On the Way to Peter

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Hello from Kanash, the center of Chuvashia! Mama, Tania andI are waiting patiently on the train Cheboksary-Saint Peterburg. We departed at11:40 in the morning, only to arrive in Kanash and sit for more than two hourswhile we awaited the train from Kazan’ to hook on to our little train andcomplete the trip. I wish they had us leave from Cheboksary two hours lateinstead of having us sit here, but I’m sure there is some good reason for thisunfortunate situation. Fortunately, the three of us are very happy about ourtrip to beautiful St. Petersburg, so we’re happy and patient. Tania and Iwalked around Kanash, a bit. It’s a quaint little city and I plan to come backhere soon to conduct some surveys.
The trip has been smooth. Mama woke up at 6am to startgetting ready for our trek across the country. She hasn’t been on a train for15 years or to St. Petersburg for 34, so she is rightfully, and adorably,anxious about getting ready. Tania and I woke up three hours later and stillhad time to spare JMama had enough time to pack a bag of food, bigger than her own bag of clothingand things, so even if we never leave Kanash – we’re certainly not going tostarve!

We brought books, crosswords and games for the 24-hour trainride. There is really only so much Bejeweled Butterflies you can play though,so I’ve spent much of the trip watching the Chuvash landscape roll by, tryingto save my books for my train ride to Mocow, to Ryazan’, back to Moscow andback to Cheboksary, later this week. October really brings out the best inRussia – the trees are bright green, bright yellow, bright orange, in a countrywhere big cities and long winters suck out much of the country’s color. Thecountry side here is beautiful. It’s hard to capture the contrast of thebereyozi from the train, but they fade until uncountable colors, greens intoyellows into oranges into reds. It looks like a rainbow, floating by.


I’m happy in Russia. I feel like I can hold my own here.Maybe it’s because I’m becoming a real part of the Scientist’s family. Maybeit’s because my Russian is getting better. Maybe I’m just finally understandinga little bit of the incomprehensible Russian soul. Whatever it is, I hope itonly grows and allows me to fully enjoy this year here in Chuvashia.