Where am I ?

This is Jeanie.  Yesterday afternoon we found ourselves in the middle of a "Bourne" movie trailer.  We were in the backseat of a minivan driven by a very funny Russian driver who, at breakneck speed, weaves through traffic, utilizing the shoulder, median, creating a new lane of traffic at will.  He pulled in front of yet another cinder block gigantic residential complex, whipped into an impossibly small parking space and announced our arrival at our new home.  Our driver, Sergei Semenov, Area CES director, met us at the airport, and we like him a lot.
   At our apartment we were met by our new best friends, Barbara and David Sutton, with wonderful Boston accents and fun personalities.  They live nearby & had cleaned and stocked our apartment with great food.  They work in the mission office & have such great love for the people & this gospel.
Our apartment is wonderful, once you get inside.  We go through 3 sets of  locked doors to get there.  Our front door has at least 3 dead bolts.  We have 2 bedrooms and a pull out couch so we can accommodate lots of visitors. Y'all come.
   I was a bit exhausted and fearful yesterday.  Big surprise!   Every voice I hear is speaking Russian & every sign & newspaper is Russian.  Did I Think I was going to Iowa?   It was all so overwhelmingly different!   After Sergei & the sutton s left to go back to work we unpacked & my darling companion fell asleep.  I kept poking him because I thought if he died right there, I was helpless. I didn't know where anyone was and I had no phone. Even if I found someone, I could not communicate.  Fortunately, he woke up & we were picked up in a gray van by Alexander, a retired soviet mig fighter pilot who loves to help out the mission office.  He drove us to the mission home where we enjoyed dinner with Pres & Sis Sorenson, who will be leaving Saturday after 3 years.
I was so glad to hear sis Sorenson say that she remembered the day when everything around her seemed " normal".  I'm not there but I kept thinking, in my weeping homesickness, of pres. Hinckleys father's advice to his son who wanted to give up.  "Forget yourself & get to work".  That's what I intend to do.  Today is much better.  The clouds are parting, we feel great, we worked out, walked to the office in the gorgeous summer sky.  Life is great, the gospel is true & we are so grateful.