While The Simpsons is playing in a language I don't quite understand yet, I'll tell you about 3 planes, 4 cities, and a dozen people.

Moscow. With a large suitcase stuffed with black bread and a big younger brother, for the first time in 20 years, I learned that on the bus you have to pay not only for your brother but also for the suitcase. The knowledge cost me my last 100 rubles.

Plane 1. There were many of us students flying via Work and Travel. I teamed up with 3 other girls flying far away from their hometowns. Two guys sitting nearby were flying to Italy as volunteers to pick oranges. That's why it was so important for them to learn how to say "How much does it cost" and "Prostitute" in Italian.

Rome. 15 hours of waiting in the transit zone, knowing that the Colosseum is no more than an hour away. I could write a guidebook for the Roman airport. We watched movies, slept on benches, and drank morning Italian coffee. It reminded me of the movie "The Terminal".

Plane 2. A woman around 45 from Puerto Rico sitting next to me was telling me about life in Spanish-English and giving sound advice. And then she asked me to teach her how to say bad words in Russian. My cheekbones ached from laughing.

New York. They forgot to send the suitcases, of course. Had to wait. The flight to Washington was delayed by 5 hours. Had to wait. And that's when I saw a movie on my "favorite" topic in real life. Girls from Syktyvkar—a friend was supposed to book an electronic ticket to New Orleans. It turned out her friend had problems with her credit card. I went to find out what could be done for this girl, as she barely spoke or understood English at all. You can only buy a new ticket for the day after tomorrow. So she, flying in high heels and torn tights to a Mexican guy she met last year (and what did she work as without English?), didn't have $300 with her. I don't know what happened to her; my plane was leaving.

Plane 3. Slept.

Washington. After a day and a half, I finally went to sleep in a real, clean bed.

Advice: you need to travel with money, check all purchased electronic tickets to ensure the payment went through, and travel to a place of residence you've already thought out in advance!

If you think everything through in advance, everything will be cool. If not, you'll feel like Tajiks in Moscow. And learn English. By the way, here is a cool site for spoken language: http://www.eslpod.com/website/index_new.html

Big adventures to everyone!

P.S. Write questions and feedback, I'll be glad! :)