The Closing of the Door, Opening of the Window Part 1

So the Rotary club of Nahodka wanted me to do a presentation about my 2 cities in the US, in Russia I say that I have 2 cities. I live in Columbus, but do everything in Westerville. I had my presentation recorded as a souvenir. And I explained how Westerville was the 15th best place to live in the US, the project “the Field of heroes” my club does every year, the Japanese shrine in Westerville, the prohibition of Alcohol. And how Columbus has the best zoo in the US and is a business center and so on. I also explained how I wouldn’t say that my city was Columbus if I didn’t live there, as I all around prefer Westerville. At the end, the Rotarians were all saying that they wanted to travel to Westerville. I consider that a Victory. The Club was also having their installment banquet on Saturday, and wanted all the exchange students to reenact the Russian fairytale “rebka” where an entire family is needed to pull out a vegetable. So to surprise them, we went to the local theatre to get costumes for the fairy tale. (I kinda hated it because I had to do all the talking) but soon we got costumes for the fairy tale. I was also asked to do more assignments for Nahodka at their banquet. A poem by a Russian author (ecenin) and a presentation about my life on Sakhalin. Along with all that, I was also the announcer for the fairy tale “Rebka”. And 2 pther songs which we all had to learn. All in all, I was kinda nervous, but knew if I pulled it off then the Rotary Club who practically saved me, would be glad that they did so. We also spend time helping the rotary club make paper lotuses for a kids summer camp. We made flowers which everybody learned how to make at the district conference, except me, because I wasn’t there. So when it came time for the actual installment banquet, I found myself as stressed out as ever. And it was definitely noticeable, as I would spend more time looking at my papers than eating the meals they brought us. As I still (after 2 weeks) could get my poem down. The entire time, the students were telling me “Aaron, you’re the best here, you don’t need to worry”. Well when it came time for my poem, I went up, messed up the first line by saying “me” instead of “you”, corrected myself, then proceeded to recite my poem, without flaw. I couldn’t believe I did it. When my presentation came along, I made everyone laugh when I talked about many examples of culture shock. Like cows wandering the streets, and how its deer who do it in the US (nobody in Russia has seen wild deer really) at the end, I thanked Nahodka club for taking me in and all that they’ve done for me. When we portrayed the fairy tale, it was funny thanks to the costumes and our Brazilian students. The rotary said that I was practically a star on the night. When we arrived home, I saw my bed, jumped on it, and went to sleep instantly.
After the Installment banquet in Nahodka, they have a tradition to climb a mount called sister. We did this the very next day (after some eco action and picking up trash on the shore) we reached the top of sister and saw all of Nahodka, a view ill never forget. And the Brazilians also wouldn’t, as the next day they left to Yakutsk to see more Brazilians. We got everyone together as the two Brazilians left us forever, leaving us with 10 days of awesome memories. My host mother the next few days, took the remaining students to see bears and eat in the weeds with them. And to a dolphin aquarium. Where I saw dolphins for the first time, and touched them. We saw them do tricks and such also there. On that same day, I explained to Nahodka Club more about the field of Heroes idea which they are planning on doing. They mentioned that in Russia its harder because of the local minorities who would seize any opportunity to ruin Russian patriotism or steal free flags. In Russia is a patriotism problem. The soviet union always said “be patriotic” and now that the soviet union is gone, whos saying “be patriotic” so the nation doesn’t do it much. (imagine it being like a mother always telling you to eat cereal all the time, you eat so much that you cant stand it anymore, then the mother leaves, now what will you do? Still eat cereal?) I was also stolen by a Rotarian to teach English at a sea school, for sailors who need English to work at their jobs. And we celebrated the last day of our Taiwanese student, with a trip to the banya.
so I can also say that ive fallen in a Russian Wedding. On the 25th of June, My host brother got married. Russian weddings are a lot more fun than American. We started by decorating all the cars with flowers or decorations. Then the groom had to buy his way to the bride by completing obstacles set up by the bride, like guess what certain numbers meant that had something to do with the bride. After the groom made it to the bride, we went to the marriage hall where the marriage was registered and then we took an excursion around the city. In Russia, all the cars watching you honk as they pass by, as a “good luck, congrats” way. Even the police turn on their sirens for the wedding, the Russian spirit of love is surprisingly everywhere. The entire Russian wedding traditionally is 2 or more days. So we went to a base and camped there and played some games that the wedding planner planned. The bride and groom aren’t considered bride and groom in Russia until they have spent one night together after the wedding. Everyone went to sleep around 1 or 2 in the morning. The next day we grilled shish ka bobs, talked, played volleyball, and went home around 6 or so. Many people wanted to talk to me, the Russian youth has considered me cool as the American who speaks Russian, has a sense of humor, knows enough Russian slang to make you laugh, and is full of surprises. I spend the last days in Russia, being with friends for the last time, and packing all my stuff for the plane on Wednesday the 29th.