash desk, at which a woman yelled at me and told me she didn’t understand me. Okay, try again. The second one had a long line, then when I finally got to the front, the desk closed for lunch. Ugggh. I stopped and wondered, “can I do this?”, then I bucked up and told myself, “you have lived in this country for 6 months—you better be able to buy a train ticket!” So, I DID! I found another desk, got to the front, and told the woman exactly what I wanted. She was perfectly patient and nice to me, wrote down the dates, times, and prices to make sure it was what I wanted, and I walked away, smiling and holding my own train tickets for a personal vacation!!
• Traveling to St. Pete’s, by my lonesome—except I wasn’t lonesome! This was one of the best experiences of my life, and I had many firsts. I stayed with my old acquaintance/new friend Elizabeth, where I felt perfectly welcomed and at-home. Her two roommates were also wonderful, and I felt like I lived there—even though I was on a fabulous retreat. I made two wonderful new Russian friends through these American girls, went to the Russian art museum by myself, and walked on the frozen Neva river!! But best of all…
• I SAW MY ORPHAN CHILDREN!!! It was one of the most fulfilling days in my life, I was constantly struck by how good God is, and how lucky I am to have such opportunities! I had dreamt of this day for 2 ½ years, and it came and went in a whirlwind, with me being unsure of what to say or think. My heart is full and my life feels in a state of contentment, no matter what else happens around me.

So. It has been a month of learning about myself and how to be alone. I have learned how to rely on God, who is constant and good in the midst of loneliness and the unknown. It was a month of struggling through my Russian to accomplish practicalities and getting to know people, new and old. It was a month which gave me a renewed spirit of hope and a boosted confidence in what I can accomplish, through faith and independence. I can only hope March will find a way to compare!