NOTES FROM ABOVE GROUND: it's foreign on this side.

Last weekend I went to Helsinki with some girls from my program. After resolving our means of transportation (our bus canceled the night before we were supposed to leave, typical Russia), my friend and I piled into a red Chrysler mini van at five in the morning with three Russians and a Latvian, and we were on our way. We made it through passport control rather seamlessly, and as soon as we crossed the border, there was no question that we were in Finland. We were greeted by smooth pavement, trash-less roads, and a customs official who cracked a joke. Yup, definitely not in Russia anymore. I honestly think I experienced more culture shock in Finland than in Russia. Being in Finland was almost like being back in the US (compared to Russia). Virtually everyone speaks English. Good coffee is available at every street corner. People smile, wave, and engage you in conversation. Cars stop instead of speeding up at crosswalks. The grocery stores offer anything I could imagine buying at home and more. In other words, it was very strange. For any normal American, a weekend in Helsinki would feel much more familiar than a weekend in St. Petersburg, but to me everything felt so foreign. Don’t get me wrong, I had a wonderful weekend and loved the city, but as I walked the streets with my friends and talked about how great Helsinki is, I secretly missed Russia. The reality is that I am attracted to places that are a little screwed up. I think that’s why I love living in Memphis, love living in the South, love living in Russia. These places are not without their problems, but there are good people working for change and progress, and I like to be a part of that change. I’ve tried to think of my own metaphor but couldn’t think of anything better than the metaphor of my friend Emily, who is awesome and brilliant, so now I will shamelessly/proudly quote her blog on mine:

In Voltaire’s “Candide,” Candide and company, off in search of the best of all possible worlds, stumble upon Eldorado, a town wherein the streets are paved with gold and jewels. The town has advanced knowledge, no court system, no religious grievances, and no pecuniary problems. And ultimately, Candide and co. decide to leave. At the end of the book, they decide not to return to Eldorado. They dedicate themselves to a working on the improvement of a plot of land. “I know,” Candide says, “that we must cultivate our garden.” (thanks, Emily, for your brilliant insight!)

Life really is about cultivating our own gardens, and that is why I am glad that I chose to study abroad in a place like Russia and not like Finland (there's plenty to be weeded here). And that is why that as much as I loved spending time in Finland, I was happy when 12 hours after our intended time of departure (and after 4 hours of sitting at the border, 7 hours of conversation with new Russian friends, and an impromptu birthday celebration) I made it to my home sweet home (for now) in St. Petersburg.

So now that I’ve made it clear that I like Russia better than Finland (big surprise!), I’ll show you a little bit more of my fun in Finland (through pics):