It's not WE, but I, and I'm not going, but traveling to the States.

At the time of our upcoming trip, Masha was a 5th-year student on a government-funded scholarship at the Belarusian State University. Let's draw a parallel: a government-funded spot in Belarus = 2 years of mandatory work for the benefit of the motherland at a state institution assigned by the faculty dean's office. This is called 'raspredeleniye' (job placement). It's a remnant of the Soviet era that has only survived in our country. A word that catches all scholarship students off guard because, as a rule, these poor souls are assigned to less-than-prestigious places. For those majoring in teaching, it's usually rural schools; for intercultural specialists, it's international literature departments in libraries; for engineers, it's 'dying' factories. But (!) there is always that 'but': sometimes you might get lucky. It's like roulette, like a lottery – you never know what to expect.

In Masha's case, that 'lucky' moment happened. She was offered a job in one of the Minsk branches of Priorbank: comfortable working conditions, a convenient schedule, a high salary... But (!) she had to start working in the summer = the dream of American vacations collapses.

I don't know which of us was more upset.

Masha (left) seeing us and Katya (right) off to the States

We agreed to call each other on Skype, text on Viber, and regularly 'check' each other's Instagram profiles. And, of course, miss each other.

Spoiler alert: Miguel (manager of 'Baja Beach House grill') and I send M. all sorts of things so she doesn't feel so lonely.

'(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

We must stand together!' - exactly like that, until the very end!

That moment when your Belarusian friend is way cooler than Google Maps (M. is trying to drill into my head where the bus stop is in Bethany). 'M' = mutual aid!