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Sitting on the plane on the way back from Vienna - apart from managing to stay awake, for once - I mused over the peace and tranquility of the last few days.My mobile phone hadn't worked; we'd checked our e-mail three times; and it had been wonderful to be so out of touch!Sometimes we get so caught up with the instancy of information that it's good to step back and remain away from everyone and everything.
Both of us reflected on the beauty of the city that we'd just left.The in-flight magazine carried an article detailing Vienna's rise to the top of the charts for places with the highest quality of living.It certainly is somewhere that one can live and have a life.It was, for example, lovely to walk around after 8pm at night and find nowhere open - in direct contrast to Moscow's 24/7 mentality. The beauty of the buildings and, above all, the music were wonderful.
But back to Moscow we had to come.It hits you like a smack in the face, this city.As soon as you walk past the 'Nothing To Declare' desk and into the welcome area at the airport, the chaos begins.Crowds of eager families straining and pushing past the barrier.Bored-looking drivers holding up signs for the businessmen they are collecting.Central Asian taxi drivers shouting 'Taxi!' 'Taxi!' to try and solicit your business.Many will walk alongside you and try to get your business by sheer persistence.
There's no such thing as a metered ride in Moscow.Everything is by haggling or by zoning - paying a set fare by distance.Plus, it's always more expensive taking a taxi from the airport into the city - you're a captive audience.Compare 850RuR with 1,700 RuR for exactly the same journey!But there's no regulation of this (yet) so the firms can do it.
And then…back to work.Both of us were back at work the next day.Nat because she had to be; me because I had a backlog of jobs and items that needed attention, and I wanted to get them sorted out before the children returned.By Friday night I had got through most of what I wanted to do, ready for the weekend.
Unfortunately our Internet connection had 'gone off' whilst we were away, without any explanation.The (pay as you go) fee was up to date, so it wasn't anything to do with that.Over the next few days - whilst getting frustrated at the fact that all electronic communication was restricted to quick BlackBerry messages and equally quick e-mailing at work - we whittled it down to the problem being due to the electronic security line that comes into the apartment.This caused problems when we moved in, and seems to have resurfaced.Our landlady has had letters from the GUVD (one of the Russian security services) regarding something, so our guess is that it could be to do with that.
For me, the first week back was fairly routine. School restarts without too many problems; after a day to settle back in, everyone just gets on with it and it feels as though you were never away.But with three children away on a couple of days and two of my class in the Language Centre each day - leaving me with five (!), it did feel a bit lonely.One of my boys could talk for England (and Russia - his two countries of citizenship) so that does make up for it.
Outside of school, we were able to get away from Moscow at the weekend to a village in Moscow region called Snegiri (pronounced 'Snegiri') - it means 'robin' in Russian.This was for a day of reflection and prayer with the other deacons and elders from our church.The facilitator, Peter Lyne, wasa Brit who had lived in NZ for the last 30 years and had been responsible for planting a large number of churches out there.He led it really well: giving us pointers but he didn't tell us what to think.I found him very easy to listen to.For me, the important thing was that we as a group got together and started having 'full and frank discussions' as Mr. Brown refers to them.Disagreeing is important as well as agreeing and at the end of the day, we have to hold ourselves accountable.If we can't disagree with each other, with whom can we disagree?
Our tickets are now booked for Christmas - we'll go to the UK and spend a week with the family over there - and then Mum, Dad and Alice will come back here for a week.It will be the first incursion by my family onto Russian soil since 2005, when Ma and Pa came across.Nat's family is helping with organizing tickets and activities, which is fantastic.
It was Halloweén last weekend but you would never have guessed.Not a pumpkin in sight anywhere; no skeletons, ghosts, ghouls or anything remotely deathly.Being an Orthodox country, Russia doesn't really go in for all of that.So it has been a pleasant change over the last few years to be removed from the blatant commercialism.Ditto for Christmas.There are no lights up yet, no big push for purchasing cards or presents.Bliss.I do enjoy going back to the UK after this because I actually feel ready for Christmas, because I haven't had it rammed down my throat for two months (and the rest…)
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