We Must Try, Eh?

Oh Long Forgotten World,

Hi. You're all expecting some explination of my time here in Russia. What I've been doing, what I've seen, who I'm talking to, how many times I've almosted died crossing the street. 198. But that's besides the point.

The point is, I can't bring myself to write such a post. I can't boil my experience down to simply, "Hi everyone, spent the afternoon looking at an Orthodox Church that was modified into a bread factory during Communism. Now we're returning the building to its original form. Oh, and I've learned some Russian. Read some wonderful books." While all those things are true, they only sketch out my experience in crude lines, marred by erasor marks. In simplifying, I'd be deleting vital parts of my experience.

"So why don't you try to explain the whole experience? Take some time and write about it," said one skeptical, theoretical reader. I don't try because the whole experiences is rather personal, emotional, and mostly undescribable to the uninitiated. Perhaps in words, face to face.

Who am I kidding. When I get back, paraphrases and shortened descriptions will flow freely from me. I'll have to say something, won't I? "Russia was awesome. I had a great time." True, but not entirely. "I saw churches with mosaics from the floor to its 350 foot high cupola." True, but I also saw emotions, thoughts, and heartbreak in that Cathedral. "I read Bulgakov's Master and Margarita" I did, but I fail to mention why it's a masterpiece, and what I didn't understand about it. "I like and enjoy everyone in my group." But each person carries an personality, hopes, dreams, different beliefs, and annoying habits/querks. "Yes, I missed home." But how much, who, and what did I miss? Can I explain it and why? No. Not here at least.

So to those dear ones at home, I'm experiencing stuff. Now there's a statement I can get behind.

Kyle