I have spent the evening packing again. Or I never really unpacked on Monday when my visa didn’t come through, so I basically just had to close up my bag. Hopefully, the visa will be ready tomorrow as announced so that I can travel as planned. The embassy is conveniently enough located only two blocks down the street from me, so I will pick up my passport in the morning and then board a flight tomorrow afternoon. Even though I will spend 12 hours or so up in the air, I really look forward to it. For some reason, I get some of my best ideas when traveling and things tend to become more clear. Maybe it is the combination of a physical distance from my everyday life, seeing the world pass by outside the window, and not being able to go anywhere for several hours. Planes, trains, and busses are all the same. I have loaded up with pens, notebooks, and my computer, to use the opportunity to work both on an agricultural policy paper and on an academic proposal. Can’t believe I will be gone for more than a month though – seems like an eternity!

I borrowed a guidebook and a proper camera from a friend, to learn about the places where I am going and to hopefully capture them on pictures. (My own camera is still in NYC.) I also packed a Russian phrase book. I have tried to brush up my Russian this past week, but I have to admit that it’s buried quite deeply back in my language center…