Goodbye.

My time in Russian Mission has come to an end. It is easy for me to say that I will miss the students that I have so quickly come to know over the past week. I had no idea what to expect during my visit; I was sure that I would have an interesting experience, but I could never have expected such a warm and accepting community that would make my stay so memorable.

The night before I was to leave, I strolled on down to the city-gym to check out the basketball scene that is such a big part of the community. A large portion of the students and parents gather at the city-gym to play and watch daily. I was amazed at the atmosphere of the gym. Aside from the very structured yet open shooting during non-game time, two games were played between players who earned their spot by shooting, and making, a free-throw. There wasn't any griping or complaining amongst the people who failed to get on a team. That was interesting enough, but the truly amazing part occurred during play. When a ball was called out, or a player was called for traveling, their wasn't a hint of argument and the call was trusted and accepted. It was amazing how well the players got along. Their passion for the sport was easily apparent in the exceptional ability displayed, but their sense of community managed to curb the frustration that so often occurs amongst passionate players who make mistakes.

If you want to teach in a village, then you must prepare to become an integral part of a community. The living quarters in a village are much too crunched for the societal recluse to maintain his/her anonymity. Village life is a different but valuable experience that most of us see only on television. We all have seen the shows where everyone in town knows each other, but in the village this actually happens. I have never felt such a sense of inclusion. By the last day of my visit, their were elementary children that I hadn't yet met who were saying "hi Jimie" as they walked by. The students in the picture of this post were two of many students who wanted to visit with Erika and I after school to say goodbye. They made it very obvious that they were as sad as we were to be parting after such a short time. I don't know if I have ever felt so appreciated.