Safe and sound in Moscow

I am alive and well and in Moscow, which is a land of unimaginable luxury compared to Baku. And my god is it expensive here. Anyway, I'm staying with Maren, my old Moscow roommate, and remembering the times I had when I used to live here.... and it's cold! I can't even remember what it's like to not be hot. Wow.

Anyway, last week. Yes, I was kicked out of my apartment. As terrible as it was, I was taken in by and Azeri family, and the experience was amazing. Apart from learning so much about families here and how they work (and survive), they really took me in and i feel like one of them. They don't have much- a 2 room apartment, with 5 people there plus me. And there is only water for a few hours in the evening- the rest of the time it is water from the tub and jugs. But I was actually comfortable there.

So, Saturday I arrived, Sunday I found out I was kicked out of my apartment and returned, and Monday was nice. Then Tuesday... Tuesday the grandmother fell down on her way to mosque and broke her kneecap. The entire day was full of panic and emotion- i tried to help and stay out of the way. The hospital sent her home in a cast even though she needed an operation becasue they couldn't pay the $500 the doctor demanded to operate (which I'm pretty sure was just a bribe). So, I offered to help them, and with the help of my parents, we gave them part of the money.

Thank you mom and dad. You can't understand how much it meant to them- not just because their grandmother could get the operation, but because we helped them, just because we could, and wanted to. I can stay with them for free for life they said. And they really mean it!

So the next few days I spent with Royal, my friend from the bus. He's a wonderful, sweet, amazing guy. I won't be surprised if I see him again. In fact, ahem, he's my boyfriend. Which is logistically a problem, obviously. But love is love, and we will just have to see where life takes us.

So there you go- i packed what feels like a lifetime into that last week. Hopefully I'll send time updating more here, and get some pictures up soon this week of the regions and of Royal and his family. But it's finally happened- I miss home. So see everyone soon!

<3 Denise