This morning with the oddly familiar ring of our wake-up calls, we awoke, sleepy and aware that our last day in Moscow was upon us. After breakfast we were off to our first stop of the day…a visit with Moscow’s PTPI Chapter in the small town of Krasnaya Pakhra!
Upon arriving in Krasnaya Pakhra, we were excitedly greeted by shouts of heavily accented “hellos!” from the 65 Russian youth that we would be interacting with throughout the day. The town’s mayor began by presenting the traditional Russian welcoming gift of bread and salt to Mary Eisenhower on behalf of our group. We were then treated to a performance of traditional Russian folk music and dancing by local youth dressed in traditional Russian attire.
Next came the opportunity we had all been awaiting: our first chance to interact with Russian youth, which turned into an experience that none of us will soon forget. Despite the language barrier, connections were made through non-verbal communications. We explored our similarities and our differences, attempted a few Russian phrases and found that a smile and a laugh can go a long way.
After a small lunch of traditional Russian food, with all our new Russian friends of course, we participated in a competition of local activities including crafts, music, doll making, painting, and singing with teams consisting of both our group and Russian students. At the conclusion of the events, the team with the highest score was announced and together we all stood as we sang a Russian song we had all been taught earlier in the day. After a group photo, we said our farewells with many hugs and tears. Hesitantly we boarded our buses and began our ride back to Moscow for dinner and a relaxing evening shopping in the Arbat District. From the beginning, this beautiful city with its famous sites, such as the Kremlin and Red Square, has stolen a special place in our hearts.
As we said our tearful goodbyes to our new friends, Egor & Eugene, at the platform of the train station, we couldn’t help but wonder what the next part of our adventure had in store for us. The one thing we are certain of is through these experiences we have made new friends that will last a lifetime.
Written by: Alexis Krell and Stephen Eckert
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