It's been noted that 2016 wasn't a great year for the world - take your pick of natural disasters, wars, terrorist attacks, or elections as an illustrating point. However, I've decided to end on a good note by writing down some of the highlights from my year, starting from the last post. So, before it's too late, my 2016:
- My friend, Brendan, came to visit from Connecticut and found my 10 tips super useful. We had a cultural tour of Moscow which consisted mainly of food, but also included museums, parks, and a visit to the Bolshoi where we saw the opera Katerina Izmailova.
- My translations for an exhibition at the Jewish Museum in Moscow were published in a bilingual book! And my name was printed! I did not buy the book. It was expensive. Instead, I took a picture of the book.
- I went on a field trip to a cheese farm run by an American guy and his family. There were over a dozen kinds of cheeses, wines, and meats, and I got to befriend the goats!
- There was the annual America trip with the traditional food, New York stop, beach time, and shopping. Also the Olympics!
- I voted in the presidential election. It was a really complicated process, but it was important to get done.
- I finally had the opportunity to travel to Sochi in October, at first for work and then for play. I spent a day in the botanical gardens, made friends with a monkey, and jumped off of a boat into the Black Sea.
- After that, I got to travel to Kazan twice, this time to train FIFA volunteers ahead of the Confederations Cup in 2017. I saw the sites in one day and spent the rest of my trips eating Tatar food.
- I had a very American Thanksgiving in that there was an all-you-can-eat buffet with every traditional dish, and eat it all we did.
- There was one weekend where I was without my phone, and I first realized, then accepted, that I am rather useless without it.
- Last weekend we celebrated Christmas together, and it was nice enough to make up for my having been sick with the flu for the past week.
So, 2017: here's to more interesting projects, more laughs, more learning, more love!
In memory of Gene Wilder, a great man and a personal friend - we will never forget you or your kindness.
- My friend, Brendan, came to visit from Connecticut and found my 10 tips super useful. We had a cultural tour of Moscow which consisted mainly of food, but also included museums, parks, and a visit to the Bolshoi where we saw the opera Katerina Izmailova.
- My translations for an exhibition at the Jewish Museum in Moscow were published in a bilingual book! And my name was printed! I did not buy the book. It was expensive. Instead, I took a picture of the book.
- I went on a field trip to a cheese farm run by an American guy and his family. There were over a dozen kinds of cheeses, wines, and meats, and I got to befriend the goats!
- There was the annual America trip with the traditional food, New York stop, beach time, and shopping. Also the Olympics!
- I voted in the presidential election. It was a really complicated process, but it was important to get done.
- I finally had the opportunity to travel to Sochi in October, at first for work and then for play. I spent a day in the botanical gardens, made friends with a monkey, and jumped off of a boat into the Black Sea.
- After that, I got to travel to Kazan twice, this time to train FIFA volunteers ahead of the Confederations Cup in 2017. I saw the sites in one day and spent the rest of my trips eating Tatar food.
- I had a very American Thanksgiving in that there was an all-you-can-eat buffet with every traditional dish, and eat it all we did.
- There was one weekend where I was without my phone, and I first realized, then accepted, that I am rather useless without it.
- Last weekend we celebrated Christmas together, and it was nice enough to make up for my having been sick with the flu for the past week.
So, 2017: here's to more interesting projects, more laughs, more learning, more love!
In memory of Gene Wilder, a great man and a personal friend - we will never forget you or your kindness.
