Still getting there...

I tried to prep Margo for some differences that she'd see in Russia. So when we found a really good deal on tickets from JFK to Moscow with the Russian airline Aeroflot, I thought it might be good for her to see what she was getting herself into:

And I'm sure that Margo, being the positive person that she is, thought, "Well, at least I can pet the puppy for 9.5 hours."

Fortunately for us, Aeroflot has really stepped it up a notch from what you can see in the photograph above and from what I remember as a missionary. Our plane was very nice, complete with good service, free movies, and food that was actually not too bad.

Something I didn't prep Margo for were lines. If you value your personal space and are standing in line, pray there aren't a lot of Russians around because you'll soon find yourself squeezed to the back. Getting on our flight in New York was absolute mayhem because they don't call out row numbers for boarding! Everyone just boards at once! I just laughed and Margo adapted as we found ourselves getting more and more up close and personal with our fellow travelers.

Another note on lines: You really do have to be aggressive to maintain your place. People will jump and bud in line like no other. My favorite was in Kyiv when an old man totally just stepped right in front of us at an ice-cream cone stand. I guess he really couldn't wait any longer for his ice cream cone. I'm thinking if it's this intense at an ice cream cone stand, what's it like at the DMV?..... I don't want to know.