Making me want to come back for more

A couple of people have emailed to ask whether I'm shutting "Scraps of Moscow" down now that I'm back in the US and engaged in the pursuit of a JD degree (an activity which doesn't leave a lot of time for whimsical contemplation of faraway places). I think I'm actually going to try to keep looking at coverage of Russia and sound off once in awhile, as well as posting pictures every now and then. I'll be back in Moscow for winter break anyway, and hopefully for at least a portion of next summer, so the city is never far from my thoughts.

Since I often use this space to provide critical observations about life in Russia, I feel like, in an effort to be "fair and balanced," I have to relate the story of my departure from Sheremetyevo-2 last Monday. Of course it was hectic, there were huge lines, etc., but I also experienced a couple of moments of human kindness which made me feel like I was being sent off with a smile. First, I went to declare some cash I was taking out of the country (this also had the handy result of allowing me to bypass the long line of people with nothing to declare waiting to clear customs through the "green corridor"). I received no hassle from the customs agent and went on to pass through the pre-check-in security (baggage X-ray and hand search, since our destination was the US). 10 minutes or more later, I see the customs agent come up to me and ask, "are you missing something?" I had left my videocamera on the customs desk, and this guy made the effort to come find me and make sure I got it and was not victimized by my own carelessness.

Then, as if that wasn't enough kindness (already more than I have ever experienced at Sh-2, and I've passed through there dozens of times), the Aeroflot check-in agent did not give me a hard time for having a bag that weighed 32.8 kilos, although the limit is 32 - AND she told me she might upgrade me to business class at the gate. Even though I lounged in the lounge for too long and was literally the last person to board the plane, she lived up to her semi-promise and put me in seat 1A. Just like Moscow, to make you feel like a downtrodden peon for 3+ years and then see you off like a king.

Anyway, I felt like that was a heartwarming tale to share, and also wanted to log on and make it known that "Scraps" is not going the way of the USSR - I'm keeping it together and will be posting here as often as time permits.

Oh, and to the couple of haters who have posted comments which require a response from me - I'll be posting those responses soon. Don't think you're getting the last word.