The best week of the summer

... and the busiest week too! This past week I've been volunteering at the Western and Southern Financial Group Masters tennis tournament. What an amazing, fun week! I probably worked close to 40 hours in the press box and spent a few more hours hanging around watching great tennis. (I also worked a few nights at Krogers and did a day trip to Columbus, so that's why it was so busy). On my first day I came face-to-face with Andy Roddick in the players' lounge, which almost gave me a heart attack. I felt like a 16-year girl again. I also got to watch some great practices (Tim Henman, Andy Murray, Marat Safin, Rafael Nadal). And, I got to watch a few awesome matches from the Center Court photo blind, which means I also took a lot of great pictures.

The biggest highlight came when I sat in on a doubles match featuring Marat Safin and Mikhail Youzhny. This was a highlight because I followed 4 Russian-speaking men (one was a player) into Court 3. Then I started talking to one of them in Russian- a very gutsy move for me, because of how little I can actually can speak and because they were total strangers. One asked me, "Marat davai?" (Come on Marat?) and I was like, "Of course!" I enjoyed the atmosphere of the match- mostly Russian-speaking crowd, who all seemed to know Marat and Misha personally. It made me excited about Russia.

Speaking of Russia! I leave in two and a half weeks- that's 17 days! This past week I haven't felt as excited as I was feeling a week or two ago. I don't know why that is... maybe because there is so much to be done, or the reality is sinking in, or even that sometimes the reality hasn't sunk in yet. I'm nervous and anxious, but I don't know why... I think I am worried about the goodbyes and "lasts" that are coming up- I am trying not to make a big deal out of them. I don't want to act like I'll never see everybody again. I'm hoping that will prevent some of the inevitable homesickness I am fearing.

Anyway, it's the homestretch, so I have lists of things to do. I've given up on learning more Russian and made my peace with my ridiculously limited skills, haha. I'm so lazy.