Beware of Rumors!

My friend who is also a student teacher here in Moscow went home to the states for Christmas. One of her friends there told her of a rumor she heard that she was dating a student teacher from Walla Walla College! This rumor about something in Russia somehow spread from Walla Walla to Arkansas!

I hate to disappoint all of you in rumorland, but this one isn't true at all. I am still single, and my colleague is still single. None of us are dating anyone, and certainly not each other. Sorry - and it's nothing against her either.

I can't speak for her, but I am quite certain that I won't be dating anyone in Russia. There are many good reasons for this, such as the time and attention required by a relationship, and the fact that I don't speak Russian well at all. I believe strongly that there is no rush to get married to someone, and it is, as a rule, a dumb idea to do so.

So that said, no we aren't dating, and anyone expecting me to come back with a wife (Russian or otherwise) will be very disappointed.

Moving on to a different topic, I visited a friend from the International church at his university today. I had the typical rude experience with security guards, but we were able to meet in a friend's dorm room and have a bit to eat. I had dinner today with a Haitian (my friend), and two Chinese, and a Peruvian. This dinner was actually a loaf of French bread hacked apart with a butterknife, and some cups of yogurt (sans spoons). Everyone was bewildered as to why an American would be crazy enough to live in Russia.