We met in Moscow. At the American Embassy.
Natasha is so small and thin and young. She was already familiar with the twists and turns of the visa process, and so she was worried.
Iraida is a bright brunette, cheerful and positive-minded. She chatted with the embassy officer in Russian the entire interview. .
And I, a thin blonde, scared of everything-Moscow, the conversation with the officer in English, my decision to relocate and not the possibility of moving if something happens.
We met in Moscow. A day later, we went to different cities in Russia. A month later, we wrote each other emails from different parts of America.
And then our lives had happened.
Natasha graduated from the medical school and became a children’s doctor. She works in a hospital.
Iraida has organized the Poopshkin team and writes children’s books.
I haven’t got any education or organized any teams, I just work in the library.
We met by chance. We did not have time to become close friends. We call each other only on holidays and rare special occasions. But we are genuinely happy about each other’s success, whether it’s finishing college for Natasha, publishing a new book for Iraida, or full-time employment for me .
Last year, in addition to life, there was a pandemic…
Covid-19 has changed our lives and the way libraries work. Story hours in the library changed to virtual hours on FB. After reading a couple of children’s books on camera for the official page of the New Bedford Library, I remembered about Iraida. I was already familiar with the work of the Poopshkin team. Bright pictures, good stories, a funny cat with different eyes. … I recorded 2 videos*. And you know, Iraida’s team liked them. Perhaps not so much my reading, but the attention and desire to introduce to the audience the work of a Russian friend.
Do you agree with the expression that there are no random meetings? I think there is some truth in this. Despite the different lives, worries, time zones and not frequent communication, we do not forget each other.
We met in Moscow even though we met by chance. .
Do you keep in touch with random girlfriends/friends?
*One video is posted on the New Bedford library FB page, the other – on my Youtube channel. This post is not an advertisement for the video. And if you are allergic to a Russian accent, I do not advise you to click the link).
