Goodbye Finland! Hello Russia! The trees and the snow piles streaming left to right through my window haven’t changed at all once my train crossed the border, but something tells me that this is a completely different world. Oh, yes, there is a metal fence now running along the railroad trails. And the three ladies in border guard uniforms checking our passports are not smiling as were the three
ladies in border guard uniforms just fifteen minutes ago. Those were also accompanied by a smiling (or it seemed that way) dog. When the officer accidentally dropped my papers on the floor and kneeled to pick it up the dog was here to happily lick all over her face which made all of us smile. No dogs any more, no smiles, serious business. I am glad they are mentally preparing me for the mood and the picture I will encounter only an hour later when I arrive to St. Petersburg. Right off the train, I will rush to my first presentation to the teachers of 
Viborgskiy School District two subway stops away from Filnlyandskiy train terminal. I will then have to figure out where I want to stay this night, as my host family just sent me a note that they got some kind of a stomach flu in the last two days. Hopefully, they feel better by now. My backup lodging option has not returned my E-mails yet, so…
Back in Finland, my ministry time was very extensive and very challenging. All but one presentation were held in English, and my audiences ranged from Finish sixth-graders to international seminary students. I did two events per day except for the day of my arrival when it was only (!) one – right off the plane. I actually liked it that way. It kept me so busy and so tired that I didn’t miss sightseeing in Helsinki that much. Those two brief occasions when I walked the city center made me really want to 
come there again in a warmer season. My feet got wet from snow slush and my hands and ears got cold from the freezing Baltic breeze. It reminded me of my childhood impression of St. Petersburg where we would always travel with parents during the winter break. 
I absolutely hated that city until much later when I came to visit it in July – it was a completely different St. Petersburg! So beautiful, so comfortable, so inviting! I guess, some of these childhood memories are about to meet me in less than an hour…
