Kazan — summer 2014

Today was the last day of classes. We had the official closing ceremony where VP Liliya Vladimirovna Vorontsova handed the students their souvenir certificates of completion. They are lovely documents in golden frames (first time with frames). When we got to the official name-reading and handing off of certificates, the computer tech blasted the room with congratulatory music. It wasn't quite Pomp and Circumstance, but the feel was the same.

After that we had a farewell luncheon at Cafe Skazka ("Fairytale Cafe"), which was quite nice as always. The students all went their ways. The first batch fly out at 3:40 a.m. (me, too), so that group is going home, packing, then bringing their luggage to the Institute, and then they will enjoy their last Kazan hours on Bauman Street.

Me, I headed home (after receiving a gift of cognac from a completely unexpected acquaintance). Damn. What am I going to do with this? I'm not fond of the stuff. Hm. Actually, I can think of a friend in the US who likes the stuff. I'll probably send it his way.

Once home I did paperwork, packed, cleaned the apartment up, and in two hours I will be picked up, then we head to the institute for the students, and then to the airport. I count my travel time from the time I leave my home. So I leave here at 12:30 a.m. I arrive in AZ at 8:30 p.m., which would seem like 20 hours, but there is an eleven hour time difference, so it is actually 31 hours of travel time. And I'm already exhausted.