Bringing Joy to the children of Russia

Bringing Joy to Russia!! This was taken at JFK airport.

My annual trip to Russia, more specifically Beslan, was coming up. My cousin Joy emailed me a few months before the trip and asked if she could join me. My immediate reaction was "Duh" and "Yeah!". This trip is good for anyone, but certain people are made for the trip. Joy is one of those people, and not just because her name is literally Joy! She has never clowned, but that doesn't really matter on this trip. Anyone and everyone are welcome. Besides, you will learn to clown on this trip no matter who you are. At least a little bit anyway. Joy learned, with some natural talent for sure. The people of Russia, especially the children, just loved her. This is for good reason. She is a happy, positive, energetic force of nature. She knows how to love. She knows how to laugh and play. All of these are important qualities when traveling on this trip. Anyone else interested in this trip, just contact me :0). 

Joy helping at Maria's art studio

Before we traveled to Beslan, we spent a few days in Moscow at Maria's dacha. We went to Maria's art studio in the center of Moscow a couple of days. Joy jumped right in to help. She definitely added to the color of the studio. For those of you who don't know the story of Maria, check out her website for a refresher. Basically she is an amazing woman who runs an NGO called Maria's Children. It is an arts center for orphans and all people with disabilities. Which essentially means it is for ALL people. 

                                                                 www.mariaschildren.ru

Joy got a crash course on juggling scarves from our friend Pluk

In Beslan we spent part of our time at the school and part of our time in the community. We walked to the school everyday, which allowed for meeting people on the streets. We also had organized excursions to a few orphanages and a cerebral palsy clinic. Again, Joy jumped right in and fit right in wherever we went. I believe she made a few friends along the way, but I don't want to speak for her exactly :0). All and all it was a trip filled with Joy for me and all the people of Russia!

Joy with a sweet child at the CP clinic

                  Now Go Out and Hug Someone Joyfully!!!

Meet Pluk

Pluk

Meet Pluk. She is a brilliant, loving, caring, funny, happy clown from The Netherlands. I have had the privilege of clowning with her a couple of times in Beslan. She has done a lot of clowning in Holland, Russia and other countries including Armenia. Below is a video of her trip to Armenia in 2015 with Patch and some of our mutual friends. It is well worth 9 minutes of your time.

                                         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP7IMaUIjJs

She is magical with the children

Children swoon in her presence. She has a happy, lively deamonor that attracts everyone to her. Yet, she has a gentle, quiet way that make childen feel oh so comfortable with her. It is rare to have such a great combination of personality traits, and I am honored to know her.

My friend Pluk, plucking away :0)

Pluk has been clowning for many years. She uses her talent to help people of all walks of life, with a focus on people with disabilities. She has done tremendous work in Holland over the past 15 years or so, and now she is spreading her wings a bit. She wants to be a full time humanitarian clown. She wants to travel to places in need.... Refugee camps (The Flying Seagull Project), Orphanages (Russia and beyond), and hospitals to just mention a few. To be able to do this she does need a bit of financial help. She plans on returning to Beslan this year after a small haitus. A hiatus from Beslan, only because she has traveled to so many other places with limited means of doing so. A donation will help her be able to travel to places you can't imagine would welcome a clown. Places very few people are willing to visit and try to spread joy. She is not a charity per se, but a worthwhile cause for sure. I can vouch for her :0). By helping her, you are actually helping thousands and thousands of children who are effected by war, abandonment, and poverty. If you want more info on her, just contact me or contact her on her website below, where you can also donate if you wish. Thanks to you my friends, my friend Pluk can help others!

                                               http://www.marleenvanos.nl/english/


Now Go Out and Hug and International Friend Today!!!

Tru Dawg

Truman

His name was Truman. I lovingly referred to him as Tru Dawg. He certainly was the most true dog I have ever met. You never had to guess his emotions. If he was happy, his tail would wag excessively. If he was excited and wanted to play, he would bounce around a room with his toy in his mouth. Even in his last weeks on Earth. If he was angry, he would show his teeth and growl a little. This was usually when someone got too close to his food or he felt like someone was threatening a loved one. Words will never express the love and gratitude we have for this creature, but I am going to tell you about him anyway.

First and Foremost Truman was a Guardian! He guarded us and protected us to the end. His last night on Earth, we got him to jump up on our bed so we could love him and pet him. He basked in the glory of that for a while, and even fell asleep. We hoped he would sleep with us all night, but as soon as I dozed off he jumped down and positioned himself between the door and our bed. His position of Protector. Luckily we have never had any intruders in our home, but we knew we were protected just in case. He did his "job" well! 

He loved to walk.

He was a Walker, just like me! His absolute favorite thing in the world was to go for a walk. Just saying the word "walk" would elicit tail wagging to the extreme. If you put on your shoes, he would get up and be ready. If you headed to the door, he would be right behind you wagging his tail. In his younger days he would walk 5 miles no problem. As he got older, that distance shortened of course. But that didn't keep him from wanting to walk further. There were many times we would get him to turn around to go home because we knew he would be worn out. He would look at us like "But I can walk further, I promise". We fell for it a couple of times and we almost had to carry him back. Ha! He would come home and gobble up some water, then collapse on the floor for a nap. But if we mentioned the word "walk", he would jump up again ready to go. We never did that to him of course! I loved walking that dog. LOVED IT! 

He loved to smell!

He was a Smeller! The other thing he loved to do was smell! Smelling and walking go hand in hand of course, but he would take smelling to a whole other level if you let him. He could sniff a tree, or the ground for long periods of time if you let him. If he picked up the scent of a squirrel or rabbit, his tail would perk up and he would pick up his pace. Walker beware! 

But he also loved to lay around outside and just enjoy the day!

Some days he would be outside lying in the grass, and if you tried to get him to come in he would just look at you like you were crazy. It would take some coaxing some days. Sometimes we even needed to bribe him with a treat. He really seemed to know what was important in life.

That made him a Teacher! He taught us many things along the way. I will borrow from an old post to share the things he taught us.

If dogs were our teachers, this is what we would learn... among other wonderful things;

• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them; He always greeted me or Connie at the door when we came home. Even when Connie came home at midnight thirty and he was sleeping. The sound of the door would stir him into action and he would greet her at the door every time.
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure DELIGHT.  You should see some photos Connie has of him "smiling" in the wind. 
• Take naps; He certainly could take great naps.
• Stretch before rising; Oh to stretch like he stretched!
• Run, romp, and play daily; He loved to play with his "toys".
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you; A good rub down? Check! 
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do; His growl was effective enough.
• On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass; Or on your belly, as he did.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree; He didn't love the heat, but he could gobble up some water.
• When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body; He danced in his own way for sure.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk; Did I mention he loved to walk? It is one of the greatest joys we shared. I loved walking that dog, even when it was just to the mailbox and back in his later days. 
• Be loyal; There was no doubting his loyalty!
• Never pretend to be something you're not; Like I said, he was a True Dog
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it; He would dig now and then. 
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently;  He was effective with therapy in that way for sure. The beauty of Truman, or any dog, is that he didn't need to talk to you to understand you, and visa versa. 

Connie and Truman nuzzling each other this past weekend. It melts my heart!

We said goodbye to our dear friend today. As we did, I was reminded of a story I have heard in the past. It doesn't lessen the blow, but it still makes me smile.

Some parents wondered out loud why dogs live such short lives. Their six year old said he knew why and gave the explanation below...

He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."
Amen!!

RIP Tru Dawg!!!

Now Go Out and Hug a Furry Friend Today!!!

Highlights of Beslan/Russia 2018 Part 3 Finale

Such great smiles and laughs at the school.

Day 3 was our first day at the school this year. It felt like coming home. The kids squeal with laughter and giggles as we walk in. Several run to me calling "Cheep!Cheep!" and reach up for hugs. My favorite part of this trip is greeting the children at the school and collecting hugs! If your soul ever needs rejuvenating, just hug a child.

The kids love Freddy too.

After hugging and playing with the kids at the school, we headed to another local orphanage. The kids at this orphanage have serious neurological disorders, among other things. Nobody has ever visited them from outside the orphanage. I was happy and proud to be part of the first group to visit. I hope we can visit more in the future, and maybe the orphanage will allow other visitors now. These kids need love, hugs and fun just as much as any other kid, maybe more so?! For instance, Masha doesn't have an eye, but she has arms! So she can hug as well as any kid I have ever met.

Masha with Freddy

After the orphanage we went to the mountains to have dinner with our friends Zeta and Marat. Zeta used to be the minister of education. She was very instrumental in allowing Maria to continue her visits to the school, when some people wanted to stop her. God Bless Zeta and her husband Marat. They are true friends and have a beautiful dacha in the mountains.

Not a bad place to have dinner.

Day 4 was spent playing at the school some more. This is also the day we go on our ice cream excursion with Maria's class. I am fortunate enough to be invited every year! Not every clown gets to go :0)... This year we walked to the restaurant which allowed for more great bonding time. I love the walks with the kids, and of course enjoying ice cream with them. Yummy Marozhna!

Leading the kids to ice cream

It is a fancy restaurant, the kids love it!

Later we toured the museum and old school. Every year I hear new stories about the tragedy. It keeps me focused on continuing the visits with Maria. Maria bought a house in Beslan this past year. The teenagers and young adults from Russia stay there during our visit. We went there after school for dinner and social hour. It is a great time to hang with some of the older kids from the school who are allowed to come over and have dinner with us.

The older boys cook Schlaslik for us. My favorite!

 Day 5 is the concert. The kids perform for us and the their fellow classmates. Showing off skills, dances, or artwork they did during the week. Plus the older kids do some local traditional dances for us. It is always great fun to watch. After the concert we went to an orphanage we visit every year as well. There weren't as many kids there as usual, and I think it is because it was Easter weekend in Russia. Orphans still visit their families on weekends, and especially on holidays. We had our farewell dinner in a restaurant in the countryside and said our goodbyes. As always, it was a lovely week. I can hardly wait for next year.

The next day on our way out we stopped and visited the gravesites of the 334 victims. It is always emotional, but still important to visit. On the way to the airport I got to ride in Campbell's fancy "race" car. He is a bit wild with his driving, but it was so much fun! We boarded our plane and headed back to Moscow. Such bitter sweetness. I flew home to America the next day. I am always exhausted, yet rejuvenated after my Russian trips. I wouldn't trade that feeling for anything.

               Now Go Out and Hug a Child Today!!!
 

Highlights from Russia/Beslan Part 2

Children at a CP clinic in Beslan

As I said in my previous post, we visited several places IN the community. This is after clowning in the streets of Vladikavkaz to warm up :0). Our first visit, and probably my favorite, was at a clinic for kids with Cerebral Palsy (CP). This place was so lively, colorful and fun! The staff were energetic and full of laughter and love. The kids played with us while doing their therapy at the same time. They also use Hippa Therapy here, which means they use horses. Horses are great for kids with CP as it helps their muscles stretch a little easier. I feel this place incorporates play in their therapy a lot, but having clowns made it that much more enjoyable we hope! I hope we go back every year!

Great colors at the CP clinic

In the afternoon we went to a small orphanage in the middle of nowhere! It was an hour drive, and so worth it. There were 20 plus kids there. All from 5 different families. A close knit group for sure. I was greeted by twins, Yulia and Tanya. Yulia belly laughed as soon as she saw me. Then she grabbed my hand and gave me a tour of the place.. through the main room, to all of the bedrooms, and finally to a small playroom, which is also used for music. It was such fun! The kids played with balloons as other children played music, sang and danced for us.

Yulia and Tanya with my friend Zhorik

Kids played with balloons while others sang and performed

Before this visit we went to a cool local restaurant for a late lunch. The owner of the restaurant is an extraordinary and lovely man. His restaurant doubles as a museum, representing the cultures of the area and Chechnya. He is from Chechnya. He grew up in Russia and now lives near Beslan. He took Maria and Me to Chechnya for an extremely personal trip. It was an experience I will never forget! We could have never crossed the border from N. Ossetia to Chechnya without him with us. I am so grateful to this man for the gift he gave to me and Maria!



Nastya warms up the young kids for me

On our second day we visited a baby orphanage in the morning. In Russia, baby orphanages are for kids ages 1 to 5. At 5 they are sent to a "regular" orphanage. The kids here are typically leery of strangers, and for good reason. Luckily I had Nastya with me. She warmed the kids up slowly, as they got used to my presence. I am forever grateful for her. Two kids who were crying when they first saw me, were sitting in my lap at the end of our play session. Thank you Nastya.

Of course they come right to Maria with no hesitation :0)
 

After the baby orphanage we visited Dur Dur Village. This is an orphanage we visit every year. I love going back here. I have developed some connections with some of the kids for sure. Zao comes to greet me every time. He asked me for my camera again this year, but I forgot to bring it. So I gave him my kazooba tuba to play with instead. He is a bright and lively teenager!

We played and laughed and ate a yummy late lunch here. It is a beautiful setting for an orphanage and I feel the kids enjoy our visit as a break from their day to day routine. I know we enjoy it. After leaving Dur Dur, we head to the mountains for a dip in the hot springs. It is such a gloriously beautiful area. It is energizing and refreshing to swim in the natural hot springs. A good way to end our mid week day. The second half of the week will be in my next post.

               Now Go Out and Hug a Child Today!!!
 

Highlights from Russia/Beslan 2018 Part 1.

Painting at Maria's dacha

As always, my trip begins with some time spent at Maria's dacha outside of Moscow. It is a great way to acclimate to the time change, meet any new people who are coming, and share time with Maria and her family. On Saturdays a group of kids from one of the orphanages in Moscow come to her country studio to paint, make ceramics and play. All the kids are wonderful, but Maxim had to be the cutest 3 year old I have seen in a while, and he loved my kazooba tuba.

Maxim and my kazooba tuba

Sunday night Maria took us to a great small venue for a concert. Seregei and his band were fabulous! Plus I got to see my sweet Ira and her fiancé Maxim. They looked so great together. I met Ira in 2007 at Maria's summer camp. She was 10 at the time, and so playful. You would never had known she had been thru one of the greatest tragedies in Russian history. Her brother and sister were killed in the Beslan siege. She is now ready to graduate from college with a degree in psychology I believe. She deserves a lifetime of happiness, and I hope Maxim provides it with her!

Ira and Maxim

 

Sergei and his band

On Monday we flew to Beslan. Fun travels as usual and we were greeted in Vladikavkaz by our friends from the school. And I was greeted by my friend Aslan once again! It is such a joy to see a dear friend, even if it is only once a year. Monday was a relaxing settle into our rooms kinda evening. We did have dinner at Maria's room with the teachers as usual.

Aslan and Chip outside the Vladikavkaz airport. He greets me every year! Next year we hope to go into the mountains together and explore the beauty there. I can't wait.

This years trip to Beslan was a little different. I think Maria is "transitioning" on purpose. The siege was over 13 years ago. All of the kids who were in the school at the time of the siege have graduated. It is still a big part of the history and we still need to visit the school, but now we do a little more "work" in the community. So we spent two days going to different orphanages, the open market, and a clinic for kids with Cerebral Palsy. Then we spent 3 days in the school having master classes like always, culminating in a concert. I like the transition personally. We want the whole community to know we support them, as they were ALL effected by the siege. Parents, other adults, and the now grown children still live in Beslan and still have horrific memories. They need Maria and others to continue the support. Plus, two of the kids who have graduated from the school organize all of our visits! Vika and Campbell did an amazing job of contacting local places and organizing everything. We even visited a center for children with "severe" neurological disorders. Nobody as ever visited these kids, until now! They are such lovely children too!

My next blog will be a little more description of each visit we made, so stay tuned...


              Now Go Out and Hug a Child Today!!!

Airport Fun Again, 2018

Folks are almost always willing to put on a nose for a photo. 

Once again, traveling to Russia was all part of the fun and a great way to start my trip. The lady who checked me in at United Airlines, Nicki, was delightful and funny! I was standing in line waiting for an open spot. She hollered "OK clown, Come on down!". Her coworker next to her got a worried look on her face (especially with United's recent history), until she saw me of course :0). Then we all had a good laugh. I have nothing but good things to say about United. Nicki even arranged my seating around to give me window seats. Or maybe to keep me as far from the aisle as possible? Ha. Later when I was in line at security I heard someone call out "Mr. Daly!". I was a little nervous I did something wrong, but alas it was Nicki and a friend waving to me with big smiles.

Once I get thru security the fun continues. Michael came up to me, a little awkward and shy, and asked to take my photo. I happily obliged. I in turn asked him to put on a nose and take a photo with me. He gladly reciprocated.

Natural Clowns abound

A petite young blond woman asked me why I was dressed as a clown. This question is asked several times on my trips usually. It gives me the opportunity to talk about Maria's Children and the wonderful friends I have in Russia. It also allows me to ask questions in return. This particular young woman was fascinating to me. Her name is Amy Fearnside and she is the 3rd ranked wrestler in the USA in her weight class. She was on her way to an international competition. After she went to her plane, I googled her (with her permission). She seems to have quite an interesting story according to the World Wide Web. I love meeting people like that. You truly never know who you are talking to at any given moment, unless it is George Clooney or someone of that stature.

I played with 2 young Hispanic boys ages 6 and 9. Their mom joined in for a few minutes before they thanked me and went off to eat lunch. An airline employee came up to me and told me how nice that was... apparently they had just missed their flight and were going to have to wait 5 hours for another flight. I never know these details unless someone offers it up. I am just there to play with whoever is willing. These two boys and their mother were willing, and a language barrier had no bearing on the fun :0).

One young girl saw me on the plane ride from Helsinki to Moscow and proceeded to "play" with me for 2 hours using her stuffed animal as I used my bird puppet Freddy. When we deboarded, her mom asked if she could take a photo of us. As this 5 year old girl turned to leave me, she turned back and gave me a big bear hug! My heart always melts in moments like this.

As you travel throughout this great big world, remember to always have fun and enjoy the ride. You just never know who you might meet.

           Now Go Out and Hug a Traveler Today!!!