Father Pavel came to do worship at the church in our village, but before he came, he sent the secondary school teacher for its English curriculum and she finally found me at my home. From where she parked I could tell she looked a long time and only found me by the neighbour gentleman telling her…
Father Pavel wanted to communicate and he wanted to do it with my language. I found that interesting and I decided to sit and communicate. The woman was named Tanya and she was about 50ish and very shy, but the idea of her being able to communicate with the first American she ever met, plus get in good brownie points with the local Father Pavel, over rode any fear and shyness…
At first I was taken back and was not appreciative of being bothered. I am a grouch and a huge bear of a guy. This makes me unapproachable for many people and that is the way I like it. I could live all alone in the middle of a thousand acres and be happy to never see anyone for years. Actually the only person I would care to see is Sveta and that is that. Though I do communicate with rare individuals and enjoy that communication. Just remember rare is the word and most I drive away, for it just is better for all involved…
Then I went to talk after I realized that Father Pavel was serious and really wanted to communicate. Though as I know in life, even clergymen have ulterior motives within everything they do, but as long as a amiable relationship stays amiable, then I will tolerate and be happy…
Therefore, I was pleased with the outcome and Father Pavel, like all Russians I know, is worried about me staying in the village all winter. He is worried and me being an American is driving that worry. Americans are known to the world to be soft, fat and whiny about the comforts of life and the lack thereof and many a exchange student has come to Russia from the west and cried all the way home. The Orthodox church has dealt with many a religious exchange person and found that most are not able to adapt…
You have to have an open mind to survive Russia and remove the idiosyncrasies that control you from your past…
Post by Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…