We have our last class at 4:00 and we’re done. We’ve given our thank you presents to folks at the university and got some in return. A beautiful, beautiful “landscape” of Jasper from our dearest friend Galina — one of many from her all along the way — and a Urals Federal University mug from the head of the department. As y’all know, I love advertising mugs. What a swell time we’ve had, though we’ve done nothing much in terms of sightseeing or going out at night — our friend Igor drove us around the city center the other night after that wonderful dinner at Leonid’s and Natasha’s, lots of colored lights on the buildings, quite beautiful at night. The snow made it lovely and sparkly, but I could have done without that. Maybe next time, we’ll come back in fall, when it will be pleasant weather to wander around — before daylight savings time goes away, of course. Speaking of snow, when the big snow storm hit, many drivers had already taken off their winter tires and put on summer ones. One of our students said there had been over 500 accidents!
Yea! We’re meeting our friend Pinar in Istanbul! We’re quite excited to see her, it’s been a long time. I’ve used her in class to show how successful one can be as an interpreter/translator. I wish she’d come visit us in NM — everyone would love her, I know. Did I mention how beautiful and poised she is?
Marita and Noekie, we’re making that transition in our minds from Yekat to Pretoria and YOU — we’re like puppies at the door, our tails are wagging in such anticipation of seeing you!
Galina and all our friends here, we’re also so sad to be leaving you — thank you, thank you for such a successful trip! Please, please, invite us back!
Now we have to go to the post office, see if we are successful in sending boxes back home. Dona, be on the lookout for three boxes, please — possible we will be home by the time they come, but the box I sent to Galina I think took two-three weeks, a reasonable time it seems to me.
Sadly-happily yours, jm
lairdandjonelle 
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