Tears of a Clown

Sasha K. A natural clown if ever there was one

Tears of a Clown. Those words have double meaning here. Tears from me regarding my friend Sasha. And tears from Sasha (a natural clown), which drove him to kill himself. It is hard for me to imagine the sadness and pain someone must feel to take their own life. But clearly Sasha felt something immensely enough to do it. For whatever reasons, he decided he couldn't live with his pain anymore.

Andy and Sasha performing at an airport

Sasha had a rough life to be sure. He grew up in an orphanage. I don't know what that is like personally, but I have met enough kids in orphanages with deep sadness in their eyes to have a small glimpse into it. Sasha surely had demons, and I guess the demons just overwhelmed him for whatever reasons. All I know for sure is He will be missed by many many people in Russia and beyond.

Sasha and friends in their early days with Maria's Children. Sasha is in the back row with a red shirt.

The hardest part for me is, every time I saw Sasha, he was always smiling and seemed truly happy. I haven't seen  him in 6 years, but I can still see his smiling face. One of the last times I saw him, he was proudly showing off his new uniform. He had finally graduated from flight attendant school and was embarking on a career. For those of you who don't know, that is no easy feat for an orphan of Russia. Many times orphans are labeled early in life as unintelligible or crazy, and this label makes it hard for them to get into any form of advance school. Sasha overcame that obstacle, with Maria's help, and was on his way to having his own life! A good life it seemed. Something in the past 6 years derailed that good life, and that just breaks my heart. I don't know many details yet, so I don't have any clue what derailed him. I do know that Maria is shocked and hurting as much as anyone else in the world. Sasha was one of the first children to go through Maria's program. He was the first kid that Maria and Ilya "adopted". Adopted is in quotation because they didn't formally adopt him. However, they did let him live with them. They helped guide him as if he was their own son. And he made something out of it all. Something exciting and real. Now it is gone.

Sasha with his younger "sister" Elya (Maria's daughter)

Sasha the flight attendant

Now after all the sadness I have felt over the past few days, it is the words of my dear and wise friend Guillaume that have helped me to put some of it in perspective. Guillaume is a humanitarian extraordinaire. He is currently in Greece clowning in refugee camps to try and bring a little love, laughter, and "sunshine" into a dreary place. He does it well too! After I emailed him the news he responded with this...   He told me about all the emotions he felt... sadness, being the obvious emotion.... guilt, like did he write Sasha enough or did he spend enough time with him.... anger, at the Russian orphanage system and parents who abandon their children... and his final wrap up in his own words was this...

"And then I thought of Maria's Children... this family he had. I thought of all the love and fun he found there. All the beautiful moments, playing and laughing with him. I'm really grateful for all that.

What if Maria's Children has never been there? Would he have killed himself many years ago? And what about the others kids? How many would have killed themselves, without Maria?

It is  horrible news... but it must not be seen as a failure. And it can remind us of why we are doing all that... and why Maria works so hard since so many years. The need is huge... the scars and the suffering are great. 

All we can do is we must answer with even more love."  Guillaume Vermette   

It is these words that I will cling to over the coming days, weeks, months, and years.

You can follow Guillaume here if you want or need to be inspired

https://www.facebook.com/ClownHumanitaire/

Like I said, Guillaume is wise. And so I too am forever grateful. Grateful that Sasha was strong enough to fight off demons long enough for me to have met him and laugh with him. He fought long enough to bring a lot of laughter and joy to many others, especially children. Kids would swarm around him to play and laugh. In my eyes he fought a good and long fight against his demons and I will forever love him for being that strong! Now he can RIP for sure.

The children of Beslan loved him so much! 

                                Now to end with another quote from our dear friend Andy
                                  "Heaven just got a whole lot funnier". Andy Emeritz

RIP my dear friend

                         Now go out and Hug Everyone!!!

Hidden Hero

Meet my friend Naomi Shafer. She is truly a wonderful young woman. She went to Russia in 2002 for the first time with a group from the New England Youth Theater. She was a teenager at the time, but that trip has lead her to great things today. I am not sure how many times she went to Russia, but after a few years of absence she went back in 2015 on our annual trip to Beslan. Apparently it was that trip that sparked her to pursue clowning more seriously. There are about a million people/families/children who have benefited from that decision by her. She is now the Executive Director for Clowns Without Borders (CWB).  Yes, that is a real thing :0). As director she has many roles, including traveling to refugee camps to clown for families who are displaced. I can only imagine the joy she brings to those people, with her smile as bright as it is. And trust me, that is no fake smile. 100% joy and pure in her soul. Below is a video about Hidden Heroes by Chicken Soup for the Soul. She explains the benefits of the laughter that CWB brings. She is definitely a hidden hero, along with all the clowns that work with CWB! So support Clowns without Borders if you can, in any way you can. Their work is as important as Doctors Without Borders or any other group that travels to help families in need.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=SrhW1Qhnk0Y


Now Go Out and Hug a Hidden Hero Today!!!

This is My Home (Keb' Mo')

Keb' Mo'

"This is My Home" is the latest song by Keb' Mo'. His album "Oklahoma" comes out June 14th. I look forward to listening to it. It is billed as a story telling album, and I do love a good story. This song certainly tells a great story! If you haven't heard of him or heard his music, now is the time to get on board! His song Life is Beautiful is my favorite. His new song is a close second. After reading an interview about the song, it makes me like it AND him even more. He seems like a truly lovely man who makes beautiful music. I recommend you first listen to the song and it's lyrics closely. After listening to the song, then read the article and see how your thoughts compare to his. 

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Irip5pIRb4&list=RD9Irip5pIRb4&start_radio=1

This song really resonates with the times we are in. I love how the song just tells a story. He does not bring politics into it, although I am sure it will generate some political responses. It is a "simple" song about Love, Respect and The American Dream. I love how he says he doesn't get pissed-off about a situation. He just wants to bring LIGHT to a situation and let the listener get involved in their own way. It really speaks volumes to me. You can read his thoughts in his own words below.

                         https://www.allmusic.com/blog/post/keb-mo-interview-this-is-my-home

I believe every person in America should listen to this song and truly take the lyrics to heart. It is such a simple, yet POWERFUL AND TRUE song. We all need to just put anger to the side and use our hearts to lead the way. LOVE and RESPECT others for who they are. If we all did this, I believe life would be much happier for all of us! Do you agree? Disagree? Do you have other thoughts about this song or anything else in general? If so, please share them with me via email or in the comments section!

                Now Go Out and Hug a Musician Today!!!

https://www.allmusic.com/blog/post/keb-mo-interview-this-is-my-home

(Beslan) Russia Recap 2019

Chip and Ira at the airport

We arrived in Beslan with no delays. We were greeted, as always, at the gate by our friends. After collecting luggage, I was greeted by my dear friend Aslan! It is always such fun to see him. This year we didn't have a bus, since we were staying in Beslan. Aslan, who is a taxi driver, grabbed me and my luggage and a couple of others and dragged me to his car to give us a ride. After unloading our luggage, laughing and exchanging hugs I offered him money for the taxi ride. He just shook his head and said NO! Got back in his car and drove away with a smile! I can't wait to see him again next year.

My friend Aslan!

We stayed at Nadya's home, which was a real treat. I already told you about her as one of my gift givers. ( https://yourdalyhug.blogspot.com/2019/04/gift-givers.html ) Her home is a typical/traditional Russian home. Quaint, well kept, and always comforting. Since we stayed in Beslan this year, we could actually walk to the school! This was a real treat and a welcome change from hopping on a bus every morning. The weather in Beslan in April is typically good. 55 to 65 and mostly sunny. Great walking weather, plus we got to see parts of Beslan we don't normally see. We also met people we wouldn't have met otherwise. I even got "mugged" by some gypsy kids one day. That was fun and scary at the same time, Ha. They had my pockets empty of balloons before I could pull out my first magic trick :0). The walk was a great way to start our days, and especially nice on the first day after an early morning plane ride. We got to the school midday and ended up just playing with the kids for an hour or so. No master classes til the next day.

Our daily walk to the school!

Friday we walked to school and spent the majority of the day there. My friend from last year, Sarmat, saw me as I entered his classroom. He ran to me instantly and gave me a hug. Quite a feat for a child who has autism. Every time I saw him after that he hung close to my side as I entertained him and other children. He is one of the many wonders of this world to me. I love him dearly! I do not do "master" classes anymore, as I just try to entertain where needed. My friend Pluk ( https://yourdalyhug.blogspot.com/2019/01/meet-pluk.html ) joined me as we entertained Albina's classroom. The kids instantly go berserk and it is generally chaotic for 15 minutes or so. Albina sits at her desk and thumbs through papers to allow her kids this opportunity to play with two clowns. Pluk and I actually did a nice job of keeping the kids in their seats for a few minutes as we did an improv skit. Then the last 10 minutes or so we ran around the room and interacted with small groups as we got tugged on, hugged, and questioned repeatedly about things such as how old we are and "can I have a balloon?", etc. Ha ha! Then we quietly say goodbyes and the kids instantly go back to studying, like we were never there. It is a marvel I can hardly wrap my brain around. But I enjoy it for what it is for as long as it last! I think Pluk did too.

Pluk and I do a selfie with the whole class :0)

After lunch at 2pm, we headed to an orphanage in Vladikavkaz. It is an orphanage we visit every year and is always filled with fun in my eyes. It is never the same two years in a row, and this year we played outside the majority of our time there. That is always my preference, but sometimes we get corralled inside to play in a small room. Outside is way better, especially with that fresh mountain air. This year I especially enjoyed a small group of tween girls who giggled a lot at me. I asked the first girl in the group what her name was "Kak vas zavut?". Her reply "Klone". She was being cute and funny of course, but I gave her a nose just the same. The rest of the girls lined up to tell me their name was Klone also. A couple of them went to the end of the line to try and get a second nose, Ha Ha. I was wise to them though, and we all laughed. Then we ventured to the sport court and played some "Samurai" and other games with balloons and whatever else was handy. Good times!

Some of my favorite kids ever in Vladikavkaz!!

After the orphanage we headed back to Beslan and had a nice dinner at Maria's house there. Maria wasn't there of course, but teenagers from the school were already there preparing our dinner for us. They do all the cooking, cleaning, and organizing for us while there. Truly impressive!
Saturday morning we walked to the school where our bus awaited. We were heading to a "camp" somewhere near the mountains. It was an unusual experience as we tried to locate the camp :0). Our bus driver, a lovely man named Valery, laughed the whole time and didn't seem bothered that we had no idea where we were going, Ha! We sorta did, and Vika our fearless leader eventually got us to the right spot. We played with some kids and ate a quick dinner, watched a show and some fireworks and then headed home. Sometimes our visits need tweaking for the next year, so we will discuss it :0).
It was still a unique and fun experience I feel. It can just be more productive next time. Nobody is perfect, not even the people who go on Maria's trips :0).

The kids at "camp" enjoyed the fireworks. They generally don't have experiences like this.

After our visit we drove back to Beslan. On our way back we were driving through Vladikavkaz. Vladikavkaz is a city of about 330,000 people. Some of the Russians were staying in Vladikavkaz and invited us to walk around the city with them, and then have dinner. 10 minutes into our walk we ran into Ruslan ( https://yourdalyhug.blogspot.com/2019/04/ruslan-musician.html ). He was insistent on talking with us and then inviting us back to his office. It was an experience I won't soon forget. I am not sure how the Russians felt about it, as I am sure they would have rather kept walking around the beautiful city of Vladikavkaz, but they were good sports about it all. After our visit with Ruslan we ate dinner and headed back to our home base in Beslan.

Ruslan played the piano for us. What a talent!

On Sunday we spent the whole day in the mountains. Basically taking they day off from clowning and other "work". It was a glorious 67 degrees and sunny out. I perfect day to spend in the mountains. The drive alone is worth it, but being deep in the mountains is a real treat. We saw cows, wild horses, donkeys, and sheep... all ON the road. We went to a small place called Dargav, AKA "The City of the Dead". It was an interesting little place with "Beehive" graves. There is interesting history in Russia, especially in the mountains. We walked around, fed the donkeys, celebrated Oksana's birthday with cake and tea, and then headed to explore a local monastery.

Beehive graves in Dargav

A monastery deep in the mountains is a fascinating thing to me. Monks meandered about and tourists flock to see it. We stayed for a few minutes to explore, then headed to Vadek's country home. Lucky enough it was only 1 mile from the monastery! There we ate delicious schashlik and hung out with friends. Not a bad way to end a beautiful day in the mountains.

Vadek cooks Schashlik for his guests. Yummy!

On Monday we went to a local CP clinic. It is my favorite place to visit in Vladikavkaz. It is a place filled with color and happy people. It is run by a lovely woman named Nonna. All of the employees there do their job with smiles on their faces. The kids and parents seem happy to be there as well. I am not sure they "need" clowns, but they welcome us with open arms :0). Some kids have to sit or lie still on a table for 15 to 20 minutes at a time to get tests done. So I guess we help with that a little. Distraction and play can make time move faster, I have seen it in action.

Two teenagers from the school help distract a young girl who has to sit on this table for 15 minutes for her testing. You can't see them, but there are electrodes attached to her legs. I presume to measure muscle movement and strength. Children with CP get spasms in their muscles frequently.

Debya, from Texas, entertains Anjelina for her testing.

After our visit to the CP clinic we headed to the school to play for a few hours. After that we headed to a dear old friend's house in the mountains for dinner. Marat is a lovely man. His wife, Zita, used to be the minister of education in Beslan and was very instrumental in helping Maria continue her visits to the school. Believe it or not, a past administrator tried to get Maria to stop coming. Thank God Zita stepped in to help and we continue our important work to this day. They have a beautiful home on the side of the mountain. We ate yummy food and hung out by the fire as Pluk played her ukulele.

Pluk plays the ukulele by the fire.

On Tuesday we toured the school museum for our annual history lesson from Nadya. It is always powerful, emotional, and I learn new things. Then we clowned a little bit with the kids, ate lunch and headed to Dur Dur to visit kids at the orphanage there. It is another orphanage we visit every year and I love it. This year we played some games and I took a walk with Vadek. It is kinda becoming our annual thing. I don't speak much Russian and Vadek speaks little English. So we mostly walk in silence. We will do a hand gesture and use a word or to "converse" and after 15 minutes he shakes my hand, says "spaciba". I say "thank YOU" and goes off to hang with friends. It is a moment I can't quite explain, but is somehow really important to us both. After Dur Dur we headed to the Hot Springs in the mountains for a nice relaxing dip. We ate a late dinner and then back home to rest up for our final day.

Vadek and myself. Special bond!

Our last full day in Beslan is always a concert at the school. This year was as fun as always. All the participants of the master classes get on stage to show what they did. Pluk, Debya, Joy and I did a short song as clowns. And the Russian children did various "skits" they worked on all week. The traditional dance routine from their region, plus more. This year a group of 10 year olds did a two stepping country dance, to Debya's delight. She is from Texas. They were really good and super cute! A group of 15 to 16 year olds did an American scene/dance set in 1940s NYC. It was really cool. And they seemed to really enjoy themselves! They certainly have great talent, and no fears.
After the concert, we did our annual trip to get ice cream with Albina's and Sveta's class. It is one of my favorite things to do, and not just because I love ice cream. Walking with the kids and just laughing along the way is so much fun, and filled with excitement. At the restaurant where we get ice cream, the kids sit at two long tables and are served ice cream by waitresses and waiters. This year, both classrooms wanted me to be at their table. So, Maria did a "panoramic" photo where she could capture me at both tables. During "live" action I tried to bounce back and forth as much as possible. All the kids seemed satisfied with the results, Ha.

Two Chips are better than one :0)!

After ice cream we went to our annual closing dinner at The Farmer. It is a nice restaurant out in the country a bit. It is a farm to table restaurant with a DJ and dance floor. It is always a great way to end our trips there. The final morning we packed up and headed to the airport. We of course did our annual stop at the cemetery. Another emotional, but important, part of the trip. We laid a red carnation on every grave site. That is 334 carnations! I always visit the graves of Boris and Vera. They are Nadya's children who were killed in the siege. I also visit Tarkan's grave. He is the oldest person to die in the siege. His story ( https://yourdalyhug.blogspot.com/2017/05/teacher.html ) touches me and so I feel the need to say hi to him every year. Then I walk around and try to take in as many faces and names as I can until we head to plane to fly home. Well, back to Moscow where I stayed a few more days before flying to HOME. I was completely exhausted after this trip! I am sure it is partly because I am getting older, but also it was just more active it seemed. I look forward to next year as much as ever, even though it is good to be home.

334 beautiful people were killed. Don't ever forget that!

                       Now Go Out and Hug Someone Today!!!

(Moscow) Russian Recap 2019

Joy and I met up  at the airport. I love this photo, because you should always Dream it and Live it! It is your choice after all!!

The trip to Russia this year got started in the airport, as always. I met several cute kids at Chicago O'hare, JFK, and Helsinki. Kids just always seem to know what to do with a clown, even in the unusual context of an airport. So, I played my way to Russia with as many kids who invited me. Joy joined in from JFK onward. She has never clowned before, but she was fairly natural at it :0).

Sergei. Our taxi driver in Moscow. 

The trip got started at my friend Justin's house. Yes, the spy house! We gave a tour of the spy house to Joy, which was fun. We ended the night with a poker game. Playing poker in a "poker" cabin at a Spy House in Russia just seems exotic and wildly exciting to me.  You should try it.

Poker at a Spy House cabin. Fun!

The next day we took a walking tour of Moscow with Justin's friend Masha. She is a delightful 19 year old film student who showed us quite a bit in 3 hours. Joy had never been to Russia, so we did the usual Red Square, St. Basil's cathedral, and so on. We ended up at Maria's studio in downtown, which is always a fun place to hang out a bit. Later that evening we finally made it to Maria's dacha. Ahhh.

Red Square, with St. Basil's cathedral.

This year I went a few days earlier than normal. This allowed me to spend some wonderful one on one time with Maria. She is a busy woman, so I treasure that time. I also got to hang out with Joy, Debbie, Pluk, and others. I spent a day at the old studio in Moscow and an evening at Maria's new studio. The rest of the time I lounged around the dacha in the country. I ate delicious food prepared by Vera and Shariff. I was treated to a banya and massage. Basically, I am treated like royalty there. It is quite embarrassing actually. I think I will go again next year, even with the embarrassment. :0)

Maria at her dacha. A true treasure.

The Wednesday before we headed out to Beslan, kids from the Filamanki orphanage came to Maria's studio at the dacha to do art. Maria also made special arrangements for some adults from a group home to come. The adults grew up in the Filamanki orphanage and now have to live in an adult group home. It was fun to see the two groups interact. It was like a fun reunion as they smiled and gave each other big hugs! As bad as an orphanage can be for some kids in Russia, it was nice and refreshing to see they do develop friends and relationships there. We had cookies and tea all ready for them, and they still spent 30 minutes greeting each other before they wanted to eat. And don't worry, we also fed them a real meal of spaghetti and soup. It is just funny to me, that children who rarely get treats would rather hug old friends, laugh and catch up before eating some yummy treats. Proof that Love is more powerful than sugar! Ha. Human nature astounds me!

Such joy to see an old friend!

 The girl on the left lives in the orphanage, the girl on the right lives in the adult group home.  They were so happy to see each other! And I love the quote on her shirt :0).

After having cookies and tea, the kids did some art. Some did mosaics. Some did ceramics. Some did drawings. Vadek asked me to pose for him so he could do a drawing of me! I happily obliged, and oh what talent this kid has! It always amazes me to see kids who have been abandoned by their parents, living in suppressed conditions with not a lot of hope for a future, come to Maria's and just flourish and shine! Vadek is one of the many children Maria helps.

Vadek is impressive!

He did this in about 10 minutes!

Sad news did hit this trip, unfortunately. Maria's father-in-law, Ilya's dad, Valentin died two days before we were to leave for Beslan. He had been ill and suffered the past 6 months, so it wasn't a shock. It still made for a sad start. Maria missed the first 3 days of Beslan, but we played on the best we could without her. She did join us at the end of the trip, and all was well in the end. 

                                                        R.I.P my dear friend Valentin!

Valentin with Donna and Yulia in his home a few years ago.

We hopped on a plane on Thursday morning and headed to Beslan.... To be continued...

                      Now Go Out and Hug a Friend Today!!!

Garmat, and the reason Maria's visits are still important!

Garmat is the kid with the peace sign up.

It has been 15 years since the Beslan school siege. Every kid that was in the siege has now graduated from the school. People have questioned Maria why she still goes? There are a few reasons for this. The teachers are still in the school and they are our friends. The people in town are still affected. And kids in the school today are still affected. As the story of Garmat will prove.

I met Garmat two years ago. I remember playing with him some. I even taught him some juggling in the past. This year he reminded me why Maria's visits are still so important. Nadya was giving us our annual tour through the museum at the school. There are photos on the wall of horrific scenes from the siege. As she was talking, Garmat came up to me and pointed to a photo. He said "That is my mother and brother. My sister was killed in the attack". The photo in question was his mother wailing as only a grieving mother can, as a young boy covered with soot and blood lied on a stretcher. Garmat is 12, so he was not even alive when the attacks happened, but clearly it affects him and his family to this day. Can you imagine being 12 years old and as you walk through the hallways of your school you see a photo of your mother and brother in such a horrific scene? I can't imagine the emotions that might elicit. But it is a reminder of why Maria's visits are so important! The school and the town still need them. It is a tragedy that still wounds to this day, even 15 years later.

Garmat's sister Madina. She was 12 when she was killed.

                     Now go Out and Hug Someone Today!!!

Ruslan the musician

Ruslan the musician

We were on our way "home" from an orphanage one evening. We were driving through Vladikavkaz, so a small group of us decided to take a walk around the city. A short time later we encountered Ruslan. Our walk was cut short as Ruslan insisted we come to his office for tea. He was a delightful man, so it was hard to resist. Before I knew it, the 8 of us were crammed inside his office to share a lovely evening with him. As he talked we learned he was a musician. He grew up in the mountains near Vladikavkaz. He grew up in a small village of 9 families. He didn't learn Russian until he was 10. Basically he was telling us he was a self made success. He taught music for many years, and now is retired. But he still loves music. He played the piano for us as we drank and ate snacks he laid out for us. To quote him "if he knew we were coming, he would have more to offer". Just like a typical Russian. Generous, kind and funny.



Snacks and drinks offered by Ruslan

He dazzled us with his piano playing and delighted us with stories of his travels. He had spent time in America and was fascinated that we came to his "small" city. Vladikavkaz has 330,000 people, ha. He showed us his passport with the stamps of places he had traveled. As he put it, "I wouldn't want you to think I was lying to you". Of course we never doubted his stories, but he was adamant about proving it.

Ruslan showing us his passport


He played 3 songs for us, including "Georgia on my mind" by Ray Charles. At 80 something years old, with arthritic hands, he was flawless in his playing of the piano. Between each song he regaled us with  more stories of his life and travels. It is experiences like this that make me love my travels to Russia. You just don't get this kind of stuff in other countries. So, if you are ever in Russia and get stopped on a walk by an interesting person... I suggest that you talk to them, ask a few questions and definitely go back to their house for tea and snacks. It will be well worth your time, I promise!

Now Go Out and Hug a Musician Today!!!

Gift givers

A sampling of the gifts I received

The people of Russia are gift givers, plain and simple. Funny, because I am typically not a very good receiver of gifts. Part of my "minimalistic" ways I guess. But when I receive gifts from Russia it is different. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for these gifts. I receive them from a lot of people too... teachers, children, people on the streets, and even bus drivers. Gift giving is a big thing in the Russian culture. It is their way of letting you know you are important to them or they appreciate you. The gift comes 100 percent from the heart. They don't give them to impress you, other than to impress upon you how much you mean to them. I just love it!

The first gift I received this year was from Nadya. Nadya is the history teacher at the school. Her daughter Ira is one of my Russian "daughters". I just love these two women. The first gift from Nadya was allowing us to stay at her home in Beslan. Such a warm and welcoming home it was. The first morning she presented me with a more "traditional" kind of gift. A home made clown and some Russian chocolate. She is one of the most inspiring women I know and she is bestowing me with gifts. I am truly humbled.

A home made clown from Nadya

The next gift was given to me by Sarmat. Sarmat is a friend from last year. He is such a lovely young man. The fact he remembered me this year is amazing to me. This year he ran to me instantly and didn't leave my side, except to go to class. The second day he presented me with a toy. I am sure it was his personal toy, and he gave it to me as a "Thank You" gift. Who should be thanking who here I wondered. I am forever grateful for his friendship.

Chip, Sarmat and his sister Leeza. I have known Leeza for 12 years.

Everywhere we walked in Beslan people greeted us happily or honked their horns at us. Whenever we were asked what we were doing, my friend Pluk would explain we are here for the children of School No. 1. After hearing this, most people just gave us gifts! Everyone of course knows the story of School No. 1, so I am sure they appreciate "strangers" coming for the children. It still always impresses me how generous these people are. A lady in a small grocery store gave us free drinks. Another lady gave us free flowers. And the ladies at the market gave us free produce! Keep in mind, the ladies in the market make little to no money for their produce. The fact they give ANY of it away astounds me! The people of Russia, especially Beslan, are endlessly generous.

A lovely marketeer who gave us free tomatoes and bananas

Next in line to give me gifts were some students. Every year one or two students run up to me on the last day and hand me something as a gift, then they run away smiling. A little shy I guess. This year I had two students who spent a lot of time with me. Milana and Aleeza followed me around periodically through the week. Milana did a lot of interpreting for me. I know she did this to practice her English, but it was a huge help to me, and a gift in it's own way. The next to last day she invited Pluk and I to her classroom for tea. She proceeded to hand out treats and tea to her classmates and then to Pluk and I. Then she gave me 2 gifts to "thank" me. Again, who should be thanking who here? I graciously accepted her gifts and gave a big hug in return. This year I got photos of my gift givers though :0). I am learning. Her classmate also gave me a gift. It is really overwhelming to see such generosity from kids.

Milana and one of her gifts. She also gave me a journal to write in.

Aleeza and her gift

Every year the teachers give all of the volunteers gifts. They are always interesting gifts from the Ossetian region. This year I got a special edition Chacha (Traditional Georgian Liquor) in a funny ceramic statue. Plus a water canteen made of ceramic with a fun Ossetian Scene on it.

The teachers with new scarves given to them by Maria I believe.

One of the most unexpected gifts this year came from our bus driver Valery. Typically bus drivers do their job and keep to themselves. Fair enough. This year our bus driver was different. He got involved by spending time with some of the kids at the orphanage. This is highly unusual for a bus driver. He laughed and played with us along the way. And on our last day he gave me a can of vodka. Yes, a can. It is some of the smoothest vodka I have ever had actually! I could not thank him enough for his generosity. Not only for the vodka, but for showing interest in our group and the kids we visit! 

Vodka in an "oil" can

Valery hanging with some boys from Dur Dur Orphanage

My last morning in Russia I woke up to some gifts on the table. They were from Elya. Elya is Maria's youngest daughter. She stayed up late to make my gifts and surprise me. She is also kinda shy, so I could not thank her personally for it. But I am eternally grateful for her sweetness! Thank you Elya and Thanks to all of my gift giving friends!

Elya with her dog Marta

Now Go Out and Hug Someone Today! A hug is a gift!!!