Regrettably, we seem to be backsliding into winter here in Moscow. Sure, we’ve had a nice day or two here and there but no great green bloom yet. In fact, it actually snowed on June 1 (#ParisClimateAgreement). This is totally insane considering that we are currently receiving 17.5 hours of daylight as we inch closer and closer to the Summer Solstice. Luckily, I’ve had the chance to seek warm weather elsewhere – traveling to a couple different places in the past month which have more than buoyed my spirits.
Some of you may know that I took on coaching high school tennis this year. I really loved working with high schoolers again and looked forward to picking up my racquet each day after school. Not gonna lie, it brought back some MHS memories (Warriors – TVL Champs!).
As we don’t have any local schools to play against here in Moscow, our season ends in a tournament which is held in a new country each year. This year took us to Zagreb, Croatia, which proved a gorgeous setting for some exciting tennis.
The capital city, Zagreb is very accessible and welcoming. Walking through its lush green parks redeemed our spring-starved souls. The people were so warm and I really enjoyed the chill cafe scene after tourney hours. The kids do homestays during these trips which gives us the evenings to ourselves. Time to recoup on a school overnight – imagine that!
Happily, our team did even better than expected, taking 2nd place overall. It was wonderful to meet coaches from all over Eastern Europe – Warsaw, Prague, and Sofia to name a few. Already looking forward to the tourney next year!
Now I’ve only just arrived home from the second of the two trips. This one was very near and dear to my heart, one I could not pass up. Making maybe my craziest travel journey yet, I flew to Seoul, Korea for the weekend. I went to see my former students graduate and see off old friends who will soon disperse to new schools around the world. Despite the fact that I was only in Seoul for 48 hours, the trip was a no-brainer.
Nothing can beat the people at APIS, many of whom are like family to me. It was so great to be back to my old city for a hot second and it also made me thankful for where I find myself today.
I’m so thankful to have started my time abroad at APIS, where I learned so many life lessons. Wishing my old students good luck on their journey was a gift and I’m so thankful it was possible (thank you to Aeroflot for having a Moscow-Seoul direct!). Back at school in Moscow, we’re in the homestretch with just a few weeks remaining. The kids are off the walls and so are teachers, frankly. It’s time for a breather, to reset for another school year. For me, it’s moments like this one that really put it all into perspective.
The OG troublemakers from Grade 9 Printmaking – we finally got our shot.