Ildus picked me up, then we swung around and picked up Aigul. She was going to do a presentation on the bike collection and refurbishing project. It was an interesting ride through a part of Tatarstan that I had never seen before. There is barrenness for miles, then you see the smokestacks of chemical factories rising in the distance. This is where a lot of Tatarstans’s wealth comes from. Unfortunately, this is also where a lot of its pollution comes from.
When we arrived, we went to the youth center where the presentations would take place. We hung around there, all the hosts came to greet us and we got a bite to eat before we were whisked away to the new bicycle park which they were dedicating. I was even asked to say a few words. Then we got shown around the park, which has a whole “street” set-up for bike riders so kids can learn how to ride correctly on the roads. Then we had a bike parade back to the conference center. And, surprise, surprise, the bike they had for me was too big. Meanwhile, as I’m trying to get going with the bike, all these school kids start coming up and asking me to be in a selfie with them because they’ve never seen an American. The hosts are trying to pull me away from the kids and get me on the bike because the police escort is waiting for us. It was an uncomfortable ride, but I made it back without falling on my face.
When we got in the building, first we were given tea and sweets before we did our presentations. I gave my PowerPoint about starting the bike program at the school. Later, I got to talk with the guys who rode the bikes over in the parade. They are all teenagers who are enthusiastic cyclists. In general, the whole city is excited about making hangers in the infrastructure to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.
Afterwards we went for a very nice lunch served in the guest room of city hall. We got to continue our conversation with our hosts there before we had to start out for the long ride home. It was a tiring day.
Today I hung around all morning, then went to see Bohemian Rhapsody and out to dinner with Anna. The movie is good and the guy who plays Freddy Mercury is great.
When we arrived, we went to the youth center where the presentations would take place. We hung around there, all the hosts came to greet us and we got a bite to eat before we were whisked away to the new bicycle park which they were dedicating. I was even asked to say a few words. Then we got shown around the park, which has a whole “street” set-up for bike riders so kids can learn how to ride correctly on the roads. Then we had a bike parade back to the conference center. And, surprise, surprise, the bike they had for me was too big. Meanwhile, as I’m trying to get going with the bike, all these school kids start coming up and asking me to be in a selfie with them because they’ve never seen an American. The hosts are trying to pull me away from the kids and get me on the bike because the police escort is waiting for us. It was an uncomfortable ride, but I made it back without falling on my face.
When we got in the building, first we were given tea and sweets before we did our presentations. I gave my PowerPoint about starting the bike program at the school. Later, I got to talk with the guys who rode the bikes over in the parade. They are all teenagers who are enthusiastic cyclists. In general, the whole city is excited about making hangers in the infrastructure to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.
Afterwards we went for a very nice lunch served in the guest room of city hall. We got to continue our conversation with our hosts there before we had to start out for the long ride home. It was a tiring day.
Today I hung around all morning, then went to see Bohemian Rhapsody and out to dinner with Anna. The movie is good and the guy who plays Freddy Mercury is great.
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