Russia - a new adventure

Hi Everyone. I've resurrected my blog because I'm about to start on a new adventure. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with bikes, but I certainly will be riding there. I'm on my way to teach English to 5-7 year-olds at Bala-City School in Kazan.

I got an email from a former student in July, in which she told me that her friend was looking for an English teacher for his school. I just couldn't turn the opportunity down. It will be for a year with the option for renewal on a yearly basis.

I've put stuff in storage, paid all my bills, cancelled subscriptions and emptied the apartment. I've been sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag for two weeks now. Looks like I'll be doing it for one more week. I had to postpone my flight for 24 August because I still don't have the official invitation number I need to insert in my visa application before I can send the application to NYC electronically. I then have to print it out and take it to the Visa Center in NYC to pick it up. As soon as I get it, I will take the night bus and be at the Visa Center when it opens the next morning. Hopefully I will be done in an hour or two so that I can take the train back.

So now it looks as if I will leave on 31 August, if all goes as it should. I explored leaving from JFK directly from the Visa Center, but I didn't want to mess around with storing all the luggage at Penn station or somewhere and thought the timing might be too risky. And it didn't work for Finnair either, so it's just as well that I'm coming back to Rochester.

I think I've said good-by to everyone now. I hope that everyone keeps in touch, whether by email, WhatsApp or FaceTime. I know there will be a lot of new things for me to see, do and report about.

I think it will be an interesting year.