Part 2, Play

Playing Evolution

This may be the longest post of the week. I do more playing in Russia than anything else. It starts as soon as we arrive. Well, actually it starts when I get to the airport in America. I dress as a clown or atleast a pseudo clown when I travel to Russia. Reactions in an airport are always amusing. Kids tend to smile, giggle and interact with me. Adults will usually do a double take. Fight attendants always smile, although I am never sure if they are happy or thinking "not another clown on our flight". I HAVE taken a few photos with flight attendants over the years, usually with them wearing a nose, so I presume they are happy to see me. If not, they fake it well.

Flight attendant to Beslan

In Paris we had a 3 hr layover. Our luggage had a 17 hour layover, but that is a whole other story. It did arrive in Moscow in time for us to take it to Beslan, so no worries! Maybe it wanted to see the Eiffel Tower while in Paris?

Anyway... in Paris I roamed around the airport a bit. As I walked thru the terminal I heard music from a piano. Then I saw a beautiful young lady dancing ALONE. What a travesty. I casually sauntered over to her and "mirror" danced with her a bit. There was a railing between us. She followed my dance to the end of the railing and we joined hands and danced for reals for a few minutes. It ended in a lot of twirling and I, in true clown fashion, spun away dizzily and kept on walking as the music had stopped. The young lady smiled and waved as I continued my journey and some of the waiting passengers gave us a well deserved round of applause. I felt it was well deserved anyway. She was an elogant dancer after all.

In Russia we are happily greeted as we come thru customs. Then we drive to Maria's dacha where Elya is always ready to play. Elya is Maria's 6 year old daughter, and even though she plays with a lot of clowns while I am there, I still feel like I am HER CLOWN!

Elya in her Easter Dress

Traveling from Moscow to Beslan, in clown WITH other clowns now, is always full of play. One guy named Aslan gestured for my juggling balls and proceeded to juggle FOR ME! He had a huge bright smile and I felt as if we were instant friends. When we returned a week later to fly home, Aslan was still at the airport and called me by name.

Aslan juggling

In Beslan the fun continues with HUNDREDS of kids waiting our arrival! I am supposed to "teach"a master class when I go, but that just never seems to happen really. This year I brought balloons and was going to "teach" the kids how to make a sabachka (dog). I had a couple of teenage interpreters, but things got lost in translation I guess. By the first few minutes there were 50 kids running around the room laughing, playing, making a lot of noise with the unmade balloons! I guess they need the release :0). Halfway thru the "class" one of the head teachers, who is my friend, came in and her eyes got really big. She just rolled her eyes and gave a smile and a shrug. I never know if the teachers are truly OK with the way my classes go, or if they are just tolerant of me :0). The kids and I always have fun though, so I try to block any negative thoughts. Next year however, I will not bring balloons :0).

As I walk thru the school halls I hear echoing calls of "Cheep, Cheep, Cheep". Russians have a hard time pronouncing the short "i" sound, so my name comes out with the long eeeee. Cheeeeep. I love it! The big phenomena of this trip was The Selfie! I used to not like selfies, and still don't like my own.. but when the kids run up to you and say "Selfie?" with phone in hand, it is hard to resist. I must have been in about 200 selfies and enjoyed each and every one of them. Mostly because of the smiles it produced for the kids! It is always all about the kids and I will do almost anything for their laughter and smiles. As Garth Brooks and Billy Joel sang I am Shameless!

One of the best Selfies!

The weather in Beslan was perfect! 65 and sunny the whole week! Except the last day, when it SNOWED! I kid you not! I thought that was perfect actually. As most of you know, I LOVE the snow. And this was a "warm" fluffy snow, perfect to play in.

We went to the cemetery on our way to the airport. We go every year to bring flowers to the victims of the seige. It is moving and emotional every time. The 2 times I had been there I have cried many buckets of tears! I don't know if it was the snow or what, but this time I felt like playing. It dawned on me that I never got to play with these children who were killed for no reason. I decided then and there that I wanted to play with them (symbolically of course) and they deserved to have a clown play with them. So I did.

I did not ask for permission (better to ask forgiveness), I just played. It felt so right and happy and peaceful to me. Nobody stopped me or gave me dirty looks. And my sweet dearest Anya gave me a warm smile and said "I am Happy you played with the kids". That was all I needed to hear to know it was OK for me to play at the cemetery.

We flew back to Moscow and the play continued. We went to Maria's Spring "camp" for the orphans. We played games the whole weekend. Samurai, Evolution, Boppity Bop, Name games, and more!

Playing Boppity Bop

It is so much fun, and our play is not limited just to the orphans. The "camp"is a mini resort in the country and other families come here for getaways. Of course that means there are kids. At breakfast I clowned a bit with a 4 year old girl nearby. She was so delightful! On the second day she was playing with me and just chattering away. I followed her moves as she chattered and we just played. At one point she turned to her grandmother and said "the clown understands everything I am saying". Ha Ha, of course I did! A nearby friend had to tell me what she had said. I do not speak or understand Russian, but I do speak the language of 4 year olds in general. This beautiful Russian girl gave me a decorated Easter Egg as a gift as I left. Her smile never dimmed as I walked away.

Arnella was her name. I met another Arnella I will tell about later.

At the camp we had a group of English kids join us as well. In England they take Russian language classes and their teacher knows Maria. So they come to Russia for two weeks to experience the culture and learn more of the langauge. It was fun to watch them play with the Russian kids.

A last farewell Sunday (Easter Sunday in fact) at Maria's and then we flew to Holland. At Maria's I got to play some more with Elya, including Blindman's Bluff. Her giggle as I bumped into walls was music to my ears. We played a bit more and then said our goodbyes the next day. Russia can be so bittersweet!

Now Go Out and Hug A Play Mate Today!!!